High tec question time

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clawhammer curmudgeons

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a place where old time banjo players can discuss setup, playing techniques, tune histories swap tales and lies.

458 Members, Created 1/27/2011 -

Administrators: Bob Buckingham (owner)

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From Scott Barnbilly56 on 3/20/2012 5:47:35 AM

I have been picking scruggs for almost 2 years now but just started clawhammer a couple months ago . It's time for high tec questions or at least they are for me . Ok I love playing in double C tuning and i see the chords in that tuning are like C- 1st string second fret F- 1st string 3rd fret and 3rd string second fret G 2nd string second fret and 4th string second fret , this is diffrent than regular banjo playing chords to me . Now i know to go to D tuning or D key by putting capo on second fret but wonder what the chords arangement is for playing . I don't have a chart of anything for this and don't belive its the same as playing picking scruggs regular chord arangement . Also say if i leave it in double c tuning and want to play in G is that like capo 7th fret and what is chord arangement for that . Note i have 5th string capo on all my banjo's so i know the process on that . There is no banjo teachers around here and i'm it , so any help with this would be super .

Scott barn'billy

8 Comments
	Bob Buckingham says: 3/20/2012 6:00:28 AM The chord forms don't change with with the use of the capo, only the names do. Letters are the constants in music and the numbers are the variables, the opposite of math. With the banjo in double c tuning capoed up two frets, you can drop the third and fifth strings to G and you can then play in G. Chords? Play around with it. In old time many players use very few chords at all. It will behoove you to learn the notes on the strings as you retune and knowing that a chord is I-III-V of the scale, and knowing what the I-III-V for each chord you want is, you can start to build chords. Or you can buy a good banjo book that will list them for each tuning in the back. This should get you started. Playing back up in old time is the same yet different that Scruggs style. OK fellers and gals, add your 2 cents!
	Durwood Edwards says: 3/20/2012 6:02:00 AM I think you will find that different tunings are generally suitable for specific songs. While it is a good exercise to learn to play all kinds of songs with each tuning, it is not always practical to play every song with the same tuning. Just like in "Scruggs-style" you would find it difficult to play "Shucking the Corn" with the D-tuning used in Rueben's Train." The "chord arrangements" would not change. Just picture the capo as being the nut and apply the fingerings relative to that.
	clawhammerer says: 3/20/2012 6:06:05 AM The chords for D tuning (Double-C capo on 2) D- 1st string second fret G- 1st string 3rd fret and 3rd string second fret A 2nd string second fret and 4th string second fret You're correct, in that if you put the capo on the 7th fret you could play a Double-G. However, in my experience I'd recommend you use the standard tuning for G. But, theoretically - capo on 7 will work for G.
	Bob Buckingham says: 3/20/2012 6:13:39 AM Now Clawhammerer knows where every note in every tuning on every fret of every string is, because he is that good.
	Scott Barnbilly56 says: 3/20/2012 9:48:01 AM Clawhammerer ya hit this right on what i was looking for . I have like $ 300.00 worth of banjo books but none show this kinda info that i can find or understand .Im not a good book learner person either . Why i want to know this is i play alot of picking in roll patterns on non clawhammer scruggs ideas and instead of spending the next half century trying to learn all that detailed tabulature i play like a couple hundred songs where the chord changes are above the words and just roll along .This works real well at play alongs also . Now with this clawhammer i'm going to try to clawhammer style play these some songs to pluck downs and strumms, drop thumbs ect , so on a beginner level i can have a couple hundred songs going in this style in no time if this all works out . Yes i am learning to play songs using clawhammer tabulature style but it's just a slow process for me . Will let ya know how this went and will do a you tube video to share if this works out . Thank all of you for all the info and will check into some of the other subjestions also later on .
	Scott Barnbilly56 says: 3/20/2012 6:18:29 PM Just did this and took to it like a boeweviel in da bugtussle . I put finger picks on and played in c tuning using those c chords and played cotton eyed joe and dooley by the dillards and man did that sound super in both c and capoed to d and using the clawhammer chords . Might get busted by the clawhammer police for that but will try clawhammer style of plucks and strums tommrow . Thanks again to all Scott'barn'billy P.s ...is there a clawhammer chord for A minor in C tuning chords ???
	Bob Buckingham says: 3/20/2012 6:51:07 PM Note the 2nd fret of the 1st and 3rd string.
	Scott Barnbilly56 says: 3/21/2012 7:54:54 AM Way cool . Thanks . When i play cotton eyed joe in key of G regular scruggs style it has a e-minor so this helps me transpose into clawhammer style chords in C tuning . Happy Sprum....mer Thats spring and summer mixed together like were having up here .
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