Doc Watson 'free hand two finger style"

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Two Finger Pickers

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For the eclectic banjo player who counts 2-finger styles among their tools of the trade.

515 Members, Created 1/31/2011 -

Administrators: stigandr5 (owner) , Marc Nerenberg , revellfa

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From banjo bill-e on 11/8/2012 7:18:07 AM

Hi guys, just joined this group. I have begun to experiment with Thumb Lead, and that drew me here. But, I have been fascinated with Doc Watson's style ever since being told that he was in fact playing two finger, in this thread here http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/246191

Does anyone know anything about playing this way? Any other notable players who use this style? I thought that you HAD to brace on the head to up-pick, other than the "basic strum". I don't see how he gets such speed and precision. Pretty cool.

I don't plan on going down this road, but I would like to know more about it, as Doc sounds great here.

Glad to find this group,

Bill

5 Comments
	majikgator says: 11/8/2012 7:28:50 AM Mike Seeger discusses Doc Watson's banjo playing style on one of his DVD's. Not sure which Southern Banjo Sounds i believe but it is not all that in depth and actually although he said on that DVD that he couldn't play clawhammer he in fact did play clawhammer, he had a little variety to his playing but i guess felt most comfortable with an up picking style, "still hand" i think he calls it.
	majikgator says: 11/8/2012 7:32:25 AM By the way many have noticed that the fastest banjo pickers seem to be free hand index lead pickers not dissimilar to Pete Seeger's style. Although i have heard some very fast clawhammer and Scruggs Style pickers. Two finger thumb lead not so fast but a wonderful style.
	abarten says: 11/8/2012 10:26:39 AM I'm taking lessons and learning all the styles. I'm way more comfortable with 2-finger - index lead and thumb lead. I even mix the two where it's to my advantage. Clawhammer is taking me a long time to get comfortable with. I'm a big proponent of writing my own exercises, thereby getting to see directly what's easiest and more to my liking in the different styles.
	Mikeanjello says: 12/9/2012 8:41:36 AM The DVD to get for the Doc Watson banjo is Old Time Banjo Styles by Mike Seeger on Homespun. Doc himself emonstrates several styles. It is a great video made years before the Southern ones. Etta Baker and a lot of others demonstrate theirbstyles. Seeger shows how to play Sam McGee, Wade Mariners, Charlie Poole and other styles. A lot stuff here showa up in the Southern videos, but this is an incredible standalone DVD. Here's the link: homespuntapes.com/Instructors/...jo-styles
	majikgator says: 12/9/2012 8:46:46 AM Yes it is a treasure, i highly recommend it
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