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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 banjofish on 11/12/2012 12:42:10 PM

Hello . I hope I have finnaly found some others who play banjo the same way I do. I started playing 3 finger scruggs style 21 years ago and for 5 or so years I struggled to get any speed at all. My index finger would slow down and mess up my playing something aufwul. But I did have a couple songs I could ;oay fast and sounded good.One being cripple creek. So being the smart guy I am I tryed to figure out why. Answer was I was only using two fingers and only the square roll or alternating thumb roll. Long story somewhat shorter, I changed my style over the next few months and now only use my thumb and middle finger with picks and do not anchor any fingers on the head. Its very easy to get a lot of speed as dont have to pick with your fingers but rather rotate your wrist instead Is any one else playing this way?? I call it scruggs two finger style

2 Comments
	Banjoduffer says: 11/12/2012 12:56:19 PM Like you I found the three finger style awkward and never really tried to learn it much. My ear and preference has been more to the "old time" and traditional ways of playing. Rather than trying to sound like someone else, I have tried to play in a way that allows me to enjoy my effort and to build on my own technique. I play for enjoyment and relaxation and with a community jam group weekly. There is a site you may wish to visit, it is tonycthomas.com. The materials may be a bit too elementary for you, however, Tony encourages using the old time methods and the plectrum to get a Bluegrass like sound on the 5 string. His language and style is definitely Appalachian and a refreshing change to the usual instruction found on line and in DVD. Enjoy your playing and this style. It is an art fomr we need to keep alive.
	thisoldman says: 12/12/2012 6:42:08 PM Of the many things I have learned on the forums is that there seems to be no one" right" way to play the banjo. I have found the two finger, thumb-lead style the way to play recognizable songs fairly quickly, which keeps my motivation up. I continue to work on clawhammer and am tinkering with some three finger rolls lately. Like the variety. Sounds like your personal style is working for you -- enjoy!
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