Learn Old Time Banjo

Old Time Banjos and Instruction for Frailing, Clawhammer and Folk Styles at BanjoTeacher.com


Now featuring the White Layde and other open back old-time style banjos.

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How to Play Clawhammer Banjo Learn how to play beginning clawhammer banjo by Book and CD. Clawhammer Banjo from Scratch - A Guide for the Claw-less! This book teaches clawhammer banjo the way we play, not the way others say. It really begins as though you really have NO knowledge of how to play the five string banjo clawhammer style. Based on Dan's innovative Meet the Banjo™ program (where Dan brings 15 banjos and teaches players who may have never held a banjo), this book assumes no prior experience. Beginning at the beginning, Dan presents a brief history of the 5-string banjo then goes over the parts of the banjo, holding the banjo, right and left hand positions and his basic clawhammer strum. Even the strum is broken down into the steps of the finger and thumb. You are guided through the chords, the scale and then the individual notes of each of 12 jam session favorite tunes from scratch. Includes 2 reference CD’s with all exercises, tunes (slow and up to speed), and a fiddle version of each tune. save a couple of bucks, 24.95

Perfect Touch Clawhammer Finger Pick Handcrafted in the Mountains of Tennessee
	Rusty Thornhill has applied his innovative skills to the needs of the clawhammer picker. With this, the clawhammer picker can pick for hours or days without fear of broken, split or worn fingernails. A single metal clawhammer pick designed and crafted for extra comfort and ease of use. Avoid the discomfort of pinched-on picks, hangnails, and pick collisions. Details

FINALLY! An instructional video that starts from the beginning! Clawhammer From Scratch begins as though you really have NO knowledge of how to play the five string banjo clawhammer style. Beginning at the beginning, Dan presents a brief history of the 5-string banjo then goes over the parts of the banjo, holding the banjo, right and left hand styles and his basic clawhammer strum. Even the strum is broken down into the steps of the finger and thumb. Based on Dan's innovative Meet the Banjo(TM) program where Dan brings 15 banjos and teaches players who may have never held a banjo, this video assumes no prior experience. Using one tune, Spotted Pony, you are guided through the chords, the scale and then the individual notes of the tune. This video ends with a few tips and frequently asked questions and even a chance for YOU to play with the fiddle and guitar just like in a private jam session. If you have been looking for that one instructional recording to get you started, this is the one for you. If you already have many books or videos but still can't seem to get the basics, this is the one for you, too! A 2-page pamphlet is included. On the DVD you will learn to capo up to D tuning, review the basics of the Double Thumb Pony, then head off into the banjo world by learning to drop thumb, hammer-on, pull-off, and slide your way into the Full Blown Pony. You are guided through the chords, the scale, and then the individual notes of the tune as well as each of the techniques that make Old Time Southern Appalachian clawhammer banjo music as exciting as you have heard. Each technique is taught, then applied to the tune and repeated in easily learnable segments. This video even gives you a chance to play banjo with the fiddle and guitar just like in a real jam session. Booklet included. 27.95

Clawhammer Banjo From Scratch 27.95

Bob Carlin beginner clawhammer lessons
Learn proper technique!

Beginner Clawhammer Lessons
Clawhammer Songs

Everything you wanted to know about Clawhammer Banjo by Ken Perlman A complete tutor for the Intermediate and Advanced Player. Includes over 120 tunes with clear tablature 2 CD's included 27.95

Frailing The 5-String Banjo - An Instruction Manual by Eric Muller and Barbara Koehler This highly acclaimed text presents a systematic method for playing the unique "frailing" banjo style. "Old-time mountain banjo" is taught with clarity and expertise. The compact disc is in split-track format, allowing the student to play along with the old-time string band or the frailing banjo parts. It also includes Eric Muller's concise teaching. CD included 19.95

First Lessons Clawhammer Banjo is an ideal book for beginners and banjo players interested in learning the clawhammer style. The book explains the basics of reading tablature, right hand technique, and other elements unique to clawhammer banjo. Included are classic songs such as Little Brown Jug, Cripple Creek, Old Joe Clark, Policeman, and much more. The book comes with accompanying audio. details First Lessons Clawhammer Banjo (Book/CD Set) 9.95

First Lessons Folk Banjo Book/CD Set Folk musicians traveled the country singing the folk songs that many of us now know, some of which are still played in jam sessions. First Lessons Folk Banjo is a great introduction to learning these types of folk songs on this wonderful instrument. Included are lessons on singing and playing backup with the banjo, strumming and picking exercises, and many classic folk songs. The music is written in tablature, and the book comes with accompanying audio. details 8.99

Old-Time BanjoCraft 5 String Open Back Banjo Making BanjoCraft is a brief look at banjo making in the small shop. This book is intended to to be accessible to banjo people and wood workers of all skill levels. BanjoCraft contains 50+ full color photos and 46 pages of detailed banjo making knowledge. From the author Robert Browder: My own interest in banjo making came by playing music and the wish to own a great banjo. Although having done some basic wood working in the past I found myself poorly equipped for banjo making. Several years ago I had the good fortune to meet BlueRidge craftsman Mac Traynham. Mac makes great banjos. He is also a great old time musician. Under Mac's instruction I slowly developed the skills required to make fine banjos. Along the way we were fortunate to participate in the Virginia FolkLife Apprenticeship program, sponsored by the Virginia Foundtion for the Humanities. Details

16.95

This is contributed by Wayne Erbsen.

Native Ground Music
~ Historic American Music & Folklore~

Here are the basic steps to learning old-time clawhammer banjo.

1. With your right hand over the strings of your banjo, curl your fingers up as if they were holding a baseball bat.

2. Strike down on the 1st string with the nail of your middle finger. (This is your melody note). With your hand still in motion, let your right thumb come to rest on the 5th string.

3. Then lift up you right hand and quickly brush down on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings with the nails of your middle and ring fingers. Again, your thumb will come to rest on the 5th string, as it did above.

4. Finally, your thumb will strike the fifth string.

You’re trying to get a rhythm that sounds like "claw ham - mer." If you’re tapping your foot, it will be "down, down-up, down, down-up."

Tips:

a. Keep your right hand fairly stiff.

b. The first note of the clawhammer is your melody note. It could be on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th strings. I suggest using you middle finger of your right hand for the 1st string, and your right index finger for the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th strings.

Tunings:

Old-time Clawhammer banjo often uses different tunings to play the tunes. One of my favorite is G Modal tuning which is sometimes called "sawmill" tuning.

1. Start in G tuning: gDGBD.

2. Tune the 2nd string up from a B to a C by fretting the 2ndh string at the 2nd fret and tuning it up until it matches the 1st string played open.

"Red Rocking Chair" is an old southern mountain tune that is also known as "Rain and Snow." In western North Carolina, it was one of the favorite tunes of banjoist Obrey Ramsey.

Here is a link for the tab for Red Rocking Chair in JPEG

You can hear Wayne play this tune on the banjo on his recording entitled "Southern Mountain Classics."

You can get more information about learning the old-time clawhammer banjo style from Wayne’s two books: Southern Mountain Banjo and A Manual on How to Play the 5-String Banjo For the Complete Ignoramus!

Wayne also has two popular bluegrass banjo books: Bluegrass Banjo Simplified! and Starting Bluegrass Banjo From Scratch.

He has also produced a number of songbooks that would be useful to both old-time and bluegrass banjo players. The books include the melody in standard musical notation (not tab), lyrics, chords, song histories, jokes, vintage photographs and stories. They include

Front Porch Songs, Jokes & Stories

Backpocket Old-Time Banjo

Backpocket Bluegrass Songbook

Cowboy Songs, Jokes, Lingo ‘n Lore

Outlaw Ballads, Legends & Lore

Log Cabin Pioneers

Old-Time Gospel Songbook,

Singing Rails

Railroad Fever,

Rousing Songs of the Civil War

For more information, visit www.nativeground.com

Note: "Red Rocking Chair" is from Southern Mountain Banjo by Wayne Erbsen, published by Mel Bay Publication, Inc., used by permission

Mike Iverson - Clawhammer banjo instruction - beginning to advanced.

Ogden, Utah

Mike Iverson
558 West Harrisville RD
Ogden, UT 84404
(801)782-0534 bluesage@relia.net

www.bluesageband.com

For free downloads of clawhammer banjo tabs, MP3s, and instruction,
visit Mike Iverson's clawhammer banjo page on the Blue Sage Trio
website: