Banjo players,do you all play chords,or Earl Tubbs style?

[KATMAN]

I've been wanting a banjo,not sure why.But I'd like to know how many of you guys play chords rather than finger pick.I watched an old documentry of Pete Segar and thought I could play that.I probably couldn't play the lighting fast bluegrass style to save my life.What do you all think? And what's decent priced,or cheap but playable banjo?

[Queequeg]

I'm not a banjo player but I think that the crowned prince of the 5-stringed banjo is Earl Scruggs. His style of playing is known as Scruggs style. The older and more traditional alternative style of play is known as clawhammer banjo.

wiki:

"Clawhammer is a highly rhythmic banjo playing style and common component of American old-time music. The principal difference between clawhammer style and other styles is the picking direction. Traditional picking styles, including those for folk, bluegrass, and classical guitar, consist of an up-picking motion by the fingers and a down-picking motion by the thumb; this is also the technique used in the Scruggs style for the banjo. Clawhammer picking, by contrast, is primarily a down-picking style. The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept fairly stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist and/or elbow, rather than a flicking motion by the finger. In its most common form on the banjo, only the thumb and middle or index finger are used and the finger always downpicks, hitting the string with the back of the fingernail or a pick."

[KATMAN]

I meant to type Scruggs,I was thinking of something else.While the claw and hammer style and great bluegrass players amaze me,I don't think I could play like them.

[Fendouglas]

 

Clawhammer picking, by contrast, is primarily a down-picking style. The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept fairly stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist and/or elbow, rather than a flicking motion by the finger. In its most common form on the banjo, only the thumb and middle or index finger are used and the finger always downpicks, hitting the string with the back of the fingernail or a pick."

 

 

 

I think when the fingers are brushed downward across the strings, this is called "Frailing"

 

I got a "Gibson by Epiphone" Long Neck 5-string round about 1990 and played it (Scruggs-style: badly!) for a year or 2 and it filled out the sound of the band I was in pretty good.

 

I still get warm feeling in my gut when I hear a well played banjo! (Although Ned Beatty might disagree - he got a warm feeling elsewhere! "Hey 'cuz - gimme a high 6 y'all"

[kujozilla]

Just play the way that suits you. Also, the lightning fast bluegrass style is the same as guitar PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE, and then annoy everyone else in the jam session by ruining the tempo...

 

[YOUTUBE]AJOIqmlI65Y[/YOUTUBE]

 

If I had been there with a gun things would have gone differently...

[Queequeg]

Look at Gold Tone for quality and value in a "lower" priced banjo. They are Chinese but I understand they are the best of the imports.

[Bernie P.]

Both Scruggs and claw-hammer involve playing chords.In Scruggs you mostly play various rolls and licks while with CH you mostly pick with either the fore or middle finger followed by a downward brush.Scuggs is thumb down pick and up pick with the others.In CH all the picking and brush' are downward.Scruggs is played with a plastic thumb pick and metal finger picks while CH is all done with the back of the fingernails.I started with the Deering Goodtime.It's a great starter banjo available in quite a few different versions.I play Scruggs style mostly.Here's a good example of the basic CH method-

 

Steve Martin CH-

 

Good luck!

[Opa John]

Back in 1976 I bought a Hondo Bicentenial Edition banjo. Not an expensive one. I forget how much I paid for it. Less than $200, I believe. It wasn't bad, looked nice, sounded good, and it had an American Bald Eagle design on the back of it.

 

Anyway, for the first couple of years I really gave it my best shot, but since I eventually realized I was never gonna sound like Earl Scruggs I put it in the closet and there it sat for about 23 more years before I finally sold it.

 

I never did figure out if playing the banjo was all that difficult, or if the problem was my own lack of expertise when it comes to using finger picks. I've never been any good with finger picks when playing guitar.

 

My suggestion would be to try to borrow one, if you can, for a couple of weeks and give it a go to see if you think you have any apptitude for it. Or, you could look around for a used one in good shape. Used banjos don't really sell like used guitars. I've seen some really good bargains lately.

 

I'm not a big fan of the sound, but I truly admire anyone who can play one of the things and do it well.

[boxorox]

Clawhammer, frailing, drop-thumb are basically synonymous. There are two-finger styles, nit heard much today. Also Ren style, which uses a lot of 2-3 string thumb brushes. More chordal.

 

Mastering the finger board isn't too hard, as it's usually in open G (1-5) d-b-G-D-g. Lightning fast depends on getting the right hand rolls down pat, so they become instinctive. Not difficult, but this boils down to practice. It'll take more than a couple weeks to learn them and get them smoothe, but at some point they click in. Timing, timing, timing.

 

It's really pretty easy, but a good teacher can be a big help in avoiding bad habits.

[Fendouglas]

I was actually surprised at how easy it is (without, of course, achieving the proficiency of the really good pickers) - and must confess that I learned my chords from Peter Seeger's tutor book. But even a banjo that's not expertly played can sound pretty good: One that is expertly played sounds f*cking fantastic!