Hi, I'm Tony from Sweden, and I'm new here. I've been playing guitar, and other stringed instruments, for about 45 years, and now I'm trying to learn clawhammer banjo.
I've been watching several DVDs, I've seen lots of clips on YouTube, and I've bought a few books. My question is about the basic bum-ditty strum. Some people use their middle finger for the melody note, and some use the index finger. I'm most comfortable with the index finger, and think it gives me the best tone. So far, so good. But how about the strum? On his Homespun DVDs, Bob Carlin plays the melody note with his index, and the brush with his middle and ring finger, but as far as I can tell, most players use the same finger for the melody note, as for the strum. How do you do it?
I have started out using Bob Carlins way of striking the strings, and it feels natural to me, and is easier for me to control. Is there advantages, or disadvantages to this method, or is it just a matter of personal preference? It's working fine for me, as I'm learning the basics, but I don't know enough about clawhammer playing yet, to see the long term consequenses.
I'm grateful for any advice you can give.
All the best from Sweden / Tony