Any knuckle draggers here?
I have been trying to clean up my style. I find I do not have good brush control (e.g. want play with no brush at all) I can do it if I play softly enough but the harder I hit the strings the more it...
View ArticleResonator v. open back tone
The question of playing clawhammer on a resonator banjo has come up repeatedly on BHO. Obviously, this is a question of tone and volume rather than possibility, for the instruments are similar, except...
View ArticleTOTW 02/12/2016 Oyster Girl
I'm submitting the tune Oyster Girl for this week's tune. This D tune has a couple of things in common with Lyle's excellent tune of last week, Zinger (I promise learn it soon). First, they are both...
View ArticleAverage Learning Time of New Tunes?
i have a question. When trying to learn a new tune from tab and listening, how long does it take to learn tune and play it back from memory? I'm learning Old Jack Gillie and it's been three days and i...
View ArticleUpPicking in Clawhammer?
I'm trying to learn banjo Clawhammer style and am having a lot of trouble with down picking with either the index or middle finger. I can't seem to get a clean sound. I found that an up pick seems to...
View ArticleClawhammer banjo for the complete ignoramous?
Hey All,I just picked up a copy of this book and am pretty stoked on it aside from a few questions I have that aren't really explained. First he usually gives a chorus and a melody and there are...
View ArticleGrandpa Jones tuning?
I'm sure most have seen the YouTube video of Grandpa Jones playing "Old Dan Tucker", and I love the little fill that he plays in between verses and want to teach myself how to play it. Does anyone...
View ArticleTOTW will be posted tomorrow
For any of you waiting for this week's Tune of the Week, it should be posted tomorrow. Just didn't want you to worry. :-)
View ArticleTOTW (OT) 2/19/16 - Sheep Shell Corn (by the Rattling of His Horn)
It looks like this week's volunteer won't be able to post at all, so I will post a quick emergency back-up tune.That tune is Sheep Shell Corn (aka Sheep Shell Corn by the Rattling of His Horn). It...
View Articletunings on old time frailing banjo
when tunings are started with a samall gCGBD eg what does the small case g mean i am a newbie to banjos at 68yrs old my first musical instrument ! so i need some guidance please on different tunings...
View Articledrop thumb problem
I'm having a little problem with drop thumb and I wondered if it's common and what I should do to fix it. When I play a drop thumb section it often sounds like I skip the note preceding the thumb note....
View ArticleOrigin info for Chinquapin?
Hi folks,Anybody know the origins of Chinquapin on Hartford/Carlin's album, 'The Fun of Open Discussion'. Apparently its in the liner notes which i dont have
View ArticleWhat tuning is Chris Coole using?
Been messing around with David Francey's new tune "Empty Train". Can you folks help me out? Is Chris using Cumberland Gap tuning here? https://youtu.be/nKrE2ziF28I
View ArticleClik here to view.
TOTW (OT) 2/26/16 - Nancy Blevins
My interest in Nancy Blevins perked when I discovered its source recording is of a fiddler well-known along Virginia’s Crooked Road. My husband and I had driven this scenic and musical region in 2009,...
View ArticleAppalachian/Old time music downloads
I just found this sitehttp://spencesrye.bandcamp.com/There's 3 'albums' free to download. They are small, but the music doesn't sound too bad!Hope it's of use to someone?
View ArticleGrandpa Jones banjo style
I know he played clawhammer however did he use drop thumb or any other techinics? I keep hearing a note that I keep missing when I play Old Rattler.
View ArticleProgress as ground to a halt.
Banjo hasn't been out of the case in weeks and I just got it in December. I'm just spastic frailing I guess. So I've been sitting at the pedal steel and working on my fiddle chops. Might be a really...
View ArticleHand advice -- switching from steel to nylgut
Hey all -- I've been playing two-finger thumb-lead for a year and a half, on a Goodtime with steel strings. I wanted to try out a completely different sound profile, so I ordered a Prust tackhead,...
View ArticleWhat You Wished You Knew, Way Before You Knew It, About Playing Old-Time
What are some things that you wished you knew, way before you knew them, about playing old-time? Things that when you learned them, you thought: Shoot! Why'd it take me so long to learn that? Or: Wow,...
View Article