Tuning up to A
I have tuned my SS Stewart and my Chuck Lee up to A. Thay have nylgut strings and the Stewart is vary small. the string are not that tight and thay sound vary good. Is this ok?
View ArticleTOTW - 3/8/13: Granddad's Favorite
This week's Tune of the Week is Granddad's Favorite and comes to us from West Virginia fiddler Ernie Carpenter and to him from his grandfather, "Squirrelly Bill" Carpenter. Like many of the tunes in...
View ArticleNew River Train
I'm trying to sing a lot more so I'm working on New River Train. I'm curious. How many verses do you sing. From what I see there are ten verses. I seem to peter out after four or five.
View ArticleQuestion about tunings
Please forgive the rookie inquiry, but I'm a bluegrass guitar and banjo player who has just taken up clawhammer playing. I don't know why it took me so long, but I'm so excited to be exploring not...
View ArticleWhat are and how do I use chord inversions?
I have previously posted about learning to go up the neck on banjo, while searching the web I kept coming across chord inversions where only two strings are being fretted of the chord, (I'm guessing)....
View ArticleTwin Sisters versions
I love this old Sidna Myers tune and have set myself to learn it. The version I have is from Steve Parker's String Band Favourites book and the source is listed as 'Hoover Uprights' but listening to...
View ArticlePert Near Sandstone
Just saw Pert Near Sandstone playing in Denver on Saturday night. They are great! if you have not checked them out take a few minutes and head over here:http://pertnearsandstone.com/
View ArticleMight anyone have this version of Whiskey Before Breakfast?
Might anyone have the tab for this version? I've seen many versions but I like this the best. Thanks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jtSdAwXll0&feature=player_embedded#!
View Articledry cracked skin on thumb
This is driving me nuts!!! I have played the guitar for 45 years, and Scruggs style banjo for 10, but now, I mostly play clawhammer. Never had trouble with my skin before- now, every two weeks, my...
View ArticleLearning Claw-grass
Hey everyone---Mark "Claw-grass" Johnson has posted a three finger "Claw-grass" exercise in the comments section of the breakthrough blog and is teaching us how to adapt a Scruggs style roll to...
View Articlesuggest a tuning for blues (2 finger) Key of C
Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could suggest a tuning in the key of C, 1 4 1 5. I'm just learning some two finger (thumb lead) stuff right now. My band mate put a bluesy song on the table, I find...
View ArticleCathy Fink True Fire clawhammer lessons
Hello everyone, For what it's worth (I'm still a "starter" after all) I want to say how impressed and excited I am about the Cathy Fink clawhammer lessons on True Fire. There was some discussion of...
View ArticleaEAC#E
Do you capo up or just play them in G? The guy I take lessons from said to help me get used to playing around the 5th tuner to play all my G tuned tunes capoed and to stop playing CC, play DD. It...
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Plastic Thimble Picks - Great for CH & Old-Time Styles
Hi, If I have a bad nail or sore finger, I simply use one of my handmade picks.The thimble picks I use are all plastic (for the tone I want) and designed for rigorous clawhammer or other styles of...
View ArticleCindy
Hi! I'm learning to play Cindy from Mike Iverson's site, and I'm having a bit of trouble on the last part of the tab. The tab is here: http://www.bluesageband.com/Tab%20pdf%20files/cindy.pdf and the...
View ArticlePlaying Fretless
Howdy, I picked up a fretless banjo yesterday; a Ramsey Woody custom with nylgut strings. I did replace the 5/8 bridge with a 3/4 to give a bit more sharpness to the string sound. I find it very...
View ArticleMinstrel banjo instruction
Got myself a Terry Bell Boucher minstrel banjo, tuned it dGDF#A: See here: http://bell.20m.com/banjos.html Looking for an instructor in the Bay Area of California who favors the tablature approach....
View ArticleTOTW--3/15/13--Richmond
Many a-time a tune grabs me and I’ll listen over and over. Richmond, the TOTW, as played by Adam Hurt on his newest release “Fine Times At Our House” is one of those tunes. It has a cheerful melody...
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