Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Full Step Hammer On Stretch

#1

Hi! First post. I have been a gold pick member for a few years now. Slowly going through the Beginners learning track. Just finished a two month learn of You Are My Sunshine as part of the slides lessons and am moving on to Hammer-ons. I have no problems doing half step hammer-ons and pull offs, however the full step, two fret jump are another matter.

I liken the stretch to even worse than getting that middle finger over to the D string learning a full C chord? Is this normal? I can keep at it but just need to know this is yet another one of those “rights of passage’ and that if I keep at 5 years from now I will wonder what the fuss was all about. I’m kidding, but I do need to know if others have as much difficulty with this as I’m having.

Great learning materials BTW Ben. Professional as they come. Harder than most, but VERY well presented and laid out. Thank You!

Bob

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#2

Hi Bob Welcome to the Forum. Do you mean hammering on 2 - 4 as opposed to a 2 - 3 hammer on. If so I tend to do the 2 - 4 with my ring finger. Pretty sure that’s what @BanjoBen does too.

I can say it does take a bit of getting used to. I used to cuss Ben for adding those to his arrangements now I enjoy the challenge.

#3

Thanks for your kind words and for working hard on your banjo pickin’…it makes me proud! Make sure you’re using the ring finger to hammer on those whole step hammers, like Archie says. Yes, you need to be able to do this, mainly because of the finger strength and dexterity it develops :wink:

#4

When learning a new song, after I get familiar with tune and the basic fingering positions, I go back to the instructional video for the details. There are times @BanjoBen explains, with great detail, why you have to finger a lick a certain way. That is one of the reasons I like this place. My pinky just finished an intensive weekend workout. It was worth the effort!!!

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