Intro to Clawhammer: Banjo Ben Live Course!

[ClawhammerDave]

I noticed that Dave’s instrument does not have an armrest. The Gold Tone CB 100 that I recently purchased does and it sits about 1/2 inch or so above the rim. I do not see any way that it can be adjusted. I have been experiencing soreness where my forearm meets the armrest. Could it be relieved by replacing the armrest (Dr Arm Banjo Armrest) or removing it altogether? Or is this simply due to tension on my part?

Great question. Some players like armrests on open-back banjos, some don’t. But for the style of playing we do, I feel like the armrest needs to sit down pretty low and close to the head or it’s not going to be comfortable just like you describe. I don’t think its tension on your part. I’m actually more comfortable without an armrest at all, and I suggest you give that a try first. It may work much better for you. Let me know.

[ClawhammerDave]

Thanks I have been having trouble trying to use my middle finger striking the strings. Moving to the index finger seems to be the answer for me. Took the tension out of my hand and improved accuracy. Thanks again!

Yes, it seems everybody will find one or the other to feel more natural. Of the players I know, probably about 2/3rds use the index finger, and the rest use the middle. Some folks go back and forth, even after many years. It’s good to experiment with both, and find what’s most comfortable and relaxed for you.

[jglayten]

We’re you going to make the difference banjo tunings available in print out form for us, it would make it easier then going back and writing them down .

[BanjoBen]

Howdy @jglayten, I just uploaded the banjo tunings on the lesson page as a pdf under the tab section, enjoy!

[jglayten]

Thank you Ben

[pmillermon]

Thanks Dave
Plan to attend one of your camps next year. It’s a long trip from out here in California. Just don’t want to fly with my 100 year old banjo.

[ClawhammerDave]

If it’s a camp I’m teaching at, you are welcome to use one of my banjos for the weekend. Would be glad to to let you do that. Stay in touch…

[junderwood926]

Thanks for the feedback! I ordered and already received an armrest. It made a world of difference, no more pain/ soreness and much more comfortable.

[dannleslie]

I slowed it down and it’s a little better. I was also using a radiused fingerboard. Could that also be an issue?

[ClawhammerDave]

Thanks for the feedback! I ordered and already received an armrest. It made a world of difference, no more pain/ soreness and much more comfortable.

Glad to hear that! What kind did you order?

[ClawhammerDave]

I slowed it down and it’s a little better. I was also using a radiused fingerboard. Could that also be an issue?

I don’t think the radius fingerboard would necessarily be an issue. Glad it’s getting better. Keep it slow and maybe try adjust your fingers a little bit as well. My first finger tilts out just a little bit beyond the others and that might help you too.

[denniskeefe]

I bought a Washburn B7 ‘frailing’ banjo at the local pawn shop a week ago. I’m happy with it. Zero wear marks on the head. Looks brand new. Today a jam friend came by, looked down the barrel of it from the nut, and said he thought the bridge was too high and he could switch it out for a shorter one. I have no complaints about where it is right now. Any thoughts? Low or high action?

[Arch]

[Arch]

haha. I’m also apparently having trouble with stupid-banjo-face.

[ClawhammerDave]

I bought a Washburn B7 ‘frailing’ banjo at the local pawn shop a week ago. I’m happy with it. Zero wear marks on the head. Looks brand new. Today a jam friend came by, looked down the barrel of it from the nut, and said he thought the bridge was too high and he could switch it out for a shorter one. I have no complaints about where it is right now. Any thoughts? Low or high action?

Sounds like a fun banjo. In general, higher action on an openback gives a better tone but can be harder to fret. Conversely, lower action is easier to play with the fret hand, but the tone can be a little weaker. For clawhammer, I think the main thing to be mindful of is if there is enough clearance between fretboard and the strings for your claw-hand to have room to do its job without bumping into the fretboard.

[ClawhammerDave]

Arch banjo practice 9-23-2022

Great job! You are getting it! When you slow way down and think it through, your thumb tended to get tangled up. However, when you just start playing and moving along the the song and the rhythm, it did much better. The opposite of most learners

Three things that might help:

1. The thumb does need to land “in the hammock” every time whether you plan to pop it or not.
2. However, if you don’t intentionally pop the 5th, it is okay and almost unavoidable if it rings out a little bit anyways.
3. You’ve got to do something about that “banjo face.”

Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work!

[junderwood926]

Dr Arm-Original Banjo armrest. I had purchased one for my mandolin last year and liked the look and quality, so I decided to go with their product.

[cstanton]

Thanks for a great first clawhammer class.! My question is–during the strum part of the bum-tiddy-bum pattern, we strum across the neck and hit what I would call in the Nashville Number system, the 1 chord of the song. As we move through the song that strum remains the same–so are we always using a lot of 1 chord underlying the song as we play? As a bluegrass player, I’m used to moving from 1–4--1–1--4–1--1–4--5–1--5–1 or some similar thing as I play a song. Does my question make sense, or am I missing something about chord progressions through a clawhammer song?

Chris Stanton

[ClawhammerDave]

Thanks for a great first clawhammer class.! My question is–during the strum part of the bum-tiddy-bum pattern, we strum across the neck and hit what I would call in the Nashville Number system, the 1 chord of the song. As we move through the song that strum remains the same–so are we always using a lot of 1 chord underlying the song as we play? As a bluegrass player, I’m used to moving from 1–4–1–1–4–1–1–4–5–1–5–1 or some similar thing as I play a song. Does my question make sense, or am I missing something about chord progressions through a clawhammer song?

Great question Chris. You are absolutely right, and we will dig into those chords in the next lesson coming up. In our first lesson I didn’t want folks to have to worry so much about their fretting hand (left hand), and instead just focus on the claw-hand and the Note-Strum-Five (bumditty) pattern. Hold on. we’ll get there soon…

[cstanton]

Thank you Dave
Makes sense. Something I learned a long time ago while jamming on a song someone else called that I didn’t know was that the “safe harbor” one could go to was the 1 chord when lost. Hang out on the 1 and the song will come back around to it. The 1 chord also usually works against the 4 and 5 chords, so you’re not disrupting things too much with the 1 chord.
Chris Stanton