In response to all the hand injuries some of us have suffered over the years, here are two simple and beneficial exercises I learned years ago and swear by to this day. One of these I learned from a p...
2018-02-24 01:11:29 +0000 UTC View Post
Curtis asks three great questions about playing fretted vs. fretless, how and when to use "embellishments" in your playing style and how to decide which style to use for a given song (i.e. thumb...
2018-02-23 23:51:27 +0000 UTC View Post
Let's break down the basics of two-finger "thumb lead" banjo picking. This is the easiest, most intuitive way to play the five string banjo (best approach for beginners).
2018-02-22 23:03:15 +0000 UTC View PostWill Coppage suggested that we compile "a list of more singable tunes." Here's a few that should be (when tuned a half or whole step lower than standard pitch) relatively easy for most male voices.&nb...
2018-02-22 12:15:45 +0000 UTC View Post
Introduction to playing "Pretty Polly" in gDGCD. In this video I'll break down how to play the basic bones of this great early banjo song.
PS having a copy of Gibson's album "Last Possum Up t...
2018-02-22 03:01:27 +0000 UTC View Post
Further discussion of Tim's question about where to find quality antique banjos. We'll touch on guitar shows, repair shops and a few other places to start looking for a good vintage instrument.
2018-02-22 01:41:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Milwaukee asks about head tension and "tap tuning" and Tim wants to know about what to look for in an antique banjo. We will definitely have to discuss antique banjo shopping in more detail and hopefu...
2018-02-21 20:15:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Tuning is one full step below gDGCD, two-finger, thumb-lead playing style. George R. Gibson recorded this song (track #20 "Last Possum Up the Tree" 1999 June Appal Recordings) on a six-string guitar b...
2018-02-21 19:01:56 +0000 UTC View Post
(from a current discussion at https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/338798/)
'My family farm is in east Kentucky. Gas...
2018-02-20 23:06:12 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's a quick close-in shot of the hands playing "Little Birdie" eCGAD, relative tuning.
2018-02-19 19:19:44 +0000 UTC View Post
In this video we'll take a look at how I play "Little Birdie." The standard tuning for this classic song is eCGAD (my tuning here is dropped to dA#FGC).
I am using an up-picking technique that is sl...
2018-02-19 15:49:12 +0000 UTC View Post
Over this morning's coffee let's answer a few questions from Keshava Zerr, Jeff Jackson and Ian Keane:
Keshava Zerr"Hey...
2018-02-19 10:52:41 +0000 UTC View Post
A couple of great questions from Brandon about steel vs. nylon strings and when to "Capo Up!"
Today we surpassed our big goal of signing up 100 patrons! As promised, I've now invested in some badly needed new equipment; my hope is that we'll now be able to upload more and better videos and, ho...
2018-02-18 23:47:00 +0000 UTC View Post
We could not figure out how to make my Linux computer run a live stream on YouTube, so instead I recorded a new video for yall using questions that have already been posted here on our Patreon.com/cli...
2018-02-18 19:31:07 +0000 UTC View Post
1. Banjos & Set-Up?
2. Traditional Tunings & Tuning By Ear?
3. Up-Stroke & Up-Picking?
4. Two-Finger & Thumb-Lead?
2018-02-18 16:44:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's another view, this time of the left hand. Tuning is gDGBD, relative.
Thanks everyone for your generous support!
--Clifton
(filmed by Robyn Latham)
2018-02-18 15:02:12 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's a more detailed, hand-held camera view of Clifton playing "Morphine," slowed down and with some extra emphasis on those repetitive open-string pull-offs. Note that the right-hand style being us...
2018-02-17 21:37:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Over the years one of my most asked-about banjo techniques is what might easily be called the "Knott County Lick" or "Knott County Roll." Although probably once a more widespread technique...
2018-02-17 01:25:35 +0000 UTC View Post
After years of performing, selling CDs and building my own banjos I now feel compelled to offer online music lessons via Patreon. My intention is to provide simple and authentic instructional videos, ...
2018-02-16 19:40:23 +0000 UTC View Post