Neil, I heard you say a few times ''clawhammer technique'' ,,any chance you break that down a bit more,,I think I know now its a banjo technique? and used also on guitar and ukelele..
Willem
clawhammer technique..
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thereshopeyet
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Clawhammer Technique..............
:ohmy:
Guitar Spider Exercise..... ????
:ohmy:
Guitar Spider Exercise..... ????
RicksPick wrote:
Hey Rick,,great link,,I really should had checked wiki for some information then searching youtube,,
Willem
Hey Rick,,great link,,I really should had checked wiki for some information then searching youtube,,
Willem
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thereshopeyet
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Willem ..... that was very sad...... 
Hey Folks, just checking out Neil's last few updates, and noticed this question. I have two friends who play "clawhammer" in different ways so I thought I'd chime in. In general, I think, like Neil says, you sort of have to ask someone what they mean, and there are all kinds of non-traditional fingerpicking styles that some people call clawhammer. What Steve Baughman means is old-time banjo style playing, where you literally play with your hands shaped like a claw and play *everything* with the back of your fingers. You can find a lot of intro clawhammer technique lessons on the banjo on you tube. What Steve Baughman has done is apply that same physical motion to the guitar. He describes it in this video:
Just a heads up that this is essentially a sales pitch for his DVD on the topic, but there's enough useful content just in this "teaser" that you should get his concept and enough to work on for a long time! And as an amusing factoid, this was filmed in my guitar studio - those are my red walls. And for what it's worth, Steve's approach to video is much like Neil's - let the cameras roll and go to it. This was pretty stream of consciousness on Steve's part, with a bit of editing afterwards to tighten it up.
As Neil mentioned, Steve makes a big distinction between "frailing" and clawhammer. That's partly because Steve originally published a Mel Bay book titled something about Frailing, and also called it clawhammer, and he got a bit of flack from banjo players and other traditional musicians about conflating the terms, so now he takes a fair bit of pains to make the distinction for historical accuracy.
One interesting thing is that Steve's adaptation of clawhammer to the guitar ends up sounding very different than it does on banjo. That's because on the banjo, the low string is tuned an octave up, so your thumb ends up play the high notes. When Steve uses it on guitar (he also plays a mean banjo), he literally uses the same physical motion, so the thumb ends up playing the low notes. Kind of cool how you can apply a technique to a different instrument and get a completely novel effect.
But a second friend, Al Petteway, has a completely different approach, where he tries to mimic the *sound* of clawhammer banjo, instead of replicating the technique. He has to pick the high notes, then strum the lower notes. This is a bit more like some of what Neil demo'd. So Al gets the sound of traditional clawhammer banjo, but to do that, he has to alter the technique. Steve stays true to the technique, which because of the different instrument, produces a different sound. Both very cool results. And Steve's taken the basic concept to whole new crazy levels with tapping and harmonics worked in, which also aren't pure banjo. Al tends to inject clawhammer-sounding sections into his fingerpicking tunes.
I just wish I could do anything like what either of them do!
Just a heads up that this is essentially a sales pitch for his DVD on the topic, but there's enough useful content just in this "teaser" that you should get his concept and enough to work on for a long time! And as an amusing factoid, this was filmed in my guitar studio - those are my red walls. And for what it's worth, Steve's approach to video is much like Neil's - let the cameras roll and go to it. This was pretty stream of consciousness on Steve's part, with a bit of editing afterwards to tighten it up.
As Neil mentioned, Steve makes a big distinction between "frailing" and clawhammer. That's partly because Steve originally published a Mel Bay book titled something about Frailing, and also called it clawhammer, and he got a bit of flack from banjo players and other traditional musicians about conflating the terms, so now he takes a fair bit of pains to make the distinction for historical accuracy.
One interesting thing is that Steve's adaptation of clawhammer to the guitar ends up sounding very different than it does on banjo. That's because on the banjo, the low string is tuned an octave up, so your thumb ends up play the high notes. When Steve uses it on guitar (he also plays a mean banjo), he literally uses the same physical motion, so the thumb ends up playing the low notes. Kind of cool how you can apply a technique to a different instrument and get a completely novel effect.
But a second friend, Al Petteway, has a completely different approach, where he tries to mimic the *sound* of clawhammer banjo, instead of replicating the technique. He has to pick the high notes, then strum the lower notes. This is a bit more like some of what Neil demo'd. So Al gets the sound of traditional clawhammer banjo, but to do that, he has to alter the technique. Steve stays true to the technique, which because of the different instrument, produces a different sound. Both very cool results. And Steve's taken the basic concept to whole new crazy levels with tapping and harmonics worked in, which also aren't pure banjo. Al tends to inject clawhammer-sounding sections into his fingerpicking tunes.
I just wish I could do anything like what either of them do!
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thereshopeyet
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Doug
What a great video, thanks for that.
Dermot
:ohmy:
What a great video, thanks for that.
Dermot
:ohmy:
Thank you Doug,,its the same video were I came across on YT where I thought I ask the question,,,but I was really searching for some playing techniques on a baritone ukelele that I bought,,I thought also that the video was a sales teaser so I did'nt put up the link here..
I am glad having some pointers for study..thx
Willem
edit: this is the link were Neil goes a bit into my question at the end of the wrap news..video time 10:50..
http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/145 ... tml#120384
I am glad having some pointers for study..thx
Willem
edit: this is the link were Neil goes a bit into my question at the end of the wrap news..video time 10:50..
http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/145 ... tml#120384
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thereshopeyet
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Willem Wrote:
Clawhammer Ukulele by Richard Hefner
Dermot
Edit 27....
Eventually got the link to work !
:ohmy:
I came across this Uke tutorial after you posted comment above.....I was really searching for some playing techniques on a baritone ukelele
Clawhammer Ukulele by Richard Hefner
Dermot
Edit 27....
Eventually got the link to work !
:ohmy: