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When you first try playing clawhammer style it will seem awkward, and maybe even a little weird. It’s possibly the only style of playing a stringed instrument in which all of
the notes are plucked downward, either with your middle finger or thumb. Unlike standard fingerpicking in which you move your fingers to pluck the notes, in clawhammer you hold
your hand partially closed and the only movement is in your wrist, much the same motion as knocking on a door. As odd as that sounds, once you get the basic motion down it’s
easy, and it’s a great technique to learn because it not only adds a new dimension to your playing but it also adds a technique that will enable you to play many songs that
you’re not able to play in other styles. Since it’s a combination of strumming and single string picking it can also sound much more complicated than it really is.
I don't want to oversimplify the bum-ditty, as it is probably the single most important element in playing the clawhammer style, but I don't want to make it sound overly
complicated either -- it's not that difficult. Basically I believe it is just a matter of learning the basic stroke, then practicing it a few thousand times until it becomes
second nature.
When playing the bum-ditty on the banjo, many players strum partial chords (either 2, 3, or 4 strings) on the “dit” part of the bum-ditty. On the Dulcijo, however,
since we don’t ordinarily hold chords, it usually sounds better to just play the melody note again on the “dit” part. An exception to this would be when playing
the melody on the 2nd string, at which time it usually sounds better to include the 1st string along with the 2nd string melody as a drone. We’ll talk about that more in the
tutorial on “Playing the Melody on the 2nd String.”
Remember, the first two parts of the bum-ditty are accomplished using the back of the fingernail of one finger only -- either the middle finger or the index finger. Try it both
ways and pick the one that suits you best.
The thumb should automatically go to the top string (3rd string) as the middle finger strikes the melody note (1st or 2nd string), all in the same motion. After the
“dit” the hand pulls back slightly while the thumb plucks the 3rd string. If you have a hard time visualizing this, think of the top of the Dulcijo as a door and make
a motion like you are knocking on the door. The movement is very similar. Note that when knocking on the door, the forearm does not move, but rather the hand is bent at the wrist.
The hand is pulled back only slightly, no more than an inch or so off the strings.
Except for the bending at the wrist, the hand is basically held rigid. The position of the fingers should remain in a claw-like position, letting all of the movement be done with
the wrist.
Practice the exercise above with all open notes on the first string until you get a feel for it. Then try the exercise below, which takes you up the diatonic scale on the 1st
string and then back down.
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