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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| clawhammer uke help - Beginner Questions - Ukulele - Ukulele - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Dragutin Approved
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I was watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWaW4C5z_Ek but I can't seem to get any of the middle strings to actually sound when I hit them with my index/middle finger. I think I got the rhythm down all right, but I can't play the actual notes =) This guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv-IlRIEpVo uses his thumb instead of his middle/index finger, which I can reproduce to get a sound, but it doesn't seem as fast as the first video. Can anyone give me tips on my dilemma? Thanks!!
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Richard Hefner Administrator 
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Hi Dragutin, That's me in the first video and I'm playing a banjo (not a uke) but the technique is exactly the same, at least the way I play it. You might get a little better understanding of the way I play it by going over the tutorial here... http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/Clawhammer/clawhammer.html On the second video you linked to he's playing a uke of course but uses a little bit different technique than me. I hesitate to say that my way is right and his way is wrong -- whatever works is fine -- although his technique of hitting the individual notes is more like he's holding his thumb and index finger together as if he's holding a flatpick but he's actually hitting the string with his fingernail on the index finger. That probably would result in a little more volume, but as you pointed out it might be a little slower since you have to keep putting your thumb and index finger together. Hope that clears it up a little bit. I'm wanting to do some more clawhammer uke tutorials before long and clean up that old tutorial some as well (it was kind of thrown together then abandoned). If you have any more questions for me I'll be happy to answer them. 
____________________ Richard Hefner Webmaster, ezFolk.com MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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Dragutin Approved
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well it seems that my uke just doesn't have enough leeway underneath the string or something. I tend to strum over the fingerboard that extends to the hole in my uke, but there isn't much space to hit it down. Therefore I hit it across, but my finger usually ends up hitting some of the other strings. If I don't go far enough to hit the other strings, the force of my finger doesn't produce enough pressure to pluck the string enough to get a good sound. I know I don't really explain it too well and it's a sorta weird problem....
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Dragutin Approved
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heh alrite so i made a little clip to help illustrate my problem. my voice sounds REALLY weird for some reason. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkv92_B1kdg
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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It could be a problem with the way you're hitting the middle strings or possibly holding the string (with your left hand) or it could be a problem with your uke. You should isolate the notes that aren't sounding right. Slow down so you're just playing that one note. See if you can figure out why that note is not sounding out correctly. If you can play slower and make the note sound right then it's more than likely a problem with your technique and you'll just need to work on it. On the other hand, if the notes don't sound right no matter how slowly and deliberately you try to make them sound right, then you probably need to get your uke set up to sound right. One other possibility would be that you don't have any nails and you're just trying to play the notes with the fleshy part of your finger. You really need a nail (or special pick such as an Alaska Pik) for playing clawhammer.
____________________ Richard Hefner Webmaster, ezFolk.com MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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Dragutin Approved
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well I suppose I'll try and do it that other guy's way then. The thumb works (although feels sorta awkward and slow). My nails are longer than any guy could have an excuse for >.> but I'll look into the picks, thanks for the replies
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shiversuk Approved
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Hello hello. Sorry to tag onto this thread but I thought it was pointless starting a new thread as I have such a similar problem. I too am trying to learn the claw hammer technique - may I first say Richard, what a website, it's kept me in love with my uke and I'm not a musical person at all!!!! I recently bought a Greg Bennet UK50 - overall quite pleased with it, but it doesn't have the warmest tone I was hoping for - perhaps I need decent strings. Anyway, with the clawhammer technique, I am finding that with the first pick with my index finger, as in the initial "down" pluck so to speak, I find my nail almost slipping off the string when I put soft pressure on it, and hence gain little noise...but when I try a bit harder to prevent that and get more volume off the pluck, I succeed but always hit the E string right below it...throwing the whole thing off! Is this merely technique that I need to keep trying? I don't have a long nail on my index finger, when I pick up on other songs I use the very tip of the skin as opposed to a nail. Would growing it a bit be advisable for clawhammer? many many thanks in advance...
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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Hi shiversuk, Glad to know you're finding the website helpful! About that Greg Bennett UK50, I bought one a couple years ago just to try it out and I liked it a lot... it was great for clawhammer uke and fingerpicking too. I don't remember if I changed the strings on it or not, but if you're not happy with the sound changing the strings might help. About the clawhammer technique, you're supposed to be landing on the string below the one you're playing. I did a much better explanation of the technique I use in a video called "Bum Ditty for Clawhammer Banjo." It's much more detailed than my explanation on the uke video. You can find it with my YouTube videos on this page... http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ezfolk777&view=videos That should clear up any confusion you might have about the technique. It's the very same for the uke as for the banjo. Regarding the fingernail, you definitely should grow the fingernail out that you're using to play clawhammer with (the index or middle finger or both). If you have a hard time growing a decent nail you can get a fake nail applied at a nail salon (or do it yourself) or use a pick such as the Alaska Pik. Hope that helps!
____________________ Richard Hefner Webmaster, ezFolk.com MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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shiversuk Approved
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Okay I'll get that fingernail going...haha! Just tried what you said and used the next string as a "stop" for my finger so to speak - I think this is what you mean, as it sounds pretty damn good now - I am so pleased and happy! Thankyou so much again Richard I really can't put it into words how great this site is, please keep it up! I shall endeavour to keep participating in the forums..!
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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Something to keep in mind about the clawhammer "stroke" is that it isn't really a stroke like on a guitar. It is more of a downward struck hammer at the string with the back of the fingernail; meaning that the stroke is aimed more at the head of the banjo than at the floor, probably just less than 45ยบ. This is why the lower string is able to be used as a stop.
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > clawhammer uke help | |
