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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner | Page:   1 2 |
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| Interactive Clawhammer Uke Workshop #1A | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 08:09 pm |
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21st Post |
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mmmichael Approved 
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Richard, first off thank you very much for the site. I have been playing clawhammer on the uke for about a year now. when i first read the clawhammer uke tutorial i went through it a little too quickly before i started playing and ended up picking upwards instead of down. a few months ago i baught a banjo and started reading some more and discovered that i have been doing it bass akwards for a whole year. I decided to play with the same upward pick style on the banjo, and both instruments sound the way should. Should i try to correct my self? Will i be ridiculed or shot if i ever jam with a real clawhammer banjo player?
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| Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 08:29 pm |
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22nd Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator 
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Hi Michael, No need to change if that works for you and it sounds good. Pete Seeger plays a style similar to that on the banjo I think, and I believe he calls it "up-picking" -- I think that's his main style of playing although he also plays other styles such as standard clawhammer and some 3-finger picking. I never learned that style myself but I think the sound is about the same. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Will anybody laugh? They'll laugh if you're playing the ukulele regardless. I wouldn't let that stop me. And of course, if you're really good on it they'll stop laughing pretty quickly. 
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 09:28 pm |
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23rd Post |
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ShadyHarrison Approved 
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Thank you, Richard! This will finally allow me to get somewhere with the clawhammer uke style, I hope.  I have struggled for a while with it. (For "awhile" read "since I got my first uke")  Thanks again. Shady
____________________ "If I'm going to see the light, maybe I will be alright, for now I'm headin' down that centre line" Mike McLaren. http://ezfolk.com/audio/Shady my ezfolk audio site- Yahoo! |
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| Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 04:12 pm |
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24th Post |
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plknj Approved 
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Richard, I too have been trying to learn the clawhammer and just wanted to say 'Thanks' for your great instruction. FYI - the banjo video was probably the most instructional of all, setting me on the right path. Again, Many thanks, Peter
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10th, 2008 10:12 pm |
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25th Post |
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twolegpete Approved
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Thanks for the workshop! This is the best source on learning clawhammer-style ukulele. The hardest part is to internalize the bum-ditty because it's so counter-intuitive when you come from conventional picking. I was constantly asking myself "why would anyone in his right mind want to play that way?". I gave up on learning it a couple of times, but I really like the music and sound of clawhammer, and I tried it again and again... I bum-dittied like a lunatic while watching soccer on TV... ...it's getting more and more fluid and it sounds much better now... it just takes some time till the brain gets rewired... pete
____________________ I got the feeling but I ain't got the skill |
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 12:26 pm |
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26th Post |
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RiemannFan Approved 
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Hi Richard I've just started on the uke, having been an A,D and E man on the guitar of long standing (thank heaven for hank Williams). I want to start right away learning clawhammer style. My first question is simply whether this forum is still active? If it is............. then I'll be back soon with more questions. Regards Philip
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 04:49 pm |
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27th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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Hi Philip, Sure thing... fire away with any questions you have and I'll be happy to answer them.
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 08:10 pm |
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28th Post |
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RiemannFan Approved
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Thanks Richard I can't write another syllable without telling you how much I appreciate the work you put into ezFolk. Without your efforts, I suppose I'd just be a semi-decrepit middle-aged Irish exile with fingers too fat too play a D on a soparano uke (but , hey!, I solved that one buy discovering Mele ukes). In short.................. I may not have any talent................... but I certainly have hope! I took a look at at your clawhammer tutorial about a week ago. I was delighted to discover that the ukelele lends itself to a banjo technique, because the banjo is my long term aim (the uke was an impulse purchase............... and I love it!) I thought I was getting it right from the video and text; but I was still mystified as to what was so different about this particular technique. I started to practise (what I thought was) the bum-ditty, but it just didn't seem natural. It was only when I came across your video on the clawhammer banjo that I understood what the "hammer" in clawhammer is all about. Before that, it seemed from the uke bum-ditty video that you were plucking with the tip of you index finger by using a downward stroke (looks great by the way). So.......... for the past 24-hours I have been practising the bum-ditty by "knocking on the door" and it makes perfect sense. What I have found is that I need to form something close to a right-angle between the line of my middle finger and the strings (does that make sense to you?) otherwise my nail seems to slide over the third string. Finally................ my question. Is it too early to tackle "Oh Susannah!"................. should I perfect the bum-ditty first? In other words am I trying to stand up and walk too soon?  Cheers Philip
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 11:09 pm |
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29th Post |
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Roger Approved
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Hi Richard, Many thanks for this, I love the clawhammer style, but have never had the time to get into it, so my question comes from complete ignorance. In your opinion, and in the opinions of others like Will, and Phil, can the clawhammer style be successfully played on a low 4th string uke. if so, do you have any tips on how to play it on a Bari or a 'low G' instrument. As you know I specialise in low 4th tabs, and if it is possible, I would love to learn enough about clawhammer to write my own tabs. Many thanks, Roger
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 11:44 pm |
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30th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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Philip... Sure you can play any of the clawhammer uke tabs as a beginner (or take a stab at 'em). It's best to play the ones labeled "Level 1" at the beginning, then over time work your way up to the more advanced arrangements. You'll find 5 or 6 Level 1 clawhammer uke arrangements here... http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/tabs1/index.html Roger... I don't think the clawhammer style works with a low top string. It's kind of like trying to play a 5-string banjo clawhammer style without a 5th string... it doesn't sound right. There's something about the high-pitched drone note that gives the distinctive sound to the clawhammer style. Part of that is that high notes naturally sound out louder than low notes. I do play clawhammer style sometimes on a baritone uke but always with a high-pitched top string.
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28th, 2008 08:14 am |
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31st Post |
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RiemannFan Approved
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Richard One other question. Should I be able to play the melody fluently (by heart) before I started practising the Level 1 clawhammer tab? Regards Philip
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28th, 2008 08:44 am |
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32nd Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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No, you don't need to be able to play the melody by itself first, but that's something you'll want to develop over time.
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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