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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| "Seeger 'Brush'" vs. Clawhammer - Clawhammer Banjo - Banjo - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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hayesdt Approved
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After leaving aside the banjo for almost 30 years, I last week decided to pick it up again. Surprisingly, the Pete Seeger "up-pick/brush with nails/thumb drag upstroke" came back pretty quickly, and I've already become fairly proficient at it again. It isn't true Clawhammer, I know, which typically features two downstrokes with the nails and an "drag" upstroke with the thumb, but it sounds very much like Clawhammer to me. My question though, is what is the advantage from a sound / rhythm / "bum-ditty" standpoint of Clawhammer vs. the Seeger style? Would Clawhammer offer me any more flexibility? As I say, I have a pretty good handle already on the Seeger style, but the Clawhammer style I'm having trouble mastering (getting into the bum-ditty rhythm cleanly), and I'm wondering if the Seeger style in effect gives me the same thing already. Thanks. DH
____________________ DH |
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Will Approved 
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hayesdt wrote: After leaving aside the banjo for almost 30 years, I last week decided to pick it up again. Surprisingly, the Pete Seeger "up-pick/brush with nails/thumb drag upstroke" came back pretty quickly, and I've already become fairly proficient at it again. It isn't true Clawhammer, I know, which typically features two downstrokes with the nails and an "drag" upstroke with the thumb, but it sounds very much like Clawhammer to me. I can't speak with any authority on this particular subject, but I'm guessing that Pete Seeger's unique banjo style was adapted from clawhammer for vocal accompaniment (recall that he was banjo player with the Weavers), whereas classic clawhammer is played primarily on old timey instrumental music. Dave Guard of The Kingston Trio adapted clawhammer into his own style for vocal accompaniment as well. Play in whatever style works for you. Last edited on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 07:08 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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DH- The basic clawhammer stroke is really much more like Seeger's "basic strum" than how I read your interpretation of it. To do the "traditional" clawhammer stroke, the only change you would make to the Seeger strum is to strike downward with the middle (index, your choice) finger instead of the up-pick. This is a 1/4 note in length. Then you do the brush/thumb as two 1/8th notes ( 1 - 2 & ). There is not an upstroke with the thumb. The thumb should come to rest on the 5th string each time the finger strikes, only resting on the 'bum' then removing on the recovery. As the 'dit' is stroked, the thumb again lands on the 5th string, then 'snaps' off as the hand rotates to the recovery position, sounding the 'ty.' As I learned the two, the brush stroke is usually a one-finger strum, and has traditionally been done with the same finger as the 'bum.' There are a lot of clawhammer players who have their own variations on the basic style, using one finger for the bum, another finger (sometimes 2 or 3) for the brush. Seeger's style provides a more note-driven downbeat rythmn with the upstroke being a stronger, more accented note than the heavily rythmnic drive of the traditional clawhammer stroke. I can do both, but much prefer the sound of the clawhammer, myself. I tend more towards a two-finger old time style for some variation. Does this help? Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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cockneybanjo Approved 
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the problem a lot of beginners have with clawhammer is hitting the right string. Don't forget that Pete Seeger learnt a lot of his technique from people who were self-taught themselves, or had no formal music teaching I was told early on by my teacher, that it takes about 500 hours of practice to make a good, consistent clawhammer player. That is one hour a day for about 18 months, allowing for missing some along the way. the Seeger style is much quicker to learn but you will pay for it eventually in lack of versatility. Having said that I do it! Along with some 2 and 3 finger picking with one finger on the head you can do a lot, and a most amateurs and hobby players will never progress sufficiently for the limitations to become a problem
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| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > Clawhammer Banjo > "Seeger 'Brush'" vs. Clawhammer | |
