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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| Frailing Vindication! - Clawhammer Banjo - Banjo - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Philj200 Approved 
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Vindication!!! Okay, it's not all important or anything. But years ago, when I first discovered this wonderful website I was taken to task for a mistake. The mistake: I said “clawhammer” was a three-finger picking style not all that different, if at all, from a lot of bluegrass. You would think the walls of Heaven were shaken! I still called what everyone else called clawhammer “frailing.” People said that frailing was an old word that isn't used anymore. Old word in traditional music? Not used anymore? Okay. I didn't want to be more difficult that I usually am so I accepted that and began to call frailing, clahammer (but in my mind I held a reservation). I even taught frailing to people as clawhammer. But, but, but... Last week a new banjo student walked in my door. While prepping for her first lesson in clawhammer, as she requested, I can across Pete Seeger's “How to play the 5-string banjo” 2nd edition. Which I paid the noble sum of $1.75 back in nineteen something or other. Pete is one of those people that if he says it, it's right, even if it's wrong. At least to me. I learned most of my basics from him via this book. Please see the attached scan of the top of page 22. On page 19, he teaches clawhammer as most people refer to it. But he say's frailing. To keep the peace here, I'll still say clawhammer even when I mean frailing. And say bluegrass when I mean bluegrass. But a small forgotten itch has been scratched. Ahhhhhhh..... Attachment: vindication.jpg (Downloaded 14 times)
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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Phil - Just to rattle the cage once more, Pete has admitted that was a mistake on his part.  Plus, if you go with that quote, you have to say that Earl's been playing clawhammer all these years, which could be a good thing, since Bluegrass banjo would disappear!  (Joking! Just joking!) 
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Philj200 Approved
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Did Pete really fess up on that? My oh my. When did he do that? Back when I first started, Pete's little book was the banjo bible and if he said it, it was the way it was. Frailing is still a correct if not common term. That's good enough for me. Bluegrass wouldn't disappear. It might just pick a new name... like Bradgrass (wink).
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > Clawhammer Banjo > Frailing Vindication! | |
