|
As a clawhammer banjo player, one of the first things I noticed when I picked up a ukulele was that I was able to play it clawhammer style. That’s unusual
because it’s the only instrument I’ve found (besides the banjo) that lends itself well to the clawhammer style of playing.
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.
 The Bum-Ditty
The foundation of playing clawhammer ukulele is the "bum-ditty" strum. This is derived from the
rhythm of the ukulele, with each measure sounding like "bum-ditty bum-ditty" or, when counted,
"<one>, <two and>, <three>, <four and>," with the first and third beats of the measure being
quarter notes and the second and fourth beats each being a two-part strum consisting of two eighth notes. Notice in the example below the thumb plays only the 4th string.
Many songs can be played like this, with the thumb only playing the top string, and some
clawhammer banjo players such as Grandpa Jones only use their thumb for the 5th string. However, the technique is enhanced considerably if you also learn to bring your thumb down to
play the 2nd and 3rd strings in certain situations. This is called drop thumbing and you can see an example at the bottom of this page.
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.
As you play the bum-ditty, keep in mind that in addition to playing the melody you are also
strumming the chords, much like a rhythm guitar player plays chords. Be sure to pay careful
attention to the chord changes that are written on top of the tablature. Most of the time the melody
notes will be within the chord that you should be playing at the time, but sometimes you will need to move away from a particular chord position for certain notes.
This simple animation should give you an idea of how your right hand should look. The first picture
shows the right hand position as the strings as strummed. The second picture shows the hand after the strum. Following are some general observations regarding this:
The strum is 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. In the picture I am
using my middle finger. If you use your index finger it should be tucked in a little more so that it is even with the other fingers (more like a fist).
The thumb should automatically go to the top string (4th string) as the strum is being made, all in
the same motion. After the strum the hand pulls back slightly while the thumb plucks the 4th string
. If you have a hard time visualizing this, think of the top of the uke 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. Comparing the second
picture with the first should give you an idea of this motion. 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.
The technique for playing the single strings is basically the same as the beginning of the strum.
Your hand position does not change. The thumb still goes to the 4th string for stability, but when
your hand is pulled back (remember the door?) the thumb comes off the 4th string without making
a sound. When playing an individual note on one of the inner strings (2nd or 3rd) the finger should
come to rest on the string below it. For example, when plucking the 2nd string the back of your
finger should then come to rest on the 1st string, and so on. Of course, when songs are played at
normal tempo this is hardly (if at all) noticeable because it is so quick, but it does make a difference.
Drop Thumbing
Sometimes there are notes that you are just not able to get to unless you go down and play the
2nd or 3rd string with your thumb. In addition, this technique tends to add some nice variety to the
sound of the clawhammer strum. It’s a little more difficult at first, but just like the bum-ditty it becomes a simple movement once it is mastered.
Practice the exercise below until you get a feel for it.
Most of the time your thumb will go to the 2nd string just as in the example above, but there are
times that you will also play the 3rd string with your thumb.
That’s pretty much all there is to it. If you have any questions feel free to leave a message on the
message board (link is at the top of the page) and I’ll be glad to help out.
|
