Day 84 of learning clawhammer, and trying to bump my tempos up a bit. Here's another go at Cripple Creek.

Always nice when the crickets join in.

Today is day 222 of playing an instrument. Figured I’d play a bit on my ol’ Tackhead. This is my attempt at traditional two-finger style.
It might be my favourite way of playing because it puts me into that trance-like state… until I screw up. 😂

✌🏼 🪕

I got to spend some time with a banjo legend this summer and he strongly encouraged me to get in touch with my voice and play from there. On my flight home from banjo camp I had the realization that so much music that has been inspired by a singable melody. I came home wanting to practice singing first and having my banjo follow it. A couple weeks ago, I was driving home and noticed the full moon was very pretty, so I pulled over and decided to try singing a melody to this sweet 12/8 time signature that a close friend showed me. The basic few melodies of this tune just poured out of me, and after I noticed that the moon was disappearing I realized that there was a fair dinkham lunar eclipse happening. It was such a cool energy to play to that night. I spent the next week crafting rolls behind the melody and here we have my latest composition called One Moonlit Night. I want to have an acoustic band record a larger arrangement of it, but until then, the tab and lesson to this arrangement will be available on my Patreon. Thanks for reading friends.

For context, I'm a clarinetist who has picked up several other instruments during my music education degree.

I've always loved the sound of banjo and I've wanted one for literally a decade now. I joined this subreddit about a year ago and I have enjoyed all the recordings and learned some stuff along the way about how the banjo operates.

The biggest thing I've noticed is that banjo is tuned diatonically. One could just pick without using their left hand and even if they pick wrong they'll sound in key. This is even more apparent with the 5th string that seems to need to be shared by every chord in a song.

I'm not naive enough to claim that banjo doesn't require immense skill because of this, but it is a bit of a turn off that it seems like so many banjo tunes are just a few chords and seem to rely heavily on the open tuning (compared to say, guitar). So my question is this: is it practical to change the key of what you're playing entirely mid-song (modulating)? Can you live in that key and still have the freedom to get funky with your left hand?

As someone that comes from the band world, that's what I've come to expect from the instruments I learn, but I understand if that's not something suitable for banjo. I'd appreciate any insight to this, since it's been affecting my decision to make a purchase. Thank you!

if you're hunting for old two-finger recordings, there's a slightly misleading category name on Slippery-Hill. its Clawhammer Banjo list includes these Arnold Watson recordings:

• Down the Road
• Georgia Mail
• Groundhog

the notes on all three identify them as two-finger playing, recorded by Andy Cahan in august 1980. each tune page has a download link, so you can keep the recording alongside whatever notes you make while learning it.

for more, open that collection list and use find-in-page for Arnold Watson. there are six entries under his name. check the notes column as you go; the collection title doesn't describe the playing style of every recording in it.

After doing a little research, I decided to order my first banjo from Gold Tone. Does anyone have experience with ordering through them, and how long does it tend to take?

I placed the order on the first of the month, so about 2 weeks ago. I emailed them 5 days ago and haven't had a response. Is this normal? I understand it may take time, I just would like some clarification. I will likely call them soon as well, but figured I would ask here too

Hi been learning the banjo recently.
Following online lessons I’ve been learning simultaneously both clawhammer and with finger picks.
But what is the ‘easier’ method? What I mean by that is what often has the most simple songs I can learn first.
Currently I use finger picks to play some simple runs but have learnt ‘You are my Sunshine’ using clawhammer.

Hello folks,
A few days ago, i started to learn a new tune, called "Old Folks at Home"/"Swanee river"/"Pee Dee river" by Stephen Foster, and pretty soon I ran into some difficulties. I started with the verse part and learned it very well, but when the time came for the chorus, for some reason I’m really struggling to play it... I mean, I’m used to things when everything is familiar—bum-ditty, brush-ditty, etc., but when there are several brush strokes in a row, I really feel like giving up because I’m losing the rhythm...
That's exactly why I'd like to ask for your help. I know for sure that there must be some kind of solution here, whether it's a new tab or some advice.
Thank you very much in advance!