5-String Banjo: Approaches to with Frailing and 3-Finger Styles

Subject: Banjor questions
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 10:41:02 -0800

Hello again from icy Oregon.

Greetings again...

I've decided to try out a 5-string banjo, which means I'll be starting from
scratch. I have played guitar for some time and can finger pick a guitar
fairly well. I've never been particularly good at using finger picks,
however. So here are my questions:

This is a perfect foundation for playing 5-string...I was already playing Chet Atkins style guitar with fingerpicks before picking up banjo...and found myself playing banjo in a very short time...I figured out "Ballad of Jed Clampett" within a few days...

Does that completely eliminate bluegrass as a possibility? Isn't classic
banjo played with just the fingers?

Yes, without fingerpicks, it's next to impossible to deliver the punch that bluegrass requires...

Yes, classical banjo was originally played with fingernails...or the flesh of fingers...and, I also enjoy this medium and approach to 5-string banjo...I love the softness of tone that is impossible to get with fingerpicks. Both mediums have their place...and, classical banjo itself is a lifetime study in and of itself.

I'm also interested in clawhammer (maybe because it doesn't require picks).
Is that a difficult style to pick up? Any videos you could suggest for both
of these styles would help as well.

Clawhammer is relatively easy to learn...and, seems to be a more natural approach to the banjo. I like clawhammer because it sounds great as a solo endeavor. I hope to pursue some clawhammer studies myself. For video selection on this approach, check out Mel Bay's selection at www.melbay.com

Since I can't really decide which style to concentrate on until I try them
both for a while, is there any one banjo that might do for both styles? I'm
basically interested in Gold Tone (the prices are really good). Is the
Cripple Creek convertable from resonator to open back? Would that be a good
starter banjo?

Yes, the Cripple Creek would be perfect to start out on...and since it doesn't have a flange, it can be converted to open-back fairly easy...

Finally, can you tell me anything about the Hoab? There doesn't seem to be
much on it, even on your really great site.

It's a very traditional banjo...and sounds very plunky...great for specialized application...in your case, I believe the Cripple Creek would do you better justice for versatility.

Mickey

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Tom Bivins

Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 14:17:31 -1000
Subject: Banjo styles & strings

Hi Mickey, I really enjoy your site (I check it out almost daily since discovering it!). I've been playing 5 string banjo along with 6 & 12 string guitar for over 40 years(off and on) but recently have really gotten jazzed again on banjo. Question I have Pete Seegers "How to play the 5 string banjo" (mines the 1954 copyright) and he calls clawhammer and 3 finger picking one and the same (page22). I always thought clawhammer was another name for frailing. Can you help clear me up on this, I personally like both styles, and have both resonator & open-backs (one which I bought from you recently). Also I love Elixer strings on my guitars (Taylors), have you used them on banjos and if so what did you think? Thanks again and GOD BLESS YOU! Pastor Harry Timmins Lahaina, Maui Hawaii

Greetings Pastor Harry,

I'm glad to assist if I can:

First and foremost, thanks so much for the kind words regarding our website...

I also have the Pete Seeger book...a great work on Pete's part...comprehensive and covering all styles and approaches to the banjo...

Frailing is essentially Clawhammer...both are interchangeably used to describe playing a 5-string with a strum or melody approach while using the thumb for the thump notes and the back of the fingernails for the strum or melody. Now if you truly want to differentiate these terms, you could say that Clawhammer is a more melodic approach and frailing leans on a lot of strumming...however, there isn't necessarily a wrong or right usage to these terms...

3-Finger picking is a completely different approach...and many genres stem from the 3-finger approach: Classical, Ragtime, and Bluegrass...

I haven't used the Elixirs on banjos...I have on mandolin and found them to have lots of sparkle and punch...

Hope this helps...Mickey