Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn: Clawhammer vs. Three-Finger Banjo Style | Reverb Interview
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- Опубликовано: 6 май 2018
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Banjo greats Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn demonstrate the differences between Clawhammer (also referred to as Old-Time, Drop Thumb, Frailing) and Three-Finger banjo styles. The two styles are rarely performed together, but Fleck and Washburn have made this dichotomy the basis of their unique sound. 
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sometimes I pickup a frying pan in my kitchen and act like I'm playing the banjo. I can do either clawhammer or three finger style on it.
lol
lol i do the same except with the toaster so mine is the electric air banjo.
advantage: me
That’s pretty funny. 🤣
Haah. Nice.
Octobert, there are many kinds of talent. You could show something new to those people up in the hollers. When I'm in the kitchen I do a duet with the smoke alarm in the adjacent hall. My wife HATES it but I'm the one who does the cooking. BTW, my string bass won't set foot (peg) in the kitchen.
Abigail: Smart, talented, and pretty. She's fluent in Mandarin Chinese. She's never played a bad song or done a show that was not interesting and fascinating (I've seen her live many times). I play banjo and have a degree in classical music, but Bela, when he starts explaining what he does, is like listening to Einstein explain relativity. When Einstein came to America on a ship, a fellow passenger said, "He explained relativity to me every day and I'm convinced that HE understands it." These are two major talents, two national treasures.
To be fair Bela is just talking about scales and keys while demonstrating multiple bluegrass 3 finger styles, where Abigail is focusing on a single clawhammer style. Abigail states that there are many regional clawhammer styles and she's playing this specific one. It's not really rocket science from Bela, just showcasing a lot of information comparatively.
Agree. Bela should stick to banjo. If you want to play like a guitar, learn to play guitar. If you want to play a fiddle, learn to play a fiddle. And repeat in reverse. Fine to adapt your instrument to imitate other instruments somewhat, but at a certain point it gets annoying. Respect the technique, but flat picking a banjo to make it sound a guitar emulating a fiddle, nah. That's disturbing. Her banjo is hypnotizing. Very cool.
@@MrApples6 IIf you listen to Victor Wooten talk about how he learned bass, yo discover that emulation is how he ended up playing his instrument like, and yet unlike, people play anything else.
Crossing the streams doesn't destroy life as we know it (Ghostbusters) and it just might yield some pretty interesting results, and in fact, it does.
@@evilrainbow oh I remember reading about her years ago.
2 artists at the top of their craft! What a joy to watch! Thanks for sharing!
Having learned three finger "Scruggs" style, I completely agree with what Bela is saying about clawhammer style. I cannot for the life of me wrap my brain (or my hands) around it. And Steve Martin does both beautifully. I remember being at a concert of his and he walked the audience through the differences and then played a song using both methods... it was incredible. To be a banjo "player" sitting in the audience I was in absolute awe.
Yeah I've tried emulating Molly's clawhammer on guitar and unless someone sat down and trained with me for a long long time - it's just something I can not wrap my head around. And clawhammer on guitar is way less diverse than banjo - lol. Its like you have to unlearn one to learn the other.
Kudos on the Steve Martin shout out. He's amazing.
Reminds me of when I first got to New Orleans I was blown away by a particular guitarist who played Hot Jazz, he was in a class of talent of his own, like a present day Django Reinhardt. I play a lot folk/blues fingerpicking stuff (Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, etc) couple months later he stopped and tipped me while I was busking on Royal St, and I was stunned when he told me that he has tried and tried and can't play that style of music to save his life. Yet he can absolutely melt the fretboard playing insanely advanced jazz scales and strumming patterns. It's interesting how different brains work differently.
Think about why it’s called claw hammer. Imagine you are holding a hammer and your arm is doing the moving - same principle as striking the banjo claw hammer
I read this thinking, "oh cool there's a banjo player also named steve martin." Nope, it's actually him 😂
Abigail's banjo sounds so warm! Very nice!
open back, isn't it lovely?
@@youaintscarman9957 Is open back better than the resonate bANJO?
@@jacktattis143 YESSSS
Jack Tattis noooo
Open back will give you that warmer sound so it’s better for claw hammer, a resonate banjo will give you that distinct bluegrass sound you’ll hear from someone like Earl Scruggs
"There's a different style in every holler" yesmaam there is!
I love her way of playing!
I play guitar, but hearing Abigail play here was the first time I've ever loved the tone of a banjo in the same way I respond to guitar tone. She sounds great!
Awesome video! Béla (three finger) is the physicist and Abby (clawhammer) is the painter. One is thinking, the other is feeling. Life is incomplete without both. Thanks for posting this!
I love to hear these two play together, the essence of 2 souls meeting in music
Guitar is standardized but banjo is wide open. There are closed backed and open backed banjos, nylon and steel string banjos , tenor, bass, and alto banjos and many alternate tunings . Bela is perhaps the finest living banjo player but Abi is very good and provides a lovely counterpoint to Bela’s virtuosity .
Marc Scordato I thought guitar was fairly standardized too til I learned about Harvey Reid and his Liberty Tuning plus partial capos. Wow. A U-turn to different. Keep playing.
EXCELLENT VIDEO
My fraternity brother and roommate for a while played the banjo. He would sometimes bring it out at the end of a party. This was the very early 80s. Instead of thinking it was old-fashioned, everybody loved it! He got me listening to Doc Watson in 1982!! I had never heard of him. By the way, this was at Texas A&M. So, it wasn’t a huge cultural stretch.
This man is a legend.
Great! Always enjoyed the Flecktones at the jazz fests around the country.
Have loved Abigail's music, banjo style and voice for a long time. Would love a workshop!!
The combination of claw hammer and Scruggs style is beautiful
I could listen to this all day...time for a CD together...just fantastic!
Neebin Makwah there is one....
This was great and both sounded amazing together, very cool.
Fascinating stuff from two of the most talented and kind-spirited people you'd ever hope to meet!
This is an amazing introduction to different banjo styles! Good job!
Indeed.
I love it Bela and Abigail....Wonderful combination...Jack Baker NYC p.s. thanks for explaining "Round Peake" style. Difficult to teach, at least for me....
Don Mclean plays both Clawhammer and finger styles brilliantly on his wonderful sounding long necked 5 string with diffrent fingerpick combinations .
Yes! And Don McLean is a giant of all music history…try finding some of his impromptu visits at Norman’s Rare Guitar channel. He is fascinating to listen to!
Been listening to their albums for a while now... great video explaining their unique styles!
Awesome! Very different than the Flecktones. Love the mixing of different styles. I hope your playing will keep this style going for many generations.
Yes! Please do more banjo content!
There is no instrument in this whole wide world that has both enchanted and intimidated me than the banjo, what a magical instrument
Thank you explaining some of the mystery of banjo play to those of us who are new to it.
This is such a cool video. Never knew the banjo was THAT versatile of an instrument
you two are so cool! I'm just getting my first banjo after playing guitars for a couple decades...fascinated by the options...ty for the creativity!
7:00 apparently you can do some nice Mideast sound with Banjo
Its because the G notes in the key of A-flat minor makes a Harmonic Minor Scale. That's what gives it that Middle Eastern Sound.
I love this video! It really helped me with some finger picking ideas as well as giving me further look into developing some clawhammer ideas that I apply to cello, mandolin and guitar. Thanks for the great content!
Great video. I am always amazed at the tones a good banjo player can get out of the inst.
Absolutely wonderful to listen to. Thank you very much!
You know who else has mastered the second fret clawhammer pull off? BRUCE LANGHORNE.
He deserves FAR more credit than he gets. But these two are amazing. I've loved Bela my whole life.
Also, this is an excellent overview of these different banjo styles.
Edit: Oh and btw, that open scale stuff is called harp tuning by us guitarists, you must know this though.
This video is excellent. My vocabulary is limited to excellent, but that's what this is!
both are absolute masters of their instrument, but Abagail's style is more hypnotic to me while Bela's seems more precise but bright and lively. Just my opinion.
My brother-in-law and sister-in-law took me to see you two in Green Lake Wisconsin I love the show. It made me want to play my banjo even more. I love how you had your son in the show.
Awesome demonstration! Answered so many of my banjo questions!
Benefits of going down a RUclips rabbit hole!!! Amazing talent!!
Wow, they are/sound so good together!
I never tire of watching this video!
Phenomenal. Always impressed by Bela Fleck's playing.
Oh yeah! Nice! Heard n saw Bela decades ago but how have I missed the Missus play? Wow! TY I grateful.
breathtaking talent, and an excellent explanation of playing styles.
Havent seen Bela in years. He is really amazing.
Theyre both amazing but something about the way she plays touches my heart. As a Carolina soul especially.
Bela has a rally good group banjo sound. 3 finger isn't made for soloing
Love hearing the banjo 🪕 always wanted to learn to play thanks for sharing Gary
This is great but as a clawhammer player myself I wish there was more to hear from Abigail
Old time banjo always gets pushed to the background in "favor" of Scruggs/Bluegrass. It's the atmosphere of modern banjo today, unfortunately. Folk players are "fringe." But that's where the true soul of historical banjo will always be.
never heard a banjo so warm...Bravo!
I've loved Bela Fleck since his astonishing Drive album - I wasn't all that much into his Flecktone period - it was a tributary I didn't explore... This clip with Abigail Washburn is (for me anyway) manna. Not only do they acknowledge the heritage of five string greats - but they somehow add to the wealth those players created.
Saw Belah in a few concerts. Honestly, best banjoist in the world and unreal musician.
OMG I have so much to learn! Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺
Thanks so much. This taught me more about Banjo in 8 mins than I have ever learned in my whole life as a 69yo guitar player. But I am from NZ, so far from where this comes from.
Those two style played well together. Really enjoyed the video
A Master class, thank you both.
You two together & singularly have some very scary skills. Enjoyed listening...very advanced.
Such beautiful banjo playing!
Fantastic stuff right here, these two do it right!
Great insights of excitement playing the mandolin for 3 years taking a break to repair new fretts lol I got dad's banjo now I'm excited about tht 😆🤣😂😹 thanks for a good video peeps 😀
Amazing music, and couple!
Wonderful music! Thanks!
Love you two! But especially Bela, your a legend man.
Thanks for the great insight of both styes . Im a guitar player for 40 years . Kind of lazy when it comes to formal techniques . Mostly play blues , rock , pop and country
Interesting to hear Bela's comment on different mindsets for thre finger and clawhammer playing. Lynn Morris (Lynn Morris Band) is an award winning clawhammer player and also a great Scruggs Style player, who I had the immense pleasure of being taught by. Now plays mainly guitar in her band, I believe.
A local Lancaster, PA Bluegrass band, 'Dillweed' uses two banjos and an upright bass. The banjo players use the two styles: one plays three-finger and the other Clawhammer. Good stuff and worth understanding the difference.
It's a lovely idea to mix the styles, and not so rare either! Glenn Jones does it too in "Across the Tappan Zee", with Laura Baird playing clawhammer.
Awesome video of these gifted players.
I have actually found a fella by the name of Andy Hunt, who has managed to combine 3 finger with clawhammer. This kid is a pretty amazing picker. What cracks me up about him, is he tries to NOT smile when he plays, but you can tell he loves playing banjo. The channel he is on is IHC Banjo. The song he does that shows this skill of combining the playing types is Cripple Creek.
...Brilliant and very captivating! I think I will be pressing "REPLAY" many times . Happy Bears!
watching this made me realize what I absolutely love about banjo, and it also made me realize why I'll probable never play banjo.
Love this. I'm not a bluegrass or banjo fan, more of an experimental modular synthesis guy, but these guys are are amazing. Thanks Reverb, Bela and Abigail!
? You damn experimental modular synthesists are always getting your beak wet in banjo music!!
(#sarcasm)
Bela is one the best musicians out there, but Ms. Washburn’s playing absolutely does it for me in ways that no other 5-string banjoist’s playing does.
Then maybe you should check out Rhiannon Giddens.........
@@CorneiliusLibowitz I’ve listening to her since the very early days of CCd.
@@CorneiliusLibowitz exactly what I was going to say!
Clawhammer kicks ass and that's what I'm learning on my new open back Banjo I got for Christmas this year!!
That third scale Béla played near the end sounded like Phrygian or Phrygian Dominant mode. Signals Music Studio has some great theory lessons (guitar-based, however) on RUclips that explain how theory works in a very musical way. Jake is a brilliant teacher, just look up Modes if you're interested. (Not affiliated, he's just a great teacher)
Absolutely incredible.
Interesting final remark in that video! 3-finger comes naturally to me, but clawhammer kicked my butt so hard I don't even try it now. That said, I can listen to a good clawhammer player all night and enjoy it. It's really nice to hear how the two styles complement each other. Great music!
Thank you! I love it!
As a visual artist, I was struck by the simplicity of musical explanations that I understand, but captivated by the stripes on Abigail's dress that illustrate the whole development of complexity: the stripes are modulated by her body and they become increasingly more complex from her neck down her body to her crossed legs, where moiree patterns begin. A purely visual comment! Excuse me. What does a zebra sound like? What key is it tuned to?
Lmao this was bloody hilarious.
Fabulous, thank you!!
Loved this video!
I can almost do that "Round Peak" roll that A.W. demonstrates, but I keep getting a phantom hammer on sounding when I get ready for the pull off on the second fret. Nothing is easy when it comes to the banjo, but man do I love trying to tame that beast!
Fantastic. Beautiful. Wonderful. Amazing.
You guys are amazing
they sound good together. very nice.
I agree --I taught myself Clawhammer , But got really liking some Glen Camble tunes that Ashley Cambell And Carl Jackson plays -I totally have to shut off clawhammer to comprehend 3 finger style , Really like the way you play Abigail nice flow , I have big mechanics hands though .
terrific video.
Great video!
astounding incredible and other superlatives both maestros
Incredible sounds.
Probably my favorite couple
GREAT VIDEO!
I love clawhammer & 3 finger played as a duet! I always loved Earl Scruggs & John McEuen playing Soldiers Joy together on the Will The Circle Be Unbroken album. Earl Was Earl & McEuen was playing clawhammer...that was 2 minutes of banjo heaven!
Glad that she mentions Riley Boggus!
Absolutely beautiful!!!! :-)
All joking aside - I got to see Bela perform a year ago with Chick Corea. Really addictive music he was playing. And his bass player was unbelievable!
I enjoyed this immensely. I play guitar, and though I've tinkered with banjo a few times, I still can't get used to that High G being where it is. Good fun trying though.
check out Frank Evans from the Slocan Ramblers. He plays claw hammer banjo and b.g. resonator both and brilliantly
Banjo and Spanish guitar are the best. Love to hear the Banjo it is awesome.
Pure magic ! This is why I love Bluegrass music
Magician and wizard at work. How good is this? Doc Watson's musical progeny perhaps... Great upload - thankyou.
Riley Baugus is a great man. He played at my college recently, and we jammed afterwords. I got to play a fret less banjo he he made, which was neat.
Wow y'all are great!
Very cool. Jens Kruger of the Kruger Brothers, and Steve Martin are guys who are pretty great at both 3-finger and clawhammer.
Ralph Stanley as well.