I’m indeed flattered by your offer, but these days my time is taken up by with my wonderful grandkids and preparing some of my banjo collection for sale. I do have a few online students. Consider that option. Contact me at: Banjodaddy@hotmail.com Put “Banjo” in subject header and give me your contact information, age etc. and how long you’ve been playing. Be glad to help. Thanks again for the offer. 🖖🪕
YES! the best. you showed me how finally, and i got it. I sat on the porch playing this the other night, and the cute farm girl down the road came over with a box of wine. what a time to be alive! thanks brother
This is funny...I've been playing my resonator guitar like this for years, as I hate playing with a pick and generally use several variants of open tuning, with it sounding odd...Bought a banjo after listening to this lesson. So far, playing banjo is the closest thing to heaven I've come to without a woman. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have known a number of players from Kentucky who are down here in Florida who play this way with the thumb and middle finger and they justify it as give more room for the thumb to move around more independently than playing with the index finger. I played so much this way here in Florida, that I had to go drastic to taking lessons in index lead to get more noting on the high strings.
Thank you Jed. I very rarely get on RUclips these days and it was nice of you to take the time to comment. I have many students these days and it requires most of my time. I am also knee deep in restoring old banjos....I hope to put some more tunes up soon...I am also working on my first CD....
Dear Ron- this one opened doors- feel like you gave away the family jewels. You taught the information so well at the beginning and continued consistently through the tape so that I could see its application and possibilities. Sometimes just by seeing how you begin the tune- how you get the right hand in the groove. It was clear to me at once that the building blocks here are the most simple ones, back to which I can return for reference and correctness.The great thing about this stuff is that it becomes personal quickly . A gift, thank you.
Your banjo style sounds so good. Watching your lesson showed me that it is ok to use upstrokes with my fingers. It's hard to change that finger memory after playing guitar for years.
I'd seen several 2-finger style videos emphasizing the thumb-lead technique, but I was at a loss to figure out how it worked in lots of peices. This opened up a whole new world for me, thanks a lot for sharing!
How could people give this thumbs down? That was great. thanks for the lesson and wonderful song. Im a newb banjo player who has no history of playing anything but tapes, albums, and CD's. The banjo has the most amazing sound, and your video shows this off quite well. Thanks again.
Congratulations! Your playing is most inspiring and you teach it well. Thanks for sharing you knowledge and wisdom of the banjo with us mortals! I am going to get that five-string out now!
I started learning claw hammer with a pick. Because I can never grow a strong enough nail and hate the pick, I developed a style similar to up picking, which I fell in love with. This style makes me want to keep developing my style, which I have grown quite accustomed to, and eventually add in more right hand techniques. I'll report back in 40 years.
This is awesome. I've been wanting to learn finger style (pick free) banjo that falls more in line with my guitar style and I believe you have shown me the way. Claw hammer isn't coming all that naturally. Thanks!
I love this, Don, and having just come from the ABC (American Banjo Camp) it's a terrific reinforcement for what I've started to learn. Thanks for posting this
Thank you very much for the reply.I was thinking of the Deering and buying a new one more than used as I have my hands full with the fiddles and mandolins and dont need another high maintenance instrument.I guess there are alot of variants out there re the type of head materials and strings to get the sound you want I will research this before I buy,again thanks for your help.Got to get back to my tremelo practice...arrrgggg!
Very nice. A friend of mine won 3rd place in a banjo contest in Florida this year. He played 2 tunes. I was very surprised that he chose to play one of them 2 finger style. He was very surprised to win a banjo with the tune! Thanks for posting. I'm a 65 year old beginner claw hammer and I'm fascinated with 2 finger because I play guitar finger style. I'm not ready to learn it though. Got too much clawhammer to work on.
Thanks..Take it slow. Practice the basics. No need to force yourself into practicing for hours and hours. 15-20 minutes then put it down. Listen to the song you’re learning and be able to play the melody SIMPLY with your thumb ( or index) all the way through. Simple Clawhammer is basically playing a melody down stroking with your index ( some use the middle) the next is a brush down stroke striking one, two, three, four or all the strings. Then the thumb sounds the 5th string. I’ll be posting another RUclips video to address again, the properly drop your thumb on any string. Thanks again for the comment. My apologies to all for not replying to many comments. I just don’t get to my PC a lot. 🪕
Its more than just ti ti, It can be T on a melody note, then the T hits the 5th string, then the index hits the 1st string. I use my middle finger on the 1st instead of the index sometimes in case I want to bring in the in for a three finer roll of some kind but it can be done just with the index and thumb...Thanks for your interest..
Find Hedy West on RUclips. She does Death of a Cowboy using the index lead without dropping her thumb. I first saw that performance in the early 60's and it was the first time I had seen anyone do it. Pete Seeger mentioned it in his instruction book, but seeing her do that blew my mind. I try to keep these techniques alive and I demonstrate the many varied ways one can play oldtime 5 string banjo. With the great popularity of clawhammer/ fiddle styles, these other styles need to be still taught
Amazing. I'm pretty sure this is the kind of thing Frank Fairfield does. I knew it wasn't SCRUGGS style but was left with question "well what is it then?!" kind of weird that I've been playin guitar tuned to CGCGCD for 10 years but never thought to do it on a 5 string banjo tho, cheers again for the glorious video dude :)
brother your totally awesome, you blow my mind !!( i love the old time sound) i take banjo lessons now for about 6 months SCRUGGS STYLE / BLUEGRASS i have been searchin for a clawhammer style around my area and no one knows it.. I LIVE IN N.E. FLORIDA
Thanks folks for the kind comments. I rarely get to go on RUclips because of my student load and repairing broken banjos etc. I just got back here tonight after a long absence..Ill try to put up another video using a different banjo soon. Lots of talented players out there and Yutube is really helping folks out. Learning new tunes is much easier now than it once was. If you play by ear it's great! Just tune up to the player and replay till the cows come home while you try to play along.
I first heard darling Corey from Clifton hicks on a mountain banjo. I think he is using a similar style without a lot of the accents and 521 roll you do. This sounds so amazing though. I only hope to one day play like this. It is sadly my only goal in life.
God, I just love the modal tunes in this video. I have to learn two finger style. I can only play clawhammer at thte moment and it would be so fun to pick once in a while too :)
Havent been here for awhile...Thank you all for the kind comments....The head on the banjo I'm playing in this song is natural skin, It came on the banjo when I bought it many years ago. Sounded so good, I kept it on. The banjo is an old A.C. Fairbanks "Electric"....A student of mine suggested I play the same tune on different banjos so folks can hear the differences. I will try to do this but warn that there is no substitute for hearing something in person and to play it for buying anything.
Goodness, that banjo sounds sublime.. such a full, dark sound. Thank you for sharing, and if you have any tips for getting an instrument that sounds like that please share!
Thank you. I like this tuning and use it and the melody, for a long ballad I wrote awhile back. I’ll try to post it soon but it’s long with a controversial ending.
Now to me this is how a banjo should sound.I just love that open back deep rich tone that can be had picking with the fingers and the more melodic the better.What would be your suggestion for a beginners first old time type banjo?What make model of open back new production would you suggest?
Great Video. I am a Beginner and have gotten into the habit of playing Mostly with My Thumb & Index Finger, Trying to mix all styles into my playing, finding a comfortable combination. I guess it comes down to, whatever works for you?
Try to buy American. Research them on the net. Consider one from an independant maker also. There's a lot out there and most make very fine open back banjos..Deering, Ode, Wildwood are three good ones to check out. Some custom builders specialize in making necks for older tenor and plactrum banjos like Vega, A.C. Fairbanks, Gibson, Bacons etc. Older original 5 strings tend to hold value pretty well and it's kind of nice to play one with a soul, a history. I think of the previous players..
hey don i got the right hand technic good now i really need to see you left hand now ive been watching this video for 2 years now like religiously so pls make a video for left hand tecnique i promise i wont look at your face hahah
Beautiful work. When you started that tune up I automatically envisioned a high-pitch female African voice on top of it. It brings us straight back to the origins of the instrument. Thanks for the video!
I really like your style. I think you should call it Clawfinger style. Also I think you would attract more attention if you play a song at speed at the beginning.
Thank you.. The tone ring is called “ electric” because it was used in the A.C. Fairbanks Babi named “ Electric” or, Special Electric. It’s what most folks now refer to as a “ Whyte Laydie” tone ring, it was also used in the early A.C. Fairbanks and then, Vega “Whyte Laydie” models. Made up of three separate pieces solid ring, scalloped ring and thin outside spun sheathing, all silver soldered together... The current reproductions don’t solder these as per original. I reproduced these tone rings and the TU-BA -PHONE tone rings in the 1970’s and used them on my own banjos and some were used on early Wildwood banjos.I’ll post drawings soon.
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Don, if I paid your airfare, would you come out to Utah for an hour's lesson and help me with that two-finger technique? 😁
I’m indeed flattered by your offer, but these days my time is taken up by with my wonderful grandkids and preparing some of my banjo collection for sale. I do have a few online students. Consider that option. Contact me at:
Banjodaddy@hotmail.com Put “Banjo” in subject header and give me your contact information, age etc. and how long you’ve been playing. Be glad to help. Thanks again for the offer. 🖖🪕
YES! the best. you showed me how finally, and i got it. I sat on the porch playing this the other night, and the cute farm girl down the road came over with a box of wine. what a time to be alive! thanks brother
This is funny...I've been playing my resonator guitar like this for years, as I hate playing with a pick and generally use several variants of open tuning, with it sounding odd...Bought a banjo after listening to this lesson. So far, playing banjo is the closest thing to heaven I've come to without a woman. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have known a number of players from Kentucky who are down here in Florida who play this way with the thumb and middle finger and they justify it as give more room for the thumb to move around more independently than playing with the index finger. I played so much this way here in Florida, that I had to go drastic to taking lessons in index lead to get more noting on the high strings.
Thank you Jed. I very rarely get on RUclips these days and it was nice of you to take the time to comment. I have many students these days and it requires most of my time. I am also knee deep in restoring old banjos....I hope to put some more tunes up soon...I am also working on my first CD....
Great! I can learn to play like him in 50+ years. That'll work if I live to be 123 years old.
That without a doubt is some of the best banjo playing I've ever heard
Dear Ron- this one opened doors- feel like you gave away the family jewels. You taught the information so well at the beginning and continued consistently through the tape so that I could see its application and possibilities. Sometimes just by seeing how you begin the tune- how you get the right hand in the groove. It was clear to me at once that the building blocks here are the most simple ones, back to which I can return for reference and correctness.The great thing about this stuff is that it becomes personal quickly . A gift, thank you.
Your banjo style sounds so good. Watching your lesson showed me that it is ok to use upstrokes with my fingers. It's hard to change that finger memory after playing guitar for years.
Don this is still one of the best demos of 2F out on YT! Really appreciate it brother
Wish I could replicate it now. I’d need to practice it again.
I'd seen several 2-finger style videos emphasizing the thumb-lead technique, but I was at a loss to figure out how it worked in lots of peices. This opened up a whole new world for me, thanks a lot for sharing!
How could people give this thumbs down? That was great. thanks for the lesson and wonderful song. Im a newb banjo player who has no history of playing anything but tapes, albums, and CD's. The banjo has the most amazing sound, and your video shows this off quite well. Thanks again.
My absolute favorite Don! Powerful active driving sound!
This is wonderful Mr. Rusnak, I hope you'll post more videos demonstrating this technique!
Your banjo playing is superb !!! Great teaching and singing too 🌟😀🏆🎵🎶🎵👍
Thank you. Folks don’t normally teach the two finger stuff.
That room is banjo heaven!
J'aime beaucoup votre façon de jouer, une découverte qui m'enchante, faite d'autre démonstration de votre talent. Merci
Congratulations! Your playing is most inspiring and you teach it well. Thanks for sharing you knowledge and wisdom of the banjo with us mortals! I am going to get that five-string out now!
I started learning claw hammer with a pick. Because I can never grow a strong enough nail and hate the pick, I developed a style similar to up picking, which I fell in love with. This style makes me want to keep developing my style, which I have grown quite accustomed to, and eventually add in more right hand techniques.
I'll report back in 40 years.
Fantastic. Wish the rest of the banjo was in view, though.
This is a really good demonstration of two finger style playing.
Very Nice! Your many years of work shine! Great sustain on that banjo
This is awesome. I've been wanting to learn finger style (pick free) banjo that falls more in line with my guitar style and I believe you have shown me the way. Claw hammer isn't coming all that naturally. Thanks!
I love this, Don, and having just come from the ABC (American Banjo Camp) it's a terrific reinforcement for what I've started to learn. Thanks for posting this
Wow! Just wow, I want to learn this, badly!
Sounds killer!
Awesome...Really appreciate seeing and hearing a new technique...thanks so much for posting giving me some to new try!
AMAZING TO WATCH AND LISTEN. THANK YOU.
Thank you..Wish I could sing better though
Bad ass!!! I just fell in love with 2 finger.
Hi,Excellent instructional video,not to mention great playing and a sweet sounding banjo,
thanks.
Thank you very much for the reply.I was thinking of the Deering and buying a new one more than used as I have my hands full with the fiddles and mandolins and dont need another high maintenance instrument.I guess there are alot of variants out there re the type of head materials and strings to get the sound you want I will research this before I buy,again thanks for your help.Got to get back to my tremelo practice...arrrgggg!
Some of the clearest, most inspiring playing! Thanx for helping me figure out the rest of my week.
Very nice. A friend of mine won 3rd place in a banjo contest in Florida this year. He played 2 tunes. I was very surprised that he chose to play one of them 2 finger style. He was very surprised to win a banjo with the tune! Thanks for posting. I'm a 65 year old beginner claw hammer and I'm fascinated with 2 finger because I play guitar finger style. I'm not ready to learn it though. Got too much clawhammer to work on.
Very strong picking style. Interesting idea for the tuning.
Nice! I’m just beginning clawhammer (at my age!) and this is a very distinctive sound.
Thanks..Take it slow. Practice the basics. No need to force yourself into practicing for hours and hours. 15-20 minutes then put it down. Listen to the song you’re learning and be able to play the melody SIMPLY with your thumb ( or index) all the way through. Simple Clawhammer is basically playing a melody down stroking with your index ( some use the middle) the next is a brush down stroke striking one, two, three, four or all the strings. Then the thumb sounds the 5th string. I’ll be posting another RUclips video to address again, the properly drop your thumb on any string. Thanks again for the comment. My apologies to all for not replying to many comments. I just don’t get to my PC a lot. 🪕
Holy **** lol. I bow to your picking skills. Felt very lucky to have stumbled upon this.
Thank you..I just figured out how to respond to comments 😀
one of the best sounding banjos ive heard
I never was a huge fan of two finger picking until now. That was spectacular.
I love that accent strum you've added great job Broski :)
Its more than just ti ti, It can be T on a melody note, then the T hits the 5th string, then the index hits the 1st string. I use my middle finger on the 1st instead of the index sometimes in case I want to bring in the in for a three finer roll of some kind but it can be done just with the index and thumb...Thanks for your interest..
Mighty Fine,Never listened to better ! Thank You wv.
+charles mccormick P.S. That banjo is keener than a brier....
tunings that eliminate the major third note from the banjo's open tuning suit this style very well. I usually tune my B up to C. My favorite style.
Nice pickin! A two finger style uses the middle finger, I do a little of that too.
Amazing style
fabulous Don, i love this style of playing and combined with seeger style it has great tone and rythem for many a song, all the best jed, uk
Find Hedy West on RUclips. She does Death of a Cowboy using the index lead without dropping her thumb. I first saw that performance in the early 60's and it was the first time I had seen anyone do it. Pete Seeger mentioned it in his instruction book, but seeing her do that blew my mind. I try to keep these techniques alive and I demonstrate the many varied ways one can play oldtime 5 string banjo. With the great popularity of clawhammer/ fiddle styles, these other styles need to be still taught
Absolutely beautiful, man! Thanks for sharing.
Amazing. I'm pretty sure this is the kind of thing Frank Fairfield does. I knew it wasn't SCRUGGS style but was left with question "well what is it then?!" kind of weird that I've been playin guitar tuned to CGCGCD for 10 years but never thought to do it on a 5 string banjo tho, cheers again for the glorious video dude :)
brother your totally awesome, you blow my mind !!( i love the old time sound) i take banjo lessons now for about 6 months SCRUGGS STYLE / BLUEGRASS i have been searchin for a clawhammer style around my area and no one knows it.. I LIVE IN N.E. FLORIDA
very good playing!
Great sound!
Thanks folks for the kind comments. I rarely get to go on RUclips because of my student load and repairing broken banjos etc. I just got back here tonight after a long absence..Ill try to put up another video using a different banjo soon. Lots of talented players out there and Yutube is really helping folks out. Learning new tunes is much easier now than it once was. If you play by ear it's great! Just tune up to the player and replay till the cows come home while you try to play along.
I first heard darling Corey from Clifton hicks on a mountain banjo. I think he is using a similar style without a lot of the accents and 521 roll you do. This sounds so amazing though. I only hope to one day play like this. It is sadly my only goal in life.
God, I just love the modal tunes in this video. I have to learn two finger style. I can only play clawhammer at thte moment and it would be so fun to pick once in a while too :)
that sounds beautiful.
Sounds great!
I've only tried clawhammer, but this sounds a lot better. Great playing.
Nice!
@bison851 Im playing a A.C. Fairbanks "Electric" circa 1898...The tone ring is very similar to the Whyte Laydie
Best Banjo Style!
... reminds me on David Eugene Edwards of 16HP
This is it......perfect cool
Havent been here for awhile...Thank you all for the kind comments....The head on the banjo I'm playing in this song is natural skin, It came on the banjo when I bought it many years ago. Sounded so good, I kept it on. The banjo is an old A.C. Fairbanks "Electric"....A student of mine suggested I play the same tune on different banjos so folks can hear the differences. I will try to do this but warn that there is no substitute for hearing something in person and to play it for buying anything.
Goodness, that banjo sounds sublime.. such a full, dark sound. Thank you for sharing, and if you have any tips for getting an instrument that sounds like that please share!
THAnks for post.
I'm late to the party but this version of Darling Cori/Cora sounds awesome!
Thank you. I like this tuning and use it and the melody, for a long ballad I wrote awhile back. I’ll try to post it soon but it’s long with a controversial ending.
@@RusnakBanjo Everything is controversial in 2021 with the way people view free speech now. Good luck.
Really Nice!
Now to me this is how a banjo should sound.I just love that open back deep rich tone that can be had picking with the fingers and the more melodic the better.What would be your suggestion for a beginners first old time type banjo?What make model of open back new production would you suggest?
Great Video. I am a Beginner and have gotten into the habit of playing Mostly with My Thumb & Index Finger, Trying to mix all styles into my playing, finding a comfortable combination. I guess it comes down to, whatever works for you?
Try to buy American. Research them on the net. Consider one from an independant maker also. There's a lot out there and most make very fine open back banjos..Deering, Ode, Wildwood are three good ones to check out. Some custom builders specialize in making necks for older tenor and plactrum banjos like Vega, A.C. Fairbanks, Gibson, Bacons etc. Older original 5 strings tend to hold value pretty well and it's kind of nice to play one with a soul, a history. I think of the previous players..
Amazing
hey don i got the right hand technic good now i really need to see you left hand now ive been watching this video for 2 years now like religiously so pls make a video for left hand tecnique i promise i wont look at your face hahah
Wow!!! Beautiful!!!
Very interesting
Hey thank you for this, love your playing, and also I'd be interested in seeing what your left hand is doing too!
I LOVE IT!
Thank you
That thumb dropping though!
Sweetest sound know to man
Beautiful work.
When you started that tune up I automatically envisioned a high-pitch female African voice on top of it. It brings us straight back to the origins of the instrument.
Thanks for the video!
firstly thanks very much, very nice jump with it. with the double thumbing; is it T-I, T-I simple as that? joe
@sfdgardner Yeah, I do through in a third finger sometimes but I could have just done two finger all the way through. Guess I got carried away...
@rpeek Thanks for your interest...
Ill be doing a few more soon to show a little more vaied styles
any chance you could upload a video with your left hand visble?
you're my hero
this music is amazing!
I think if I start today I should have a pretty good handle on this about 40 years from now.........
Beautiful tone sir. Might I ask what type of head are you using?
Really enjoyed that, on my favourites now and listen to it often. Best sounding banjo I've heard. Whats the head skin made of ?
Wow!
I really like your style. I think you should call it Clawfinger style. Also I think you would attract more attention if you play a song at speed at the beginning.
I'd have to grow fingernails to do this way I had to use a loop pick playing claw hammer your method sounds good though.
Interesting..
reminds me of the Appalachian mountains
What's the tune called that you are playing around 3:50 ish? Thanks in advance!
What is the best banjo for a beginner who plays classical guitar for almost 50 years?
👌 wow
Thank you
Sort of reminds me of B.F. Shelton's version.
A great , full sounding style of tw0-finger picking. May I ask as well, what brand of banjo are you playing? A Tubaphone?
Almost like magic
Thank you.
Great picking, Don. That banjo's sound is amazing. What tone ring does it have?
Thank you.. The tone ring is called “ electric” because it was used in the A.C. Fairbanks Babi named “ Electric” or, Special Electric. It’s what most folks now refer to as a “ Whyte Laydie” tone ring, it was also used in the early A.C. Fairbanks and then, Vega “Whyte Laydie” models. Made up of three separate pieces solid ring, scalloped ring and thin outside spun sheathing, all silver soldered together... The current reproductions don’t solder these as per original. I reproduced these tone rings and the TU-BA -PHONE tone rings in the 1970’s and used them on my own banjos and some were used on early Wildwood banjos.I’ll post drawings soon.
wow
Great banjo. Could you tell me what it is?
A.C. Fairbanks style O circa 1898