Started to comment on Patreon and I failed the store window test. I wanted to say that this is my favorite banjo of many that you have been playing in the past dozen or so presentations. Love the song and the Banjo.
I appreciate the lesson, thank you Clifton, as always! Love the historical story too, it is fascinating and educational. Folkways history is the best! P.S. kudos on the new lyric! 👍🏾
Hey, Clifton. It sounds like it could even be a mixture of Scot/Irish and African sounds. The general sound is typical of what I would think Scottish music would sound like, and the "embelishments" ("twang") could be African. I'm a big fan of Americana. Would you be able to make a more in-depth video talking about this subject? I'd love to know more about the oral history part of this song, and the sound variations. Thank you.
What a fantastic banjo .. A six string spread out for 5 strings ..My favorite ..How wide is that banjo at the nut ?? Love the tone of it a ton ... That dorian melody is also a nod to British melody the clawhammer rythum to the african continent ... I love that those British and French folks and the African guys learned off each other whenever they fell across each other .Everybody walked away a little changed .. The joys of the moment must have been shared ..It is just the human condition .. Historians have to loosen up and enjoy the ride .. Everyone was inspired by everyone .. You can hear it in the music ...
I just got an English Crosby Zither banjo from a local auction Probably 1890 with nice inlays ; Skinny neck though .. .David Oakes is putting a new skin on her for me .. Great conversation here CLifton .. All the best , Guy
.... follow up ... Did this lesson with that uke. Fun stuff. Glad to be home and back to your music. And stories. Fun to mess with a uke tuned like a banjo set up with a heavy bottom string, not like a music store tenor uke. Love your English banjo, too. Beautiful. ⛩🌴〰
Saw this again after being in Portugal and listening to Fado & modern music. Went there with a tenor uke with a heavy bottom string, strung to open G the way you do (one step down). CFAC (no 5th string, of course). Did this lesson with that Kala Tenor Uke.
Love that old banjo . I really wonder who all has played on those old banjos what were the people like what backgrounds did they have you could be playing the same banjo one of the truly greats started out with and learned his or her first song with
In my time of playing the Banjo Clifton I find myself tuning way down in the celler due to the fact that my singing voice is lower the standard. I think my voice is roughly 2 octves lower then standard 440 hertz. I really all the tunings you use they are really great for songwriting.
We think these all came from a maker in England named Sanders. This example is late 1870s or very early 1880s. In the U.S. they are considered rare (I've only seen three or four in the last 20 years), but they occasionally turn up in Europe. So, I don't know anybody who has one of these for sale. I actually have a complete pot assembly with which to build a new one, I just haven't started it yet.
That banjo sounds like it's made out of mellow honey.🤤🎶 wonderful wonderful! Careful of our N.C. girlfriends and all. We are pretty squirrelly, seeing as how we're half Blackbeard and half Old Hickory. 🤪sinky winky, surf and turf stinky😜😆 I might could strum out the notes slowly like when you were teaching the hand shapes. I just lose so much dexterity in my fingers when I curl them around the neck of a string instrument. But I can hammer hold an axe and chop up some wood to play a fireside banjo song around. Then add some squeeze box right off the decks of Queen Anne's Revenge. I need to buy me another one of those mid priced boxes, and shake off the rust. Come down to Ol' peachy and crow with you and Leatherstocking. Some may find that too punky, but I'm only a little Jerry Garcia. And I promise to leave the Johnny Rotten tapes at home. All joking aside, my hands made like they are, it really amazes me to no end how the old fellers like the late Lee Sexton can still set a banjo on fire like they do. Jesus rest his good soul.✝️ I'm seriously in awe of that, and you're grand at your art too brother man!
Do you have a live banjo camp? Meaning do you teach lessons or workshops where you live? Everything I have learned on banjo has been off of RUclips. Thanks
Oh I appreciate all you are doing online. I’m gonna join your patreon for New Years. Do let us all know, if you are gonna do a live camp WAY in advance please because I’m sure I must live far away from your neck of the woods. Keep the good stuff coming Clifton.
So I'm learning this and I'm using just a basic bum ditty, but in between the verses it sounds so dang mundane and boring. Any suggestions on how to make it a bit more "musical" between the verses? I'd also like to learn it in the two finger style you're playing it in your other video of it. Any help please? I'm a subscriber on your Patreon if that would be a better place to ask. Thank you.
As for making it more interesting in-between verses: I kind of like this very simple, austere arrangement but, yes, it comes off a bit dreary unless you work the Hell out of your left hand with slides, bends (as I do). I'll generally just pick a basic rhythm when I'm singing and then use all my embellishments and variations during the banjo's instrumental "response" to between vocal "calls."
Nora Brown and I picked up this version from George Gibson, so if you listen to how them two play it you'll find some other ideas. For example, Gibson (as usual) uses some very pretty embellishments between verses. You can watch his performance on the WBCM Radio Bristol ytube channel. You can't pull him up by name but the video was uploaded around October 1st, 2018.
Clint Im 3 weeks into playing the banjo and I have adopted 2 finger style didnt like 3 finger Scruggs style. My question is who should I learn from a Bluegrass or a folk teacher?
Bluegrass is fine and dandy but I don't think you're likely to find much knowledge/interest in traditional banjo styles there. Unfortunately, most folk pickers are going to be about the same. _Occasionally_ you'll find a good teacher with a grasp of different styles--but usually not. Most folk pickers strictly imitate each other like the bluegrassers do. The former are trying (and usually failing) to imitate Kyle Creed, the latter are trying to imitate Earl Scruggs and there's very little else going on there for the most part. That dearth of knowledge is a big reason why I started uploading my own instructional materials.
I work for several large private collectors who are selling off inventory. The vast majority of their instruments are American but we do see the occasional English or German banjo.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thank you for your reply. Do you know how banjos originally made their way to England. In the UK they are still often played for British and Irish traditional folk music, especially at country fairs etc
Would love to hear more songs from that old banjo! That is a real treasure.
More to come!
Clifton you play and sing awesome. You're going to convince me to get a banjo one day. I'm living in the woods, seems appropriate.
You do a killer version of this song! Thanks for your excellent instruction! Keep up the great work!
Clifton, That banjer is a keeper! It suits you and it's one of the best I've ever heard. Thanks for sharing your craft good sir!
Started to comment on Patreon and I failed the store window test. I wanted to say that this is my favorite banjo of many that you have been playing in the past dozen or so presentations. Love the song and the Banjo.
Love this stuff. It has such a beautiful, haunting feel to me. I gotta learn it!
Thanks Clifton
☮️
I appreciate the lesson, thank you Clifton, as always!
Love the historical story too, it is fascinating and educational. Folkways history is the best!
P.S. kudos on the new lyric! 👍🏾
Been practicing this song for about day and this video helped a lot I wanna play like Clifton one day
This is my first attempt at "2 Finger". Thank you.
Hey, Clifton. It sounds like it could even be a mixture of Scot/Irish and African sounds. The general sound is typical of what I would think Scottish music would sound like, and the "embelishments" ("twang") could be African. I'm a big fan of Americana. Would you be able to make a more in-depth video talking about this subject? I'd love to know more about the oral history part of this song, and the sound variations. Thank you.
Awesome !! Thank Ye from West Virginia ! ! !
What a fantastic banjo .. A six string spread out for 5 strings ..My favorite ..How wide is that banjo at the nut ?? Love the tone of it a ton ... That dorian melody is also a nod to British melody the clawhammer rythum to the african continent ... I love that those British and French folks and the African guys learned off each other whenever they fell across each other .Everybody walked away a little changed .. The joys of the moment must have been shared ..It is just the human condition .. Historians have to loosen up and enjoy the ride .. Everyone was inspired by everyone .. You can hear it in the music ...
The nut it 1 and 3/8" across. Just about right for me.
I just got an English Crosby Zither banjo from a local auction Probably 1890 with nice inlays ; Skinny neck though .. .David Oakes is putting a new skin on her for me .. Great conversation here CLifton .. All the best , Guy
I went back and revisited this this evening. What a great song. Thanks for the lesson!
.... follow up ... Did this lesson with that uke. Fun stuff. Glad to be home and back to your music. And stories. Fun to mess with a uke tuned like a banjo set up with a heavy bottom string, not like a music store tenor uke. Love your English banjo, too. Beautiful. ⛩🌴〰
Love the banjo but what pistol are carrying in that video
Saw this again after being in Portugal and listening to Fado & modern music. Went there with a tenor uke with a heavy bottom string, strung to open G the way you do (one step down). CFAC (no 5th string, of course). Did this lesson with that Kala Tenor Uke.
Love that old banjo . I really wonder who all has played on those old banjos what were the people like what backgrounds did they have you could be playing the same banjo one of the truly greats started out with and learned his or her first song with
Old and minstrel banjos, just sound like home man. North Georgia. Ringgold
Such a good song. Well played!
Man I would love to build a banjo like that! Any way you can do a video or post some pics so I can see better how its put together?
In my time of playing the Banjo Clifton I find myself tuning way down in the celler due to the fact that my singing voice is lower the standard. I think my voice is roughly 2 octves lower then standard 440 hertz. I really all the tunings you use they are really great for songwriting.
Man, this is cool stuff!
The second string is actually Bb.
Yes, my tuning is somewhere close to fCFB♭C.
i was so confused...
Who cares if your confused or not, your work in incredible! Thanks for all your work!
I am not able to get the quality of tone you get. But I’ll keep trying!
As an Englishman I’m proud you like that old banjer.....can I ask what it is made of? I understand a lot were made from oak in that time....
The pot is entirely oak. We think the neck is beech but nobody could ever tell for sure. Still one of my favorite banjos.
To tune a closed back banjo to learn claw hammer what would you tune it in ?
Anything. Try fCFAC.
Any chance any collector u know might be selling a banjo in the realm of the one you’re playing here? Its has a marvelous tone, at least to my ears.
We think these all came from a maker in England named Sanders. This example is late 1870s or very early 1880s. In the U.S. they are considered rare (I've only seen three or four in the last 20 years), but they occasionally turn up in Europe. So, I don't know anybody who has one of these for sale. I actually have a complete pot assembly with which to build a new one, I just haven't started it yet.
Clifton Hicks Thanks for the info! I will have my eyes peeled for the maker online a while.
That banjo sounds like it's made out of mellow honey.🤤🎶 wonderful wonderful!
Careful of our N.C. girlfriends and all. We are pretty squirrelly, seeing as how we're half Blackbeard and half Old Hickory.
🤪sinky winky, surf and turf stinky😜😆
I might could strum out the notes slowly like when you were teaching the hand shapes. I just lose so much dexterity in my fingers when I curl them around the neck of a string instrument. But I can hammer hold an axe and chop up some wood to play a fireside banjo song around. Then add some squeeze box right off the decks of Queen Anne's Revenge. I need to buy me another one of those mid priced boxes, and shake off the rust. Come down to Ol' peachy and crow with you and Leatherstocking. Some may find that too punky, but I'm only a little Jerry Garcia. And I promise to leave the Johnny Rotten tapes at home.
All joking aside, my hands made like they are, it really amazes me to no end how the old fellers like the late Lee Sexton can still set a banjo on fire like they do. Jesus rest his good soul.✝️ I'm seriously in awe of that, and you're grand at your art too brother man!
Nice !
Do you have a live banjo camp? Meaning do you teach lessons or workshops where you live? Everything I have learned on banjo has been off of RUclips. Thanks
I mostly teach online via patreon.com/cliftonhicks but am interested in branching out.
Oh I appreciate all you are doing online. I’m gonna join your patreon for New Years. Do let us all know, if you are gonna do a live camp WAY in advance please because I’m sure I must live far away from your neck of the woods. Keep the good stuff coming Clifton.
So I'm learning this and I'm using just a basic bum ditty, but in between the verses it sounds so dang mundane and boring. Any suggestions on how to make it a bit more "musical" between the verses? I'd also like to learn it in the two finger style you're playing it in your other video of it. Any help please? I'm a subscriber on your Patreon if that would be a better place to ask. Thank you.
I think I filmed a close-up of both overhand and two-finger picking. Email me clifhicks@gmail.com and I can send you links directly.
As for making it more interesting in-between verses: I kind of like this very simple, austere arrangement but, yes, it comes off a bit dreary unless you work the Hell out of your left hand with slides, bends (as I do). I'll generally just pick a basic rhythm when I'm singing and then use all my embellishments and variations during the banjo's instrumental "response" to between vocal "calls."
Nora Brown and I picked up this version from George Gibson, so if you listen to how them two play it you'll find some other ideas. For example, Gibson (as usual) uses some very pretty embellishments between verses. You can watch his performance on the WBCM Radio Bristol ytube channel. You can't pull him up by name but the video was uploaded around October 1st, 2018.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo this is where I'm at with it so far. ruclips.net/video/2YsTbky3XeI/видео.html
Clint Im 3 weeks into playing the banjo and I have adopted 2 finger style didnt like 3 finger Scruggs style. My question is who should I learn from a Bluegrass or a folk teacher?
Check out this video explaining my two-finger approach: ruclips.net/video/dVWW9kQcuz8/видео.html
... and: ruclips.net/video/otSCZhiBZN4/видео.html
Bluegrass is fine and dandy but I don't think you're likely to find much knowledge/interest in traditional banjo styles there. Unfortunately, most folk pickers are going to be about the same. _Occasionally_ you'll find a good teacher with a grasp of different styles--but usually not. Most folk pickers strictly imitate each other like the bluegrassers do. The former are trying (and usually failing) to imitate Kyle Creed, the latter are trying to imitate Earl Scruggs and there's very little else going on there for the most part. That dearth of knowledge is a big reason why I started uploading my own instructional materials.
Thank you kindly for the info I have been trying to absorb and do homework on the history of the banjo. There is alot!!!!!
"It's simple" lol
Beautiful banjo with a fantastic sound. How did you get an antique English banjo?
I work for several large private collectors who are selling off inventory. The vast majority of their instruments are American but we do see the occasional English or German banjo.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thank you for your reply. Do you know how banjos originally made their way to England. In the UK they are still often played for British and Irish traditional folk music, especially at country fairs etc
👍👍
👍🏽👍🏽
not a bad little tune