Clawhammer banjo - I'll Fly Away

[sazji]

People can be really pedantic about right and wrong. I started out doing "pure" clawhammer, then I learned a few other tricks, and now I use them all. And when I learn more, I'll use them too. Listen to what you like, emulate it, you'll develop your own style that you like.

[jonwints]

Do I notice Downunder players use a lot of claw and a little bit of hammer? Great stuff mate!

[TonyWLarsen]

where can i find this version of the song?

[sidDkid87]

Nicely done!

[JOHNNYFREEDOMdaREBEL]

LONG LIVE GOOD OLE EARNEST SCRUGGS !

[topsy420]

That was beautiful.

[Lazairus]

Steve

could you do another video or send me the tab of your left hand.

I really like your version and would love to be able to replicate it.

I cannot find a tab in G.

thanks

[Annarulz227]

do you have tabs? I love this song. and I am trying my hardest to learn banjo D:

[Enterthedeath]

I was thinking of picking up banjo and tips or tricks from going for Bass/6 string guitar to banjo. I tend to play a lot of blues, rockabilly and swing. Would it be difficult?

[GDayTrueBlueAussie]

Hi Steve I like your style of Ill Fly Away , I was wondering if you could play the complete song please .

[italianfatty]

What kind of banjo is that?

[MickRdrummer]

This is sick!

[xSNOWYJOEx]

that's a real folky technique you there. Picking and clawhammer mixed... it's kinda reminiscent of carter style guitar.

[Bassium08]

Simply fantastic, I was wondering what I should do with this song when I try to learn it, and I realized clawhammer is the way to go... That is I realized it after watching this video.

[99butcher99]

sounds good but not really clawhammer . I think the plucking up will throw you off eventually when you have to switch.

[scott27288]

My favorite gospel song played in my favorite style of banjo picking. Nice video. Thanks and God bless.

[S3Z4M]

wow, really nice tune.. I would really like to learn it too! could you link somekinda material or something? Thanks!!

[shal0mnurh0me]

Hey sounds good and old-timey. Since this video is nearly 2 and a half years old...Just curious, did you decide to continue playing this style or did you decide on clawhammer?

[AussieSteveBoyle]

Hey Shal0mnurh0me  Yeah, I do both clawhammer and up-picking now. Sometimes I want a crisp melody note and when I want that I up pick. Sometimes I like the "breezy" sound of clawhammer, so I do that.

[thebeargod23]

i up-pick like that too but i played bass before i played banjo so its prolly just habit from slapping and popping

[jtallen12345]

not clawhammer but very nice! got the old timey sound

[switzforge]

Up picking is fine and lots of old timers played that way. But up picking is not clawhammer. Clawhammer is all down picking. sounds great

[CanadiaNecro1]

I'm certainly no banjo expert but my advice to you is to play however is most comfortable. The old-timers all had their own styles of instuments and playing. Some of those old banjos didn't even have frets and those guys just picked with their nails.

I think your playing sounds great!

[ben31187]

the up pick works well for you, nicely played!

[blutck9]

Steve I really like your take on this song Could you steer me to the lesson from Patrick Costello and/or DOD on this song. I can't find it.

Thanks,

Scott from Canada.

[nerohj]

what kind of banjo is that? looks like my harley benton hbj-25

[DaveyRhodes]

Hey there, really like the up picking mixed in with the clawhammer, for 8 weeks your doing a great job!

[AussieSteveBoyle]

much obliged, but that was me over a year ago.

[yankee178]

Washburn Banjo?

[AussieSteveBoyle]

Oakridge

[geraldineski]

The difference between clawhammer and Scruggs style is, Scruggs banjos burn longer.

LOL I love my old clawhammer banjo.

[ford2n2003]

I'm no expert, but I play the up-pick "Seeger Style" and like it very much. Its a folk instrument so play it however you are comfortable. Nice job on this song!

[harleybenedict]

Nice playing. You might want to refer to it as frailing though. Clawhammer playing is all downstrokes. It's equivalent to calling an arpeggio a scale. They are not the same. Biokinetically it is fastest to play with all down strokes because you want to reset your index and middle finger while you're hitting the 5th string with your thumb. Like gently swinging a hammer and slightly grasping and relaxing your grip each time.

[willyd5115]

Clawhammer is frailing. No difference.

[willyd5115]

Clawhammer IS frailing.

[MorkaGraven]

I thought frailing was just a more developed clawhammer technique...

[FancyGapClawhammer]

Frailing, where I'm from (different people draw the line between clawhammer and frailing in different places, and to some it's all the same) frailing doesn't use a lot of drop thumb. People who play frailing banjo would consider Grandpa Jones a frailing style. Double thumbing and the regular rhythm. But frailing and clawhammer are basically the same thing. Look up Mike Webb Cripple Creek, I consider that frailing.

[sparkfishes]

Very nice sound - but what is "Claw Hammer Banjo"

- I do know what a claw hammer is !

[Rcksaltnnails]

Clawhammer is a reference to they style in which the banjo is played. With the hand curled up and a down "hitting" style motion, they jsut call it clawhammer. It is the same as frailing or drop thumb, for the most part.

[Fozzymaple]

I completely agree with the others who have said that there is nothing wrong with the up picking, in fact that's pretty much seeger style playing. And in case you hadn't noticed, Pete Seeger was/is pretty influential on banjo playing.

[theswindler1]

steve very good i am also a new frailer in melbourne australia. Its good to see.

Patrick

[fiddlefeller]

Some people would say, "Don't practice your mistakes" while others would say "nice start toward old-time banjo."

Old-time banjo isn't only down-only clawhammer. Lots of mavericks and sidetracks through the years.

You'll never win an old-time banjo contest like that, but as long as you are having fun, who cares?

I suggest that anybody who tells you what you are doing is "wrong" should post their own video of them doing it "right."

[haunter112]

Here's the good news!

There is no right or wrong way to play ANY musical instrument.

If it sounds good... it IS good.

Experienced musicians know this.

Only beginners and dabblers think that "their way" is the only way.

65 years ago, a young banjo picker from NC completely ignored the accepted way of playing banjo and developed his own style.

You may have heard his name: Scruggs?

Play any way you want and keep on pickin!!!

[krimskrams]

bravo! my sentiments exactly!

[postcardsfromheaven]

@haunter112 im still laughing you are so rite.

[Jimirocks]

I like the up picking i find it eaisier, nice playing !

[kykybunny11]

awesome job man have u considered doin clawhammer lessons on here?

[AussieSteveBoyle]

Oh! I don't think I'm nearly that good! But thank you very much for the sentimment. Of course it's nearly a year now I have been playing, but still, Donald Zepp and Pat Costello are the ones to learn from.

[winneagle]

Very nice! I guess by now you've learned that it wasn't a matter of "right" or "wrong," but rather a Scruggs/bluegrass approach versus clawhammer.

[cfd7311]

is that a bean blosom banjo

[AussieSteveBoyle]

It's an Oakridge

[thebawzbrigade]

When I started 'Frailing' (what I thought was frailing!) based on records, I used an up/down 'Scratch'of the fingers.

Now I mostly use the straight downward "hammer" of the "claw" (hence "clawhammer", but you probably figured that out, heheh) 'cos that's definitely how Patrick Costello operates and it means I can follow him more smoothly.

But you can get some cool effects wit the 'Wrong' way, and you've got it real smooth: keep that technique in reserve-sounds good. Take care of yer nails tho!

[MoGiMaL]

It sounds good. Wonderfully smooth rhythm. I started off learning from Pete Seeger's old banjo book, it's a great book. You'll eventually want to learn frailing I'll bet, it has such a great feel to it too, it's really essential for some songs. The more styles of playing, the more variety and versatility. Keep it up.

[MacArsenault]

Not bad at all for the time spent.

Practice will fix that.

Great old type sounding play.

Good job!!!

[beerasaurus]

nice picking, ive also discovered what i played was seger style

btw is that a Washburn b8?

[coljdwilx]

If up-picking was good enough for Dock Boggs, it's good enough for me!  Banjo snobs go home.

[Logan5312]

The first day I was up-picking, just cause I really didn't understand what I was doing, but then decided to force myself to learn how to do it down-picking.

[AussieSteveBoyle]

Thank you! Yes I've seen Pete and also Dr Ralph Stanley also did something like this, so I have since felt much more comfortable with this style, having seen them use it so very well.

[ReverendGoob]

Very Good. Different technique, but whatever works for you is okay. There are no rules to playing music. If you down pick you may be able to play faster and get more of that bum-di-tee sound.

Your sort of halfway between clawhammer and Scruggs style -- Scrugghammer :)

Keep it up. I can't wait to get my video camera so I can start posting vids. This is such a great avenue for everyone to learn different styles.

[AussieSteveBoyle]

Thanks dude. Post another vid of your progress too, man!

[switzforge]

Nothing wrong with up picking, however it is a different style and produces a slightly differnt sound than down picking would. You can play the same tabs as with frailing, but this realy isn't frailing or clawhammer.