9 Index
List of Tables
1 Appendix BTABLE B-1 Audio TracksTABLE B-2 Video Clips
List of Illustrations
1 Chapter 1FIGURE 1-1: Comparing strings and pitches on a guitar (left) versus a five-stri...FIGURE 1-2: Comparing a five-string (a) and a tenor (b) banjo. FIGURE 1-3: Comparing open-back (a and b) and resonator (c and d) five-string b...FIGURE 1-4: The parts of a banjo. FIGURE 1-5: The banjo pot (as seen from the back).
2 Chapter 2FIGURE 2-1: To tune the banjo in G tuning using relative tuning, you fret a str...FIGURE 2-2: Using an electronic clip-on tuner makes tuning easier. FIGURE 2-3: Piano notes and their corresponding strings on the banjo.
3 Chapter 3FIGURE 3-1: For a comfortable fit, try attaching the strap below the neck and t...FIGURE 3-2: Getting the strap out of the way when it's time to put the banjo in...FIGURE 3-3: Two different ways to wear a strap. FIGURE 3-4: Erin (a), Jody (b), and Bill (c) show three different ways to enjoy...FIGURE 3-5: Erin (a), Jody (b), and Bill (c) use straps for standing while play...FIGURE 3-6: Getting a good left-hand position: Relaxing the left hand (a), posi...FIGURE 3-7: Here's how your hand looks fretting the D7 (a) and C (b) chords. No...FIGURE 3-8: The chord diagram for a C chord. FIGURE 3-9: Chord diagrams for G, D7, and C chords. FIGURE 3-10: Up-the-neck chord diagram for a D7 chord, featuring a fretted 5th ...FIGURE 3-11: Strum along to “She'll Be Comin'Round the Mountain.”
4 Chapter 4FIGURE 4-1: 4/4 time signature. TAB 4-1: Understanding rhythm indications and strumming chords to “She'll Be Co...FIGURE 4-2: Ghosting the C chord (a) and fretting the C chord (b). FIGURE 4-3: Finding the G-major scale on the 3rd string. FIGURE 4-4: Finding the D-major scale on the 4th string. FIGURE 4-5: The G-major scale on the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings. FIGURE 4-6: The G-major scale on all four strings. TAB 4-2: The five lines on the banjo tab staff represent the five banjo strings...TAB 4-3: Numbers on the tab staff lines show open and fretted notes.TAB 4-4: Tablature for G, C, and D7 chords.TAB 4-5: Quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and rests in banjo tab.TAB 4-6: Combining quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes (Audio Track 8).TAB 4-7: Playing the pinch pattern with G, C, and D7 chords (Audio Track 9).TAB 4-8: Playing “She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain” using the pinch pattern ...TAB 4-9: Playing “Worried Man Blues” using the pinch pattern (Audio Track 11).TAB 4-10: Playing “Man of Constant Sorrow” using the pinch pattern (Audio Track...
5 Chapter 5FIGURE 5-1: A West African banjo (called an ekonting) (a) and a late 19th centu...FIGURE 5-2: Resting the right-hand thumb against the 5th string (a); striking t...TAB 5-1: Clawhammer right-hand melody note exercise 1 (Audio Track 13).TAB 5-2: Clawhammer right-hand melody note exercise 2 (Audio Track 14).TAB 5-3: Clawhammer right-hand brush exercise (Audio Track 15).FIGURE 5-3: Bringing the thumb to rest against the 5th string (a); raising the ...TAB 5-4: Clawhammer right-hand brush and 5th-string exercise (Audio Track 16).TAB 5-5: Basic clawhammer technique exercise 1 (Audio Track 17).TAB 5-6: Basic clawhammer technique exercise 2 (Audio Track 18).TAB 5-7: Using clawhammer technique for the G, C, and D7 chords (Audio Track 19...TAB 5-8: “Boil Them Cabbage Down” with clawhammer accompaniment (Audio Track 20...TAB 5-9: “Worried Man Blues” with clawhammer accompaniment (Audio Track 21).FIGURE 5-4: Comparing a flatpick (left) and a thumbpick (right). FIGURE 5-5: Comparing different kinds of thumbpicks. FIGURE 5-6: Proper placement of a thumbpick on the right-hand thumb. FIGURE 5-7: Fitting the fingerpicks on the right-hand index and middle fingers....FIGURE 5-8: Comparing different kinds of fingerpicks. FIGURE 5-9: Adjusting the bend of the fingerpick blade by pushing on a tabletop...FIGURE 5-10: Follow these steps to find a good right-hand bluegrass position. TAB 5-10: Right-hand thumb bluegrass exercise (Audio Track 22).TAB 5-11: Right-hand index and middle finger bluegrass exercise (Audio Track 23...FIGURE 5-11: Picking with the right-hand thumb (a), index finger (b), and middl...TAB 5-12: The alternating thumb roll with G, C, and D7 chords (Audio Track 24).TAB 5-13: The forward-reverse roll with G, C, and D7 chords (Audio Track 25).TAB 5-14: The forward roll with G, C, and D7 chords (Audio Track 26).TAB 5-15: Accompanying “Boil Them Cabbage Down” using forward-reverse, forward,...TAB 5-16: Accompanying “Worried Man Blues” using forward rolls (Audio Track 28 ...
6 Chapter 6TAB 6-1: Playing 3rd-string slides: 2nd to 4th fret, 2nd to 3rd fret, and 3rd t...TAB 6-2: Playing 4th-string slides: 4th to 5th fret and 2nd to 5th fret (Audio ...TAB 6-3: Playing 1st-string slides: 4th to 5th fret and 2nd to 5th fret (Audio ...TAB 6-4: Playing 4th-, 3rd-, and 1st-string hammer-ons (Audio Track 32).FIGURE 6-1: The wrong (a) and correct (b) way to position your left-hand finger...TAB 6-5: Playing fretted hammer-ons on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings (Audio Tra...TAB 6-6: Playing open-string pull-offs on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th strings (Audio ...FIGURE 6-2: Positioning the fingers for a fretted pull-off (a); position of fin...TAB 6-7: Playing fretted pull-offs on the 3rd, 1st, and 4th strings (Audio Trac...FIGURE 6-3: The finger positions before (a) and after (b) playing a Foggy Mount...TAB 6-8: Playing chokes on the banjo: Foggy Mountain choke, choke and release, ...TAB 6-9: Playing basic clawhammer technique (Audio Track 37).TAB 6-10: Playing the alternating thumb, forward-reverse, and forward rolls in ...TAB 6-11: Playing 3rd-string slides in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 39).TAB 6-12: Playing 1st-string slides in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 40).TAB 6-13: Playing 4th-string slides in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 41).TAB 6-14: Playing open-string hammer-ons in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 42).TAB 6-15: Playing fretted hammer-ons in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 43).TAB 6-16: Playing 4th-string pull-offs in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 44).TAB 6-17: Playing 3rd-string pull-offs in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 45).TAB 6-18: Playing 1st-string pull-offs in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 46).TAB 6-19: Playing the special clawhammer pull-off in clawhammer banjo (Audio Tr...TAB 6-20: Playing the Foggy Mountain choke in clawhammer banjo (Audio Track 48)...TAB 6-21: Playing slides with the alternating thumb roll (Audio Track 49).TAB 6-22: Playing slides with the forward-reverse roll (Audio Track 50).TAB 6-23: Playing slides with the forward roll (Audio Track 51).TAB 6-24: Playing hammer-ons with the alternating thumb roll (Audio Track 52).TAB 6-25: Playing hammer-ons with the forward-reverse roll (Audio Track 53).TAB 6-26: Playing hammer-ons with the forward roll (Audio Track 54).TAB 6-27: Playing pull-offs with the alternating thumb roll (Audio Track 55).TAB 6-28: Playing slides and pull-offs with the forward-reverse roll (Audio Tra...TAB 6-29: Playing hammer-ons and pull-offs with the forward roll (Audio Track 5...TAB 6-30: Playing chokes with the forward roll (Audio Track 58).
7 Chapter 7TAB 7-1: Playing “Worried Man Blues” the clawhammer way (Audio Track 59).TAB 7-2: Playing “Worried Man Blues” in the bluegrass style (Audio Track 60).TAB 7-3: “Worried Man Blues” the clawhammer way with slides, hammer-ons, and pu...TAB 7-4: Playing “Worried Man Blues” in bluegrass style with slides, hammer-ons...TAB 7-5: Clawhammer arrangement of “Boil Them Cabbage Down” (Audio Track 63).TAB 7-6: Bluegrass arrangement of “Boil Them Cabbage Down” (Audio Track 64).TAB 7-7: Clawhammer arrangement of “Cripple Creek” (Audio Track 65).TAB 7-8: Bluegrass arrangement of “Cripple Creek” (Audio Track 66).TAB 7-9: Clawhammer arrangement of “Goodbye Liza Jane” (Audio Track 67).TAB 7-10: Bluegrass arrangement of “Goodbye Liza Jane” (Audio Track 68).TAB 7-11: Clawhammer arrangement of “Ground Hog” (Audio Track 69).TAB 7-12: Bluegrass arrangement of “Ground Hog” (Audio Track 70).
8 Chapter 8TAB 8-1: Playing 1st-string clawhammer pull-offs (Audio Track 71).TAB 8-2: Playing double-thumbing patterns (Audio Track 72).TAB 8-3: “Old Joe Clark,” using double thumbing and 1st-string pull-off techniq...TAB 8-4: “Soldier's Joy,” using double C tuning (Audio Track 74).TAB 8-5: “Cluck Old Hen,” using modal tuning (Audio Track 75).TAB 8-6: “Last