Well, you win the award for unusual question! I was using "Grave Before Shave" beard cream (Bay Rum!) .... until I shaved my beard for the summer! Great stuff...nice and light, and smells super good!

@@FretlessFury Thanks

Thank you for that, STP!

Thank so much, Rich!! This one was a long time in the making. If I had to remove all my vids but one, this one would stay I think. Best, Tom

Too late! Been using that term for many years. Drop thumb and double thumb reference 8th note pairs. I’ve found it useful to name patterns larger than two notes, thus the clawhammer sweep was born! Feel free to not use it. I’m sticking with it as it’s been a wonderful shorthand for teaching. Good luck! Tom

Yes! I know it's strange, but clawhammer banjo uses the back of the fingernail to strike down on the strings (versus picking up). So, you hold your hand in a loose fist with the thumb up, and hit the strings with you nail as you strike down...like knocking on a door. I have tons of vids about it on my channel, so take a look for more info!

That's an Ome Omega (made in Boulder CO)

Oh wow, THANK YOU for this comment!!! This was a labor of love for sure. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

Thank you for that!!

Thanks, STP! The first thing I'd do is talk to a hand specialist, which you've probably already done. Your comment made me think of a bass player who wears thin gloves due to focal dystonia (hand tremors): kzbin.inforeralegAWGU . The gloves trick his neurological system and calm his tremors. I have no idea if that is of any help, but I thought I'd mention it. I do think that one of the good things about clawhammer is that it really doesn't take intricate hand motions to get great sounds and rhythms. We're using gross motor movement a lot of the time, especially with the striking hand. I hope these thoughts help you and encourage you to keep on playing and enjoying the banjo in some small way! Best to you, Tom

@@FretlessFury Hello Tom. Many Thanks for your Thoughtful and Measured Reply. Greatly Appreciated. STP

Hmmm....a slippery nail is a good thing! You want that nail to slip right through the string while you strike. Does this make sense? If not, send more details!

I know, right? Very strange! I wish I could talk to Fred about it! My take home: these tunes are extremely malleable, so we should feel free to explore and make changes that suit our tastes.

the ASPO is great for any tuning, but will have to be adapted to the different chord shapes.

Awesome! So glad you like the t shirts!! You'll have to experiment with live sound reinforcement. I'd probably put the mic off-axis to the right of the pot. The dead-on recording position can overwhelm mic/preamp pretty easily I've found. Also, amps add a tone of color to the signal, so you'll probably want to find an amp that is specifically geared towards amplifying acoustic signals (vs pickup). Let me know how it turns out!

Thanks so much for this comment! Yeah, I just am totally obsessed with the recording arts and still feel like I have so much to learn. I love experimenting with sounds and recording techniques! It's a lifetime of discovery. Cheers to you!

@@FretlessFury Cheers to you as well! And much thanks for all the time/ effort sharing your discoveries with your fellow explorers 🙏🎶☮️🎶💟🎶☯️🎶🙏

Thank you!!! Much love, Tom

My pleasure, STP! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Best, Tom

Oooooh, this is a nice little tip. Thanks for sharing! I'll give it a try.

Agreed! I'm learning so much from him!

Keep at it! You might need to adjust your striking angle.

Thank you for that!!!

I got to the point to where the beard was wearing ME! I'll go full mountain man again in the fall. Glad you liked the video, Maria!

Thank you so much for this comment!

Wow! Congrats on getting a fretless banjo! They're so beautiful and expressive. Wishing you much fortune on your banjo journey, Tommy

Why!!!!!!

aw thanks dude!

Thank you LoG!!!!!

me too!

Matt's store refers non US buyers to Elderly Instruments. Does the discount code apply there?

Hey Geoff! Unfortunately Matt discount the physical book for non-US folks. You can get a discount on the PDF though through his website.

Thanks for your order!

Yiiihaw!

Yeah, I've actually moved on from the tape! I'm using a Sally Hansen hard as nails top coat, and it's fantastic. It also keeps my nail from breaking when I'm gardening or working on my truck.

Good to know! I actually just got the hard as nails stuff and love it too! Surprised that this video is a couple years old. You haven’t aged a day from then to now!

Hey Ryan....I use the ASPO in every song I play! Check my playlist of song performances on my channel. Roustabout has a ton of them. Also, I think every arrangement for BQ that I've done has ASPOs in them. I'm an ASPO nut!

Totally! Use what feels comfortable and gives you the nicest tone.

I agree with you! I was really still learning how to create tutorials at this time in my KZbin career. I try to remember to do that in my newer vids!