David Holt Beginning Clawhammer Banjo Lesson Tom Dooley

A brief segment from David Holts series on playng the 5 string banjo "clawhammer" style. This segment is from "Beginning the 5-string banjo and David demonstrates close up the left and right hand techniques for the beginner. Complete DVD goes into all details and more songs. Beginning 5 string banjo is followed up by two more DVD's on Homespun Tapes(video) and is available from Homespuntapes.com or Davidholt.com

[@markhayden2878]

I just restored a WA Cole maker open back banjo and have started to practice this first foundation exercise Thank you and a sincere Rest in Peace to Pete Seeger.

[@valley_robot]

What a great teacher, brilliant lesson.

[@macepunk]

his banjo looks lika deering goodtime. deff one of my favorite banjos. its an inexpenisve great sounding banjo

[@piersbridges2463]

Very methodical teaching...wonderful - now if I could afford a banjo I'd be playing right along with you.....thank you

[@fishyc150]

After seeing this I ordered the full DVD. It does take a while but from complete novice to ALMOST keeping up in the last Tom Dooley in 4 weeks ain't bad ;-)

[@banjogregcantrell6235]

Thanks for the Bump-Ditty lesson. ha ha. I have set my mind to learn the "claw-hammer", 35Yrs. in the three finger ways. I have watched you since far back in the 80's. God Bless to all. Banjo Greg Cantrell.

[@HNXMedia]

Still so good in 2023!

[@samyas]

Yay! This video just encouraged me to purchase the DVD. Clever marketing :)

[@jd.coleman]

Very helpful David. Thank you.

[@icebergmike27]

It's been a family tradition of ours to send a Collins Fruitcake to the next generation for Christmas. So yea I have a few cake tins laying around. Could bring myself to toss'em so I figured I'd make a banjo.....and then teach myself to play. Kind of the whole "Gift that gives back" type of thing. Anyway, in my search for construction ideas, I find this video. Well done and just what I needed to stay motivated. Thanks

[@Siralantoon]

Really enjoyable presentation.Thanks for sharing Ok so...bum ..diddy..bum..diddy....

[@임영택-b6i]

you saved me! Thanks Tom!

[@wyutzy]

My Grandmother was Tom Dooley's classmate in school SC...... I'm just learning banjo... Brilliant, so far... I've been a nail-biter all my life, until I tried this... I'm learning... ;)

[@rpashoukos]

@inohim I'm glad I read your post, I would have been disappointed not getting the first video. It looks like Get Started on the 5 String Banjo by David Holt would be the first one. Think I'll just use this youtube video for now.

[@caste0]

The credit card trick just opened my eyes. Now i understand clawhammer and i can play it right! :)

[@HighCalip]

Your avatar 😂 opened your eyes huh

[@isabellaisa5391]

This really helped me

[@AustenSophie]

Thank you! This is great.

[@HighCalip]

“Don’t practice your mistakes” Damn bro words of wisdom right there

[@j1l9f9k0]

i love this guy!

[@Otrovo]

@ahafar1 Deering Goodtime is considered to be the best banjo for the buck. I got one on amazon for $350. from what i hear your better off starting with a nice instrument because it ends up being easier and nicer to play.

[@brianendersmusic]

I'm just trying to learn how to clawhammer style and it seems impossible. The reason is the single note seems like I could play so much faster if I up-pick the single note. Seems like everyone on videos goes Down, Down, thumb. Going down twice makes it seem impossible to play the riff faster

[@NXavier787]

@brummeister1 Try the Acri pick. You can find them on JanetDavis and at Elderly I think.

[@NXavier787]

@brummeister1 Sorry I meant to reply to you :-) Anyway, try the Acri pick. You can find them at Janet Davis and I think Elderly sells them also.

[@rachaellyons8922]

anyone know a good web site for 4 string bango lessons for beginners

[@FurleysAscot]

I have a goodtime 2 and the only difference I see between mine and this one is that mine has the resonator on it. Bought mine for about 300 dollars used.

[@raybird215]

which finger are you using?

[@goobectomy]

Do you have a form of this for 3/4 time?

[@ahafar1]

I love the sound of banjo, and would really like to learn to play. Suggestions on what type of banjo to start with (that isn't too expensive, but doesn't sound terrible)? Found a bean blossom hobo banjo for $150 on craigslist - is this a decent banjo/decent deal?

[@melvinwren]

"make a cassette tape" LOL

[@dalegribble60]

I don't have a credit card....can I use cash?

[@BenjiTranterMusic]

well bum diggitty!

[@needmorename]

You realize that that is David Holt and not the pumpkins dude.

[@orckiller91]

@raybird215 Middle finger

[@IkesterONABikester]

Yo, how do you make cassettes again?

[@edelford1602]

Ike Gutierrez -I'm posting from 4 years in the future to tell you to go out and buy a Delorean, install a flux-capacitor, go back in time to 1984 and learn how to make a cassette. ..just don't become your own grandfather by mistake and you should be good.

[@JuliePaulHomes]

Oh my this was sooooooo helpful. Thank you so much. I like the credit card trick it real makes a difference. I started today.

[@alextw13jf]

One of the best explanation of clawhammer technique on KZbin; I play Scruggs style but I'm so fascinated by the old style as well; it allows you to do things you simply can't do with bluegrass fingerpicks (and vice versa, naturally). On top of that, being basically an electric guitarist, I must admit it's hard to find teachers as nice as this man, (as well as many others banjoists' vids), in the ultra competitive, hi-speed, hi-tech, hi-borin' axemen world!! W banjo!

[@PinkFloydrulez]

take that credit card and go buy some coffee or beer to get you through practicing this for a week

[@MalrickEQ2]

Are you saying banjo sounds bad!??

[@PinkFloydrulez]

@@MalrickEQ2 not even remotely

[@IronCoffin23]

This is a wonderful lesson for a beginner to learn Clawhammer, Thank you so much

[@DonBrowningRacing]

Great lesson David Holt. Yours is a fresh clean explanation style of a lot of moving parts. One of the best basic lessons around. Bravo!

[@mess3097]

The credit card tip is a great one, especially for those integrating from other instruments where plucking finger independence is second nature.

[@lordofthemound3890]

Agree. I fingerpick guitar, so the basics of the Scruggs style came easy to me. But I could never pick up the Clawhammer style at all.

[@martyfan11agnosticalienfan]

I'm in the same position and I thought that clawhammer and frailing would both be easy. Clawhammer is hard, and frailing... well... I don't think my fingers will ever be able to do that. My way of clawhammer is have your hand in a claw shape and whilst hitting the melody note your thumb is hitting the 5th string. Works okay for me (that was after I taught myself how to do drop-thumb)

[@babbchuck]

Awesome lesson - very nice, thanks David and Homespun!

[@angelofmusic477]

Thanks for sharing. I use a name card tricks, which is as good as old credit card.

[@JEDMIDDY]

this is a deering good time,one of the first models without a tone ring, you can get one with atone ring.these models have been altered to have a different shaped peghead, and the whole range has been altered over the last two years.i have this model, i lent it to a friend to start him off on banjo after a while he went and bought his own goodtime, with the new peghead they are terrific.

[@JEDMIDDY]

this banjo is a deering goodtime basic model,they have changed , having reshaped pegheads, i have one they are magic.

[@jonny.frusco5901]

Don't usually comment, but this vid helped a lot. Thanks from the UK. A thumbs up goes to you.

[@gar1558]

could easily play a bootlegger in the al capone movie. great lesson..

[@dtr221tube]

go say cherrs dave i just started and that realy helps , TA

[@TheArtofEngineering]

Freddy Kruger?? :)

[@PerfectParasite]

Ha, he does look like Billy Corgan.

[@CapsLock375]

Why would you dislike this?

[@andytwiggs]

good video lesson cheers

[@ClanChattan14]

such a cheerful song

[@menswellness8507]

Love the credit card idea.

[@mikigiannoni]

good idea the credit card

[@TallJason357]

This man is a God among men. I would hate to face him in battle of the Banjos because I'm still so low level.