Basic Right Hand Technique for Clawhammer Banjo

[@colinw4935]

Hi there. I`m 63, live in the UK and always wanted to play a Banjo. I received a Deering Banjo today and have tuned into you site. You seem patient and professional enough to help me on the road to playing claw hammer Banjo. You have a new (old) student who will do his best and follow your lessons. Thank you breathing fresh air into an old mans face. Colin

[@theozarkbanjoco.byedenluka5036]

Congratulations on your new Banjo! I’ve heard there’s some good Banjo camps in the UK you might check out once you have a few tunes under your belt.

[@sutekichi]

Hey Colin W., I'm 60 and yesterday finally pulled my banjo out of the case it's been in for 20 years. How's your banjo playing coming along?

[@1959DJW]

same age, just got a Banjo and finally think I understand what is going on here ;)

[@rjwh67220]

I’m a 73 year old brother in Deering! I just bought their Vega long-neck!

[@geofflb6537]

How's it going? I started clawhammer around the same age as you - 12 years on and I'm still loving every step of the journey. You might also enjoy Tom Collins' YT channel. Lukas and Tom are two very fine players (for me the best!) and great teachers and I soak in everything I can from them. Good luck and enjoy the trip.

[@jaspertravis9036]

This tutorial is exceptional. Clear, progressive steps, and demonstrated at true beginner speed. Clear audio--and no hand movements unrelated to the technique being demonstrated! I popped in here as a 3-finger banjo player who just wanted to understand what old time players are doing with their fingers, and how they make all those notes ring out with just a claw. Thanks, man! This was A+

[@stevenb8425]

I just started the banjo and this video is the best on KZbin for detailed instructions for the Bum-ditty strum. You break it down into each little part, and that leaves nothing to go wrong. Wonderful job!! Thanks so much!

[@johncfullerartist9863]

I bought a 5 string banjo this lockdown year and at 80 years old found it too complicated so shelved it Just saw your video Now this I can understand and will now get the Banjo out of storage and have another go Many thanks

[@theozarkbanjoco.byedenluka5036]

That’s Great! Let me know how it goes.

[@TomSpeaks-vw1zp]

johncfullerar, how are you doing with your banjo? I’m 82 & can relate completely. Got my banjo on my 65th birthday. Got frustrated & the more videos I watched the more confused I got. I’m afraid I’m running out of time to ever play it. But am encouraged by this young man.

[@richmondstevenj]

This was the best instructional music video I’ve ever seen. Thanks man.

[@jeanpaulkunemann9793]

this is the best teacher for beginer in the world , i aplause .Thank you

[@johnalbright2848]

Excellent material and explanations. Thanks for your great work. Very curious how you make the ping pong ball pick, and especially, what adhesive allows you to take it off and put it back on so slick.

[@martin701]

Best breakdown of the right hand mechanics I have ever seen. Superb instruction! Thanks

[@AngieParker-qr5lv]

Thankyou for going slow. I'm 57yr old lady just got a banjo, I know nothing about playing this or any instrument. I'll keep following you for lessons ❤

[@lynnglidewell7367]

Very good lesson! I've played several years now but always enjoy going back to beginner status on these videos and always learn from them. I'm inclined to Pete Seeger type Folk Music so Claw Hammer playing is what's most useful for me as opposed to the rapid Bluegrass picking patterns which are wonderful also, but I don't find myself playing that type music as often. By the way as a history lesson for those interested it was Pete Seeger who first applied the term bum diddy to describe the rhythm of claw hammer playing in his 1947 Banjo Book.

[@davegreen168]

I am an older banjo player. Started banjo because of arm problems with guitar. Started 2 finger playing and now want to learn that sweet claw hammer method. Your starter video is the best I’ve found. Thanks !

[@VellaCharles]

Hi , came across this site by accident. Your tutorial video of the claw hammer is the best I've seen so far. I'm an 80plus senor and the pace of your way of teaching fits me just right. I have a Deering Goodtime Special, had it for a few months and keep trying to get the feel of this Banjo. Thank you for the amazing tips of the best way to hold the Banjo and the BUM DITTY stroke. Thank you, super video.

[@markforster-king4465]

Game changing video Lukas... your teaching style is so relaxed and accessible, much like your playing style...absolutely awesome

[@charliehos3936]

That looks so easy the way you showed it. Always wanted to play like grandpa Jones so I’m gonna give it a try, thanks a million!

[@jean-charlesmeunier6529]

Really excellent! Impatiently waiting for my Deering banjo in a few days so I can try this 😍

[@JohnArcycle]

Best beginner video I’ve seen. Thanks so much!

[@janetbice6920]

I have just bought a banjo a d have been searching for beginner lessons. This is the best by far. Thank you. I am now going to practice till I get the bum diddy down pat before moving on. So looking forward to this journey

[@jimsatterfield8748]

This guy has a lot of talents

[@jayjack6299]

You can't beat that sound of the clawhammer!

[@dcorrette]

I like the way you teach , it is so thorough and easy to understand. Thank you says Judy C

[@alanwann9318]

Lucas,this is the best instruction video I have seen,in 5 years playing.after experimenting on picks,I am very happy with a pro pick /cut at this angle to a point right looking at the back of my hand. This free,s up my playing ,also clarifies my notes,yes it seems unlikely I know.

[@gregmiller5126]

You are an excellent teacher!

[@antifagiorgos]

damn..i already learned my first song "ring of fire" before the "bom di di" i broke fathers rule my banjo just arrived from Florida to Greece thank you sooo much for the di di bom

[@lynphillips2109]

Thank you for this great video. I have thumbs just like yours. It's good to see this rare thumb type so well represented.

[@Guntherthefool]

broke it down great, thank you! just got my first banjo and amped to get jammin

[@jmckechnie6478]

Very clear and thorough. Great tutorial, thanks!

[@jakehoward2493]

I usually pick up an ability to play an instrument pretty fast, but clawhammer banjo is by far the hardest and most frustrating thing I’ve ever tried. It’s been weeks and I’m making no progress. This is a great video to hopefully help me out though

[@isabelemond4067]

this is SO helpful!!! I’m looking into buying a banjo soon and want to learn Clawhammer. will definitely come back to this when I am learning! :)

[@alexb119]

Super helpful, thanks man!

[@maxhill9754]

This video is fantastic, I’ve never played before and this was extremely helpful

[@robmarsh4065]

Thanks! This has been really useful. I'm not a complete beginner, but have been twiddling and improvising with a banjo for a few years now, so have bad habits to correct... ...the last three minutes of this video are exactly what I needed, and exactly what's missing from all the other banjo instructions I've seen. I'd been able to play the bum-ditty, as demonstrated in all the beginner videos, but had not been able to grasp how to integrate it into improvising melodies and working out tunes. By making that extra little link this video is really useful! Practiced a little bit, copying your melody to begin with, and it all makes sense now! I like how you explain it step-by-step with single strings before coming on to the strum, too. To my ear the single-string bum-ditty has a much more pleasing / stripped-back feel to it, and the focus on a lot of other instructions is too much on the strum. It's just my opinion of course but I think (for solo playing) holding back on the strum makes for a much more subtle style.

[@kurttilling6100]

Fantastic tutorial

[@ellimundoe1497]

Very good precise tuition. thanks

[@wildesage4172]

Well, you inspired me sufficiently: just bought my first banjo yesterday because of you! Won't have it for awhile (had a family member pick up a great-priced used one in another state, I'll be picking it up when I'm there later in Summer), but I'm practicing my bum-diddy on my guitar in G tuning for now. Spacing from 5th to 1st seems pretty similar, even if I have to adapt when the banjo gets here, at least I'll have some progress on the basic muscle memory. Thanks for getting me into the world of banjo, man!

[@bobthabuilda1525]

Good luck, my friend! You can do it

[@dcorrette]

I'm in thew beginning stages of claw hammer. I need all the help I can get. I like your style of teaching it claw hammer. thank you Judy Corrette in Wildwood, Fl

[@donvito2303]

Great job!

[@nancysynnestvedt4902]

Excellent lesson, Lukas, thanks so much! I loved your systematic approach--and loved hearing your dad's wise advice too!

[@paulgibby6932]

Excellent teaching. Thanks

[@waynestewart9380]

Thanks for the help, great video for beginner claw hammer.

[@JRBecraftMPH]

Outstanding. Superb. Well done. Best explanation and demo I've seen.

[@PaulCapps]

Great tips

[@hafidlalaoui9798]

Thank you.

[@Banjo362]

Great video Lukas very helpful, I have to use my index finger sense I'ma also a 2 finger thumb lead player, I also love the 2 finger thumb lead I also do a lot of 2 finger picking I don't picks I like the more mellow tone and sound. I prefer to play clawhammer with my index finger because its smoother for me. Everything going great for me.

[@docham]

Would have saved me a year of frustration if this video had been available early on! Many thanks.

[@johnnytrussen337]

Siiick! Thank u kind sir

[@carl-jurgenperkowski2392]

Can you explain how you build and fix the pingpong pick on you pointer.

[@terryfinley7760]

Wow! This is the best beginner lesson I have ever seen! I have been playing for 40 years off and on and I am doing this to improve my technique and accuracy. 👍

[@patriciaprorok3678]

Liked the video cant wait to try it out -!!

[@ProfileP246]

Excellent!

[@maximilianmustermann4481]

Thank you!

[@MS-fv7vp]

Thank you so much for this video!! It is one of the best Intro/beginner videos I’ve seen & really helps explain/show what I’ve been trying to learn! I have a beginner book I’m using to learn, but do better visually. This explained what I was trying to learn from reading. Thank you!!

[@DavidMcbrady]

Excellent lesson sir 👍 thank you

[@jamesvicary4247]

Great lesson, great teacher. Thanks!

[@pamelaroebuck1079]

Hi Lukas, this is the best video for beginners I have seen. Thank you...

[@GTHarmonica]

This is interesting, I’ve been playing for a couple of year but now started experiencing some right hand discomfort in wrist, thumb ligament. I’m pretty sure it’s due to position and over extending the movement of the angle of the thumb relative to the claw. Also due to angle of to banjo not being in alignment with the hands relaxed state.

[@leimaniax]

Great tips and advice. Thank you for sharing!

[@MrBogi81]

thanks , i will try!

[@robertjohnson1246]

Wow. You make it look so easy. I can do the first string pretty good but the others are not going smoothly.

[@nuynobi]

19:56 What dark magic is this?

[@Guntherthefool]

lol seriously

[@shane5022]

Amazing tutorials Lukas! Is there any way I can learn to make a ping pong nail like you have in this video? Thanks!

[@banjorino]

This is a great lesson! ❤️Thank you! 🙂

[@johngreene4979]

Best ch video around! Very thorough and incredibly patient. Thanks, so much. HJG

[@jenkydesignz]

Thank you. Really helpful.

[@dianeoberle1564]

Thank you for your video it has helped me a lot

[@elizabethlane2941]

God bless ya!

[@warrenbyrom693]

Best banjo lesson ever. I can finally do the diddy bum diddy. BTW.. are you gluing the ping pong to your index finger every time you play?

[@guitzanin]

Thanks!

[@manoutchyoussefi6837]

Hello you are un amazing teacher. What is the link to the metronom that you are using

[@jethrobodine4638]

im new to banjo. i just bought a Deering model and excited to get started. on the brush stroke, some players hit just the 1,2,3, and not the 4th? is it a preference? i have watched a few videos online and there are some small differences in teaching the clawhammer technique.

[@frozenwild4933]

Really great job with this video, thanks.

[@RevHengSure]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[@fu3g]

What isbused to make the ping pong ball nail stick?

[@theozarkbanjoco.byedenluka5036]

Super glue, it’s the same stuff they use for stick on nails. it gets brittle after 24 hours and pops off easy if you don’t want to keep it on. Or you can use nail polish remover. Just a warning it can be a little rough on nails overtime, but I like it.

[@johnatherton878]

You are really good, and you got a "like" and a subscribe, but please, what is the name of the tune you play starting out? I am a fiddler.

[@dwdougherty]

+1 to Ben's question.

[@florianfreax3962]

Hey Lukas, I'm really enjoying your elegant beautiful clawhammer playing! Just one simple question: why are you tuning on 435Hz rather than 440Hz sometimes? Thanks!

[@jacobstaron]

Great video! Very helpful Bum diddy bum diddy

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

How do you get the table tennis ball plastic to stay on your finger?

[@TomSpeaks-vw1zp]

Advice for all. Practice practice and more practice. And when you’re done practice some more 😂

[@aaroncohenour559]

What’s the metronome app you use? Can’t subdivide 8th notes on most of them… I like that feature.

[@BenjaminBanjos]

Hey Lukas, how are you fixing that little piece of ping pong ball to your nail? I’m guessing it needs to be quite strong so it doesn’t flick off. Does it leave your nail sticky and how many times can you put it on and take it off before you need a new one? Great vids. You play really nicely! Thanks, Ben

[@powbobs]

Ben Taylor Probably surgical tape.

[@steveambrose1734]

Great lesson i can hit my strings clean but they have a scratch sound is that normal or am i doing something wrong ?

[@robertjohnson1246]

What notes did you play on the first string when you were showing off? I loved it

[@braillynn]

What head do you have on this banjo?

[@Banjo362]

Hey Lukas have you ever played 2 finger thumb lead style its an old finger picking style called 2 finger I play a lot of it. I'm some what your teaching to my 2 finger style. I am really a 2 finger player.

[@marinevet7273]

What is the brand / modelof your metronome? Thanks

[@taylorwhipple2466]

Would there be any advantage to playing with both your middle and/or index finger?

[@Banjo362]

Have you ever heard of Chip Arnold, Will Keys, Bill Birchfield, Roscoe Holcomb, and Marvin Gaster?

[@designpavingusa]

What metronome app is this you use please?

[@Bigtimbrr]

What metronome are using? Thank you.

[@banjercat]

what metronome app are you using??

[@yuridanylko]

Hey just wondering. I know some frailing tunings in say D or Am/C. I feel like these tunes were played in standard tuning. Is clawhammer in these keys played without using the 5th string over every chord?

[@michaleslusher9210]

Wait ping pong ball, ok how does it stay on your finger while your playing? How is it secured to your finger? Be neat if u could explain that maybe🥴

[@seamusbrowne4909]

😎😎😎

[@OnlySethDavis]

Clawhammer banjo

[@terrymurray9818]

Why does nobody explain how to put the melody into clawhammer

[@trygtunes1633]

What is the little yellow thingy on his right hand first finger

[@stevebrown4358]

It's a piece of a ping pong ball. What I can't figure out is how he keeps it in place!

[@thereindeertherabbitthebat592]

Ever since the probs in the news with P Diddy... I nominate that we change the name of the "Bum Diddy". (Bc that sounds gross 🤢)

[@erniewilliams2790]

X

[@SherwoodSchwartz123]

Great info - - thanks!