Elements of Round Peak Banjo: Part 1

[@rufus9628]

Impossible to find a banjo teacher in south Italy. I'm learning with you :) thx

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hi Rufus, Thanks so much for the comment! My wife was an Italian major in college so she reminded me to say grazie!

[@beestar6964]

Thank you for making this tutorial 17 years ago

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

You're very welcome! I can’t believe it’s been that long!

[@briandonnelly3052]

watching this 16 years after you made this video.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

whew! Time flies, Brian. Thanks for watching!

[@CalmedByNature]

Watching this 12 1/2 years after you made this. thank you!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Thanks for commenting! Glad you enjoyed.

[@andrakrumins5401]

Thanks!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

You're welcome! Thank you SO much for the donation. You made my day!! Much love, Tom

[@jimmyhudson6993]

Thanks, Tom. I'm a new player who is focused on Round Peak. I really appreciate your excellent tutelage. These videos really help.

[@hikrose]

You are a natural, awesome teacher. Sensei. Mahalo.

[@Tm0g762]

Excellent playing and instruction. Subscribed! Thanks for your hard work.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Awesome, thank you Thomas!

[@LynzM31]

This is a great video - I'm just getting started on clawhammer and probably don't need another thing to work on yet, but I'm definitely going to bookmark this for later. Your style is wonderful and you're a great teacher, too :)

[@Dylan20]

Thank you! You cleared up a question that I've been wondering about for a year now: How do some banjo players do that single-note style without the brush stroke? I learned two things just now: That this is indeed round peak style, and how to do it!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

You're welcome, Dylan! Thanks for the comment.

[@glennmeyer4539]

Hi Tom really enjoying these videos thanks

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Very welcome!

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

Thanks! This more clearly explains the unusual notation I was seeing in Mile Krassen's book Clawhammer Banjo

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Glad it was useful, Steve! I'm going to be uploading some more lessons in the not-so-distant future. Don't change that dial!

[@STP19]

Excellent; from West Lancashire, United Kingdom, bought a fretless Sweeny Banjo fron one of your Countrymen, (also got hold of the Book you recommended). Many thanks for the clear instruction. STP

[@banjoape]

Thanks, this is great! Looking forward to part II

[@Polyinstrumentalism]

This is probably from two things. First may be that you're using a capo, which makes it a little more likely that you'll end up fretting the "second" fret when you are only trying to pull off from it. The other tip would be to try and pull off from the empty spot on the fretboard instead of from directly on top of the string. Hope this helps.

[@tastas3880]

Thank you

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Welcome!

[@tastas3880]

@@TomCollinsBanjo im on a gourd banjo and i have a minstrel banjo... 3 years playing

[@TVonthetubesyo]

Great intro! Thanks for sharing.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Lots of folks have started on fretless banjos, so it's certainly doable. I still recommend that most people start with a fretted banjo because you just have a lot less to worry about, and can be up and making music in short order. Best, Tom

[@banjodr1]

Thank you Tom, a very well-done session.

[@stagelifelv9324]

Beautiful!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Thank you!

[@fredquann2796]

Very interesting and well done

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Thank you kindly, Fred! This was soooo long ago. Glad it's still helping folks out.

[@canerods]

Valuable information!! Thanks for the great job in explaining Round Peak!

[@juliancrouch]

Amazingly generous of you to share your experience like this. I am a big fan of your playing. You should hear my pathetic attempts at your version of Breakin' Up Christmas....

[@SirCoughsalot]

Very helpful. Thank you. I am trying hard to improve my banjo playing.

[@davidtaylor7875]

Brilliant - I felt Really Dumb until I found this - Got It thanks

[@anthonynoonan7846]

Thanks Tom well explained , great lesson .

[@1Sewstuff]

Thanks, I just read about this on Banjo Hangout. This is great instruction and technique.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Thank you so much, Lynda!

[@zeppmusic]

Very helpful, Tom. I'll surely be pointing my students to your video(s)! Looking forward to more... Cheers, ZEPP

[@lordofthecake]

taught with zen like clarity compared to some, excellent job

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

That's so kind of you, Richard! Thanks! This is such an old video. I hope you check out my newer material. I feel like my teaching has improved a lot since I published this years ago. Cheers!

[@younglife99]

Awesome. Thanks so much. I started playing clawhammer about a year ago (and fiddle 4 years ago) and it's interesting to see my interests begin to focus. I'm going to push into round peak banjo. Thanks again.

[@amycatestl]

This was very helpful. Thank you!

[@gabriel_kyne]

Hi Tom, do you have any plans to continue this series? Great work you're doing, thanks for what you've posted already.

[@meritcooper]

that is great help. I play bluegrass but love clawhammer. This will help me try it. - Meritcooper BHO

[@yoppykyabetsu]

Excellent!

[@somarmd]

Tom, awesome instruction! Thank you for posting. I have been wondering how to create that sound on the banjo. I actually have Round Peak Style by Brad Leftwhich. For me it was easier to understand watching your teaching. At some point I will be able to go back to Brad's book with a better understanding. Thank again!

[@AvoidingChores]

Going DEEP in the archives for extra work during boot camp :)

[@Stev187]

Awesome, Tom!

[@georgewills3682]

Thanks Tom. Wonderfully clear. I'm not sure when you play the variations at the end though, whether you continue to pull off on the first string. Your left hand looks like it stays in the same place - but I'd like to be certain. George

[@CrowBanjo37]

Tom - Great video thanks!

[@anthonynoonan7846]

Great lesson thank you.

[@MrMikeEdie]

I'm very grateful for this. Thanks :-)

[@chipwalton1]

thats a great job

[@traviswilliams]

To Tom and all the other players here....I am a bass and sax player. It is time to learn banjo. I love the sound of the fretless and am wondering if it would be best to start on a fretted or just jump right into a fretless? Thanks for any thoughts.

[@Banjer]

Tom..I hope you develop you series...it is very interesting....Ciao :)

[@baanjoguy]

Thanks Tom.

[@ArkRed1]

Nice soundin' banjer.

[@tonylw84]

Kinda feel like round peak was melodic clawhammer. After listening to tommy jarrell play its obvious its not the frailing style used by stringbean and others

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Great observation! “Melodic” clawhammer is its own thing, and has a more dense melodic phrasing than even Round Peak. Your ears are correct though: RP is very different than Stringbean style bum-ditties. It’s more linear, and follows the melody a little closer. Thanks for your comment!!

[@robkunkel8833]

Grazie... è altrettanto difficile da trovare un insegnante di banjo nelle US Isole Vergini. Come sta il mio italiano (ap)?

[@sazji]

Thanks from me too; I wonder if you might also recommend some good recordings of round peak style banjo and the banjo/fiddle combo you mentioned?

[@jasperdoestheastro]

I love your instructional videos, but I seem to be having a problem with the basic Round Peak strumming pattern. I'm playing a fretted banjo, and everytime I do the pulloff on the first string, I get a note instead of an open string. Is this because I'm doing it too hard, or because I have a fretted banjo?

[@Hottub111]

this is great, im subscribing~

[@joelfafard]

thank you!

[@bsctfa]

Just starting out--what's the tuning on the open chord?

[@Friendlybanjos]

Who made that banjo, Tom?

[@richardperry6086]

What tuning are you in.

[@banjofrailing3813]

Where did the name "Round Peak" come from? Great session.

[@stevenp748]

Banjofrailing My understanding is that the name comes from a place in North Carolina called Round Peak, where this particular style is said to have originated.

[@clawhammer704]

Round Peak is a community in Surry Co., North Carolina. That area is part of the foothills of the mountains so the tall hills do have a more rounded looking shape from the mountains. That's from my observation. I grew up in the county over from Surry Co. My father was from Yadkin Co. and my mother was from Surry Co., Dobson community.

[@meanzwell]

I would give this two likes if I could!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Thanks, Matthew! Be sure to check my newer vids as I've learned a lot since this one went live. Cheers! Tom

[@riverwindflutes]

Whats the tuning on your banjo?

[@stevenp748]

riverwindflutes The tuning is shown in the beginning of the video, around 6 seconds in. Looks like standard tuning but up by a whole step (open A instead of open G).

[@alexhickey5633]

Have you ever played a merlin banjo?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Alex...I was just writing you a reply on my other vid when I saw you posted this. I haven't played a Merlin, but I've long admired them. They're the ones with aluminum necks, right? Apparently they were made to a very high standard. I hope to play one some day.

[@alexhickey5633]

Tom Collins haha thats gas. Theyre all aluminium except the pot. The fingerboard is ebony. I dont think theyre a high end banjo at all. Theyre more of a collectors item tbh. Very unique sound and super rare. Of the 260 ever made only 100 are said to still exist. Im looking for one myself! Luke Kelly from the dubliners played one for almost 20 years until it exploded on stage

[@eikogo]

dont whine just be a pro and play like a beast lolololomg

[@Kinkle_Z]

It's funny - back when I was doing these banjo moves back in the 60s/70s, we called it "frailing." Period. We didn't call it bump ditty or round peak. We just frailed with various tension and emotion to get this same shit without patenting a "name" like "bump ditty" or "round peak." Seems so pretentious...no offense. I appreciate the uploads.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Patricia, thanks for the comment. Round Peak really refers to a place where the players developed a specific style of playing. This style of playing was alive and well in the 60's and 70's, but not as widely known as it is now. It's just a way to name and understand regional styles of banjo playing. There are lots of ways to play clawhammer banjo, so taking a look at different regional styles can really help you a.) find the sounds you love and b.) learn how to play the instrument differently than you might have come up with on your own. "Bump ditty" isn't patented by any means...it's just a way to describe the basic rhythm that these players adhered to. I hope I've clarified. Let me know if I haven't! Best of luck to you!

[@rpatt100]

Excellent!