F-shape chord / 'Little Maggie', and a 'bluegrass' sound on frailing (clawhammer) banjo

In this tutorial we focus on the F-shape chord and how this can move up the neck, and also look at a very cool hammer-on in this chord shape which gives a more 'bluegrassy' sound. The tune/song 'Little Maggie' is great to play with this technique.
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Hey everyone :) Welcome to the banjo ranks! I'm Banjo Jen - a singer-songwriter from Sheffield in the UK. I don't really play loads of old tunes (even though they're cool) and I don't focus overly on too much theory or technical aspects. But I use the wonderful frailing banjo style to play and create songs, and - most importantly - to play for fun. So I hope that I can help you to do the same thing and get enjoyment out of this fab instrument if you're just starting out (just be aware you will always be the butt of jokes in folk music circles if you play the banjo!). Please join me in the uphill struggle to make banjo cool!
If you're interested in my original singer-songwriter material, please check out my website www.banjojen.com and subscribe to my main KZbin channel / banjojen . Thank you :)
Other links:
Facebook: / banjojenmusic
Instagram: / banjojen
Twitter: / banjojen
Bandcamp: banjojen.bandc...
Spotify: open.spotify.c...
These tutorials are of course available for free, but if you feel that you'd like to contribute anything, obviously any donations to poor banjo players are always appreciated in these tough times! My PayPal account is www.paypal.me/... for any of those exceptionally lovely humans :)
And finally, always remember …pick tunes not fights!
Jen xx

[@jasoncoetzee6729]

Hands down best old timey instructor on the net. Thank you sooooo much for being such a rocker.

[@bodurango]

I did a search on "Little Maggie Clawhammer" and stumbled on to your channel. Exactly what I was looking for. One of my favorite tunes. Thanks . . . and looking forward to other helpful videos. Hope your shoulder is healing.

[@TresSeaver]

Jen, thanks for these tutorials: they are a great intro to frailing banjo. I'm a fellow student of Patrick Costello. One thing I've adopted is using the "four-fingered" D shape even for playing a first-position C chord (so my index finger is not fretting). Starting from there makes going up to the D easier: you can even play the C# as a passing chord between them. I will do the same thing for the E chord, fretting it like the F, but with my index finger free: makes sliding from E to F (or even G, for a bluesy thing) really straightforward.

[@iancivil2370]

Hi Jen only starting playing banjo a few months back and loving the instrument. Found frailing to be better for me and instrument and love your videos. Really useful tutorials ( even at 1 in the morning), thank you for sharing and very best wishes.

[@tedtedsen269]

you can also use bar cords, bar 5 fredded is a c maijor cord and second is e cord on a open g tuned 5stringer

[@tonydovell6131]

Hello Banjo Jen! Im a new subscriber. I too began my journey through Patrick Costello and Dear old Dad! I love the style and the versatility of frailing. Also, the simplicity! With a little practice you can sit in a jam session and follow almost any song with basic chords. FYI, I purchased the Minuteman 2 banjo they were pushing a few years ago made by Brian Carver. Amazing lifetime banjo. Just love the simple elegance of them. Great quality at an affordable price. Dont need to spend thousands to have a great time. Patrick instilled that mind set and its true. I love your videos and playing. You do a great job! Fun watching you and also learning a bit. Thanks for what you do. Look forward to watching all ur videos. BTW, I like beer too.

[@scoursey]

Greetings from Australia Jen! Given you seem to enjoy a pint.. sure your not half Australian?? Lol I have been watching all the Patrick Costello and Clifton Hicks videos for a year or so ( like his tunings) and recently stumbled on your lessons. ( I see poor Pat has taken all his videos down now as his house burnt down?) Your lessons are very natural, informative, relaxed and useful! I really enjoy them. I see you haven’t posted anything for a year or so ( guess you been busy with your original music- which I checked out and really enjoyed). Hoping you get time to do a few more tutorials tho in the near future? I also do a bit of songwriting and recording ( on guitar) so have found your lessons to be very helpful for the future! All the best Greg

[@johnforbeck9717]

Four stars. Love that open hammer on It is a great technique. Big Thank You.

[@pomclassic2407]

Very Nice. I'm from thailand.i will practice follow you.

[@zachb8012]

If you really want to cramp your hand you can work in an alternate string pull-off with your pinky out of the f chord too.

[@veroldaley1]

Excellent lesson , thank you

[@d.l.loonabide9981]

Phantom hammer-on is so useful.

[@georgiawells865]

is there a name for it?

[@tomnelson3362]

What banjo are you playing? It looks like some model of Goodtime.

[@hanksmith7449]

Nice lesson.................I like those glasses , are they from the Pound Shop ?

[@chuckjeffery944]

My little finger don’t want to play😯 That’s likely a common issue.

[@alansmith4729]

I find your lessons first class...where did you learn all this stuff initially...?