How to Play the Banjo Part 1: The Blueprints of Clawhammer Banjo by Tom Collins

[@markderidder]

The vocabulary and descriptions you use to communicate complicated and hidden body mechanics is excellent. As an animator who gives notes to other animators, I appreciate this!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hi Mark....thank you so much for this comment!! You made my day. Best, Tom

[@jupitor919]

Thank you for sharing and strengthening this process.. I think the hardest part of starting something is learning how to do it right and doing it slow until it becomes part of the body mechanic.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

It's a pleasure to share, and completely agree, learning the right technique makes all the difference in the long run!

[@marcossciannamea737]

I 've been struggling with the clawhammer until I saw this video. It's so simple now. Thank you

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Glad it helped!

[@pat6761]

Litteraly the best video for a clawhammer beginner

[@scottbroemsen8010]

"The bubbles!" I love it! Clawhammer is the champaign of music! Its effervescent! Absolutely true!

[@44thala49]

I’m so dang glad folks like this care enough to share their knowledge on here.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Glad folks care enough to take the time to post .... like you! Cheers, Tom

[@christinebagley6341]

Hi Tom -so glad you are doing what you love! Chris B.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

CHRIS BAGLEY! I hope you are well in these strange times, and still writing your heart out. Yes, I'm a full time banjo player now, and look forward to my work every day...what a crazy world. I miss our long conversations. Best to you and your family, Tom

[@tomskold4932]

This makes a lot of sense. It's the upstroke that is problematic, or more precisely the turning-point from downstroke to upstroke, at least for me. I can follow you pretty effortlessly up to around 120 BPM, but then it starts to break down at 160 BPM, at 3:04. But I'll keep practising.

[@aethulwulfvonstopphen8013]

Much apprrciated

[@jeremymoore1746]

That’s excellent, have been playing banjo for over a year, clawhammer, and I just knew I’d picked up bad habits, it didn’t have that clarity, sounded mushie and a bit jumbled, used to listen to people play on KZbin and think “how do they get that sound” 👍

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Glad the video helped, Jeremy! Thanks for the comment.

[@jams3maddij]

Good stuff

[@codygorel5784]

Which finger nail is hitting does it matter?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Cody....it doesn't matter. Just find the finger that feels right to you and go with it.

[@chainsawapple]

I was wondering this too and I love the answer!

[@lecameleo]

Great metaphores. Thanks

[@leammemdis6795]

Muchas Gracias👏👏👏kisses fron España and Brasil

[@pauljosephbuggle3722]

Great video

[@marinadreyer4581]

Hi Tom, I just saw that you are in the Boston area are you still teaching lessons?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hi Marina! I sure do! Why don't you email me direct: fivemiles (at) gmail

[@marinadreyer4581]

@@TomCollinsBanjo awesome will do thank you!

[@deadbabyjokes5319]

🎉

[@nick.raptis]

Oh my god, Clawhammer banjo is the exact opposite of bass slapping! :D

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hahah!!! Indeed! I've had this conversation with some of my bass playing friends. It's weird!

[@nick.raptis]

@@TomCollinsBanjo tell me if find someone that can do both without melting their heads 😉

[@KenneyCmusic]

@@TomCollinsBanjo when you play slap bass, do you intuitively want to play clawhammer? Lol

[@NameBrandArtist]

I just can’t get past right hand fundamentals putting that together with cords my brain is spaghetti

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

You'll get it. Go slow, and don't give up!

[@patrickbowers477]

Why would you use alternate tunings when your teaching beginners? Isn’t it enough to ask someone to comprehend basic mechanics when starting out?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

huh? This video is taught in standard G tuning.

[@BlindTom61]

​@FretlessFury You said you were playing in double C, Whatever that is so I think it's a fair question.

[@d.l.loonabide9981]

"Get up for the downstroke".