The Breadcrumb Rule: Make Fretting Easy! | Clawhammer Banjo

Here's an easy little fretting rule to help you find your way out of the woods. Building these fundamentals contribute to your easy and comfort with the instrument, which will translate to better music and more fun in the long run.
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[@richh1576]

FWIW and to possibly help to make 'fretting' easier for those struggling ... especially for those LARGE stretches and movements waaaaay 'UP THE NECK', consider to learn to play (when in 'double C' tuning) up the neck cord postions and use the SECOND or third string as the string for your 'lead' notes using the 5th and 7th (fret) positions as your 'home base'. Youll find that most of the same notes can be found up the neck and 'closer together'. (and the open - to the neck - strings may begin to 'sympathetically' resonate in harmony with your fretted up-the-neck notes /cords for a more 'full house' sound). All for - less stretch and extreme hand / arm motions !!!!!!

[@cpg5271]

This is interesting to revist. I had the opposite issue to what you say you have mostly seen. I originally mostly played this way, but deliberatly got away from it as I found my fingers were often overly locked to those positions on the fretboard in circumstances where leaving my fingers down didn't make sense and it was creating tension and slowing me down. Seeing this now I'm realizing that I am not as confortable playing this way as I once was and that clearly there are times when "breadcrumbs" are helpful, in addition to times when it is good to lift fingers up. I think many of us get locked into certain ways of playing things and it is good for me to remember that the most efficient way to play a certain passage may be determined by what follows that passage. Much in the same way that one may choose to fret a guitar chord in different ways depending on what chord(s) follow, we should consider whether it is best to leave our fingers down or lift them up depending on what follows an ascending passage. This is a good reminder for me to practice something in way I haven't for a while. Thanks! This, like all your videos, is incredibly helpful/useful.

[@FretlessFury]

A really nice comment, CPG. I think you nailed it, and it's why I describe frettiquette rules as being "soft". Context dictates everything! Well said, and thanks for watching. Cheers, Tom

[@benthorn3752]

Incredibly helpful yet subtle detail. Thanks!

[@FretlessFury]

Thank you so much, Ben! I saw you joined Banjo Quest. Welcome!!! Get ready for some darkly modal tunes very soon!

[@benthorn3752]

@@FretlessFury As a fellow Vermonter and former Salemite I appreciate the dark tunes!

[@richsw]

Am I right in thinking this only works if you fret using the classical guitar position, with the thumb against the back of the neck? I find using the fiddle position, with the neck in the webbing between thumb and first finger, just doesn't allow my fingers to fret multiple notes on the same string at the same time.

[@obrienator]

I have this same question. My fingers definitely cannot reach if I hold it in the webbing of thumb and index.

[@josmith8233]

Pretty banjo

[@FretlessFury]

Thank you, Jo!!!

[@josmith8233]

@@FretlessFury I cant tell if that is a wood or skin top. My goal is to learn to play when I retire in 2022.

[@FretlessFury]

@@josmith8233 It's a goat skin head. The banjo is made by Ome and is their Tupelo model. Highly recommended! You should come on over to Banjo Quest when you're ready to learn. It's an amazing community!

[@josmith8233]

@@FretlessFury thanks for the information. I will check it out.

[@josmith8233]

@@FretlessFury whoa I'm priced out OF Ome. Looks good though.