Tune to Your VOICE Instead of a Tuner - Traditional Banjo Lesson

[@PigeonPaperbacks]

Wow! Thanks for this, I feel like I don't even need a tuner anymore

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Muddy Waters never had no tuner.

[@jimmyhawk3270]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo"Muddy Waters 'vented electricity.", (1986 movie) "Crossroads" with Ralph Macchio and Joe Seneca (Robert Johnson's friend, Willie Brown).

[@rw7510]

That’s why I love Clifs page, because he always starts the video by playing something..

[@ChrisfromGeorgia]

2:09 Sounds awefully similar to Old Leatherstocking.👌

[@Cliftyman]

That index finger rake really sets this play style off

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

I started doing that on my own, but in recent years I've seen video of old pickers such as Ed Teague who used that as his standard technique. It must have been widespread at one time.

[@MrHacienda1]

Wow I never tried that base string method. I started my music hobby with guitar and just tried different keys until I found a comfortable range for my voice. But with the banjo I am just now learning to sing with it. Thanks for this timely lesson.

[@coyotefire69420]

What a lovely day for a video. Up here in NY we're covered in snow

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

We've had a very mild winter here, only a few moderate dustings.

[@coyotefire69420]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo This year has been especially snowy. The past 2 weeks we've had 3 storms just about. Keep on keepin on man! Love hearing the tunes and you make great videos

[@marinevet7273]

That explained everything perfectly, thanks?

[@dwaingibbs93]

Awesome video!I really like this explanation. I’m sure this will help a lot of folks.

[@3lfruler]

Thank you! In the past I've learned by ear. now I'm trying to get to actually know the notes. Stairway to heaven is my goal one day. Thank you, thank you!!

[@joylmtryt2005]

big fan! love your covers & music lessons! I bought a banjolele from a trip to Tennessee, but it’s very warped & wonky sounding. hopefully will get my hands on a standard banjo.

[@cdreery7304]

Thanks for your help.

[@RJDCR]

sweet , thanx CH RJ

[@HiNinqi]

Really important & helpful! Thank you 🪕

[@fastheartmartvideos]

Thanks for this great lesson! It makes sense :)

[@loduk]

Thanks for making this video- great job.

[@banakula]

Thank you. This is so helpful. I’m a new fan. Love your work.

[@landonshanerthebanjokid5906]

Thk Mr.Hicks this helped alot

[@beercrawlerrc]

Your awesome Clifton, 🍻🍻

[@nishaad9928]

Great. Long ago, I used to tune my guitar relatively. No tuner was needed. Then I found tuners. Never looked back for relative tuning anymore. Sometimes I even though musical notes needed to be in those discrete A, B, C, D solid reference points. But no - its all fluid. Any note anywhere in the audible spectrum can be a musical note as long as the others are in reference to it following those special ratios (ratios of harmonics).

[@jamesantkeegan83]

I love your two finger style! I find it easier to sing in key with guitar better than my longneck banjo (goldtone)

[@alancook7174]

Fantastic explanation! Thanks

[@NoQuestions4sked]

Great vid. Unfortunately, I've discovered C is my comfortable low note with B being lowest I can go while still maintaining volume. Unfortunately B flat is not really within my comfortable vocal range so whenever I go from any tuning with the low note as a relative D (eg fCFAC) to a tuning with a relative C (eg f#BF#BEb) as the low note, I have to completely retune every single string.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Hell that's perfectly fine. Sounds like you just need to stick with the standard tunings, e.g. gCGCD, gDGBD, etc.

[@NoQuestions4sked]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo I've tried standard and can't hit the high notes. Maybe I just need to work on improving my range lol

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Did you try tuning to F♯? Your "gDGBD" would = f♯ C♯ F♯ B C♯

[@NoQuestions4sked]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo Yes! I go to half-step down tunings pretty often, usually when I'm coming back down from relative gCGCE/D which I tune to f#BF#BEb. Honestly half the time I'm inbetween notes and just tune it relatively. I tune the thing with a tuner once in the morning and that's about it, so over the course of the day it's probably more than a few semitones off. Good thing myself or no one around me has perfect pitch

[@LeStudenti]

Dig it

[@SPayne-vn5od]

Mr. Hicks, to quote Leo Kottke my voice sounds like "A goose fart on a muggy day." For the good of humanity I will refrain from singing.

[@송제슨]

Nimrod Workman had a pretty rough voice, did that stop him from singing?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

@@송제슨 And somebody back in the day once said Ralph Stanley's voice could "make a mule cry." However, today he's regarded as a very fine singer.

[@jeremylangenfeld1417]

Hey Clifton. I am trying hard to build a gourd banjo. There is no one complete source of information anywhere, but yet I see all these builders online, and all these KZbin videos of these complete gourd banjos; where is the big secret? Foxfire doesn't have all the answers; they give the basics but few dimensions. This other book doesn't go into any kind of detail. How must one be privy to the secrets?? Can you please tell me what scale length you use. I've been knocking my head against the wall to build a dam neck for weeks now! Can you please tell me what scale length do you use for your gourd banjos?!!!!!!! Thank you.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

The book you need is Banjo Roots And Branches (2018). There are several chapters in there with clear photos of the existing pre-1850 gourd banjos, and enough written details to build your own.

[@jeremylangenfeld1417]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo Hey, thank you!

[@FANTASMAHOUSEPARANORMAL]

Awesome 🤘💀🤘

[@DaisyHead666]

Damn this is strange lol. Apparently the lowest note I can hit is a C, but i have to force it out. the lowest comfortable low note for me is a D. Which is just straight up standard banjo tuning lol.. RIP ig i dont have a deep voice for a guy..

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Everybody's different. 👍👍

[@ruefulquail5071]

My banjo low string kinda flops off the bridge when i get it down to my lowest comfortable note to sing (A on a bass guitar). The standard G tuned low D is the top end of my vocal range. Any thoughts for how to get down to that A and keep the bridge from sliding around and falling over? Thanks!

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

First thing to try is heavy gauge strings. Aquila Nylgut sells heavy "minstrel" string sets. Aaron Keim also sells a pack of fairly heavy strings. You can also order individual strings in any diameter from La Bella. Heavier strings will keep more pressure on the bridge at lowered tunings. You can also experiment with different bridges. Joel Hooks is offering the best US-made bridges currently at BanjoThimble.com

[@ruefulquail5071]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo thanks, I will give that a try. Singing and playing has been super awkward thus far on banjo.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

I remember picking up the guitar for the first time and learning "cowboy chords." I was amazed out how easy it is to sing along with guitar chords--this after having sang with the banjo for years.

[@ruefulquail5071]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo that is for sure! I didn't really start learning chords on guitar until I was 14 but had been playing classical guitar for 5 years before that. After 30 years on guitar, I decided to finally try the banjo. For a classical and flamenco guy it is a major change in technique.

[@PermacultureAppalachia]

👍👍

[@_roughsawn_3990]

If one were to do this on guitar do the same on the low e?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

I typically tune a guitar to DADGAD, and will tune that low string to match my voice.

[@pipermac]

Soooo...doesn't that mess up the music you are reading, being in a different tuning?? Or....???

[@scottedelen5325]

Maybe this will help me try to bridge the gap into singing with my strumming. Still try to make it real.

[@jeremyreagan9085]

That is exactly how I tune Clifton myself lol.

[@theperfectcrime984]

What song are you singing in the beginning?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

00:00 "Walking Cane" gDGBD 03:54 "Coon Hunt Walkaround" gCGBD 04:45 "Last Gold Dollar" (Mole in the Ground) gCGCD

[@jamesantkeegan83]

I always sing I got high and I got in jail had nobody to go my bail!

[@dcdc139]

I think that you may have posted this before, or something similar, anyway, one of the most useful tips that I received. Thanks