On 2002-07-24 21:15, DazedinLA wrote:
Kevin
No. 39 (come on, Blackhawk, post a few more and knock me out of the top 40
You've been practicing that fiddle instead of posting. Yup, that's me you hear breathing down your neck every time you stop practicing long enough to get on line. But you play the fiddle MUCH better than I do, which is not at all.
I also play hammered dulcimer (and clawhammer banjo). There is no way I can sight read music while playing the dulcimer as I must look at the strings to play. I have learned all my dulcimer tunes by ear but am learning to read music for the whistle. That way I can learn a tune on the whistle and then play it by ear on the dulcimer.
I've been wondering for years -- what IS clawhammer banjo?
[/quote]
I tried to answer this a while ago and then I lost my internet connection. I wonder if that's a Sign from the crystal people.
Anyway, clawhammer banjo is a style of banjo playing, or a group of styles, and not a type of banjo. Clawhammerers do prefer open back banjos in contrast to bluegrassers who like resonators. In clawhammer you pick downward with the nail of the index or middle finger. You also use the thumb on either the 5th string or one of the long strings. Playing a long string with the thumb is called drop thumbing. The style is believed to ultimately derive from Africa and something like it was used in early minstrel show playing. You can hear some clawhammer playing at the following address
I have to admit Michael Miles is not a typical banjo player but I happen to have the address handy. I heard him recently and he's a very upscale musician. Listen to something like Red Haired Boy or Whiskey Before Breakfast for some typical clawhammer tunes. Pete Seeger also plays sort of clawhammer sometimes but mainly uses another related style. Grampa Jones played a fairly primitive style more commonly called frailing.
I also play tenor and used to play baritone sax, when I had one. I am learning to play the ukulele so I have a melody instrument when the folk orchestra I'm in doesn't need a high-pitched melody instrument.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Rod Sprague on 2002-07-26 00:34 ]</font>
When I was 13 I taught myself the whistle, then shortly after taught myself the bodhrán. Then in one year I taught myself the fiddle, dobro, and mandolin.
Tell us something.: I'm a New York native who gradually slid west and landed in the Phoenix area. I like riding on the back seat of a tandem bicycle. I like dogs and have three of them. I am a sometime actor and an all the time teacher, husband, and dad.
Tim wants to say hi. He's 4. He plays a little black whistle body with a feadog head, plus he plays the bass drum (ancient style - rope tension, calfskin heads, military rudiments). He wants to learn to play the fife, but doesn't have the lung power yet. And he sings, like a bird, perfectly on key!
Tell us something.: Well dang, I just want to change my password. looking for that correct page! Thank you! Ohh good grief, I get it, you have to be careful who you let in because of spammers, but sigh.... I'm in a hurry, can we move this along please. :)
I use to be four too, along time ago. If you keep practicing on your whistle and drums I am sure in no time at all you will be able to play your fife too.
Keep singing and practicing!
Kathy
~*~Creativity is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God~*~
Question for the Mandolin players - I started on the Mando about 2 years ago, learnt about 40 tunes, and then discovered that in a busy session, I can barely hear myself playing. It's fine for solo play at home, but just doesn't cut through the noise in a busy pub session. As a partial result I've almost completely converted to the whistle now.
Do you use an amp, or if not what Make/style do you play for volume?
I also have an old Windsor 1950's 4-string banjo I mess on sometimes (my father's old instrument), but it weighs like a millstone & I haven't taken it to a session yet. I used to play guitar, clarinet before that, and violin before that, and mostly I sing.
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that schwing
I played clarinet from 4th grade until high school graduation, and I've picked up intermittently since then. I play a little piano, and I'm learning bodhran, but I find the whistle fits best into my busy life as a working mom, because I can pop one in my purse and play it on my breaks at work. If my ship ever comes in, and I don't have to devote so much time to earning a living, I'd like to get good on all of the above instruments, and maybe learn flute and recorder too.
On 2002-07-26 10:22, Martin Milner wrote:
Question for the Mandolin players - I started on the Mando about 2 years ago, learnt about 40 tunes, and then discovered that in a busy session, I can barely hear myself playing. It's fine for solo play at home, but just doesn't cut through the noise in a busy pub session. As a partial result I've almost completely converted to the whistle now.
Do you use an amp, or if not what Make/style do you play for volume?
I also have an old Windsor 1950's 4-string banjo I mess on sometimes (my father's old instrument), but it weighs like a millstone & I haven't taken it to a session yet. I used to play guitar, clarinet before that, and violin before that, and mostly I sing.
I know someone that has a cool mic that goes into a set of headphones that she wears. it's a neat little device.
