Patek style tenor banjo

Clawhammer

Updated 29. Oct 2011

With your ring fingernail (optionally covered by reversed plastic fingerpick - that's my preferred way) you can emulate the downpicking styles of 5-string banjo, called clawhammer or frailing. OK, it is not easy to hit the particular string with the ring fingernail[pick], but it is the same challenge that applies to old-time 5-string banjo players.

As you have your fingerpicks on place, you can mix the fingerpicking and clawhammer sound within the tune. Actually, the basic pattern alternates thumb and ring finger stroke, with added index finger on high g string.

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