repeated thumb strikes

[Pete Ross]

I think these repeated strikes are totally necessary to the style.
Some passages can only be played smoothly by mastering repeated notes
with the thumb, leading phrases with the thumb, doing several ascending
notes with the thumb, etc. For a quick exercise, try working on Horace
Weston's "Rock Susanna" in the Dan Emmet book. At first it's
perplexing that it's indicated that almost the entire opening phrase is
played with the thumb alone. Get used to playing this as written, and
a a lot of other strange fingering instructions in the primers will
start to make sense.

Pete

> == 1 of 1 ==
> Date: Wed, Jun 25 2008 3:28 pm
> From: Carl Anderton
>
>
> So many of the jigs and reels we play have passages where the thumb
> (or the finger) will play several notes in a row.
>
> I always reflexivley avoided playing that way. Modern banjo players
> by and large avoid that kind of thing like the plague. The whole idea
> being to figure out how to finesse the fingering using all the
> available digits.
>
> I'm just now starting to see the beauty of repeated thumb or finger
> strikes. One, anything that sets us apart from the herd is, IMO, a
> good thing. Two, our style being not quite so machine-gun like, it's
> not really so difficult and probably strengthens the digits. Three, I
> think it helps the phrasing to be more correct.
>
> Take, for example, a tune where the 5th string is played twice in a
> row. If you hit the other note at the 5th fret 1st string, try double-
> thumbing the passage. (This doesn't apply to every song, of course,
> such as Sebastpol Breakdown, but you get the idea).
>

[brian wagoner]

Strict adherence to any "'correct" method of play is, IMHO, limiting and potentially harmful. Many musicians (The pianist and composer Robert Schumann ruined his hands by applying a contraption he devised to promote greater finger independence.) are better served by what produces the "best" sound as opposed to what "rule" applies. If your thumb is agile enough, use it as you see fit: even if it means using it to salute those who scold you for not following this book or that book......Just my "dos centavos."......Brian in NC

[Tim Twiss]

Pete, are you referring to the Hans Nathan Book?
tt

> > such as Sebastpol Breakdown, but you get the idea).- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Carl Anderton]

Brian,

I hear what you're sayin', as much as I like and respect the "by the
book" approach.

Greg Adams puts it rather succinctly, as is his wont, when he says "Be
deliberate."

I think what he means is while there's no law saying you must play
something "correctly," the musician is better served by being aware of
the composer's or arranger's intentions, and choosing his approach
from that point.

I'm sure this and other topic's will be discussed at length at the
next EBG, and I'm sorry but there is ONLY ONE correct way to handle
this event.

Be there.

[brian wagoner]

Carl....I am seriously thinking about coming to the event this year....I can show off my limited skills and my little grain measure banjo that looks like a fiddle on steroids.....Brian