Strumming While Wearing Fingerpicks

from: The Banjo According to Danny Barnes with Danny Barnes

This lesson is part of the course The Banjo According to Danny Barnes with Danny Barnes.

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Roots music iconoclast Danny Barnes reveals his systematic approach to the banjo, with one-of-a-kind insights on improvisation, reading music, getting a good sound out of the banjo, rhythm and timing, and more.

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The Right-Hand Stuff

Danny talks about the other roll he thinks is important to practice and have in your repertoire, the 1 2 1 5 roll. The 1 2 1 5 roll allows you to move a melody up and down the banjo neck on the first string. Danny shows you how to do that on a tune like Alan Munde’s “Deputy Dalton” and how to practice the 1 2 1 5 roll with a metronome. He also shows you a variation that moves the middle-index finger alternation to the second and third strings (2 3 2 5) and third and second strings (3 4 3 5).

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Strumming While Wearing Fingerpicks

In this lesson, Danny shows you his technique of strumming the banjo while wearing picks, which he picked up from banjoist Brad Brashears, who would play clawhammer-style banjo with picks on. Danny shows you how he strums up and down with the same eighth-note rhythm as a banjo roll, using his ring finger and pinky (the fingers without fingerpicks). He also shows you a bluesy progression you can practice on, muting some of the strums and letting others ring to create a drum-like groove, and a country-style strum to use on songs like “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

Strumming While Wearing Fingerpicks (Available to subscribers)

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