Video related to the article at MelBays Banjo Sessions webzine: www.mirekpatek.com This picking pattern which combines bass played by thumbpick and melody played by index fingerpick uppick and ring fingernailpick downpick (downfrail). Actually the pattern is PINCH-FRAIL-PINCH-FRAIL. The task is to play correct bass notes on two bass strings (alternate root-fifth) and not to miss much of the melody on two treble strings. The basic waltz 34 rhythm is obviously PINCH-FRAIL-FRAIL. Between the pinches and frails there is still the space for left hand grace notes (hammer-on, pull-off, slide), but they are not covered in this video. I am using here the low Irish tenor banjo tuning GDae modified to open tuning ADad (just retune two outer strings). Right hand is armed by three "banjo" fingerpicks plus ring fingernailpick (reversed and shortened Dunlop fingerpick). More information is also at the discussion www.banjohangout.org

Related posts:

  1. Will the Circle Be Unbroken – ADad Irish tenor banjo Will the Circle Be Unbroken in the key of D,...
  2. Banjo Tuner – How To Tune A Banjo – Open D Tuning Online Banjo Tuner For Open D Tuning F#-DF#-AD Watch This...
  3. Banjo Tuner – How To Tune A Banjo – Open G Tuning Online Banjo Tuner For Open G Tuning GDGBD Watch This...
  4. The Power Of Pattern Recognition steviesnacks.com – If you can learn to hear the sonic...
  5. The Battle of New Orleans Banjo Tambourine (Banjo-Tam) Folk Music www.ebay.com Search: banjo-tam www.banjo-tam.com Disclaimer: Keni Lee Burgess is not...

4 thoughts on “Pinch+frail pattern on open tuned Irish tenor banjo”

  1. xurxzez
    -

    very cool.ima start practicing your style.i read a couple comments from other vids that u couldnt play that style on a tenor 🙁 ….music is not like math that always has a formula..its an art…you can be as creative as you want and make all kinds of stylistic choices

  2. mirekpatek
    -

    Thanks – let me know your findings!
    On my ring finger I am wearing the Dunlop white plastic fingerpick (not thumbpick) – just rotated so it does not cover the tip of my ring finger, but the nail. More information about this PINCH-FRAIL pattern is at MelBay’s Banjo Sessions webzine from February 2010 – I have added the link to the details above.

  3. peacewillhappen
    -

    This may be the new "Scruggs style." Keep it going! Gotta try this m’self. Are you using a reverse thumb on that ring finger? (Don’t know why I just removed my previous post!)

  4. Bisbonian
    -

    Wow, mirek, that’s really incredible. Different! Sounds good.  I think you’ve hit on something.

Comments are closed.