Clawhammer banjo is a style of banjo playing that was popular from the late 1800s until the arrival of bluegrass music. It is a simple method of playing songs on the banjo that consists of a picking pattern that produces a rhythm with one note followed two closely connected notes. If slurs and other techniques are added to the clawhammer technique, it can produce more complex music. The clawhammer banjo’s name comes from the fact that it is played with down-strokes and the hand is held like a claw. The first string, which is the highest, will be struck first, followed the second, third, and fourth strings, and finally the fifth string.
When playing the banjo, different picking styles or strumming patterns are used to achieve different effects. Rolls are a common banjo technique that consists of patterns of finger movements that are used to play chords as individual notes. Another of these techniques is clawhammer banjo, which is more of a strumming style than a picking style. Because it’s just a strumming pattern, many banjo songs can be played in clawhammer style, even if they weren’t written that way. The clawhammer style is also used in many old-time banjo songs.
The strings are struck with the backs of the players’ fingernails when playing the clawhammer banjo. This, like all of the individual notes produced as part of the pattern, is done with a down stroke. Players usually hold their picking hands in a claw shape, as if gripping an invisible baseball bat, to help the backs of the nails come down to strike the strings. The name of the style is derived from this, as well as the downward hammering motion. The clawhammer banjo is also known as the “frailing” banjo.
One strike of the first string, or the highest string, followed a strum of the highest three strings is the basic pattern for clawhammer banjo. A single stroke of the fifth string with the thumb completes the piece. The first strike is usually made with the middle finger, and the thumb is allowed to rest on the fifth string. The highest three strings are then struck with the ring and middle fingers, with the fifth string being struck with the thumb shortly after.
Clawhammer banjo was commonly used pre-bluegrass players, and the style is well-known. Because of its relative simplicity, many beginners may find clawhammer more accessible than bluegrass. Slurs can be added to the individual notes played on the clawhammer banjo, and other strings can be opened up to be played the thumb.