Grandpa Jones Mountain Dew

Old Jake Gillie

I've been having a go at this tune from 'Clawhammer Banjo'. Getting the rhythmic sequence is tricky and for me the key to the tune. I've been practicing the the fingering really slowly but its not till you give it a go at full tilt that it starts to resemble some of the versions I've heard on Youtube. After playing in frailing style with a definite pick-strum-pluck type of action, getting the more intricate drop thumb patterns of clawhammer is good discipline for gaining greater control over my playing action.

Miles Krassen: Clawhammer Banjo (Book/CD)

Just started working my way through this book which is full of great clawhammer tunes. The puff says 'Traditional Appalachian banjo tunes in tablature based on the music of Wade Ward, Fred Cockerham, Henry Reed and others. With tunings and all basic right and left hand techniques: drop-thumbing, the Galax lick, pull-offs, slide & plucking.'

Just giving Shortnin Bread a try out - good the practising drop-thumb. The book also gives a lot of context for clawhammer playing style to accompany a fiddle player. Also some interesting tabs for tunes in D tunings.

Morris Minor Hub Cap Slide Guitar

Just had an update from El Gordeaux slide guitars and its nearly ready!!

If you fancy a looks at some sweet looking slide guitars have a trip over to

https://www.facebook.com/ElgordeauxGuitars

www.slideguitar.co.uk

Hub Cap Slide & stuff

Its been a while, and although I've not been blogging the site isn't dead - just resting! The last seven (7!!!) years have been a real journey into making music and some of the mysteries associated with it, but the last 12 months have been about making, playing and having fun and the sounding-off side has taken a bit of a hit. Maybe I'll do a bit more in the near future.

I'm waiting for a new toy to play with, a Morris Minor hub cap slide guitar. I'm getting the four string version that you can see on the left. Open G tuning so its a bit like a banjo without the damned 5th string. It's made by El Gordeaux of http://www.slideguitar.co.uk/

Maybe get some sounds posted later on.