Just Rhythm

Focuses in on the details on how to actually play the rhythm. It's perfect for beginners, and more advanced players can also benefit from the approach. The next step is to move to CRIPPLE CREEK on the MORE video. Another good tune is Lee Hammons' GREASY STRING on that video. Using these tunes, the student can spend months here. The music must be internalized. The main problem is that students think they are farther along than they are and try to learn too many tunes. The 'books' make a student think that they can move right on through the music. It generally is a slow process that will take years to get a real feel for the music. Hours and hours of just listening ought to be spent before trying to move on. These 4 tunes will take at least a year to learn well. The following year 2-3 of the other tunes can be added. However the music must explode into the downbeat. Avoid playing fast. Speed kills beginners and intermediates.

Beginning Banjo

This 80 minute video is for beginners. One of its goals is to familiarize the novice with open-backed banjos-some of which are presently available, others from the past-and their sound variations. Banjo parts are named and carrying cases discussed. Rhythm technique is emphasized.

Now in his third decade of teaching banjo, Dwight Diller is heir to central West Virginia's musical heritage with regional roots going back to the 18th century. Nurtured by older local musicians he's been called "the guardian of traditional West Virginia music" by Sing Out! magazine.

Teaching in outdoor settings (among the rocks and bugs), Diller demonstrates the importance of rhythm above all: rhythm in this down-picking clawhammer style also called frailing, thumping, knocking, rapping, etc. His aim is to acquaint the student with a rhythmic technique that will lend itself to a broad variety of traditional banjo music.

Three tunes are broken down showing the noting hand in great detail. The first tune is the well known "Boil Them Cabbage Down" in which just the G, C and D7th chords are used. The second tune is a lesser known version of "Liza Jane" learned from Lee and Sherman Hammons of Pocahontas County. Last is the "crooked" (vs square) tune "Wild Hog in the Red Brush" from Lee Hammons who is its only known source. The second and third tunes are played in the older way: without full chords.

This video will help you, the student, see the music broken down; however, nothing will replace hands-on instruction and a tenacious commitment - Dwight Diller

MORE West Virginia Clawhammer

Geared for those students who have gotten the rhythm hand moving with some discipline. The rhythm hand's work constitutes about 85% of what the old music is about. Trying to learn a bunch of tunes before the rhythm is locked in is counterproductive in the long run. Rhythm learned incorrectly will become a limiting factor to the point that everything will have to be unlearned and relearned in order to advance in the music.

Though it is very hard to learn to play the music on your own, next you should move to the INTERMEDIATE video  after the MORE CLAWHAMMER video. Move very slowly through these tunes. After the INTERMEDIATE video has been worked on for a long long time [depending on the student-months or years], then move to the MODAL video. This music is hardest of all to play. Or should it be pointed out that it is deceptively simple.  Again, it is very hard to teach yourself to play by using only videos because you will miss the most important part - the rhythm.

The other trap is to try to learn tunes with a lot of notes. The noting hand is to be adding more rhythm to the rhythm already set up by the other hand. They are to be working together to produce notes that have shapes rather than just something plunked out.

Modal Clawhammer Banjo

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