Devil's Dream - right hand

Comment by Paul Draper on June 24, 2015 at 10:14am

For what it's worth, I tabbed out Rice's version marking the thumb by "x".  The thumb plays all the strings except for the 1st.  (Forgive the hand-drawn tab...)

Comment by Al Smitley on June 24, 2015 at 10:30am

This is a good exercise.  Though I don't play much banjo, anymore, I recall that this one gave me particular trouble because it switches from the index finger taking the lead to the thumb taking the lead....and back again.....and odd-feeling that takes some mental adjustment.

Comment by Paul Draper on June 24, 2015 at 10:33am

Right - it throws a wrench into the old clawhammer patterns.

Comment by Tim Twiss on June 26, 2015 at 7:37am

I don't see it as thumb lead. I see "Strikes". The "1 x" motion continues beautifully, with the note displaced in that second phrase. Your hand still comes down to lay out the strike, or combination. Converse may have later changed out a few thumbs for a Hammer Stroke, but this is so congruous to good Stroke technique....a fine example. The Strike is often displaced over strong beats..as Rice describes in triplets, but that continual motion gives this music the different edge it has.

Comment by Al Smitley on June 26, 2015 at 8:14am

I haven't really investigated this in a few years and I'm not sure if this is what you're saying, Tim.

I just tried it and if I use the index finger for the first two notes in the third measure (instead of using the thumb for the first note), it seems to flow so much easier!

Comment by Jason Adam Young on August 12, 2015 at 4:39pm

What would you recommend would be the best way to learn this? I can kinda see what your doing, but its up to speed. On youtube there are plenty of clawhammer lessons where they brake it down slow. But minstrel banjo in the style you playing with the syncopated notes are just videos of people playing up to speed. Awesome job and nice sound :)

Comment by Andy Chase on August 12, 2015 at 6:31pm

For what it's worth, you can view most if not all YouTube videos at half speed (with sound) or quarter speed (no sound) by clicking on the little gear icon you see at the bottom when you mouse over the video, then clicking 'Speed' to choose the speed you want.

Comment by Tim Twiss on August 12, 2015 at 8:21pm

Andy, I never knew of that function. Pretty cool. Slow banjo is wild.

Comment by Andy Chase on August 12, 2015 at 9:21pm

It definitely comes in handy!

Comment by Paul Draper on August 13, 2015 at 1:58am

Thanks Jason. Try Andy's trick to slow it down...

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