I've been thinking about this exact thing lately--trying to wrap my head, and hands, around Roscoe's playing style. The string switch and banjo tuning makes perfect sense. Thanks for this!
What a great idea! Sounds fantastic! You can also just tune your regular E 6th string down to D. And if you drop the 3rd G string down to F# your in open D tuning and the four middle strings are tuned just like a banjo in open G tuning only down to open D. Much easier to find a key to sing in.
A lot of the Irish guitarists use dadgad tuning. It's their go-to tuning. I've experimented with my 6 string with regular, with 13,17,10, 17, 13,10 guage regular tuning... but I think I'll now try your idea of a wound 4th in the 6th position on the 6 string banjo and try out dadgad tuning. Only draw back is learning new chord structures...whilst also trying to learn chord shapes for various tunings on the 5 string as a relative newbie. Thanks again for your informative videos.
Have you tried GGCGCD or CGCGCD? Means you can play those double C tunes on the guitar. If you start playing with finger picks and alternative tunings you're halfway to playing Fahey style American Primitive.
When I had my 6-string banjo built, I had a tunnel put in between the headstock and fifth fret so I could string it either with a low string and have a banjitar or string it with a high string and have a lojo banjo. I never even thought about stringing it with something in between. This sounds really good.
L.O.L. That little Copper loves to knock around my camera tripod! She's _so_ rough and everyday will ram my legs, slam into the side of my truck and all kinds of other really hardcore things. Wild ass...
Soooo freakin insightful!!!and inspiring!!thank you Clifton I truly believe this is what the internet is for!!also make me wanna score an old harmony!!I recently moved to Louisville Ky to pursue my ❤️ o old tymey music and met two old ladies while I was buskin who apparently use to know Roscoe!!!!!I could not believe it!!!I actually filmed these ladies telling there story of Roscoe Holcomb!!!this video sold me on your playing and teaching abilities man!!!soooo freakin dope!!!!!lemme kno if you ever wanna see the video of these old ladies talkin bout Roscoe!!!literally history i the making!!!!!KEEP PIKIN!!!!
Goldtone makes 7 String Banjotars which have the Low E Doubled up with another High E to create a Double Octave Drone (the 2 Strings are a Fiftheenth apart) which makes it special.
So glad I found your channel man! This is a great bit of info that I will definitely give a try. I've used the "Dad Gad" as they call it on guitar but with tuning the big E down to D. But I loved the drone sound you were getting with the D being an octave up to the same as the regular D string. I've used "open G" tuning (DGDGBD) as well but have never tried the other one you gave. I'll be trying it next. Thanks for the share and hope your Labor Day was a good one! Cheers!
This works super well dude, I've always been into like open tunings and stuff on guitar but on the guitar that really resonates with em, I always wanted to get to that banjo stuff, tried this out and it really gives ya that droning sound.
Thanks, Gérard! I've been meaning to break out that guitar and play some--she needs new strings pretty bad. PS I loved you in _Cyrano_ _de_ _Bergerac_ (1990)!
I need to upload some videos of the way I play old time banjo tunes on guitar. I mostly use a hybrid 'clawhammer' technique, also using the thumb for some lead, and fingernail picking on the up strokes for offbeats/drone notes as well as "round peak" style pull-offs.. It's not overly brilliant, but I've never really seen anyone else doing it. It is partially the product of my interest in folk musics but _honestly,_ it has most to do with me being a mechanic with really screwed up hands. Using open tunings and keeping my right as relaxed and unmoving as possible is the one way I've found myself able to tolerate playing for more than a few minutes at atime _and_ and still be able to use my hands for work in the morning.
Hmm, been thinking about getting a classical 'gut string' guitar for fingerpicking, since my regular acoustic with a dreadnought body, isn't very happy with it, it likes the pick. Replacing the 6th string of a classical guitar with the 4th or even 3rd string would work there too, plus, better action from fingerpicking the strings, more space between them, too. You are a buffet of food for thought Clifton, keep pushing that edge.
I stripped down an old Harmony from the 50s that was a parts guitar and built a frankincaster electric tele ,, love it ,,Great job !! Rubbing alcohol helps make things last , as per my experience . Best of luck
Even though I have that George Gibson CD and have listened to it a thousand times I’ve never tuned my guitar like that. It’s super sweet. The Coo Coo and Walkin’ Boss sound great on the guitar in the tuning. Thanks for opening another musical door for me!
Excellent work as always! One thing I have noticed in film footage and many recordings of Roscoe Holcomb's "banjo on guitar" tunes is that he uses a standard 6th string, instead of the string swap as Mr. Gibson uses. I intend to do a short cover of "Across The Rocky Mountain" myself soon, and invite your comments and critique. Hopefully my little note helps!
I just had to stop the video to say that I do have that CD. If you are watching this video and reading the comments, then I suggest: get it. Get it. Get it.
Hi Clifton, interesting stuff to be found in this vid, thanks for posting. I play in DADGAD sometimes but never had the idea to interchange the regular 6th string with a worn out 4th string ( yet i tune to DADDAD from time to time, with the two middle strings tuned in unison, to get that droning sound). That special tuning seems to be a good alternative, so. Just one question, Clifton: do you pluck the 2th string (tuned to A) with your index as a drone or is it the 1th string? Or maybe both? Thanks again for posting this interesting stuff and greetings
Leo, I am just starting out with this style of guitar playing myself and was figuring it out as I went. I did notice that I was using several different strings to drone during different parts of the song, so yes I think it is both.
Hi Clifton, thank you for your answer. I just returned to the computer from my guitar (one old ragged and rancid "bullshit" guitar that i strunged up in George R. Gibson style now). And yes, when i started playing two-finger style i did it the same way like yours, i mean i just let it flow as it goes. That means index is plucking 2th string or 1th string or both simultaneously sometimes. And my thumb plucks 2th string, too, if it is required by melody line. Anyway, i will spend some time trying that George Gibson style. Greetings
Hey Clifton I've done like you did here with my poor man steel guitar that is actually a very nice guitar for the price I got it at. Anyway what other tunings can I use to practice banjo picking songs until I can afford to buy a real 5 string banjo. Would appreciate it if you can help.
Clifton, the droning of Roscoe's playing is so captivating. Thank you for the tip. Do you happen to know what tuning Roscoe was the guitar Roscoe played the House of Rising Sun? Thank you again! Here is the shortcut of him playing: czcams.com/video/2vp0UhKozJc/video.html
Dear Yuri: Order a banjo from the United States. I recommend Dearing, they have some great banjos for reasonable prices. They also have really outstanding banjos for pretty much whatever you can afford.
there are various videos by pete and mike seeger on youtube of roscoe playing guitar but they all clearly show him playing a guitar with a standard thickness 6th string. this one in particular shows closeups of both hands czcams.com/video/6CD5yMpYjtM/video.html so it appears he played guitar more than one way
Maybe someone who knows for sure will chime in. All I know is that at least for some of those recordings Holcomb played Cohen's guitar. Mysterious stuff...
Tell yuri to have a whack at making a banjo, you DO have a playlist for that don't you?
Banjo Building Playlist: czcams.com/play/PL07R2cMG4rBy-OOI0jcOTb9FADdCBl7eg.html&si=afFYyPhTCtupG4TG
Man, you been tearing it up lately with the interesting and informative videos. Thanks.
I've been thinking about this exact thing lately--trying to wrap my head, and hands, around Roscoe's playing style. The string switch and banjo tuning makes perfect sense. Thanks for this!
What a great idea! Sounds fantastic! You can also just tune your regular E 6th string down to D. And if you drop the 3rd G string down to F# your in open D tuning and the four middle strings are tuned just like a banjo in open G tuning only down to open D. Much easier to find a key to sing in.
He could just have 5 strings on the guitar 🎸 as well..
A lot of the Irish guitarists use dadgad tuning. It's their go-to tuning. I've experimented with my 6 string with regular, with 13,17,10, 17, 13,10 guage regular tuning... but I think I'll now try your idea of a wound 4th in the 6th position on the 6 string banjo and try out dadgad tuning. Only draw back is learning new chord structures...whilst also trying to learn chord shapes for various tunings on the 5 string as a relative newbie. Thanks again for your informative videos.
Have you tried GGCGCD or CGCGCD? Means you can play those double C tunes on the guitar. If you start playing with finger picks and alternative tunings you're halfway to playing Fahey style American Primitive.
That second tuning is pretty sweet just played in it
Your channel is excellent. You take your craft seriously and it's always enjoyable and informative listening to what you have to say.
When I had my 6-string banjo built, I had a tunnel put in between the headstock and fifth fret so I could string it either with a low string and have a banjitar or string it with a high string and have a lojo banjo. I never even thought about stringing it with something in between. This sounds really good.
Very interesting. Your topics and explanations are priceless. And so was your expression at 6:20! 😳
L.O.L. That little Copper loves to knock around my camera tripod! She's _so_ rough and everyday will ram my legs, slam into the side of my truck and all kinds of other really hardcore things. Wild ass...
Roscoe Holcomb is awesome
Soooo freakin insightful!!!and inspiring!!thank you Clifton I truly believe this is what the internet is for!!also make me wanna score an old harmony!!I recently moved to Louisville Ky to pursue my ❤️ o old tymey music and met two old ladies while I was buskin who apparently use to know Roscoe!!!!!I could not believe it!!!I actually filmed these ladies telling there story of Roscoe Holcomb!!!this video sold me on your playing and teaching abilities man!!!soooo freakin dope!!!!!lemme kno if you ever wanna see the video of these old ladies talkin bout Roscoe!!!literally history i the making!!!!!KEEP PIKIN!!!!
I’m deffo gonna do this man. This is mega ! once I’ve got my self a dobro. That fourth strings movin up
That gravel in your voice is just absolutely perfect with that banjo or the guitar you are playing..
Awesome buddy. Such a pleasure to hear you play and sing.
Goldtone makes 7 String Banjotars which have the Low E Doubled up with another High E to create a Double Octave Drone (the 2 Strings are a Fiftheenth apart) which makes it special.
So glad I found your channel man! This is a great bit of info that I will definitely give a try. I've used the "Dad Gad" as they call it on guitar but with tuning the big E down to D. But I loved the drone sound you were getting with the D being an octave up to the same as the regular D string. I've used "open G" tuning (DGDGBD) as well but have never tried the other one you gave. I'll be trying it next. Thanks for the share and hope your Labor Day was a good one! Cheers!
Same with my I use Open G too (DGDGBD) and (CGDGCD).
Cliff your videos.... bro they bring me so much happiness. I'm totally going to try this on my Cordoba Mini m
Nice, DADGAG. I really like the sawmill tuning too.
Gonna tune my guitar banjostyle now
This works super well dude, I've always been into like open tunings and stuff on guitar but on the guitar that really resonates with em, I always wanted to get to that banjo stuff, tried this out and it really gives ya that droning sound.
Long time fan, you sound really good with a guitar, would be cool to see more guitar playing to complement the banjo videos.
Thanks, Gérard! I've been meaning to break out that guitar and play some--she needs new strings pretty bad. PS I loved you in _Cyrano_ _de_ _Bergerac_ (1990)!
sounds dark and cool
Love this sound
Love the sound and tone. Cheers mate.
Fantastic sound and insights. Very cool.
I need to upload some videos of the way I play old time banjo tunes on guitar. I mostly use a hybrid 'clawhammer' technique, also using the thumb for some lead, and fingernail picking on the up strokes for offbeats/drone notes as well as "round peak" style pull-offs.. It's not overly brilliant, but I've never really seen anyone else doing it. It is partially the product of my interest in folk musics but _honestly,_ it has most to do with me being a mechanic with really screwed up hands. Using open tunings and keeping my right as relaxed and unmoving as possible is the one way I've found myself able to tolerate playing for more than a few minutes at atime _and_ and still be able to use my hands for work in the morning.
Sounds awesome
Excellent lesson. Good job.
Just what i was looking for thank you very much :) :D
Try it with a classical guitar with nylon strings.
Powerful! I love the set up you got going here makes me want to get out of the city and get some land! Music like this will never die
Hmm, been thinking about getting a classical 'gut string' guitar for fingerpicking, since my regular acoustic with a dreadnought body, isn't very happy with it, it likes the pick. Replacing the 6th string of a classical guitar with the 4th or even 3rd string would work there too, plus, better action from fingerpicking the strings, more space between them, too.
You are a buffet of food for thought Clifton, keep pushing that edge.
I stripped down an old Harmony from the 50s that was a parts guitar and built a frankincaster electric tele ,, love it ,,Great job !! Rubbing alcohol helps make things last , as per my experience . Best of luck
Wonderful!
I played 5-string for years. Now gonna take a good moody guitar like that and put a railroad spike on six sting and give it go.
Wonderful
wow. that was super interesting, never even thought of doing that. thanks clif!
You can always replace the 6th String with another 1st String to get that shimmer.
Would love to hear how that sounds but can't found any videos!
Thank you
Please teach me how to play that lovely tune.
Thanks!
6:21 the look on your face! Priceless
Awesome!
That adds an extra dimension to a Ukulele too. I tune the 1st string from an A to G. I like practicing banjo licks in bed.
Lo intentaré, muchas muchas gracias :D
Fucking excellent guitar. H162. I need one!
Even though I have that George Gibson CD and have listened to it a thousand times I’ve never tuned my guitar like that. It’s super sweet. The Coo Coo and Walkin’ Boss sound great on the guitar in the tuning. Thanks for opening another musical door for me!
I like to see you do this on a six string banjo. It'd be cool. I think this is your best video.
you play like john fahey. no wonder, john style was not inspired by guitar player but banjo player. i love me primitivism
Excellent work as always! One thing I have noticed in film footage and many recordings of Roscoe Holcomb's "banjo on guitar" tunes is that he uses a standard 6th string, instead of the string swap as Mr. Gibson uses. I intend to do a short cover of "Across The Rocky Mountain" myself soon, and invite your comments and critique.
Hopefully my little note helps!
Yes, I have scoured images of Holcomb and he clearly used a standard sixth. Not sure whether Gibson came up with this himself or observed it.
It's more like the Original 6 String Banjo which is a 5 String Banjo with an extra Bass String to extend the lower range.
I know what to do with my banjotar now. Well that's what I call it lol. Banjo with guitar 6 string neck.
That first tune...Must be where Woody got-“it’s a mighty hard road that my poor hand has hoed”...(pastures of plenty)
Righteous hillbilly style guitar love it !!!
Sounding good Clifton! Nice Harmony guitar…what is it, a 165 with a cedar top, or a 162 with spruce?
It's spruce.
Django Reinhardt actually started on guitar banjo, would love to hear what Clifton could do with one.
I bet the GGDGBD tuning would be great for playing slide, pretty much the same tuning as a dobro!
This is how John Stewart (not that John Stewart, the one in the Kingston Trio) and Lindsey Buckingham played.
Hey Cliff You still working on this??
I just had to stop the video to say that I do have that CD. If you are watching this video and reading the comments, then I suggest: get it. Get it. Get it.
i bet if you did the pluck with an up stroke instead of the down stoke over hand would sound louder
Intro to Traditional Banjo Up-Picking (Up-Stroke, Seeger Style): czcams.com/video/y6p10I_8n3s/video.html
THIS!!!!
I play Guitar with 2 metal finger picks and a thumbpick like I do my banjo.
Hi Clifton,
interesting stuff to be found in this vid, thanks for posting. I play in DADGAD sometimes but never had the
idea to interchange the regular 6th string with a worn out 4th string ( yet i tune to DADDAD from time to time,
with the two middle strings tuned in unison, to get that droning sound). That special tuning seems to be a good
alternative, so.
Just one question, Clifton: do you pluck the 2th string (tuned to A) with your index as a drone or is it the 1th string?
Or maybe both?
Thanks again for posting this interesting stuff and greetings
Leo, I am just starting out with this style of guitar playing myself and was figuring it out as I went. I did notice that I was using several different strings to drone during different parts of the song, so yes I think it is both.
Hi Clifton, thank you for your answer. I just returned to the computer from my guitar (one old ragged and rancid
"bullshit" guitar that i strunged up in George R. Gibson style now). And yes, when i started playing two-finger style
i did it the same way like yours, i mean i just let it flow as it goes. That means index is plucking 2th string or
1th string or both simultaneously sometimes. And my thumb plucks 2th string, too, if it is required by melody line.
Anyway, i will spend some time trying that George Gibson style.
Greetings
Hey Clifton I've done like you did here with my poor man steel guitar that is actually a very nice guitar for the price I got it at. Anyway what other tunings can I use to practice banjo picking songs until I can afford to buy a real 5 string banjo. Would appreciate it if you can help.
DADGAD, GGDGBD, DGDGCD ...
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thanks man. You're a awesome musician.
I have an early 40's tenor banjo, I don't really know how to play it
DADGAD is how I tune my 12 string
DADGAD is Celtic tuning
question, what song is this that you're singin' there at the start
"Wild Bill Jones" DADGAD on guitar, gDGCD on banjo.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo thank ya Mr. Hicks!
Clifton, the droning of Roscoe's playing is so captivating. Thank you for the tip. Do you happen to know what tuning Roscoe was the guitar Roscoe played the House of Rising Sun? Thank you again! Here is the shortcut of him playing: czcams.com/video/2vp0UhKozJc/video.html
Dear Yuri: Order a banjo from the United States. I recommend Dearing, they have some great banjos for reasonable prices. They also have really outstanding banjos for pretty much whatever you can afford.
Gold Tone offers a better banjo at a lower price.
How are they secrets if they're in the liner notes? Lol
there are various videos by pete and mike seeger on youtube of roscoe playing guitar but they all clearly show him playing a guitar with a standard thickness 6th string. this one in particular shows closeups of both hands czcams.com/video/6CD5yMpYjtM/video.html so it appears he played guitar more than one way
Maybe someone who knows for sure will chime in. All I know is that at least for some of those recordings Holcomb played Cohen's guitar. Mysterious stuff...
So wait... You don't even pick the top string... In this song
Looks like your using a nylon string classic guitar so prob doesnt work on acoustic😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
1. Classical guitars are acoustic.
2. This guitar is a 1960s Harmony with steel strings.
3. The technique works on any guitar.
no one told me it was big brain hour
@@mrgreeley8500 dickbrain speaks no one listens😁😁