Banjo Lessons

Please call (714) 267-4567 for more information.

The style of banjo, which I play and teach, is called clawhammer frailing, and is a very old style brought from Africa.  This style, unlike the more modern Scruggs style, does not use finger picks.  Instead, the melody notes are picked with the back of the index fingernail, while alternating strums with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers, of the same hand, supply the rhythm. 

The banjo was originally a type of percussion instrument, rather than a melody instrument, and the clawhammer style allows both melody and rhythm to be played simultaneously.  The more common style of banjo playing, called Scruggs style, was introduced in the 1940's by Earl Scruggs, and gave bluegrass music that distinctive sound. 

Most of the banjo teaching that I do, occurs at festivals.  For the last two summers, I have been on the staff of Sam-Fest, the annual acoustic music festival, held in Houston, Texas, as a banjo, tinwhistle and bodhran teacher.  I also teach privately at Fullerton Music, 121 Harbor Blvd. in Fullerton.

I have recently purchased a Gold Tone travel banjo, which I hope to start taking on trips, as it has become nearly impossible to fly with a full sized banjo.

I prefer the clawhammer style of banjo picking because I feel that it offers a much greater variety of expression.

If you would be interested in learning this style of playing the banjo, please call me at the number listed above.