Clawhammer Tunes

Although you can play any type of tune using clawhammer (just listen to the catalogue of James Hill), it is most naturally suited to the Old Time American repertoire, which mostly consists of 2 or more 8 bar blocks played over and over. Typically they are played by 5 string banjo and fiddle, with the odd guitar and acoustic bass thrown in for good measure. I currently like the sound of a duet of nylon strung gourd banjo and mandolin. A banjo uke works nicely with a mandolin playing a fiddle part. I also drag out my ukulele fretless bass from time to time to add to recordings to add a bottom end which can be missing from the re-entrant tuned uke.

These can be foot tapping dance tunes, cheeky nonsense songs about mountain life or lonesome songs played on a porch at dusk or by the bedside of an ailing friend or relative.

I once asked ny old banjo teacher Dwight Diller how many tunes I need to learn on banjo, to which he replied ‘how many friends do you need?’. Listen to many songs and pick a dozen which really speak to you and learn them by heart. Clawhammer use is a wonderful way of playing solo for yourself or others.

For each tune I add full TAB, audio, video and written performance notes. 

I may add a few more tunes here over the coming months, and if you decide to take online lessons I will use my versions of traditional tunes to teach the full range of techniques. 

Just click on the sub menu of ‘Clawhammer Tunes’ to see what is currently available.