Banjo down-tuned from standard G tuning to: eBEGsharpB
Here's "Cold Icy Mountain" played overhand (clawhammer, frailing, down-picking) style loosely similar to the George Gibson's usual approach to this piece.
I'm going across that cold icy mountain (x2)
That'll be my...
2018-11-29 13:13:17 +0000 UTC View Post"Song sung and played on banjo by Phillip Kazee and recorded at the Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music 11-08-74. Tune number 07 on AC-OR-005-001-T1 in the Appalachian Center Collection, Berea College Southern Appalachian Archives."
“Nowadays, when people play fiddle music, it’s instrumental,” Martin said. “But the older generation insisted on interweaving the vocals with the music. . . . The tunes actually had story lines. When you hear ‘Old Joe Clark’ at a bluegrass festival, it’s often sung as a ...
2018-11-28 14:26:27 +0000 UTC View Post
I learned this song originally from Matt Kinman who's himself learned it from George Gibson--the source for must current versions. Since then I have heard Gibson sing and play it many times, and have further informed my own version by listening to recordings of Daw Henson's "Old Piney Mountain...
2018-11-26 17:27:18 +0000 UTC View Post
I recently restored this circa 1880 mail-order banjo. It came to me with loose, broken tuning pegs, a busted head and a small crack in the fingerboard.
2018-11-19 17:13:07 +0000 UTC
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This is one of the prettiest banjos I have ever seen. Walnut neck, spun-over rim, bone and mother-of-pearl inlays. Converted from six-string to five-string.
Is anyone here left-handed and, possibly, looking for a fine antique banjo?
2018-11-18 20:18:54 +0000 UTC
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This banjo is marked "SC Thompson Maker - Boston" on the dowel but I am told it's actually a Fairbanks & Cole. Similar to other F&C banjos we've featured in the past, this banjo has rosewood veneer on the peg head, ebony fingerboard, larger mother-of-pearl position markers, walnut neck and a...
2018-11-18 03:04:25 +0000 UTC View Post
In response to several requests, in this video I attempt to demonstrate "German War" using up-picking/up-stroke/Seeger Style picking. I have never tried to play it this way before, but turned out very similar to the way Matt Kinman plays German War, Texas Rangers and Southern Texas (all related song...
2018-11-18 00:24:32 +0000 UTC View Post
I am almost finished restoring this 1880s mail-order banjo. An experienced luthier recently gave me some good advice: never mount a new head using the banjo's original tension hooks! Fortunately I found a set of long, steel tension hooks which will now become my dedicated head-mounting hooks.&nbs...
2018-11-17 16:16:16 +0000 UTC View Post
f#DGAD
As requested, here's my two-finger approach slowed down & up close.
2018-11-15 16:54:07 +0000 UTC View Post
https://patreon.com/cliftonhicks
fsharpDGAD
Click the machine cog symbol in the bottom right area of the Youtube player to slow this video down even more.
2018-11-14 18:23:13 +0000 UTC View Post
f#DGAD (Jump to 05:56 to skip the intro talk.)
In this video I discuss the story behind the song and go through the basics of playing a simplified overhand (clawhammer) version of "German War." Look out for a close-up of this approach and please comment below with suggestions, criticism &c. 2018-11-13 19:12:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Very good condition antique "Imperial" banjo made by J.B. Schall with the Barrow's patented features, tailpiece, neck attachment and neck angle adjuster. 25 1/4" scale with a 10 1/2" pot.
Schall operated a large musical instrument company out of Chicago, Illinois off and on from 1870 until ...
2018-11-13 02:23:09 +0000 UTC View Post
Photos and videos by Justin Hoffman.
Rare octagonal folk banjo from Kentucky.
This is a tack head mounta...
2018-11-13 02:13:23 +0000 UTC View Post
Jacob posted this over in our Community forum and I felt it warranted some closer attention. I generally agree with everything said below:
"Hey ya'll, wondering what everyone's thoughts are on learning the banjo through the web/alone, versus from others with direct interaction. I believe Cli...
2018-11-09 13:25:29 +0000 UTC View Post
This might be of interest to some of yall:
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Enter drawing for a chance for you or a friend to win free tuition to Noel Folstad's online banjo building course:
*Online Course Content ...
2018-11-08 18:34:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Here we have a lovely and fairly rare flush-fret Lyon & Healy banjo made in Chicago sometime during the turn of the 20th century 1880-1910 or thereabouts.
Nice banjo, fully restored and ready to play.
2018-11-06 21:54:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Below are just a few of the photos I took of early and/or homemade banjos:
^ East Kentucky folk banjo with cigar box body ^
2018-11-05 00:26:38 +0000 UTC
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I will have more material from the 2018 Banjo Gathering soon; for now here is most of the concert we put on the other night at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, VA.
It begins with George Gibson and I, followed by Aaron Jonah Lewis, Adam Hurt, Kathy Fink, Bob Carlin et al. 2018-11-04 20:19:45 +0000 UTC View Post
This is a beautiful example of a 19th century Schall banjo out of Chicago.
"J.B. Schall started making banjos in the city of Chicago during the 1870s. Within a few short years, the Schal...
2018-10-31 10:53:56 +0000 UTC View Post
Fully-restored, unmarked Fairbanks (& Cole?) banjo from a private collection in North Carolina. Matching ivoroid tuners and tail piece--beautiful walnut neck.
"In 1880 Fairbanks joined with W.A. Cole,...
2018-10-30 13:28:31 +0000 UTC View Post
I'll be leaving home in a couple days to attend the 2018 Banjo Gathering at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia. Below is the updated schedule of events for this year's gathering:
...
2018-10-29 20:36:23 +0000 UTC View Post
Here is the first of a new batch of 13 banjos I have acquired from two private collections. If you are in the market for quality, vintage banjos contact me at clifhicks(at)gmail(dot)com and we find something for you in the future.
Identifying SS Stewart Banjos:
"Samuel S. Stewart firs...
2018-10-28 00:56:48 +0000 UTC View PostUnidentified banjo song by Virgil Anderson at the Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music 11/03/84.
Tune number 01 on AC-OR-005-289 in the Appalachian Center Collection, Berea College Southern Appalachian Archives.
"Clifton, you mentioned that some songs will put you in a 'trance' when played. You mentioned this happened to you while playing ‘German War’ recently… and other songs like ‘Pretty Polly,' and ‘East Virginia’ also have this affect. I notice that while listening to you play these songs...
2018-10-17 22:10:10 +0000 UTC View Post
(fCFA#C one step below gDGCD aka "Modal Tuning," "G Modal" or "Pretty Polly Tuning.")
I know I've uploaded this song before, but a recent question from Justin H. prompted me to take another go at it:
"Clifton, you mentioned that some songs will put you in a 'trance' when played. You mentione...
2018-10-17 19:47:55 +0000 UTC View Post
I met John Harrod this summer at the Swannonoa Gathering on the campus of Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Besides being one of the best living traditional fiddlers he is an extremely knowledgeable and prolific teacher.
This presentation was given in 2013 and is a good example of his lectu...
2018-10-17 19:02:10 +0000 UTC View Post
I will be assisting Gibson on Thursday, October 25th at 7 p.m. in the Bo Thomas Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College (Flat Rock, NC). Registration is $5 per person.
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The Center for Cultural Preservation, WNC’s cultural history and ...
2018-10-16 00:23:52 +0000 UTC View Post
In 1985 a bridge and tuning peg were recovered from an early 18th century stratum at the bottom of a well. The bridge appears to have five slots, indicating that it may have been used on an early 5-stringed banjo.
"The bridge appears to be hand carved with irregularly spaced notches of varying dep...
2018-10-11 23:34:43 +0000 UTC View Post
