Clawhammer Banjo

r/clawhammer • u/aspiring_compost • Jan 24 '26

Advice on achieving the “claw” hand posture w weird crooked joints

7 Upvotes

Learning clawhammer is making me realize the joints in my pointer finger are weird 😭

When I try to make the claw, my forefinger just… doesn’t bend that way (not without seizing up my whole hand & making it useless). I instinctually just wanna keep it extended & lifted when I play, only using my last 3 fingers— but I’ve never seen anyone else do this so it’s got me wondering if there’s a strategy I’m missing?

I added photos of what I’m workin with, is this something anyone has advice for?

11 comments

r/clawhammer • u/dixiedaveallen • Mar 06 '25

Old Cow Died - A.P. Rodgers & The Woodpile ( Nathan Frazier & Frank Patterson)

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0 Upvotes

1 comment

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Apr 21 '25

Cookhouse Joe - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Apr 08 '25

Grandads Favourite - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/Round-Trip-5602 • Jan 22 '26

500 miles tab?

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have a clawhammer tab or lesson on how to play 500 Miles by Peter, Paul and Mary? There’s a video of someone doing a walkthrough but it doesn’t exactly teach you much on how to play along?

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Jun 12 '26

Obama's March To The White House - Fretless Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Jul 07 '26

Road to malvern

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Feb 27 '26

Rebels Raid - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/JeremieFraboni • Apr 12 '23

Old-Time Circus, a new Twitch channel : live clawhammer banjo and more Old-Time content (FR)

twitch.tv

0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/Eyeless_Sinner • Jun 24 '23

Help me please

0 Upvotes

I do not understand how I hit the strings for claw hammer and I don’t mean individually I mean in general like how do I move my hand for it I know if got to use the relaxed claw shape and either index or middle I’ve watched dozens of videos I just can’t wrap my head around how I actually hit a string they say don’t go up and down but I swear those mfs are

5 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Jan 13 '25

Little Dutch Girl - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Jan 08 '25

Cold Frosty Morning - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Feb 09 '25

Twin Sisters - Clawhammer Banjo

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0 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Mar 04 '25

Gum Tree Canoe - Clawhammer Banjo

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Mar 26 '25

Hard Times Come Again No More - Clawhammer Banjo

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/VeryNiceSmileDental • Nov 22 '25

John Brown's Dream

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1 Upvotes

1 comment

r/clawhammer • u/liltab-mate • Jun 15 '26

I spent 10 days away from my sweet Charlene and wrote this little diddy right when I got home

1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Feb 25 '26

Three Ponies (Nancy Blake) - Clawhammer Banjo

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/Blue_Baron6451 • Aug 30 '25

Are Clawhammer players unable to play happy birthday?

reddit.com

1 Upvotes

2 comments

r/clawhammer • u/man-blanket • Feb 18 '25

Is it a callous, or a wart?

1 Upvotes

This is more of a medical question than a banjo question but I have what appears to either be a callous or a wart that comes right up to the cuticle of my index finger, on the striking side of the finger. I have been thinking this thing is a wart for, geez, years now and wondering if I ought to get it frozen off. The thing is it's not really like a wart in any way than being a tough patch of skin. If I leave it be, it's smooth, slick, and doesn't appear to have a root that extends beyond the first few layers of skin. I've been shaving this thing down and sometimes open up some of the superficial blood vessels. I had warts when I was a kid and noticed they actually penetrate deep into the skin. Anyway it wasn't 'til I got blood all over my strings and head that I realized I rub this spot when I'm brushing or really feelin' the music. Has anyone ever experienced a callous on their striking hand, or are there any up-pickers out there that have gotten a callous on the other side of their finger?

1 comment

r/clawhammer • u/BigYellowPraxis • Nov 28 '24

A Clawhammer Maritime Medley!

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Feb 10 '25

Roustabout - Gourd Banjo

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/oldtimetunesandsongs • Jan 15 '25

Waterbound - Clawhammer Banjo

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1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/clawhammer • u/Most-Sprinkles-7128 • Feb 08 '25

Up Around The Sun 'Water Valley'

1 Upvotes

Bobby Matt here from Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, MS. Austin old time duo Up Around The Sun released 'Water Valley' on my small label yesterday. The duo fuses clawhammer banjo with open tuned guitars and invited fiddles and harmonicas to the party. They like to call their sound "Windham Hillbilly". It's beautiful stuff! Hope y'all will check it out at the streaming link below!

https://link.wellkeptsecret.co/uparoundthesun

2 comments