Here, the thumb plays the high drone on the second 'and' of 'one and two and'. Immediately following (on the second half of this beat), pick a note with the thumb, usually the shorter fifth string.On the second beat, strum a few strings with your strumming finger (roughly an eighth note).

Pick a melody note on the downbeat ( quarter note).For example, this is a common, basic 2/4 pattern: In particular, the duo of a fiddler playing melody alongside a driving clawhammer accompanist once served as a basic Appalachian dance band, as recalled by Ralph Stanley in his autobiography, Man of Constant Sorrow.ДЄ common characteristic of clawhammer patterns is the thumb does not pick on the downbeat, as one might in typical fingerpicking patterns for guitar. This diverse range of musical sounds and effects gives clawhammer banjo its artistic solo potential in addition to its traditional role as a rhythmic accompaniment to other musicians. The possibilities include sounding individual melodic notes, strumming harmonic chords, strumming and picking to produce rhythmic and percussive effects on the strings, as well as making percussive effects by brushing or thumping the thumb or fingers upon the banjo head or skin. The varied playing styles emphasize these elements to different degrees, sometimes changing the emphasis during the performance of a single tune. By contrast, the thumb rests on the fifth string with the downpick motion, and is often released in a lighter up-pick to create the distinctive clawhammer sound.ДЄlthough much traditional clawhammer banjo playing is highly rhythmic, it typically includes elements of melody, harmony, rhythm and percussion. In its most common form on the banjo, only the thumb and middle or index finger are used and the finger always downpicks, hitting the string with the back of the fingernail.

The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept fairly stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist and/or elbow, rather than a flicking motion by the finger. Clawhammer picking, by contrast, is primarily a down-picking style. Traditional picking styles ( classic banjo), including those for folk, bluegrass, and classical guitar, consist of an up-picking motion by the fingers and a down-picking motion by the thumb this is also the technique used in the Scruggs style for the banjo. The principal difference between clawhammer style and other styles is the picking direction. Clawhammer, sometimes called frailing, is a distinctive banjo playing style and a common component of American old-time music.

Claw hammer