Homespun

Here's a terrific lesson for banjo players who want to sing and accompany themselves in the clawhammer style.

Starting with two easy songs, Worried Man Blues and This Little Light of Mine, Cathy shows how to find the right key for your voice, use the capo, play a simple accompaniment and pick out scales and melody notes from within the chords. You'll then learn how to embellish any tune you play with slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and other important licks and tricks that will add drive, complexity and excitement to your songs.

Moving on to more intermediate/advanced techniques and different tunings, Cathy shows you double thumbing on Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase; old-time modal sounds for Shady Grove; waltz time with Irene Goodnight; and a show-stopping version of Oh! Susanna that combines a variety of advanced devices unique to this style.

As a bonus, Cathy performs five of her most popular songs, illustrating clawhammer accompaniment at its best; The Cuckoo, When Time Draws Near, Buffalo Gals, Psalm of Life and Wild Rose of the Mountain.

Customer Reviews:

"I'm really enjoying using this DVD. Have only been playing banjo for a few months, started out doing mainly bluegrass stuff but then realised clawhammer accompaniment might be more up my street as what I primarily want to do is accompany myself singing - this DVD was exactly what I needed to get me on the road and Cathy's vibrancy and enthusiasm are so inspiring!" -- Posted on banjohangout.org.

"Yours is the best "how-to" music instruction I've ever seen. I just love it - and I'm starting to sound like a real banjo player, instead of a guitar player who picked one up by mistake. So, there's another banjer player on the loose in Austin, and a lot of the fault is yours!" - Dick Walker, TX