Any banjo players able to "cross pick"? How do you learn this technique? I tried and failed with Gerry o'Connor's video. I never hear anyone else do it apart from G O'C (on recordings) and I wonder is it unpopular, impossible or not in good taste?
Is this the same as crosspicking on guitar? If so, I generally pick down-down-up, down-down-up, down-up in 4/4. In 6/8, you can just keep doing the down-down-up pattern.
Probably an equal number of crosspickers pick down-up-up.
Ideally, be flexible so you can switch between the two patterns at will.
When I learned to crosspick, as a young man in my prime, I sweat blood to learn the technique, ten on day I was playing and it just came to me and seems quite natural.
Playing a series of different notes right after each other played on different strings, like fingerpicking banjos (5.string) and guitars do, but using a flatpick.
Larshansen describes it well but G o'C seems to produce an attractive syncopated rhythm...his own descsription indicates a pattern dduuduud/uuduuduu/ spread over two bars. Do this slowly and you'll detect the syncopation but how does anyone do this at speed? Also I reiterate my question, is it in or is it out these days in ITM with banjo players? Is it out because it is so difficult to do?
I do it a bit and don't think its to hard, I have messed about with bluegrass over the years and thats bound to have helped. I think in irish music it sould be done similar to cross bowing on the fiddle, almost using it just to keep a drone going while the tune is still being plucked to some degree. to day its popular because of G.O.C, but he's not the only one doing, he may be doing it best. I works well if you have to get up on a stage and do the solo work in a band as the more tech have the better it should sound. As for sitting around the table in a session, forget about it. Its hard to explain how to do it with out pictures, I haven't seen Jerry's video, but am very sure if he give advice on that he will be giving it to you straight. So check it out again and again.
Are you sure you are at the stage to learn this yet? What I mean is I found that after many year of hard practice ,tunes seemed to open themselves up for me and give me more time to do what I wanted with them. I found different ways of decorating tunes and often could and still can change the way at which I paint a tune on the fly.
yes compaqjohn you are probably right in that I am not ready for this technique yet. How does anyone ever get ready for that? It seems a bit like deciding to run 100m in 9.7seconds and defending your decision by saying that "well I know of someone who did it so it must be possible".
I usta do it on the guitar back before I bummed my wrist, but I never felt comfortable with ddu or duu. I have to keep alternating to stay in the groove.
I've watched Norman Blake cross pick up close and he kept alternating. Mr. Rice, however, is able to pick in any direction at any time and keep great rhythm.
There's a young guy in my area who cross picks (guitar) as a specialty and he always alternates. Gets pretty impressive speed, too. Still, the economy-of-motion approach makes sense, if you can swing with it.
banjo trick
banjo trick
Any banjo players able to "cross pick"? How do you learn this technique? I tried and failed with Gerry o'Connor's video. I never hear anyone else do it apart from G O'C (on recordings) and I wonder is it unpopular, impossible or not in good taste?
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by r&c
Re: banjo trick
Is this the same as crosspicking on guitar? If so, I generally pick down-down-up, down-down-up, down-up in 4/4. In 6/8, you can just keep doing the down-down-up pattern.
Probably an equal number of crosspickers pick down-up-up.
Ideally, be flexible so you can switch between the two patterns at will.
When I learned to crosspick, as a young man in my prime, I sweat blood to learn the technique, ten on day I was playing and it just came to me and seems quite natural.
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by IC Keith
Re: banjo trick
Can somebody please give a concise definition of 'cross-picking'? I've heard people talking about it, and I've never been sure whether I do it or not.
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: banjo trick
Playing a series of different notes right after each other played on different strings, like fingerpicking banjos (5.string) and guitars do, but using a flatpick.
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by Larshansen
Re: banjo trick
Larshansen describes it well but G o'C seems to produce an attractive syncopated rhythm...his own descsription indicates a pattern dduuduud/uuduuduu/ spread over two bars. Do this slowly and you'll detect the syncopation but how does anyone do this at speed? Also I reiterate my question, is it in or is it out these days in ITM with banjo players? Is it out because it is so difficult to do?
# Posted on December 21st 2004 by r&c
Re: banjo trick
I do it a bit and don't think its to hard, I have messed about with bluegrass over the years and thats bound to have helped. I think in irish music it sould be done similar to cross bowing on the fiddle, almost using it just to keep a drone going while the tune is still being plucked to some degree. to day its popular because of G.O.C, but he's not the only one doing, he may be doing it best. I works well if you have to get up on a stage and do the solo work in a band as the more tech have the better it should sound. As for sitting around the table in a session, forget about it. Its hard to explain how to do it with out pictures, I haven't seen Jerry's video, but am very sure if he give advice on that he will be giving it to you straight. So check it out again and again.
Are you sure you are at the stage to learn this yet? What I mean is I found that after many year of hard practice ,tunes seemed to open themselves up for me and give me more time to do what I wanted with them. I found different ways of decorating tunes and often could and still can change the way at which I paint a tune on the fly.
# Posted on December 21st 2004 by compaqjohn
Re: banjo trick
Doc Watson and Tony Rice are good cross pickers.
# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd
Re: banjo trick
I thought 'cross picking' was something bamjo players did after one too many banjo jokes!
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by Fiddlemad
Re: banjo trick
yes compaqjohn you are probably right in that I am not ready for this technique yet. How does anyone ever get ready for that? It seems a bit like deciding to run 100m in 9.7seconds and defending your decision by saying that "well I know of someone who did it so it must be possible".
# Posted on December 21st 2004 by r&c
Re: banjo trick
I can't imagine anyone could do more than Gerry O'Connor! and if they can could they be counted????
# Posted on December 23rd 2004 by nick b
Re: banjo trick
I usta do it on the guitar back before I bummed my wrist, but I never felt comfortable with ddu or duu. I have to keep alternating to stay in the groove.
I've watched Norman Blake cross pick up close and he kept alternating. Mr. Rice, however, is able to pick in any direction at any time and keep great rhythm.
There's a young guy in my area who cross picks (guitar) as a specialty and he always alternates. Gets pretty impressive speed, too. Still, the economy-of-motion approach makes sense, if you can swing with it.
Bob
# Posted on January 3rd 2005 by Bob himself