Clawhammer

Ken Donaldson

When I took up the guitar in the 1960s I was in awe of the finger-pickers of folk/blues like Bert Jansch, of ragtime like Stefan Grossman and of jazz like Martin Taylor. They play not with a pick but with the thumb and a Read more

When I took up the guitar in the 1960s I was in awe of the finger-pickers of folk/blues like Bert Jansch, of ragtime like Stefan Grossman and of jazz like Martin Taylor. They play not with a pick but with the thumb and a few fingers of their right hand. Done well this produces a unique harmonic beauty and complexity not really achieved with a pick. Over the years I have played a small selection of tunes this way, colloquially known a clawhammer style, and so here they are- they are mostly done in a single take, no overdubs just one track, warts and all.

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  1. 1
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  2. 2
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  3. 3
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  4. 4
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  5. 5
    0:00/1:02
  6. 6
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  7. 7
    0:00/1:21
  8. 8
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  9. 9
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  10. 10
    0:00/3:06
  11. 11
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