Ryan Cavanaugh on single-string playing (and more)

On the Deering Banjos Blog, David Bandrowski presents for 5-string players a feature on Ryan Cavanaugh's 'Top 5 tips for improving single-string playing', a six-minute video that can also be seen on YouTube. In fact, all the titles of the five tips, and a high proportion of Cavanaugh's advice under those titles, are equally important for the picking hand of any banjo-player, not to mention players of other instruments. The titles are:

1. Pick attack
2. Relaxed hand position
3. Economy of motion
4. Proper application of pressure
5. Finesse

'Finesse' is a matter of making the banjo 'sing'. (Yes, it can be done.) There is more to the tips than the wording of the titles suggests, so the video is well worth taking on board. Other instructional videos by Ryan Cavanaugh are on the Deering YouTube channel.

© Richard Hawkins