5 banjo techniques ranked EASIEST to HARDEST to play

Today, we're diving into five clawhammer banjo techniques ranked EASIEST to HARDEST. 

These are some of the little tricks I reach for when arranging a song. They can add a whole lot of variety to your playing. 

And remember, banjo progress doesn't come from hours of gruelling practice. That's no fun for anyone (especially your poor neighbours). Consistent, mindful practice is the way to go. You can make huge progress just by showing up 5-10 minutes every single day. 

So let's get into it!

You can see all these techniques demonstrated in my YouTube video on the subject:

Technique #1: The M-Skip

The M-Skip is one of my all time favorites. It’s simple but incredibly effective for giving your playing some breathing room.

The M-Skip is all about skipping the brush stroke in the basic “bum ditty” rhythm while keeping your hand moving in that same clawhammer motion. This small adjustment can add a lot of space to your music, making your arrangements feel more relaxed and open.

Here's how it works. If you're playing the standard bum-ditty clawhammer banjo stroke— 1, 2, and 3, 4, and where the brush stroke is on the 2 and 4. 

On any of the brush strokes, you can simply bring your hand down in that usual clawhammer motion, but you'll move your fingers past the strings without actually hitting them. Here's what that looks like in tab. 

The line and note in parentheses shows a tied note, meaning you continue to let the first note ring out. You may also see this written sometimes using eighth note rests like this:

It might seem like a small tweak, but it can really change the vibe of a song.

Technique #2: The Drop Thumb

Next up, we have the drop thumb. This technique tends to intimidate a lot of players because it’s often seen as an advanced clawhammer banjo technique. But don’t worry—with a bit of practice, you can master it too.

The easiest way to think about the drop thumb is that, instead of digging your thumb into the fifth string on the down-stroke, you're just digging into a different string. And then when you pluck up with your thumb, you're just playing that new string. 

To get started, stick with the basic bum ditty rhythm, but when you want to drop your thumb, move it from the fifth string to, say, the second string. Your thumb still digs into the string on every beat, but now it’s doing more than just hanging out on the fifth string—it’s adding some melody and complexity to your playing.

One tip that really helped me is to always dig your thumb into the fifth string, even when you’re not going to sound it. This builds muscle memory and makes it easier to move your thumb to other strings when you’re ready to drop it. With some consistent practice—just a few minutes each session—you’ll find that the drop thumb becomes second nature.

I also suggest looking for opportunities to add drop thumb when reading tabs. Look for melody notes on descending strings and try inserting a drop thumb there. It’s a great way to get more familiar with the technique in a musical context.

Here's an example of what drop thumb might look like in banjo tab. The thing to keep in mind is that if you have successive eight notes on descending strings, that's usually going to be a drop thumb. So the "and" of the first and third beats in each measure is the drop thumb. 

Technique #3: The Triplet

This isn’t just a technique but also a rhythm device that can add a lot of flair to your playing. However, it does require a shift in how you think about timing and rhythm.

Normally, in clawhammer banjo, we count the beat as “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and,” dividing each beat into two equal parts. But with a triplet, you’re dividing the beat into three equal parts, which can be a bit tricky to wrap your head around at first.

Let’s break it down. If you’re playing a piece that normally sounds like this:

“1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and…”

Adding a Triplet might change it to:

“1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a…”

It’s like squeezing in an extra note, which changes the flow of the rhythm. The best way to get comfortable with this is to practice counting and clapping along with a metronome. Try counting out loud—“1 and a 2 and a”—until you start feeling the difference between a regular beat and a triplet.

In practice, I often use a simple hammer-on, pull-off combination to execute the Triplet. It’s a great embellishment in slower songs where you have more space to work with, though it can get a bit muddy in faster pieces. Start slow, use a metronome, and before you know it, you’ll be able to throw triplets into your playing to great effect.

Here's a tab example so you can learn to recognise these in banjo tabs. When we switch to triplets, you'll see a a line under the notes with a "3" to indicate that those notes are counted as a triplet. You would count each of these measures as "1-and-a 2-and 3-and-a 4-and"

Technique #4: The Alternate String Pull-Off

Now we’re getting into some challenging territory with the alternate string pull-off. This technique is all about coordinating your right and left hands to create one fluid motion and sound. 

Here’s how it works: you strike one string with your right hand while simultaneously preparing to pull off another string with your left hand. For example, you might strike the open third string while fretting the second fret of the first string with your left hand. Then, on the “and” of the beat, you pull off that first string. .

This technique can be a little tricky because it requires precise timing and coordination between your hands. The key is to fret the note you’re going to pull off at the same time as you strike the other string. This helps keep everything in sync and ensures that your pull-off is clean and sharp.

Practice this slowly at first, and then gradually build up speed. Once you’ve got it down, you can use the Alternate String Pull-Off to add some real excitement to your playing, especially in faster, more driving tunes. And remember, this technique isn’t just limited to the first string—you can apply it to any string for some great variations.

Here's what an alternate string pull off might look like in tab. The tab writer will usually tag it as a pull-off in some way — like I've written "p.o." here. 

Technique #5: The Galax Lick (Arpeggio)

Finally, we come to the Galax lick, also known as the arpeggio. This is the most challenging technique on our list, but it’s also one of the most rewarding when you pull it off. The Galax lick is another technique we used to hit lower-to-higher strings in succession. .

In a typical clawhammer rhythm, your hand comes back up on the “and” of the beat—“1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and…” But with the Galax Lick, you’re keeping your hand down for an entire beat, which feels a bit unnatural at first. Instead of coming up immediately, you’re running your finger across multiple strings, creating a sweeping arpeggio before your thumb plucks the fifth string on the next beat.

Here’s a breakdown: you start by striking a string, say the fourth string, and then run your finger across the remaining strings in a controlled, even motion. The number of strings you sweep across determines how many sub-beats you’re creating—starting on the fourth string gives you four beats, starting on the third string gives you three, and so on. After the sweep, your thumb plucks the fifth string to bring the rhythm back around.

This technique can be challenging because it disrupts the natural flow of the clawhammer motion, but when done well, it sounds fantastic. 

To get the hang of it, practice slowly with a metronome, focusing on keeping your motion even and controlled. As you build confidence, you can start incorporating it into your playing, adding that extra layer of complexity and richness that makes the Galax lick so special.

Here's what the Galax lick looks like in tab:

Wrapping Up

And there you have it—five clawhammer banjo techniques ranked from easiest to hardest. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to push your playing to new heights, these techniques will give you plenty to work on. Remember, it’s all about practice and enjoying the process. Each technique opens up new possibilities for your playing, so take your time, experiment, and most importantly, have fun!

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