About
This site is dedicated to sharing banjo tablature in variou
s muscial genres. 
The particular technique of playing emphasized on this blog will be what is known as Clawhammer or Frailing.
The clawhammer technique of picking is primarily a down-picking style. The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist. Players that use this technique typically downpick the strings with only the thumb and middle or index finger, flicking the string with the back of the fingernail.
Although Clawhammer is typically used to play American Old-Time music, the purpose of this site is to share tabature of many types of musical genre that can be played, using this picking style, which I have learned and enjoy so much.
If you have any requests to find a particular tune in clawhammer banjo tablature, please leave a request here. If I know of the piece exisiting on another site, I will direct you to it. If I do not know of it residing elsewhere, I will consider tabbing it and posting it here as time permits.
Note: You will need a PDF viewer to open these attachments. Also, within most of these PDF files you will find a midi attachment which will allow you to hear how the tablature will sound. Of course, you will need the appropriate software to listen to the midi file.
***If you live near Concord, CA, and you are interested in learning beginner-level clawhammer banjo, please contact me, Al Badger, at ajbadger@pacbell.net to arrange a time for lessons.***
Pete said,
August 29, 2007 at 5:16 am
Hi
I am looking for a tab for clawhammer banjo for Sandy River Belle.
Can you help?
Many thanks
ajbadger said,
August 29, 2007 at 6:45 am
Pete,
Hello!
I found versions of Sandy River Belle at the following sites:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html
Advanced version found at: http://www.banjohangout.org/w/tab/browse/m/byletter/v/S
I hope that works for you.
ZenPickin said,
September 10, 2007 at 5:39 am
Hey!
I’m looking for CH tab for Leather Britches. I understand that there’s on in Dan Levinson’s book but I don’t have that. I can’t seem to find a copy anywhere on the web. Do you have one?
Thanks!
ZenPickin
ajbadger said,
September 10, 2007 at 6:59 am
ZenPickin,
This is a correction to a previous answer. I found a very good version of Leather Britches for clawhammer at the following site: http://www.mountainsentinel.com/oldtime-claw.php
I’ll do some more research and send you more links if I find them.
DENNIS FAIRBROTHER said,
September 29, 2007 at 11:21 am
Raleigh and Spencer?
ajbadger said,
September 30, 2007 at 7:40 am
Dennis,
Hi!
This one seems a little more elusive. I will let you know what I find.
Matthew D Brasel said,
October 5, 2007 at 10:41 am
Interesting site with helpful information. Thanks. The Religious and Chinese sections are what peeked my interest when I found theis site. Thanks again.
ajbadger said,
October 5, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Thanks, Matthew.
I hope you find them useful.
Blaire said,
October 7, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Hi there,
Do you have tab for Happy Birthday and the kid’s song “B-I-N-G-0″? I’m a beginner clawhammer player and would like to play this for my classroom.
Thanks,
Blaire
ajbadger said,
October 7, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I think I found Bingo at the following site: http://www.manythings.org/banjo/tunes/i/Kelly-Banjo_Tunes-003.jpg
I’ll need some time to check out the other and if this is it. However, I might recommend just finding the chords to that and do the bum-ditty-ditty (3/4 time) strum with the kids. It is easier to pick up and more fun. Still, I’ll keep looking, though.
chris bennett said,
November 11, 2007 at 9:22 am
Hey,
I am Looking for which side are you on banjo tab. Also wondering if anybody has heard of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska album songs being played on the banjo.
Thanks,
Chris
ajbadger said,
November 11, 2007 at 11:15 am
Chris says: I am Looking for which side are you on banjo tab.
Al replies: I am not sure I understand the question (?). Can you explain further? Thanks.
brian said,
November 12, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Hey,
I’m lookin for turkey in the straw. Also, is this song kind of a shared melody with other songs and if so which songs?
ajbadger said,
November 12, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Brian,
I have, however, found a site with the clawhammer version. It can be found at the following: http://www.haruteq.com/turkey.pdf.
Perhaps someone else can answer the question about the shared melody with other songs because I do not know. The following WIKI site may answer some of your questions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_in_the_Straw.
mike said,
December 4, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Hi! Would you know where to find a clawhammer tab of “way down the old plank road?”
ajbadger said,
December 5, 2007 at 7:32 am
Mike,
Hi!
I found the tab at this site: http://web.mac.com/markdvorak/iWeb/Site2/banjostuff.html
I hope that helps.
John Dotson said,
December 30, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Hello, I have tried for quite some time to find a straightforward clawhammer tab of “Oh Dem Golden Slippers” and “Roustabout”.
ajbadger said,
January 3, 2008 at 11:12 am
John,
I am working on a version of Slippers now. I’ll let you know when I post it here.
ajbadger said,
January 7, 2008 at 6:54 pm
John,
Golden Slippers is ready in the “American Banjo Tunes” section. I hope it works for you. “Roustabout” is going to take some more time.
JFox said,
January 13, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I was wondering if anyone knew where to find a clawhammer tab for “Coo Coo Bird” (as played by Clarence Ashley). Have searched for it everywhere with no luck. Thanks so much - this is a great site!
ajbadger said,
January 17, 2008 at 7:28 am
JFox,
I will start looking for it and post something here if I find it.
Dogwood Mudhole said,
January 23, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Hey,
Mary Cox did a version of Golden Slippers in one of her books and on her cd. Very nice.
ajbadger said,
January 24, 2008 at 7:29 am
Dogwood,
Thanks.
I do not yet have any of Mary Cox’s books or tabs yet. I have heard a lot of great things about them, though. I had to create my version directly from the melody, which is my preferred what to create arrangements nowadays. Doing so helps me remember where in the melody I want to add some emphasis.
Joe Commodari said,
January 27, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Hi
I’m looking for tab for Elkhorn Ridge( clawhammer). Would anyone know where I could find a version?
Rob said,
January 31, 2008 at 9:15 am
AJ,
I put a basic tab of Raleigh and Spencer (aka Rylan Spencer etc.) on my webpage: http://enyepa.110mb.com/index.htm . I arranged it from Tommy Jarrell’s fiddle version. Some tunes don’t sound a lot like the fiddle versions when played solo on banjo, and this is one of them. But I worked really hard to get the basic melody and timing right. If a banjo player plays this version along with TJ’s recording, then (s)he’ll see how close they are. Anyhow, there’s a lot of room for personal adjustments in this tab. I may post an adjusted tab later for this tune later.
Best wishes,
Rob
ajbadger said,
January 31, 2008 at 9:53 am
Rob,
That is great. Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m gonna go right to you site an check it out.
Hugh said,
February 5, 2008 at 10:24 am
Hi, I am trying to find either tabs or chords for a song called “Cornbread and Butterbeans.”
It appears on a cd from WPAQ called “Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountains” played by the Carolina Sunshine Trio.
Here is a video of the Caolina Chocolate Drops playing the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO7WpBaUUSM
Thanks for your help.
ajbadger said,
February 5, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Hugh,
Hi! I’ll do some searching on the Internet for this piece and let everyone know what I find.
Mike said,
March 4, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I’m looking for a clawhammer version of a mournful tune performed by Waylon Jennings on a cd called Songs of the Civil War. The tune is Rebel Soldier. Thanks.
ajbadger said,
March 9, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Mike, I’ll see what I can locate on the Internet.
Mike said,
April 3, 2008 at 7:15 am
Thanks. How about a clawhammer banjo tab of the civil war tune, “In the Pines?” I think it was redone by Nirvana or leadbelly or someone like that in recent years.
ajbadger said,
April 4, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Mike,
I’ll give this a look as well. Haven’t had much luck with the other.
Eve said,
May 3, 2008 at 11:14 am
Hi Al!
I too am searching for a clawhammer banjo tab of “In the Pines.” I am also looking for one of “the storms are on the ocean.” Thank you for your help and this great site!
Eve
ajbadger said,
May 3, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Eve,
Hello! I have been looking for this. Not much success yet, but I’ll keep an eye peeled for these.
kathy said,
May 5, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Looking for variations on Soldier’s Joy and Arkansas Traveller, thanks! Kathy
ajbadger said,
May 5, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Kathy,
Hello! Check Bluesage Band (Mike Iverson) materials. He has two variations from Soldier’s Joy and a nice version of Arkansas Traveller.
kathy said,
May 6, 2008 at 4:30 am
got ‘em, thanks! Kathy
kathy said,
May 7, 2008 at 4:27 am
Now I need Git Along Little Dogies in double C tuning, anyone? Kathy
ajbadger said,
May 7, 2008 at 11:36 am
Kathy,
I know that Bluesage Band (Mike Iverson) materials has this in G. I’ll need to do some search to see if I can locate on in double C tuning. If anyone else know of some, let us know.
Clifford Davis said,
June 7, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I am looking and have been looking for some time for Ralph Stanley’s My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane in any tab whether it be Scruggs style ,clawhammer what have you
ajbadger said,
June 8, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Clifford,
I’ll do a search and let you know if I find anything.
Geir S Hansen said,
June 24, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Hi
I am looking for clawhammer Tab, to “riddle song” or “I gave my love a sherry”
Can someone help?
Thanks.
ajbadger said,
June 26, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Ken Perlman’s book “Clawhammer Style Banjo” has a good version of this tune. I haven’t found anything on the Internet but will keep looking.
Kate said,
July 3, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hi,
I’m looking for the tab “Which Side Are You On” by Pete Seeger.
ajbadger said,
July 3, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Kate,
Hi!
From what I understand, Pete Seeger does not use clawhammer style of playing. He teaches a technique of picking up with the index finger, brushing down, and then picking up with the thumb. You can watch him teach this technique at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9EZ9RlyOr4.
I’ll keep a look out for this tab, but I tend to keep my searched to clawhammer.