Banjo Lessons

I teach clawhammer banjo, down picking style.  

I teach the rhythmic core that makes West Virginia clawhammer banjo style playing so unique.  I focus on the physical motor skills for the right hand and some of the fundamental left hand ornamentations and I teach the student how to learn banjo tunes on their own. 

This is my basic curriculum:

• The care and feeding of your banjo, basic setup
• Basic clawhammer pattern, arm posture.
• Right arm role, Left arm role.
• Right and left hand exercises, hand coordination
• Additional clawhammer down picking patterns
• Left hand fingerboard dexterity
• Right hand familiarity with the four main strings

• Chords up and down the fingerboard
• Drop thumb technique
• Clawhammer arsenal: Slide, Roll, Scratch, Chuck
• Easy, starter tunes.  How to learn a tune from:

--  a musician

--  videos, cds, dvds,

--  banjo tablature

I tailor the lessons to suit individual capabilities.  I can generally teach the very basics in about 4 lessons.  I can usually push the student to the next level – drop thumb, embellishments, basic “starter” tunes – in another 4 lessons.

I charge $35 per lesson.  A lesson is an hour.  

I offer my e-book, Socratic Banjo, to students for $10.00. 

I do offer a bundle of 4 lessons, pre-paid, for $100.  The first bundle focuses on the basic of clawhammer.  The second bundle works on developing capabilities and style. 

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Give me a call or send me an email.   

Thanks for your interest.

Dr. Lew Stern, "Chief Surgeon"
Little Bear Banjo Hospital
11001 Weaversville Road, Bealeton VA
Mobile #: 540-717-2985
E-mail: brooklynbanjoboy@yahoo.com
Website: littlebearbanjo.com/home.html

"Rescuing vintage banjos from modernity for over 25 years"