The pinch is an important part of your banjo playing, whether you are playing backup or Scruggs style banjo you will be using it. The pinch is exactly as it sounds - you pinch your thumb, index and middle fingers together.
Get your right hand ready to pick the 1st, 2nd and 5th strings - make sure your thumb and fingers are close to the strings. Your index finger is just off of the 2nd string, middle finger is just off the 1st, and your thumb above the 5th string at the ready. Now pick the 1st, 2nd and 5th strings at the same time - that’s a pinch.
The following example will get you started, since we are using open strings - this a G. Remember to count, and keep your timing nice and steady.
Hear the G pinch played on the banjo:
The next exercise introduces the chords D and C as pinches. When you play D, you use your thumb on the 3rd string rather than the 5th, simply because the G from the fifth string doesn’t work with a D chord.
Listen to the exercise above:
To get some practice with the pinch, go back and repeat the songs that you learned earlier, but this time use a pinch instead of a strum. Just click on the links below and you are ready to go.
What you should know.
- How to play a Pinch for the chords G, C and D.
Popularity: 5% [?]
