Tim Hart's banjo style.

Subject: RE: Tim Hart's banjo style.
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 05:29 PM

I believe Martin Carthy played the banjo on Bedlam Boys on Please to See the King. Tim Hart is credited with the banjo on Ten Man Mop, so I think Martin is playing that nice fuzz guitar behind the banjo on Skewball. The song Edmund appeared on Now we Are Six. In my youth I had way too much time on my hands and read all the credits and liner notes while listening to the records. So I can give you trivial answers for records I bought in the seventies, but couldn't give you nearly the same detail on recordings I buy and listen to now.

Subject: RE: Tim Hart's banjo style.
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 10:38 AM

Thought it was Martin Carthy on banjo in early Steeleye but I'm quite happy to stand corrected.

Subject: RE: Tim Hart's banjo style.
From: CelesteF
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 09:56 AM

Phil,

I agree that it sounds like an arpeggiated guitar pattern of some kind. I play guitar too, but since I only know clawhammer banjo, I don't' know how the fingers are supposed to work in the arrangement Tim plays. Three fingers? Four fingers? Anything happening on the 5th string (I don't think so, but I'm not sure)?

I read an interview with Tony Wilson in which he said Tim taught him that arrangement (probably way back when). If I knew how to reach either of them, I'd ask.

I wasn't aware Tim's banjo playing on those other songs. Guess I'll dig out some Steeleye Span recordings tonight. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Tim Hart's banjo style.
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 06:13 PM

Celeste,

    Perhaps someone else will know for sure. I have the recording with the song you mentioned. It sounds to me like he's playing the banjo in a slow guitar style picking pattern on that song. Definitely not clawhammer style. Guitar is my main instrument. I never could get the hang to clawhammer style. Someone fairly adept at that style said my banjo playing sounded like a guitar player playing a banjo. Anyway, what Tim Hart is playing there, sounds a lot like that to me. He sounded like he was playing a more clawhammering style when he did the playing of Skewball on an early Steeleye Span album, also his playing in the background on Edmund on a later Steeleye album sound real good. Sorry I can't be of more help as far as his specific style goes. I hope someone can answer that for you.

--Phil

Subject: Tim Hart's banjo style.
From: CelesteF
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 11:49 AM

Does anyone know what Tim Hart is doing on the banjo in songs like Lish Young Buy-a-Broom?

I play clawhammer style, but I'd like to learn how to get a sound like Tim's.

I tried this query on the Banjo Hangout discussion forum, but no one had an answer. Maybe you guys will do better. :-)