Old-time brush style

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Old-time brush style

You can adopt one of old-time 5-string banjo playing styles to the retuned tenor banjo. To clarify which style it is let me first sort the old-time 5-string banjo styles.

They can be divided into two major groups according to the direction of fingers plucking the string. By finger I mean index and middle finger, not the thumb - the latter picks the short string (or sometimes also the long ones) always with the down movement.

Here are these two groups and also the combination of them:

Down-picking - the index or middle finger (or both) pluck the strings with their nails. The fingers move down to earth, hence the name downpicking. These styles are called frailing, clawhammer, stroke style etc. There are mainly used bare fingers, only exeptionally some people use the fingerpick on the nail side (as an arteficial nail) to increase the volume and protect their nails.
Up-picking - the index, middle, or even ring finger pluck the strings first with their tips. If the nail is long enough, it can also touch the strings. The fingers move up, just like in case of guitar fingerpicking. And just like in guitar fingerpicking, people can use fingerpicks (now on their tips) - in that case the nail is out of work.
One can combine these two approaches - the pattern contains both downbrush and uppicking. This way has been described (among other styles) in Pete Seeger's book "How to play 5-string banjo".

I play with thumbpick and two fingerpicks on my index and middle finger, so I cannot downpick with these two fingers, but there is still the ring finger to execute the downbrush. Therefore I adopt the Seeger's pattern from 5-string banjo to the 4-string one.

Basic strum pattern

Pete Seeger starts in his book with the pattern called "basic strum". It consists of up-picking the melody note by index finger, followed by the down-brush of the nail of the finger which does not wear fingerpick and finally picking the g note on short string by thumb.
The tab of this basic strum (there are actually two of them in one measure) on 5-string banjo can help to understand the rhythm (B=brush):

d------0-------0---|-
b------0-------0---|-
G--0---0-------0---|-
D----------0-------|-
g--------0-------0-|-
   |   |_| |   |_|
   I   B T I   B T
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

As the highest g string (located on thumb side on 5-string) is on the treble side on DGdg tenor banjo, this picking pattern has to be modified in order to produce similar sound on tenor banjo. The notes on 1st and 3rd beat are played by thumb and the g string is up-picked by index finger.

Here is the tab of the basic strum on DGdg banjo. Note it is played twice in one 4/4 measure.
(R = brush by the nail of ring finger from bass to treble strings)

g------0-0-----0-0-|-
d------0-------0---|-
G--0---0-------0---|-
D----------0-------|-
   |   |_| |   |_|
   T   R I T   R I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

Why I use just these right hand fingers? To be able to switch from and into other styles (Scruggs style, Travis style etc.) I have to keep three fingerpicks on my thumb, index and middle fingers. So the stronger bare finger that remains is ring finger, which executes the brush by its nail on counts two and four. Thumb armed by thumbpick plays the melody notes on counts one and three. The thin g sting is picked by the uppicking of fingerpick on index finger.

The pattern of basic strum can be shortly described as T_RIT_RI. Middle finger takes a rest in the basic strum, but can be accomodated when some fingerpicked pattern is ocasionally used instead of basic strum (e.g. TIMI).

Note I originally tried (and wrote on these pages) the middle finger on the g string (T_RMT_RM pattern), just from the reason that middle finger uses to pick that string in other styles. I prefer now to use the index finger (T_RIT_RI pattern) from two reasons:

First from the anatomical point of view the middle finger is close to ring finger and their tendons can also be connected to some degree. And to practice heavily two opposite motions in succession (down brush with ring finger and uppicking with middle finger) could harm my tendons (and I need them, don't I?)
Second in the advanced stage of this style the quick melody can be articulated by the picking pattern TIRI (see somewhere below) and the brush pattern T_RI (instead of T_RM) is the simplified version of it. However in some situations the melody may require also the pattern TIRM, so I recommend to spend some amout of time also on T_RM one.
To learn the T_RIT_RI pattern, try first to omit the index finger and practice the T_R_T_R_ pattern only with no notes on the &'s:

g------0-------0---|-
d------0-------0---|-
G--0---0-------0---|-
D----------0-------|-
   |   |   |   |
   T   R   T   R
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

The number of brushed strings (three, two only, or all four) can vary when you play accompaniment. When playing melody, the brushing nail of ring finger should start on the respective string to emphasise it. After some practice you will learn to hit by the ring nail the melody note only (with no brush at all) if intended. But before experimenting with the melody, fix the rhythm of the basic strum on the chord progression with simple walking bass connecting the chords (left hand holds the C chord 0520 and D chord 0202 respectively):
LISTEN

   G                                   C
g------0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0---------|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0---------|
d------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----2-------2---|-----2-----------|
G--0---------------|-0-------2---4---|-5-------0-------|-5-------4---2---|
D----------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |     |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |  
   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   T     T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   T

   G                                   D
g------0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0---------|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2---------|
d------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----0-------0---|-----0-----------|
G--0---------------|-0---------------|---------2-------|-----------------|
D----------0-------|---------4---2---|-0---------------|-0-------2---4---|
   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |     |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |
   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   T     T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   T

How to play melody on the beats

Now let's play some simple melody. Here is the melody alone (for the first time play it with thumb only):
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
d------------------|-0---2---0-------|-0---------------|-----------------|
G--0---2---4---5---|-------------4---|-----5---4---2---|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |
   T   T   T   T     T   T   T   T     T   T   T   T     T

Change the thumb at 2nd and 4th beat to brush by ring finger. (Note your left hand holds D chord in the third measure, with melody notes pressed by left ring and little fingers. You can do it in two fingerings: Either put the index finger on third string, 2nd fret, and middle finger on first string 2nd fret for the whole measure, or put in the first half of the measure index finger to first string, 2nd fret, and little finger to third string 5th fret. The latter fingering changes in the second half of the measure into former one, OR you can stay with index finger on first string and the 4th and 2nd frets of third string press with ring and middle finger respectively):
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----0-------0---|
d------0-------0---|-0---2---0---0---|-0---0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
G--0---2---4---5---|-------------4---|-----5---4---2---|-0---0-------0---|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-------|
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   R   T   R     T   R   T   R     T   R   T   R     T   R   T   R

Then add the index finger picking the g note on the &'s after 2nd and 4th beats:
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----0-0-----0-0-|
d------0-------0---|-0---2---0---0---|-0---0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
G--0---2---4---5---|-------------4---|-----5---4---2---|-0---0-------0---|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-------|
   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |_|
   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   R I

Now, to practice the ring finger, try to play instead brush the melody note ONLY, first without the succesive index finger:
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
d------------------|-0---2---0-------|-0---------------|-----------------|
G--0---2---4---5---|-------------4---|-----5---4---2---|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |
   T   R   T   R     T   R   T   R     T   R   T   R     T

OK, I also hit sometimes the next higher string too, so let's say that one plays with "minimal brush" :-)

Finally the melody notes (minimal brush) with the g string:
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g--------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------2-------2-|-----------------|
d------------------|-0---2---0-------|-0---------------|-----------------|
G--0---2---4---5---|-------------4---|-----5---4---2---|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |_|   |   |_| |   |_|   |
   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   R I   T   R I T   R I   T

Note all melody notes in the just shown example are on the beats. The beats 1, 3 are played by thumb, the beats 2, 4 are played by ring (with or without brush - you can change it for the contrast).

How to play melody notes on the &'s

If you would like to play some melody notes between the beats (on the &'s), you can play them with your right index finger, or you can articulate grace notes - hammer-ons (H), pull-offs (P), or slides (S) - with your left hand only.

Example of ornamented melody (first play it slowly in the Reno style with your thumb and index finger):
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
d------------------|-0---0-2-0-------|-0---------------|-----------------|
G--0---0-2-4-2-4-5-|-----------4-0-4-|-----5-4-5-4-2-4-|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |
   T   T I T I T I   T   T I T I T I   T   T I T I T I   T

Change the thumbs on 2nd and 4th beat to ring finger (if playing brushes, left hand holds D chord):
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g-----(0)-----(0)--|----(0)-----(0)--|----(2)-----(2)--|-----------------|
d-----(0)-----(0)--|-0---0-2-0--(0)--|-0--(0)-----(0)--|-----------------|
G--0---0-2-4-2-4-5-|-----------4-0-4-|-----5-4-5-4-2-4-|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |
   T   R I T I R I   T   R I T I R I   T   R I T I R I   T

However, the old-time pickers rather use grace notes (why to employ two hands, when the left one can do the job alone). Try to use hammer-ons and pull-offs:
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g-----(0)-----(0)--|----(0)-----(0)--|----(2)-----(2)--|-----------------|
d-----(0)-----(0)--|-0---0-2-0--(0)--|-0--(0)-----(0)--|-----------------|
G--0---0-2-4-2-4-5-|-----------4-0-4-|-----5-4-5-4-2-4-|-0---------------|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |
   T   R H T P R H   T   R H T H R H   T   R P T P R H   T

If you use hammer-ons, pull-offs or slides for melody notes, your index finger can play the drone g string sometimes (but do not let the melody note be outperformed by the drone one):
LISTEN

   G                                   D                 G
g------0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----2-------2---|-----0-0-----0-0-|
d------0-------0---|-0---0-2-0---0---|-0---0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
G--0---0-2-4-2-4-5-|-----------4-0-4-|-----5-4-5-4-2-4-|-0---0-------0---|
D------------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-------|
   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_| |   |_|
         I       I         I       I                           I       I
   T   R H T P R H   T   R H T H R H   T   R P T P R H   T   R   T   R

Here is another exercise using hammer-ons between the beats. The melodic motive, which is three beats long only, goes through the four-beat measures:
LISTEN

g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
d------0-2-0---0---|-0-2-0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
G--0-4-------4-0-4-|-------4-0-------|-----2-4-2---2---|-2-4-2-----------|
D------------------|-----------------|-0-4-------4-0-4-|-------4-0-------|
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |   |     |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |   |
   T H R H T H R H   T H R H T   R     T H R H T H R H   T H R H T   R

The old-time brush style is especially effective when you are playing alone. Accompany your singing with basic strum + walking bass, and play the ornamented melody as a solo.

Syncopation of basic strum

The basic right hand pattern T_RIT_RI can be sometimes altered to add the surprising moments to your playing.
Try for example to shift the brush ahead in the second half of the measure:

T_RITR_I

g------0-0---0---0-|-
d------0-----0-----|-
G--0---0-----0-----|-
D----------0-------|-
   |   |_| |_|  _|
   T   R I T R   I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN (one measure normal, one syncopated, all this twice)

Or, you can shift the second thumb stroke to the following &:

T_RI_TRI

g------0-0-----0-0-|-
d------0-------0---|-
G--0---0-------0---|-
D------------0-----|-
   |   |_|  _| |_|
   T   R I   T R I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

You can omit the pauses at all and play something what would remind the Scruggsy forward rolls:

TRITRITI

g----0-0---0-0---0-|-
d----0-----0-------|-
G--0-0-----0---0---|-
D--------0---------|-
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
   T R I T R I T I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

TITRITRI

g----0---0-0---0-0-|-
d--------0-----0---|-
G--0-----0---0-0---|-
D------0-----------|-
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
   T I T R I T R I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

TRITITRI

g----0-0---0---0-0-|-
d----0---------0---|-
G--0-0-------0-0---|-
D--------0---------|-
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
   T R I T I T R I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

You can try two-measure continuous pattern with the second measure starting with index finger:

TRITRITR|ITRITR_I

g----0-0---0-0---0-|-0---0-0---0---0-|-
d----0-----0-----0-|-----0-----0-----|-
G--0-0-----0-----0-|---0-0-----0-----|-
D--------0-----0---|---------0-------|-
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |_|  _|
   T R I T R I T R   I T R I T R   I
count:
   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

LISTEN

Note - do not practice these syncopated measures only, but also your ability to get back to the basic rhythm.