Do I need to know how to read music to play clawhammer banjo?
Clawhammer banjo, like many folk traditions, is learned primarily by ear rather than through written music. While tablature can be a helpful learning aid, developing your ear is a more natural and lasting way to make music.
Published:
June 1, 2025
Updated:
July 22, 2025
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Like many folk traditions, clawhammer banjo players rely mainly on their ears and not their eyes when making music. This is unlike classical music, where printed sheet music tells the musician exactly what to play.
There is a form of written notation, known as tablature, that is used as a learning aid (click here for an article and video on how to read banjo tab).
The vast majority of musicians in the course of human history have and still do use their imagination and their ears to guide their music making, rather than the printed page. Anyone can learn to do this, and it is a much more natural way to make music.
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