Transform into a confident clawhammer player with my neuroscience-backed method
Imagine playing the banjo effortlessly, creating music that’s true to you, in a way that feels as natural as speaking. All you need to do is learn the right stroke, build a solid rhythm, and get the tools to pick up on chords and melodies with ease—let me give you the insider tricks.
My neuroscience-backed approach is based on how brains naturally learn, making it intuitive and enjoyable to develop a knack for clawhammer. Frustrated with tab memorization and complex tutorials? Complete beginner? This path is for you.
WISH YOU WERE A CLAWHAMMERIST, BUT ...
Don’t know where to start?
Can’t progress past a few songs?
Have no musical experience?
Feel too old to start learning?
You're not alone. I can help!
👋🏼 HEY! I'M DR. JOSH TURKNETT
Nice to meet you! I’m a neuroscientist and banjo enthusiast! With two decades of experience in cognitive optimization and neuroplasticity, I’ve spent years studying how our brains learn best. But I also struggled when I first took up the banjo just like thousands of others.
If you’ve tried learning but hit a wall, or simply don’t even think it’s worth trying… I get it. I used to memorize tabs and tutorials, but I felt like a parrot, repeating notes without understanding. That’s when I revisited the latest language-learning studies and applied those principles to my practice. This quick adjustment to the way I practiced transformed my playing, unlocked my fluency, and allowed me to finally ENJOY my playing.
Since, I’ve developed a simplified, step-by-step online course based on this approach that ANYONE can follow.
Build fingerstyle skills with a clear, proven roadmap
These core principles will set you up for steady progress and satisfying music-making from your very first practice session:
Master the mighty thumb
Build a strong foundation by mastering each stroke component individually—the hammer strike, strum, thumb pluck, and thumb rest—before putting it all together.
Don't memorize tabs
Lead sheets give the basic blueprint for songs’ chords and melody. Use this to practice each part in chunks, progressing only when you can correctly hear the notes.
Scale your syncopation
Experiment with skip strokes and give your playing a whole new sound with the Goldilocks Principle—so you’re always challenged but never overwhelmed. I’ll show you how!
Break through your banjo struggles with a structured path
Here are the tenents that will put you on the fast track to success and fun from your first practice session:
Prioritize the rhythm
Build a strong foundation by mastering each stroke component individually—the hammer strike, strum, thumb pluck, and thumb rest—before putting it all together.
Don't memorize tabs
Lead sheets give the basic blueprint for songs’ chords and melody. Use this to practice each part in chunks, progressing only when you can correctly hear the notes.
Scale your syncopation
Experiment with skip strokes and give your playing a whole new sound with the Goldilocks Principle—so you’re always challenged but never overwhelmed. I’ll show you how!
Build fingerstyle skills with a proven roadmap
These core principles will set you up for steady progress and satisfying music-making from your very first practice session:
Master the mighty thumb
Your thumb drives both melody and fifth-string drone in fingerstyle. Learn the right pick fit, clean note production, and build the simple foundation that sets up every technique to come.
Layer chords and embellishments
Learn the three chords that unlock thousands of songs and add simple embellishments and picking patterns to get the classic rolling banjo sound.
Train your ear from day one
Follow a proven sequence to learn how to pick out melodies and chord changes by ear —so you can break free from tab and make playing feel as natural as talking, just like the pros.
One path to three picking styles
2-finger thumb lead and old-time 3-finger style are ideal for solo playing and playing and singing. They’re also perfect stepping stones for 3-finger Scruggs style, which means you get all the classic fingerstyles with one learning path!
The 3 secrets you need to master the basics and make music your own!
Here are the tenets that will put you on the fast track to success and fun from your first practice session:
Prioritize the rhythm
Build a strong foundation by mastering each stroke component individually—the hammer strike, strum, thumb pluck, and thumb rest—before putting it all together.
Don't memorize tabs
Lead sheets give the basic blueprint for songs’ chords and melody. Use this to practice each part in chunks, progressing only when you can correctly hear the notes.
Scale your syncopation
Experiment with skip strokes and give your playing a whole new sound with the Goldilocks Principle—so you’re always challenged but never overwhelmed. I’ll show you how!
The step-by-step plan that makes banjo click
Prepares students for the course by teaching the basic fundamentals of playing clawhammer banjo; Focuses on beginner hand shape, placement, and strumming techniques
- Breakthrough Banjo: Orientation
- Holding the Banjo
- The Picking Hand
- The Fretting Hand
- Putting It All Together
- The Banjo Tune Learnin'g System
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students chord shapes in the key of G.
Students are encouraged to learn level 1 & 2 arrangements for 8 different songs; while the primary focus is on level 1 arrangements and remembering finger placement for chords.
- Welcome
- Learn: Chords in Standard G
- The Practice: "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" Hand
- Practice: "Foggy Mountain Top"
- Practice: "Bury Me Beneath the Willow"
- Practice: "You Are My Sunshine"
- Practice: "Oh Susanna"
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches the concept of Drop Thumb.
Students are practicing with a series of picking exercises with different BPMs, that is followed up by Drop Thumb drills.
- Welcome
- Learn: Drop Thumb Without Tears
- Practice with Tune Tutorials
- Practice with Drop Thumb Drills
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students how to play in Double C tuning.
Students will pracitice 4 songs at levels 2 and 3. After completing practice students will learn about utilizing a capo.
- Welcome
- Learn: Double C Tuning
- Practice "Soldier's Joy"
- Practice "Angelina Baker"
- Practice "Spotted Pony"
Teaches students the fundamentals of hearing chord changes.
- Welcome
- Learn: Playing By Ear & Hearing Chord Changes
- Practice Hearing Chord Changes
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students how to strip down any song to hear the melody and find the notes on their own.
Students will be able to learn and retain information throughout the course in a more efficient manner with this skill.
- Welcome
- Learn: Playing By Ear & Finding the Melody
- Practice Finding the Melody: "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss"
- Practice Finding the Melody: "Johnny Don't Get Drunk"
- Practice Finding the Melody: "Mole in the Ground"
- Practice: "Sugarhill"
- Practice "Johnny Don't Get Drunk"
- Practice "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss"
- Practice "Mole in the Ground"
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students how to independently create their own arrangements by ear.
- Welcome
- Learn: Playing By Ear & Building an Arrangement
- Practice: Arrange "Soldier's Joy"
- Practice: Arrange "Old Joe Clark"
- Practice: Arrange "Jingle Bells"
- Practice: Arrange "Cripple Creek"
- Practice: Arrange "Arkansas Traveler"
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students to add rhythmic interest using syncopated skips.
Students will practice this technique through 6 different excercises.
- Welcome
- Learn: Syncopation
- Practice "Cripple Creek"
- Practice "Johnny Don't Get Drunk"
- Practice "Fortune"
- Practice "Sandy River Belle"
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students how to play and sing at the same time.
Students will be learning with both Standard G and Double C tuning through the 5 practice songs.
- Welcome
- Learn: Playing & Singing
- Practice: "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
- Practice: "Foggy Mountain Top"
- Practice: "Bury Me Beneath the Willow"
- Practice: "You Are My Sunshine"
- Practice: "Oh Susanna"
- Review & Next Steps
Teaches students how to build a complete clawhammer arrangement through demonstration.
Students will practice creating their own complete clawhammer arragnement through tune excercises.
- Welcome
- Learn: Playing by Ear - How to Complete a Clawhammer Arrangement
- Practice: Instructions for this module's exercise
- Practice: "Missippi Sawyer" in D Major
- Practice: "New Five Cent Piece" in D Major
- Practice: "St. Anne's Reel" in D Major
- Practice: "Liberty" in D Major
- Practice: "Dinah" in A Tunes
- Practice: "Dull Chisel" in A Major
- Practice: "Old Mother Flanagan" in A Major
- Practice: "Shove that Pig's Foot a Little Further into the Fire" in G Major
- Practice: "Golden Slippers" in G Major
- Review & Next Steps
Reviews techniques learned in previous modules.
Teaches the Essentials of Music Theory for the Clawhammer Banjoist, how to use a capo, and a series of practice tunes for practicing the backup technique.
- Welcome
- Learn: Clawhammer Backup
- Watch: "Game of Thrones" Demo
- Watch: "Alabama Jubilee" Demo
- Watch: "The Chipmunks Christmas Song" Demo
- Review
Enjoy 285 extra song tutorials all rated by difficulty according to the modules
Want to always have songs to learn no matter what level you’re at? Welcome to The Vault. This organized collection of 285 extra songs includes video demos, lead sheets, and difficulty ratings so you can always find extra music (of all genres) to learn at any point in the modules.
Plus, get a bonus course (worth $250) for free with your membership today!
Deep Dive Series
Get 5 extra modules to explore different styles and tunings for free when you buy today! Worth $250, this Deep Dive series will supply you with intense knowledge for: Old Time Banjo & Alternative Tunings, Round Peak Banjo, Adam Hurt, Grandpa Jones, and the fDGCD Tuning.
Over 22 hours of bonus instruction
Learn dozens of songs in different styles, step-by-step
Limited-time bonus!
One simple clawhammer method, three ways to join
Annual Membership
Best value for steady progress and structured skill-building.
Monthly Membership
Cancel anytime
Perfect for building fluency on your own terms.
Lifetime Membership
One-time payment
30-day money-back guarantee
Where fluency turns to freedom
Versatile instruction
Whether you’re new to banjo or feeling stuck, our unique methods simplify complex techniques, focusing on rhythmic mastery and ear training, so you’ll feel confident at every stage.
Steady progress
With the Goldilocks method, you’ll always practice at the right level for you—never too easy, never too hard— allowing you to progress quickly and have fun doing it!
Proven structure
Based on key research about how brains learn best, our step-by-step curriculum provides clear, progressive modules—you’ll know exactly what to practice and when.
An instructor who cares
With years of experience as a neuroscientist, banjo player, and teacher, I’m here to help you play fluently and enjoy every moment of it.
Dedicated support team
Once you enroll, you'll get access to our dedicated support staff for every step of your journey to answer any and all of your questions.
Access from any device
No complex tools needed. Access your lessons from any device, anywhere…just grab your banjo and start learning!
Where fluency turns to freedom
Versatile instruction
Whether you’re new to banjo or feeling stuck, our unique methods simplify complex techniques, focusing on rhythmic mastery and ear training, so you’ll feel confident at every stage.
Steady progress
With the Goldilocks method, you’ll always practice at the right level for you—never too easy, never too hard— allowing you to progress quickly and have fun doing it!
Proven structure
Based on key research about how brains learn best, our step-by-step curriculum provides clear, progressive modules—you’ll know exactly what to practice and when.
An instructor who cares
With years of experience as a neuroscientist, banjo player, and teacher, I’m here to help you play fluently and enjoy every moment of it.
Dedicated support team
Once you enroll, you'll get access to our dedicated support staff for every step of your journey to answer any and all of your questions.
Access from any device
No complex tools needed. Access your lessons from any device, anywhere…just grab your banjo and start learning!
Where fluency turns to freedom
Versatile instruction
Whether you’re new to banjo or feeling stuck, our unique methods simplify complex techniques, focusing on rhythmic mastery and ear training from the very start, so you’ll feel confident at every stage.
Steady progress
With the Goldilocks method, you’ll always practice at the right level for you—never too easy, never too hard— allowing you to progress quickly and have fun doing it!
Proven structure
Based on key research about how brains learn best, our step-by-step curriculum provides clear, progressive modules—you’ll know exactly what to practice and when.
An instructor who cares
With years of applying brain science to help thousands realize their banjo-playing dreams, I’m here to help you do the same and enjoy every moment of it.
Dedicated support team
Once you enroll, you'll get access to our dedicated support staff for every step of your journey to answer any and all of your questions.
Access from any device
No complex tools needed. Access your lessons from any device, anywhere…just grab your banjo and start learning!
Equip yourself for a lifetime of jamming
Versatile instruction
Whether you’re new to banjo or feeling stuck, our unique methods simplify complex techniques, focusing on rhythmic mastery and ear training, so you’ll feel confident at every stage.
Steady progress
With the Goldilocks method, you’ll always practice at the right level for you—never too easy, never too hard— allowing you to progress quickly and have fun doing it!
Proven structure
Based on key research about how brains learn best, our step-by-step curriculum provides clear, progressive modules—you’ll know exactly what to practice and when.
An instructor who cares
With years of experience as a neuroscientist, banjo player, and teacher, I’m here to help you play fluently and enjoy every moment of it.
Dedicated support team
Once you enroll, you'll get access to our dedicated support staff for every step of your journey to answer any and all of your questions.
Access from any device
No complex tools needed. Access your lessons from any device, anywhere…just grab your banjo and start learning!
Breakthrough Banjo Clawhammer vs. online memberships and in-person classes
You could be conquering advanced techniques and training your ear for less than half of what our competitors will charge you. Don't worry, we did the math.
Become fluent in clawhammer online—no experience or savvy needed
Learning to do anything completely online can be intimidating... and the truth is, most websites just don't live up to the hype. That's why we built one ourselves from the ground up—after months of student research, of course. The result? Online banjo lessons that aren't just easy to use, but fun to use, too.
💻 Integrated material
From video lessons, to lead sheets, and extra written resources, everything you need is available at your fingertips—no need to worry about shipping or waiting for materials to arrive.
🎶 Easy access to all your content
Your professionally recorded lessons will cater to your needs in a private online environment that is easy to access from any device. Once enrolled, the content is yours to keep for life.
🪕 Direct support & feedback
You can submit questions directly to myself and the support team easily on the online platform. On average, we respond to questions within 20 minutes.
Become fluent in fingerstyle online—no experience or savvy needed
Learning to do anything completely online can be intimidating... and the truth is, most websites just don't live up to the hype. That's why we built one ourselves from the ground up—after months of student research, of course. The result? Online banjo lessons that aren't just easy to use, but fun to use, too.
💻 Integrated material
From video lessons, to lead sheets, and extra written resources, everything you need is available at your fingertips—no need to worry about shipping or waiting for materials to arrive.
🎶 Easy access to all your content
Your professionally recorded lessons will cater to your needs in a private online environment that is easy to access from any device. Once enrolled, the content is yours to keep for life.
🪕 Direct support & feedback
You can submit questions directly to myself and the support team easily on the online platform. On average, we respond to questions within 20 minutes.
Become fluent in clawhammer online—no experience or savvy needed
Learning to do anything completely online can be intimidating... and the truth is, most websites just don't live up to the hype. That's why we built one ourselves from the ground up—after months of student research, of course. The result? Online banjo lessons that aren't just easy to use, but fun to use, too.
💻 Integrated material
From video lessons, to lead sheets, and extra written resources, everything you need is available at your fingertips—no need to worry about shipping or waiting for materials to arrive.
🎶 Easy access to all your content
Your professionally recorded lessons will cater to your needs in a private online environment that is easy to access from any device. Once enrolled, the content is yours to keep for life.
🪕 Direct support & feedback
You can submit questions directly to myself and the support team easily on the online platform. On average, we respond to questions within 20 minutes.
Start your banjo journey today!
One simple clawhammer method, three ways to join
Annual Membership
Best value for steady progress and structured skill-building.
Monthly Membership
Cancel anytime
Perfect for building fluency on your own terms.
Lifetime Membership
One-time payment
30-day money-back guarantee
FAQ
HOW DOES THIS CLASS WORK?
Once you’ve enrolled, you’ll have full access to all the clawhammer banjo lessons. Simply log into our online platform to find video tutorials, practice tracks, and song sheets. You can progress at your own speed while learning everything from foundational techniques to advanced arrangements. Get ready to embark on your banjo journey!
WHAT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS DO I NEED TO PLAY THE LESSONS?
Our platform is designed for simplicity and ease of use. There’s no need to download any complicated software. Just use a device with internet access—be it a tablet, smartphone, laptop, or desktop—and you're all set to dive into your lessons.
DO I NEED HIGH-SPEED INTERNET?
Yes, a high-speed connection will ensure smooth video playback and minimize any potential frustrations. Our support team is always available to assist you with any tech-related issues along the way.
DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO READ MUSIC TO LEARN BANJO?
No prior music knowledge is needed to start playing clawhammer banjo. Our lessons walk you through the basics step-by-step, giving you everything you need to build your skills from the ground up. Whether you’re fulfilling a lifelong dream or exploring a new hobby, you’ll find the course approachable and fun.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE PLAYING BANJO—IS THIS CLASS STILL RIGHT FOR ME?
Even if you have some banjo experience, this course can help you break through plateaus and take your playing to the next level. We offer structured guidance that’s perfect for refining your technique, mastering new skills, or deepening your understanding of the clawhammer style. Plus, you’ll have ongoing access to our expert support team throughout your journey.