Your Membership Includes
Learn Clawhammer Banjo And Find Your Sound
Every tune begins simple. I first teach a stripped-down version that contains nothing but the melody, the skeleton of the tune. Once you understand the melody, we'll explore a more advanced arrangement filled with drop thumbs, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, alternate string pull-offs, ghost notes, and other techniques. But here's the important part... The advanced arrangement isn't another piece to memorize. Think of it as a toolbox. Take the ideas you like. Leave the ones you don't. Mix them with the melody until the tune becomes your own. When you understand the core melody first, you can reshape the tune and walk in and out of the melody in new ways so that you're no longer dependent on someone else's arrangement. You gain the freedom to build one that's uniquely yours. The goal isn't to play exactly like me. The goal is to help you find your own sound.
My hope is that these lessons give you the confidence to walk into a jam session, sit down with friends, or simply enjoy making music on your own. When you're not playing, I hope you'll join the conversation in our member forum, where banjo players from around the world share ideas, ask questions, encourage one another, and celebrate the instrument we all love. Learning banjo isn't just about collecting songs, It's about finding your own voice and becoming part of a community.
3 Day Free Trial / Cancel Anytime
Interactive Video & Tablature
Clawhammer Banjo subscription includes:
3 Day Free Trial / Cancel Anytime
Lessons for the complete Beginner - Advanced
129 lesson videos / 60+ hours of banjo instruction with new tunes added every month!
Easy and hard versions of tunes with video instruction & tab
Monthly Live Lesson with Q&A
Video and tab integration! Set a custom tempo and loop measures so you can play and learn clawhammer banjo at your own speed
Note for Note transcriptions of classic masters like Kyle Creed, Hobart Smith, Tommy Jarrell, Wade Ward, Fred Cockerham, Esker Hutchins, Oscar Wright and more
Private chat forum- ask questions, share videos of your progress and talk banjo!
$20 / Month or $200 / year`
Upcoming Live Lessons 2026:
June - Red Prairie Dawn by Gary Harrison
July - Money In Both Pockets and Griffenfelt
August - The Ashplant Reel / calhoun swing - Learn songs to play and sing with your kids or grandkids
September - Tunes from West Virginia fiddler Melvin Wine
October - Salt Spring by John Reischman
November - Christmas Tunes!
December - Tommy Jarrell’s The Drunken Hiccups (Jack of Diamonds) & Bonus lesson - Making the change from Bluegrass / 3 finger to Clawhammer, Join the dark side!
January - How to install a skin head and adjust head tension
What They’re Saying
Check out our free clawhammer banjo beginner lessons series.
If you own a banjo and don’t know a thing about it, this is for you! These lessons cover everything you need to know to get started plus your first four tunes. Once you’re finished with this course check out our banjo lesson Subscription above for over 114 lesson videos / 56+ hours of banjo instruction with video tab integration!
Meet Your Instructor
For more than 26 years, Lukas Pool has dedicated his life to playing, teaching, and building banjos. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Lukas has gone on to teach at some of the world's most respected banjo and old-time music camps, including Sore Fingers Summer School, Midwest Banjo Camp, ABC , Banjo Camp North, Swannanoa Gathering, Suwannee Banjo Camp, and many others. Through his online lessons, workshops, and music camps, he has helped thousands of banjo players develop their skills and confidence.
Known for his innovative playing style and deep respect for tradition, Lukas continues to perform, build handcrafted banjos, and study traditional roots music. His unique combination of experience as a performer, instrument builder, and educator has earned him a reputation as one of today's leading contemporary clawhammer banjo players and teachers. Whether you're picking up a banjo for the very first time or looking to take your playing to the next level, Lukas is committed to helping you build a solid foundation, develop lasting musical skills, and enjoy every step of the journey.
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Can I cancel anytime? Yes. There are no long-term commitments, and you can cancel your membership at any time. To cancel, click the Sign Up / Log In or Members button in the bottom-right corner of any page on our website. This will take you to your member profile. From there, click Plans to view your subscription and cancel your membership.
Do I need any previous banjo experience? Not at all. The lessons start at the very beginning and are designed for complete beginners. You'll learn everything from tuning your banjo and reading tablature to playing your first songs, then continue all the way through our comprehensive Course to advanced clawhammer techniques.
What if I've been playing for years? The lesson library includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced material. Whether you're learning your first tune or studying classic players like Kyle Creed or Tommy Jarrell, there's plenty to keep you growing.
Are new lessons added? Yes! New tunes, techniques, and live classes are added regularly, so there's always something new to learn.
Will these lessons help me learn tunes by ear? Yes. One of the main goals of the course is to help you hear melodies, understand tune structure, and eventually learn and arrange tunes on your own, not just copy someone else's version.
What kind of banjo do I need? Any standard five-string banjo will work. Whether it's an inexpensive beginner instrument or a professional banjo, you can follow along with the lessons.