What is the Galax Lick?

ByJody
guy playing banjo. close up of right hand

Definite Guide to the Galax Lick

What is the Galax Lick?

The Galax Lick is a clawhammer banjo technique commonly found throughout old-time music.  It gets it’s name from the Southwestern town of Galax, Virginia.  You can use this right-hand pattern to break up the monotony of the more common bum-ditty, drop thumb, and other basic frailing techniques.

  It usually consists of two components:

  • Two eight notes or a triplet done with a brush of the index finger straight down
  • Two fifth strings in a row done by the thumb (A double thumb).  Quarter notes

Galax Lick Examples With TAB

banjo tablature demonstrating the galax lick

Example #1

In the first example, the double thumb occurs on beat three of the measure.   The open 2nd and 1st strings that precede it are both played by the INDEX finger of the right-hand.  As the index drags down the strings, it is important that the thumb comes along for the ride and rests on the fifth string, ready to play it.

Example #2

In the second example of the galax lick, the double thumb begins on beat one.  It is preceded by a triplet brush on the fourth beat of a measure.  Just drag your index finger down from the 3rd string to the 1st string.  This is a super common version of the galax lick.   The trick here is to get the timing right with your triplet, making sure that your thumb hits right on beat one without delay.

Example in Sugar Hill

Check out my version of Sugar Hill to hear it in action.  In the second section, around the 0.40 mark.  This song and the corresponding TAB can be found in my Beginner Clawhammer Book.  You can purchase this in my store or on my ETSY BANJO BOOKS page.

 

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Professional musician and educator of 27 years. I've played Banjo and Acoustic Guitar on the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Grand Ole Opry, and The Ryman Auditorium. 4X winner of the Georgia State banjo and flatpick guitar competitions. My banjo playing was featured in the "A Waltons Thanksgiving" movie.

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