Ok- the basic Clawhammer stroke can be performed as follows:

1. The fingers are curled and the thumb is extended as if you are hitching a ride. Don't curl the fingers tightly.

2. Slightly extend the second finger, this is going to be the finger you strike the strings with. If it is hard to use this finger, many clawhammer players will use the index finger instead. I have learned to use either finger, and it helps when a nail breaks. Many players think the index finger sounds harsher than the second finger (I tend to agree). Try both ways and use whichever you prefer.

3. On the first beat, swing the entire hand from the elbow and wrist, allowing the fingernail to contact the string and pick through until the string sounds (pick the note). DO NOT flick at the string with the finger, it should remain motionless and the arm and wrist should provide the power to make the stroke. The tendency is to try to "flick" at the string with the finger, and must be avoided. Practice.

4. As the finger sounds the note, the thumb should come to rest on the 5th string, but not sound it.

5. Swing the arm and hand back into the starting position.

6. Using the nail on the picking finger, swing the arm down and strum the 4 lower strings (1-4), allowing the thumb to come to rest on the 5th string.

7. On the half-beat (&), rotate the wrist slightly out as you return to the starting position, allowing the thumb to pluck the 5-th string.

8. Repeat the procedure.

I suggest practicing this until you can do it consistently on the first string, then the second string, then alternate strings (1,2,1,2...).

A simple practice song is "Skip To My Lou", which is tabbed out below:

Note: this uses the first, second, and third strings for the melody, and is a straight clawhammer, i.e., Note, Brush-Thumb, Note, Brush-thumb, until the final two measures.

   SKIP TO MY LOU
    (Traditional)

TablEdited by Fred Bradbury
Tuning : G D G B D 	Time Signature: 4/4

 G

 |       |       |       |         
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0-------0-------0-------|
|0-------0---------------0-------|0-------0---------------0-------|
|--------0-------0-------0-------|--------0---------------0-------|
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0---------------0-------|
|------------0---------------0---|------------0---------------0---|
 Skip   to  my  dar-    lin',     Skip    to my   Lou,
 
 D7
    
 |       |       |       |        |       |       |       |        
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0-------0-------0-------|
|1-------1---------------1-------|1-------1---------------1-------|
|--------2-------2-------2-------|--------2---------------2-------|
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0---------------0-------|
|------------0---------------0---|------------0---------------0---|
 Skip    to  my dar-    lin',     Skip    to  my  Lou,

 G

 |       |       |       |        |       |       |       |        
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0-------0-------0-------|
|0-------0---------------0-------|0-------0---------------0-------|
|--------0-------0-------0-------|--------0---------------0-------|
|--------0---------------0-------|--------0---------------0-------|
|------------0---------------0---|------------0---------------0---|
 Skip    to  my  dar-   lin',     Skip    to  my  Lou,



 |       |       |       |        |       |       |       |        
|--------------------------------|--------0---------------0-------|
|--------0h--1---0---------------|--------0---------------0-------|
|2-----------------------2-------|0-------0-------0-------0-------|
|--------------------------------|--------0---------------0-------|
|--------------------------------|------------0---------------0---|
 Skip    to  my  Lou,    My       Dar-    lin.

Created with TablEdit http://www.tabledit.com/