Bradbury snap and Pajama Dance

[Jody Stecher]

One virtue of this book that is that.... so far..... with each subsequent musical exercise or titled banjo solo Bradbury adds just enough new notational devices and the techniques they represent to keep the student alert but without overwhelming the student with too many new things.   It's just right. Just enough to keep the mind alert and the hands busy.

Next I came to the snap and its application in Pajama Dance. All well and good except for the categorical statement that an F to D snap on the first string is done with the 4th finger. In all cases in this three part banjo solo the snap could be done with the 3rd finger. In my opinion the 3rd finger makes more sense because in first position F is gotten with that finger, so why substitute the little finger for the more obvious finger?  

Bradbury seems to favor the 4th finger for F in other contexts as well. Perhaps it is because he prescribes that finger for that note in the G7 and F major chord. In my own banjo playing I do that sometimes, but sometimes the 3rd finger instead. It depends on context. While using this tutor of course I use the indicated finger.

[Joel Hooks]

I'm not certain, but as I understand it the instruction for the 4th finger snap is specific to this piece and exercise (not nesscarary an always mandate).  My guess is that he is conditioning the student to play the G7 chord with 2 and 4 which, in my experience, is the usual best way (exceptions will always apply).  I can see that by having one play "Pajama Dance" and snapping with the fourth he is programming the brain to hold chord positions as well as strengthen the 4th finger and improve dexterity. 

I mostly, but don't always, agree with Bradbury's LH fingering.  In the section "The Key of E Minor" he writes "This is best for the average hand and good intonation" in reference to the chords. 

Cleary he was considering how the hand lays with chord shapes as well as how it affects the intonation (I'm guessing that has to do with how the fingers press close to the frets?).

That said, Bradbury was playing Bacon Silver Bells which have a 26" scale, on the small side, which might have been a factor. 

[Jody Stecher]

Yes, coordinating melodic fingering with chord fingering is a likely explanation for prescribing the 4th finger for F natural in certain contexts.  

"Intonation" refers to accuracy of pitch.  On a fretless instrument the choice of fingers in making an E minor chord will affect the intonation. On a fretted instrument it will not. I wonder if Bradbury is using "intonation" to mean clarity of tone.