Finger pickers.

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64Firebird

64Firebird

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How long did it take you to be proficient at finger picking? I've been working on it off and on for about 3 years and I'm happy with my progress, but playing triplets on the top and shuffled 8th on the bottom is killing me.
 
I don't know what the hell you just said but it took me about 2 years to feel really good about my finger picking. I had already been playing for some time though....
 
About a year to be able to do the Merle Travis thing (to make my thumb play bass regardless of what my fingers were doing). Another year to were I could do improvs.
 
I haven't attempted Travis picking yet, although I'm sure that I will. I guess it's sort of like learning to ride a bycycle, one day you can just do it.
 
Exactly. After butchering it for so long, one day the light just came on.
 
You know what is funny the guy who I orinionally took lessions from did nothing but finger picking. I am still learning the trade, and a pick was a new thing to me
 
I remember working through the James Taylor, Neil Young, and Gordon Lightfoot fake books for a couple of years before it came naturally.

Somewhere along the way my three finger technique turned into two fingers.
 
WOW TWO fingers, I use all five. You must have very strong fingers, espically on higher tempoed tunes, Do you write your own material Phyl?
 
It took me a year of fingerpicking only after years of doing it on and off. I said one day, I am going to learn how to do this once and for all and I locked up all my picks. After a year I would say I was decent, but still am working on the technique. Most recently, new patterns, and the starting/stopping of notes, and better muting. I actually have also begun using a pick again, when called for as it has a very distinct sound, and I also didn't want to completely unlearn it.

Having said all that, I probably don't have the "proper" technique. My thumb isn't set to only the 5th/6th string, and I often plant my pinky on the high e string, unless I and playing it, where then my hand floats.
 
Mocharock-

I've got a few fingerpicking tunes in work. At my pace it takes me months to get something ready to post. There's a little picking on this one...http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1892&alid=-1

I've tried for years to get more than two fingers ( actually thumb and forefinger) going at the same time but haven't made much progress.

What sort of people did you study when working on your technique?
 
I'm actually using pick and fingers, this just fells more natural to me after playing for so long with a pick only. I've always done a little finger picking, like for blues turnarounds and such, but now I'm trying to go all the way with it.

I'm trying to learn from those pre-war blues guys like Lightin Hopkins and Lonnie Johnson among others. I really love that sound of those bent miner 3rds and 7ths over the palm muted bass notes. Just too cool.

(edit) I just listening to your song Phyl, very pretty.
 
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I've been into fingerstyle playing since I first started when I was 13 or so. For me, the biggest break throughs came from diligence. You need to approach fingerpicking like anything else... in steps. I suggest learning some simple tunes that use consistant patterns without much embelishment. Then slowly work your way into the more complicated stuff. Also, maybe take a dip into non-pattern based tunes and open/alternate tunings. Here's a song by song approach I used to use when I taught.

Dust in the Wind - same pattern throughout. Basic Travis picking.

Landslide - pretty much the same pattern, but the live version adds a lot of embelishment. The live solo section is easier than it sounds and will be a good confidence builder.

Leader of the Band - Dan Fogelberg really does a nice job with the intro. It does take a bit of work and I use my thumb in there as well. If you can play the intro, you're getting pretty good.

Little Martha and Embryonic Journey are a couple of easy ones that sound harder than they really are. Open tunings kick ass.

Bron Y Aur - Jimmy Page kicks ass in this easier than it sounds piece. It uses a pretty modal sounding tuning that will open up lots of creative ideas.

Midsummer Daydream - Rik Emmet uses a simple pattern and lots of lead type playing.

Here Comes the Sun, Yesterday, Blackbird... you get the idea.

For some kick ass non-pattern type tunes, check out Ed Gerhard, Bill Mize, Adrian Legg, Don Ross, and William Ackerman.

I have a couple of samples of my playing fingerstyle posted. Check out Tennessee and Sansamp Acoustic DI sample. Mediterranean Slide is a fingerstyle piece with a slide.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1749&alid=-1


Best of luck! Fingerpicking kicks ass!!!!
 
Phyl said:
Mocharock-

I've got a few fingerpicking tunes in work. At my pace it takes me months to get something ready to post. There's a little picking on this one...http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1892&alid=-1

I've tried for years to get more than two fingers ( actually thumb and forefinger) going at the same time but haven't made much progress.

What sort of people did you study when working on your technique?
Click to expand...

phyl, that was awesome. post more.
 
I've been figer picking for about 7 years now. Started out with Dust inthe wind and then started learning some bluegrass stuff. I was inspired by a Leo Kotke tape my aunt sent me, and the movie Deliverence. HaHa.
 
JR#97, thanks for the advice, but as far as Travis picking goes, I'm still trying to play Chuck Berry's Mabellean. I'm trying to play more of a bluesier style, like I said before, shuffled 8th notes on the bottom and triplets on the top. Muddy Waters kind of stuff. Bluegrass and country music holds little appeal for me at all. I like it, I just don't care to play it.
 
JR, for me it was the Larry Logger Two Step by Skunk Baxter (Doobie Bros.). Parts of the tune your thumb has to keep that "Merle" bass going and the other fingers are doing something else alltogether. Sort of like patting your head and rubbing your tummy, walking and chewing gum all at the same time. I've played with finger picks, without picks, now I use a thumb pick only with bare fingers. I feel I get the best balance between bass and accompaniment.
 
I learned fingerpicking with Leo Kotke and John Fahey tunes,American delta style with thumb and two fingers.The tough stuff is classical guitar though,ala the Spanish music of Sor,Tarrega,Coste,Aguado et al.
Banjo picking is very unusual,more foreward and backward rolls than the alternating picking guitarists use.
 
64Firebird said:
JR#97, thanks for the advice, but as far as Travis picking goes, I'm still trying to play Chuck Berry's Mabellean. I'm trying to play more of a bluesier style, like I said before, shuffled 8th notes on the bottom and triplets on the top. Muddy Waters kind of stuff. Bluegrass and country music holds little appeal for me at all. I like it, I just don't care to play it.
Click to expand...

Well, Travis picking can give you a pretty good foundation for doing just about everything else. It doesn't haven't to be country or bluegrass. I do a delta slide piece that uses a few hints of travis picking. Anywho, the point was that those tunes based on travis picking help in giving you a solid thumb and the ability to work around a bass line. Maybe check out some Stefan Grossman instructional materials.
 
IMO you ain't heard fingerstyle until you've heard Laurence Juber. I've seen him twice and was absolutely floored both times. In fact, after I saw him the first time I stopped playing electric completely for about a year just so I could learn to play acoustic fingerstyle.
His use of altered tunings and his songwriting and composition skills are amazing. I'm sure the years he spent at McCartney's side didn't hurt in that department.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
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