Few weeks ago I decided, that I will try to learn some Travis picking. It has been hard, but still rewarding. Here is short sample of where I am at the moment. It is mainly for myself, that I can look back after some months and see if I have made any progress
Practising Travis Picking
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 4:49 a.m. Jukka:
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 5:16 a.m. K-Wad:
Holy crap! You learned to do that in a couple of weeks?!!
It takes some of us years to get halfway to were you are.
What song is that? I like it.
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- Rated: 29 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 6:19 a.m. jetbunny:
I'm no way near 1/1000th of your talent.
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- Rated: 50 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 6:44 a.m. Richard Hudson:
Jukka, I'm impressed. I think you are going about it the right way in learning the bass lines and adding simple melody to go along with it. You are already developing good thumb and finger independence. One thing I would suggest is that you start using a thumb pick before you get too comfortable in what you are doing. As you start developing the rolls and single string lines, the thumb pick will help you define what you are doing.
You are doing just great. I hope you will keep us posted on your progress; and I really mean that. Good luck in what you are doing.
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- Rated: 41 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 9:09 a.m. bwallace1:
Alright, Cuz !!! that's pretty gooood ! I also took a peek at your other video clips that you had on there. I wish we could get together and do some jamming. you're a very talented musician. keep up the good work.
brent
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- Rated: 51 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 9:39 a.m. The Norm:
Definitely on the right track.
It's good to be able to play finger style with bare fingers but you'll get more snap to the bass notes if you use a thumbpick as Richard suggests. It can be a chore to get the thumb volume correct but I have a feeling you'll get the hang of it quicker than most.
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- Rated: 51 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 9:43 a.m. The Norm:
To digress a bit
I'm a believer in trimming and shaping the blade on thumpicks myself. I look at it this way..
Take a flatpick and run off a few notes then take a look at your thumb from the top.
Notice how much of the pick is sticking out past the edge of your thumb.
To me, the end of your thumb pick needn't be any longer than that and I shape mine accordingly...
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 9:58 a.m. Jukka:
Thanks for the kind words. I have been playing guitar for a long time, and I have tried some times before learn the "Chet Atkins" style, but I quickly gave up, because it felt just impossible. Now I decided to take it easy and slowly. Of course nowadays it is completely different, because it is so easy to find so many exercises and samples from the internet. So I just googled with Travis Picking and find many easy enough exercises to get me started.
Jetbunny, I don't believe you. It is just hard work and patience. My method is to practise often but shortly, just minute or two during the morning before I leave to work, then another 5 minutes when I got back to home, and time to time during the evening some short sessions. This way I have found that the "fingers" are forced to memorize the movements slowly.
The "song" is my simpified version of what I heard Brian Setzer playing (after 2:22) on the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=najQdStFXfo
and then I just made something up with "Albert Lee" chord progression.
Two weeks ago, this would have been impossible to me, but I think it sounds more difficult than what it really is. I am basically using the same picking pattern with just two chord shapes on different positions.
Thumb pick, yes I need to get one.
Richard, I watched you playing with Tommy Emmanuel on youtube, that was just great. Do you (or someone else) have recommendations of some easy songs with simple melody line for practise? I know I will be frustrated to try any Chet Atkins tune yet, but hopefully someday.
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- Rated: 22 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 10:04 a.m. gretschiam:
Great, Jukka. Gives one hope.
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- Rated: 50 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 10:23 a.m. jukebox:
I must be in the same class as you jetbunny. Jukka that was awsome!
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- Rated: 51 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 10:33 a.m. The Norm:
One of the easiest basic finger style songs to use for foundation is Freight Train.
Simple melody, easily done in C and in first position if you keep the melody simple and straight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PkUW4M7xE0&feature=related
is a good start, It can be played even simpler than this but it's a good starting song
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- Rated: 50 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 10:49 a.m. Richard Hudson:
Freight Train in simple form is a good one as Norm has suggested and also Merle Travis' I Am A Pilgrim in simple form. You're off to a great start Jukka. Keep up the good work man. You're gonna really enjoy this.
I have always contended that Buster B. Jones is one of the world's best fingerstyle teachers. If you get a chance to get some of his basic teaching videoes, I would highly recommend it. Old dogs like me had to learn it all the hard way; but there is just too much available to you out there now; so take advantage of it.
Good luck.
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- Rated: 16 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 10:56 a.m. Flynn:
Jukka... I believe that little piece at 2:22 that Setzer does sounds like James Burton's solo in 'Hello Mary Lou'.
And adding to The Norm's post... Freight Train is a great piece to try... the Mark Hanson Contemporary Travis Picking book has a very simple arrangement of it which is how I learned it.
I recently purchased the Thom Bresh DVD The Real Merle Travis Guitar - LIke Father Like Son which gives some great insight into how Merle Travis played and some of his chord forms. He wasn't trying to be very precise with his thumb the way Chet was. And he shows how he did it all with just his thumb and index finger!
adios
Flynn
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- Rated: 23 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 11:53 a.m. Shuggie101:
Just to pick up on what Norm said (no pun intended), I've been playing with thumb picks for years but never felt 100% happy with them - too long as Norm said and also, in the case of Dunlops, so stiff that you can't really feel the string. In addition the bass notes can sound out of balance with the quieter finger picked strings unless you're heel damping all the time.
Fred Kelly Speed Picks have solved all those problems for me. I bought two to try out, and promptly ordered another ten!
They do several models, but the Speed picks are the ones I like best.
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- Rated: 23 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 11:55 a.m. Shuggie101:
Just to pick up on what Norm said (no pun intended), I've been playing with thumb picks for years but never felt 100% happy with them - too long as Norm said and also, in the case of Dunlops, so stiff that you can't really feel the string. In addition the bass notes can sound out of balance with the quieter finger picked strings unless you're heel damping all the time.
Fred Kelly Speed Picks have solved all those problems for me. I bought two to try out, and promptly ordered another ten!
They do several models, but the Speed picks are the ones I like best.
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 2:14 p.m. K-Wad:
I tried the Speed Picks, but didn't care for the feel of them (plus they look like they are giving you "the finger"). The poly Slick Picks are now my all time favorite.
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 2:25 p.m. K-Wad:
This post has been deleted
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 2:26 p.m. K-Wad:
Duplicate post.....darn proxy error!!
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Jan 26, 2008 3:52 p.m. Jukka:
Thanks for the recommendations, I will check the Freight Train. I am quite excited about this, it is like learning to play guitar all over again.
One of the lessons I checked was by Thom Bresh (with an interesting interview)
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 10:19 a.m. Jukka:
Here is my video on youtube of what I got out of Freight Train at the moment. Not very accurate, but I am having fun (and making my family crazy :)
Freight Train -
- Rated: 50 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 10:44 a.m. jukebox:
Jukka, that sounded awful good to me ,now I'm going to have to sit down and do some practice.
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- Rated: 115 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 10:52 a.m. wenzel:
Jukka, you are awesome! I wish I could fingerpick that good. It's really frustrating to try and play like that when you can't. I am ok at it, but I need to learn how to play the alternating basslines with the treble strings. I just can't get my hand to do it. I can play alternating all day long without the melody going, but as soon as I try and put the two together with an alternating bassline I fall flat on my face. How do you do it or how did you get this good so fast? Any tips are welcome!
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- Rated: 51 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 11:30 a.m. The Norm:
Here's a suggestion...
Get (or suggest as a birthday present), 'The Guitar Of Chet Atkins'
It's an instructional DVD that may be a tad advanced but is a warm and wonderful study of the man as he explains how to play several songs. All done on his electric classic but still you get to watch his overall technique and learn some Major tricks.
You'll do just fine. Your thumb should improve as time goes on and that is the most critical and hardest to teach part of the process.
Also there is a program called "Tabledit" for which you can download a free player that can be used to play a lot of finger style stuff as worked out by others.
Good stuff out there...
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 2:57 p.m. Jukka:
Wenzel, I felt exactly the same about combining the bass line and the melody. It was like impossible magic trick or something. And I still feel the same when I listen the more complicated tunes.
I don't know if I can give any tips. Feels funny as I am just learning myself, but I can try to explain how I got where I am now.
In the beginning I did not concentrate on melody at all. I just tried to get my thumb working and other fingers somehow synchronized. I did exercises from these web pages
Travis ex1 Travis ex2 Travis ex3
I noticed that you can usually simplify the treble string picking to two cases, either you pick it simultaneously with the thumb or in the middle between the thumb picking. I am sure that this is not 100% true, but this assumption helped med as it limits playing (there is no need to randomly play with the treble strings). I just need to learn to pick the treble string together with the thumb and then between the thumb picks.
When I felt some confidence with the basic patterns presented on the exercises. I decided to try my first melody line. I found this video on youtube
It is using just one chord and something which can be called a short melody riff. I spent several days trying to play that, and it felt really difficult. But finally I could play, not exactly the same, but something similar. First, when I could play it slowly I then try to increase the speed. Now with this riff, I could make a simple song playing the same riff on different positions or combining it with those basic picking patterns (without melody).
Then later I did the same with the Brian Setzer clip, I just stole this riff for one chord and combined it with the rest I had learned. It may sound, like I had melody for the whole song, but I only have it actually for the first chord, and rest is just playing this another riff or plain chords on different positions. Also I am using very simple and familiar chord shapes.
For the Freight Train, I first learned the chords and just played "standard picking patterns" on those chords. Then I broke it into peaces and practised one chord or piece at a time. I think it as more like playing different chord shapes than really playing melody. As long as you play the right chords and the bass keeps going on, you can get away with it ;)
Of course to have this great Gretsch forum as a support is like an extra boost for practising.
Norm, I'll try to check that Chet Atkins DVD. Thanks for suggestions.
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- Rated: 29 ↑
Jan 27, 2008 8:20 p.m. jetbunny:
Whenever I try chickenpickin' I end up sounding like the dude in Dust In The WInd.
I have to slow more. Thanks for the links!
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