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  #31  
Old 05-25-2017, 08:23 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Niko Nixon View Post
JonPR. I'm new to fingerstyle and I understand your examples even though I can't play them all yet but what do you mean by syncopated? ?..
It means an accent played before a beat instead of on it. Sometimes called an anticipation.
Here's those patterns I posted, in pairs to show how it works:
Code:
 1   2   3   4    1   2   3   4    
|----------------|3---------------|
|----------0-----|----------0-----|
|------0---------|------0---------|
|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
|----------------|----------------|
|3-------3-------|3-------3-------|
.
 1   2   3   4    1   2   3   4    
|--------------3-|----------------|
|----------0-----|----------0-----|
|------0---------|------0---------|
|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
|----------------|----------------|
|3-------3-------|3-------3-------|
In the first one you can see that the top string "3" falls right on beat 1 (in second bar). Naturally, while you hold the chord shape, the note will sustain.
The second example shows that note brought forward. It will sustain across the barline, and sound like beat 1 anticipated. Or at least it will if accented.
You could argue that all he finger strokes (aside from the top G in the first example) are syncopations because they fall between the beats. But you'd only really get the effect if you accented them, because the bass is still solid on the beat. If you happened to miss out one of the bass notes (especially beat 1 or 3) then you would get a much clearer sense of syncopation:
Code:
 1   2   3   4    1   2   3   4    
|--------------3-|----------------|
|----------0-----|----------0-----|
|------0---------|------0---------|
|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
|----------------|----------------|
|3-------3-------|--------3-------|
Now, because there is no note at all on beat 1 of bar 2, that final top G in bar 1 will definitely sound like beat 1 of bar 2 brought forward. In this one:
Code:
 1   2   3   4    1   2   3   4    
|--------------3-|----------------|
|----------0-----|----------0-----|
|------0---------|------0---------|
|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
|----------------|----------------|
|3---------------|3-------3-------|
- it would be the open 3rd string after beat 2 that sounds like a syncopation of beat 3, because the bass note on beat 3 is missing.
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  #32  
Old 06-04-2017, 08:15 PM
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Cypress Knee Cypress Knee is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lowrider View Post
Question for all of you finger-style converts. Did you go completely over to the dark side or do you still play with a pick?
I play many songs with a flatpick and fingers. I saw John Denver and Michael Murphey doing on the Johnny Carson Show, then saw John Fogerty playing leads that way.

You convert your thumb and index finger holding the pick into the alternating bass thumb pattern, and use your middle and ring fingers to pick melody notes on the trebles.

That way you can switch between strumming/flatpicking/fingerpicking seamlessly.

I will also wrap my index finger around the base of my thumbpick and convert it into a flatpicking tool.

CK
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  #33  
Old 08-16-2017, 10:48 AM
jfq722 jfq722 is offline
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That's Cross-picking - very tough for me. I can't Travis THAT way, but I'll alternate bass with the pick combined with strumming the higher strings.

For Travis picking I need either a thumbpick or none at all.
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  #34  
Old 08-17-2017, 07:20 PM
macmanmatty macmanmatty is offline
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my fingerpicking learning time schedule

year one: strum basic chords.

year two: strum basic and barre chords

year three: strum and pick a barre and open chords using a flat pick get better at barre chords.


year four: pick with fingers but no thumb . get better with complex barre chords.

year five: pick 4/4 with fingers and thumb with bass get one note per bar.

year six: get better at picking songs and learn music theory now some have 2 bass notes per bar in finger picking them in 4/4 time.

year seven: learn to cross pick songs in 4/4 3/4 and other times using alternating bass with patterned rhythm high notes.

year eight: learn to add / play the melody of the song with fingers while keeping an alternating bass . Discover open D tuning.


year nine: get better at playing the melody while playing alternating bass. Get better with playing in open D. Can now make / quickly change to any chord shape that my fingers allow me to make .

year ten: learn to play patterned or strummed bass with bass getting 4 notes or 2 notes and two down strokes per bar in 4/4 time while fingers play the melody or rhythm parts and melody as well

year eleven: ????
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  #35  
Old 12-07-2019, 08:14 AM
biotechmgr biotechmgr is offline
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Thanks for the perspectives.
Been strumming, flatpicking 3 years, thought I would fingerpick. I say to my teacher: Ready to learn a new song, he says Dust in the Wind. Travis picking.
I gulp and say ok, I like that song.

4 weeks later, I am Travis picking.
Not fast, but basic pattern at 50% speed.

It's the chord changes with the picking that are the new muscle memory challenge.
But it's a great new journey.
And, teacher says I am not a real guitarist until I learn
DITW
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  #36  
Old 12-07-2019, 01:25 PM
Pitar Pitar is offline
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How long? Answer: How bad do you want it?
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  #37  
Old 12-07-2019, 03:17 PM
Laughingboy68 Laughingboy68 is offline
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I have played dozens of songs for decades using my own fingerpicking style. I often use a lazier thumb pattern.

Just this week, I started to refine a few with a more disciplined Travis picking style. I have been meaning to do this for years, but often got frustrated with the need for the right hand to almost be on autopilot. I’m finally getting over the hump.

It seems that Bruce Cockburn’s Wondering Where the Lions Are was the piece that finally clicked it in for me. I’ve been playing this particular song with a more syncopated rhythm for at least 20 years, but Travis picking really establishes the bounce that drives the tune.
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