TRAVIS PICKING QUESTION

[Guitarplayer_PR]

We all know what the Travis Picking is; but my question is about the technique and fingers used. In my case, for some reason, instead of using the the thumb for both low strings in the pattern, I usually use thumb and index, and use the ring finger . . . A LOT. Would that be considered Travis picking or it's something else? BTW, I'm a natural left-handed person playing right-handed.

[martingitdave]

Travis, like me, had problems using his middle and ring finger for picking. He only used the thumb and index, according to accounts I've read. It's taught to better players using more of a classical technique with the other fingers.


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[guitar4fun]

I'm learning Travis picking from a couple of books right now (Hanson and Emery) and both suggest using the thumb for on the beat bass notes, and 2-3 fingers for the treble notes. For example, on a D chord, they say use the thumb for strings 4 and 3, and index and middle for 2 and 1 respectively. The thumb just helps get more "thump" going, especially if you use a thumb pick.

[rick-slo]

You can use all your fingers and still be "Travis" picking. It's is not that straightjacketed a term (to most people anyway). Basically the
skeleton is an alternating thumb on the bass strings in 4/4 time with often a bit of syncopation thrown in.

[RodB]

Some would define Travis Picking as anything with an alternating bass line, whilst others would have a narrower definition based on how Merle Travis actually played and therefore sounded. So some might say you Travis Pick, other would not - does it matter?

How we go about playing a piece - which fingers we use, and how we use them will change the texture of the music - the same notes will be accented differently, helping to give our own sound.

If you are using your thumb and index for just the 2 bass strings and ring finger for the rest I can imagine you have a fairly unusual texture to your sound, but also would expect you to run into a problem of speed and fluidity just relying on the one finger to cover the four strings. Potentially your thumb should be capable to do a lot more?

[srick]

Honestly, whatever works best and sounds best. I have found that when I use all three fingers plus thumb, I "muddy the waters". Thumb plus index and middle seems to work better for me.

Best,

Rick

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by RodB

Some would define Travis Picking as anything with an alternating bass line, whilst others would have a narrower definition based on how Merle Travis actually played and therefore sounded. So some might say you Travis Pick, other would not - does it matter?

How we go about playing a piece - which fingers we use, and how we use them will change the texture of the music - the same notes will be accented differently, helping to give our own sound.

If you are using your thumb and index for just the 2 bass strings and ring finger for the rest I can imagine you have a fairly unusual texture to your sound, but also would expect you to run into a problem of speed and fluidity just relying on the one finger to cover the four strings. Potentially your thumb should be capable to do a lot more?

Usually, my pattern goes something like this: thumb and ring/index/middle/thumb/ring/thumb. Sometimes, to create the sense of a melody within the pattern, I omit the middle.

[LeftArm]

From what I understand the definition of Travis picking requires the thumb to play the bass notes. The other fingers can be used any way and some people only use two or even one finger. Using the thumb helps separate the bass notes from the melody.

[JonPR]

The essential identifying element of so-called "Travis picking" is the alternating bass: the steady 4-beat rhythm on the bass strings (usually low-high-low-high), with melody or chord tones played with the fingers on the treble strings.

There are a few ways of achieving that sound, and it's simply the most common way for the thumb to play all the bass notes. If you get the same sound using index finger and thumb, that's OK.

Merle Travis himself used thumb on all the bass notes, and index alone for the treble strings (he tended to keep his other 3 fingers planted firmly on the scratchplate). So if you wanted to play it the way he did, that's what you'd do.

The other distinctive thing he did was damp the bass notes, while a lot of alternate bass players let them ring (eg. in folk styles).

So it really depends what you mean by "Travis picking". From one angle he simply gave his name to a style that existed before him, and was and is played by many other people in different ways.

Ie., if it's simply some form of "alternating bass" you're playing, then forget Travis- his name needn't be attached to it.

Personally, I use thumb for the bass and mostly middle and ring for the treble - index being an optional spare. (I never knew it was called "Travis picking" until many years later. I learned it in the 60s from folk players like Donovan, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Bert Jansch and blues players like Mississippi John Hurt, Rev Gary Davis and Blind Blake. Travis himself no doubt learned it from the latter two, in part (Blind Blake in particular).