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  #16  
Old 03-09-2015, 08:43 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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There's life beyond travis picking ...

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  #17  
Old 03-10-2015, 01:58 AM
Chin music Chin music is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HarleySpirit View Post
Hi,
This style of fingerpicking (definitely not Travis Style) may be considered by some, to be an alternative to Travis Picking:

http://users.eastlink.ca/~harleyspi/payfwdlesson.html
Interesting, but I'm not sure what you are going for here in terms of right hand tecnique. To get that d-u-d-u stroke with a single finger, does your thumb come down to your index finger (or middle finger or ring finger) to emulate playing with a pick, or are you saying that the finger doing the d-u-d-u is suspended above the fret-board and plucking the string solely with the (isolated) movement of that finger's first or second knuckle? On it's face, that sounds very difficult to achieve.
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Old 03-10-2015, 02:52 AM
HarleySpirit HarleySpirit is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chin music View Post
Interesting, but I'm not sure what you are going for here in terms of right hand tecnique. To get that d-u-d-u stroke with a single finger, does your thumb come down to your index finger (or middle finger or ring finger) to emulate playing with a pick, or are you saying that the finger doing the d-u-d-u is suspended above the fret-board and plucking the string solely with the (isolated) movement of that finger's first or second knuckle? On it's face, that sounds very difficult to achieve.
Hi,
Not really difficult at all, if you shape your hand in a "claw" position. Most of us have already learned how to pick "up"... the "down" stroke is very similar to what "clawhammer" banjo players do all the time. The thumb is not needed to emulate playing with a pick, but instead works independently playing the bass licks. For a Free hand position guitar lesson, check out this link:

http://users.eastlink.ca/~harleyspi/position.html

The index (or middle) finger D/U D/U picking method comes more naturally with practise, and faster with time.
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  #19  
Old 03-10-2015, 10:03 AM
Notguildy Notguildy is offline
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I wouldn't say it is that easy. It takes time. Clawhammer is one technique. You can also watch videos from Jon Swift on YouTube. He explains very well. He uses a hand rotation to get the downstroke.

It took me at least 2 weeks to get something. But I'm average player.

Try it! It's really amazing.
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  #20  
Old 03-12-2015, 04:16 AM
Pitar Pitar is offline
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It's pretty much anything goes. If it fits the meter of the song/piece then that's what you need to do.

Patterns are training aids. The ultimate use of them will find you mixing them to suit each piece of music you're playing. Strict use of a particular pattern isn't a bad thing. It lends well to ensemble rhythm work. Otherwise, I tend to mix it up for the most part.

The one thing I do that isn't always the best thing to do is never playing the same thing the same way. IOW, sometimes one way sounds better than another. But, that's all part of the honing of a particular song of instrumental, which is something I will rarely do these days.

Free style picking - no discernible basic pattern - is where I tend to gravitate to now. It's a world of mixing patterns, syncopation and styles. Strict rhythm, single pattern work is something I'll do for ensemble stuff but I prefer free style. That's where the fun is for me.
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  #21  
Old 03-12-2015, 01:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Young View Post
Well, what I meant was to learn to play whatever the music requires rather than playing some repetitive pattern. It's useful to learn patterns, whether it's alternating bass or back-beat percussion or strumming patterns. But turn on the radio and listen to music that isn't just guitar. Any style. Odds are high that you won't hear the bass player just doing a root-five-root-five pattern, they'll be providing a melodically interesting line. Same for any accompaniment patterns, and for a melody. I'd suggest it's useful, whether you're playing accompaniment or solo guitar to be able to play whatever you want to play - provide an interesting bass line, a melody or counter-melody and so on.

here's an nice example of a non-alternating bass tune someone posted on Show and Tell the other day:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=376165

here's an extreme example (very advanced, but maybe you'll see my point) of a piece with a strong bass line. He's playing what he wants to play here, not just playing a picking pattern:



Here's something less pyrotechnic, and focused on accompaniment by our own Rick Ruskin. Notice his bass parts and how he plays specific parts for the harmony (chords), not patterns.



A good exercise would be to try to arrange some pop tune. Whether as an instrumental or as a vocal, try something like "My Girl" or "Hit the Road, Jack" or "Satisfaction". You'll probably find there are key elements that have to be there to sound like the song, probably starting with the bass line, and it won't be alternating bass.

Alternating bass is fine for what it is, but it sounded like you're asking "what's next", and I'd suggest what's next is to break away from set patterns, and be able to play whatever your ear needs to hear to support the song.
I relearn that Don Ross song every few years, as I can't be arsed to tune for it very often. I learn it, play it for the day, retune to standard and then forget it!lol One of my favourite grooves though and a lot of fun to play... In fact, it might be that time of year again! :-)
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