Travis pick help

[Deliberate1]

Friends,
I have just started Travis picking and would appreciate any suggestions drilling the 6-4-5 string patter into my brain. Naturally, I can do it rhythmically when there is no melody on top that needs to be superimposed. I am working on the first bar of Windy and Warm, for example. Interesting how the thumb goes astray when laying the single notes on top, especially when syncopated, like the upbeat of 3. Thanks for the help all.
David

[reeve21]

David,

If you have JUST started with Travis picking you might want to do some exercises where you start out on the beat, then pinching on the beat, then off the beat, etc.

David Hamburger and Toby Walker both have some very good tutorials for new Travis pickers.

As far as learning songs, I would start with something like Freight Train to get your thumb tamed before tackling something like Windy and Warm.

Hope that helps!

[rick-slo]

Try a basic version of "Freight Train". "Windy and Warm" is a bit more rhythmically challenging.

[Deliberate1]

Thanks, gents. I will definitely checkout the drills from David and Toby.
David

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

Interesting how the thumb goes astray when laying the single notes on top, especially when syncopated, like the upbeat of 3.

Yes! This is why the so-called "independent thumb" is a myth.

Don't waste time - or any more time! - working on the thumb alone. Work on an entire pattern, beat by beat, bar by bar- just start real slow, as slow as you need to to get thumb and fingers co-ordinated.

I recommend Mark Hanson's books for this reason - he gets it.

At each stage, only one of three things is happening:

1. thumb and finger together (on the beat)
2. thumb only (on the beat)
3. finger only (between the beats)

Take the following pattern:

|-----------------------|
|3b----3-----1----------|
|---------------2-----0-|
|------2-----------2----|
|------------0----------|
|0----------------------|
 1  .  2  .  3  &  4  &
 F  .  F  .  F  F  .  F
 T  .  T  .  T  .  T  .

Get every beat working - 1, 2 , 3&, 4&. In time, with a metronome if necessary. Then repeat and speed up. (The "F" could be any finger, and would usually be one per string, "m" and "i" in that pattern; but that's optional.)

The thumb is not independent - its attached to the same hand your fingers are! The reason people call it independent is that when you've cracked the technique that's how it feels.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Yes!
The thumb is not independent - its attached to the same hand your fingers are! The reason people call it independent is that when you've cracked the technique that's how it feels.

Jon, very helpful perspective which I will practice. Obliged for your effort. Sorry, but what does the "b" designation in the first column of the tab mean? I have been reading music (jazz winds player for more than 50 years), but I am new to the Tab concept.
Thanks again.
David

PS: I checked out Mark Hanson's site and will get his book. He wears a really cool Panama. Would that help?

[TBman]

Hanson has two books on the subject, its worth it to get both. The hat is optional

I found that practicing as slow as paint dries does the trick. Resist the urge to speed up prematurely.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

Friends,
I have just started Travis picking and would appreciate any suggestions drilling the 6-4-5 string patter into my brain. Naturally, I can do it rhythmically when there is no melody on top that needs to be superimposed. I am working on the first bar of Windy and Warm, for example. Interesting how the thumb goes astray when laying the single notes on top, especially when syncopated, like the upbeat of 3. Thanks for the help all.
David

Hi D-1

Thom Bresh (Merle Travis' son) has a great DVD/digital tutorial on Travis picking.

It is available on Homespun.com…it's titled "The Real Merle Travis Guitar" and subtitled "Like Father like Son"

Thom Bresh link on Homespun Music - CliCk

I used this with several students who were adding that style of finger style to their abilities. Thom is skilled, and a fun teacher. Sometimes he even gets mixed up and reverts to thumb-n-mult…ifinger picking. He laughs and gets back on track.

Glad to have it in my library, from a player very close to the source (Merle).

[Cypress Knee]

Glenwillow has a great intro lesson for beginning Travis pickers here:

[jasbo49]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

Sorry, but what does the "b" designation in the first column of the tab mean?

I had the same question. I hope Jon or someone else can come back to answer that.

Jim

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

Friends,
I have just started Travis picking and would appreciate any suggestions drilling the 6-4-5 string patter into my brain. Naturally, I can do it rhythmically when there is no melody on top that needs to be superimposed. I am working on the first bar of Windy and Warm, for example. Interesting how the thumb goes astray when laying the single notes on top, especially when syncopated, like the upbeat of 3. Thanks for the help all.
David

Hi David,

I just started to learn Travis picking (I think it's Travis picking anyway) just before Christmas myself, so I'm not too sure if my insight is going to be helpful but I am at that beginner struggling stage. My learning approach seems to have been a little different to what has so far been suggested. Firstly, I haven't looked at any TAB, and secondly I've focussed on learning songs.

In fact, I learnt straight off these two videos and listening repeatedly to the tracks on TVZs Live at the Old Quarter CD.





I think it was learning the words and singing the song while laying down the basic pattern that gave me two things really quickly. First it gave me LOTS of practice of the basic pattern (before adding anything fancy) and second it drove that basic pattern into my non-conscious because my cognitive capacity was taken up with singing. I found then that when I came to learn the intros and lead breaks that doing pinches and syncopated notes with my fingers came a lot easier. In fact I could just sort of think about how to play the tune with my fingers and forget about my thumb because it was there getting on with its job.

I think I'd find it really boring just practicing the basic pattern for hours on its own to get it truly wired. Whereas that's basically what I have done but the bonus result is that I have two new songs now ready for the campfire and local pub sessions (when it opens again!). And I feel I'd be quite happy to have a go at something more complex now should a song take my fancy.

[Deliberate1]

OP here. All great stuff gents. Much obliged. Got my homework assignment for the remainder of the pandemic.
David

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by jasbo49

I had the same question. I hope Jon or someone else can come back to answer that.

Jim

Jim, Google tells me that the “b” = bend the note.

David

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Hi David,

I just started to learn Travis picking (I think it's Travis picking anyway) just before Christmas myself, so I'm not too sure if my insight is going to be helpful but I am at that beginner struggling stage. My learning approach seems to have been a little different to what has so far been suggested. Firstly, I haven't looked at any TAB, and secondly I've focussed on learning songs.

Robin, obliged for your insight and suggestion. I will check out those vids. To learn the technique in the context of learning new tunes is more satisfying than going through the digit pattern motions. I suspect your mates, like mine, would be much more receptive to a tune than they would a display of thumb gymnastics. Beer glasses would fly.
Cheers from Maine
David

[Kerbie]

I suggest starting with nothing but the thumb playing the alternating bass. Play a 12-bar blues pattern in various keys with no treble strings. Watch TV while you're doing it... carry on conversations while you keep the thumb going. I think you almost have to have the thumb automatic or on autopilot before worrying about the melody.

Then bring in one treble string... maybe an index finger on the G or B string playing a grace note. And concentrate on keeping the alternating bass steady and on the beat.

People learn differently, but nailing the bass before adding any melody worked for me.