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  #1  
Old 07-15-2014, 03:55 PM
Mort722 Mort722 is offline
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Default Help finding Travis picking songs

I am working on the book the art of contemporary Travis picking. I am about halfway through and so far my favorite song has been the first solo Travis picking song "frieght train". Took me a long time but now I can play it like a champ and I really like the way it sounds. I am now at the point were I am adding hammer ons pull offs and slides. Why used to be easy for me before forcing my self to Travis pick, I am struggling now.

I need help finding more solo Travis picking songs. Ones that carry a melody and base and the same time please help me find some
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Old 07-15-2014, 06:10 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Here's one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlQZwHcBqyQ
Like Freight Train, it originally had a vocal, but works nicely as an instrumental.
But warning: it's reverse alternating bass! (higher string on the main beats)
Stefan Grossman has a lesson on it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOQZEQAgcA0

Mississippi John Hurt's Payday (open D tuning) also has a nice melody, without the vocal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-p214l5QLI

If you want more challenging pieces, there's lots of ragtime tunes, such as Victory Rag (lots of amateur versions on youtube).
Here's one I learned off a Grossman LP back in 1968 (about half this speed...):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMICKJQMldA
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Last edited by JonPR; 07-15-2014 at 06:15 PM.
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Old 07-15-2014, 06:23 PM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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There are scads of songs but I have a few on my tabs page. "Thumb Play" is pretty straight forward alternate thumbing (different tuning though). Parts of "Feeling Free" are easy enough. Also versions of "Freight Train" and "Deep River Blues", but harder to play.
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Old 07-16-2014, 02:53 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Buddy Bolden's Blues is a nice easy one. Here's a reasonable demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ukZ_t4ODmo
- also known as "I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say" (as sung by Jelly Roll Morton).
Dave Van Ronk's "St Louis Tickle" is the same tune with some extra parts - his original is not on youtube, but a few other versions are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbFS3iQPxig
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Old 07-16-2014, 03:14 AM
jthorpe jthorpe is offline
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There are loads of songs listed at the end of each section in Hanson's book... At the end of the first section (outside in pattern) he says look at 'Landslide' (Fleetwood Mac) and 'The Boxer' (Paul Simon) amongst others, check those out first

Then... Listen to anything by Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel... Huge repertoire of the Travis style between them!!!
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Old 07-16-2014, 04:41 AM
Scotch Scotch is offline
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First one I learn't and one I always go back to is. Windy and Warm. Very good rhythem part to it. Just a perfect starter one
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Old 07-16-2014, 05:28 AM
jthorpe jthorpe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scotch View Post
First one I learn't and one I always go back to is. Windy and Warm. Very good rhythem part to it. Just a perfect starter one
+1

Really great tune... See what I mean about Chet and Tommy ;-)?!
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Old 07-16-2014, 05:58 AM
bassfiddler bassfiddler is offline
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"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan is a good one for Travis picking.
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