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Old 04-10-2021, 09:48 AM
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vashondan2018 vashondan2018 is offline
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Default Looking for teachers/courses - Fingerstyle

In the not too distant future I'm going to be looking for a teacher. I recently switched from electrics to acoustics and want a teacher for two reasons. First, to explore fingerstyle playing. I started out playing fingerstyle a long time ago and want to refocus and get some solid direction. I don't have a specific genre in mind but am open to new influences. Second, to put some structure back in my practice routine. I've learned and forgotten so much over the years and late in life here want to maximize my learning and growth as a player.

Acoustic players that I like so far (still in discovery mode)
Tommy Emmanuel
Alex de Grassi
Dylan Ryche
Neil Young
Mark Knopfler
etc.
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Old 04-10-2021, 10:10 AM
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Can you read music with tab?

Assuming you do a bunch of us learned finger style using Mark Hanson's two travis picking books

This one
https://markhansonguitar.com/product...-online-audio/

And this one

https://markhansonguitar.com/product...cking-book-cd/

You can buy hard copies of the books, make sure you download the associated sound files.

The above books are about developing right hand dexterity.

Getting a teacher - you can do that, but because you are an experienced player you probably don't need one. A teacher can give you insights into technique and music interpretation though.

Also, I have the 120 right hand exercises in GuitarPro (notation and tab) and do it occasionally. I should do it more. I don't play classical style, but I recommend this.

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Old 04-10-2021, 10:42 AM
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I would highly recommend Richard Gilewitz... www.richardgilewitz.com

He's a fabulous fingerstyle player/teacher and is really focusing on education these days. Skype/Zoom lessons no problem.
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Old 04-10-2021, 10:53 AM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Originally Posted by sevenpalms View Post
I would highly recommend Richard Gilewitz... www.richardgilewitz.com

He's a fabulous fingerstyle player/teacher and is really focusing on education these days. Skype/Zoom lessons no problem.
I agree 100%. I started taking lessons from Richard in December. I am learning A LOT from him. While he is teaching me some specific songs and skills, I am also learning a lot of non-specific things (how to practice intelligently, how to use a metronome in a way that isn’t torturous, how to learn without injecting a lot of tension and anxiety into the song, getting comfortable with open tunings, learning how to count time in a way that is helpful and illuminating, etc. ).

I took lessons from another teacher for 6 years from a guy that was a very good teacher and a very good guitarist (a fingerpickwr in the Jorma Kaukonen vein) . Richard is even better!

I am a big believer in live lessons. Videos and YouTube instructionals and tab are good for a certain kind of learning...exploring new songs and learning some minor things about technique. But live lessons can take you to an entirely new level, because of the individualized attention and the challenges that can be offered when a good teacher knows how to watch what you are doing and point out things that would escape your notice. And, of course, videos cannot respond to what you are doing and how you are playing.

Last edited by buddyhu; 04-10-2021 at 11:02 AM.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:04 AM
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TBman, Thanks for those resources. I've certainly learned a bunch over the years but right now need some structure. I'll definitely check out those books. I don't think I'll take lessons for a long time but some lessons to help me structure my time and set some goals. Yes, I can read tab and notation but very slowly!

sevenpalms & budyhu, I take a look at the guy you recommend.

I also found a guy named Dylan Ryche whose playing I like but know nothing about him (e.g. others recs.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:06 AM
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I’ll throw in another vote for Mark Hansen. No one would confuse me for a good fingerstyle player, but I have gotten much better and developed decent thumb independence from his books. They’re sort of slim, and you have to really drill the exercises, but they are clear and really work.

I also heard of them here.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vashondan2018 View Post
TBman, Thanks for those resources. I've certainly learned a bunch over the years but right now need some structure. I'll definitely check out those books. I don't think I'll take lessons for a long time but some lessons to help me structure my time and set some goals. Yes, I can read tab and notation but very slowly!

sevenpalms & budyhu, I take a look at the guy you recommend.

I also found a guy named Dylan Ryche whose playing I like but know nothing about him (e.g. others recs.
Structure is good. I don't know if its worth $75 an hour though.

Seriously, 6 months of lessons would be good. I'd get one or both of those Travis picking books and get started. The key is to go in slow motion.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:25 AM
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TBman, Which of the two books might you get if you got just one?
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:41 AM
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TBman, Which of the two books might you get if you got just one?
Tough call. The second book as "better" tunes to learn, but the first one covers basis that I take for granted now. Seeing as you have playing experience go with the second book.

Go slow. This is one of those things that can make you feel like you are getting nowhere and then all of a sudden you make a jump in progress. Daily drilling is essential. Thumb-index, thumb-middle, etc.
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Old 04-10-2021, 12:21 PM
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Tough call. The second book as "better" tunes to learn, but the first one covers basis that I take for granted now. Seeing as you have playing experience go with the second book.

Go slow. This is one of those things that can make you feel like you are getting nowhere and then all of a sudden you make a jump in progress. Daily drilling is essential. Thumb-index, thumb-middle, etc.
Thanks. I definitely remember the importance of slow deliberate work with this. I did learn this stuff a long time ago.
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Old 04-10-2021, 02:16 PM
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True Fire has a bunch of courses. They're a steal when you utilize the sales.
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  #12  
Old 04-11-2021, 05:45 AM
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True Fire has a bunch of courses. They're a steal when you utilize the sales.
I'm looking through Truefire for courses that might sound good. I think I'm still going to go with some lessons to get a sense of a direction that I'd like or need to take to progress as I'd like to. Both can work.
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Old 04-11-2021, 06:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Can you read music with tab?

Assuming you do a bunch of us learned finger style using Mark Hanson's two travis picking books

This one
https://markhansonguitar.com/product...-online-audio/

And this one

https://markhansonguitar.com/product...cking-book-cd/

You can buy hard copies of the books, make sure you download the associated sound files.

The above books are about developing right hand dexterity.

Getting a teacher - you can do that, but because you are an experienced player you probably don't need one. A teacher can give you insights into technique and music interpretation though.

Also, I have the 120 right hand exercises in GuitarPro (notation and tab) and do it occasionally. I should do it more. I don't play classical style, but I recommend this.

I’ll second Barry’s suggestions. Mark came out with a 30th anniversary of both books last year. I did both over the course of 4-5 years and I’ve gone back to learn a couple of new songs in the 2nd book’s 30th anniversary edition. The 2nd book has challenging arrangements that each teach you a lot about fingerstyle technique.

Mark is also my teacher. We do a FaceTime lesson every two weeks. For me it’s money well spent. I now do other arrangements from different sources and Mark is excellent in guidance and critique.
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  #14  
Old 04-11-2021, 06:11 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vashondan2018 View Post
I'm looking through Truefire for courses that might sound good. I think I'm still going to go with some lessons to get a sense of a direction that I'd like or need to take to progress as I'd like to. Both can work.
I had been playing for about 20 years when I started using Truefire courses. Knowing what I know now, in person lessons would be for technique and books or Truefire for home studying.
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  #15  
Old 04-11-2021, 03:10 PM
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vashondan2018 vashondan2018 is offline
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Originally Posted by buddyhu View Post
I agree 100%. I started taking lessons from Richard in December. I am learning A LOT from him. While he is teaching me some specific songs and skills, I am also learning a lot of non-specific things (how to practice intelligently, how to use a metronome in a way that isn’t torturous, how to learn without injecting a lot of tension and anxiety into the song, getting comfortable with open tunings, learning how to count time in a way that is helpful and illuminating, etc. ).

I took lessons from another teacher for 6 years from a guy that was a very good teacher and a very good guitarist (a fingerpickwr in the Jorma Kaukonen vein) . Richard is even better!

I am a big believer in live lessons. Videos and YouTube instructionals and tab are good for a certain kind of learning...exploring new songs and learning some minor things about technique. But live lessons can take you to an entirely new level, because of the individualized attention and the challenges that can be offered when a good teacher knows how to watch what you are doing and point out things that would escape your notice. And, of course, videos cannot respond to what you are doing and how you are playing.
Met with Richard today and we're going to give it a try. Very friendly fun loving guy. Do you get a lot done in your sessions?
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