Right Hand Technique

mikethebook · #1 05-13-2021, 08:27 AM

Hi, Here's a video of Justin Townes Earle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T98a9rRU4_Q&t=76s On the first song he uses a right hand picking/strumming technique that probably old hat to some of you but I can't figure out. Can you break down for me what he's doing and is there a name for it? Thanks.

raysd · #2 05-13-2021, 09:09 AM

I'm not a country or bluegrass guy, but that looks something like what they call a "boom chicka".

Powderfinger · #3 05-13-2021, 09:34 AM

Along the lower bar of the youtube video screen there is a 'settings' icon that allows you to slow the playback speed of the video. That might help to dissect the right hand technique.

mikethebook · #4 05-13-2021, 10:03 AM

Thanks for the replies. I've been googling "boom chicka" but so far have not found anything that looks like it as a technique. Thanks for the tip about YouTube. I'll give it a try but think I might still need help determining what's happening.

Denny B · #5 05-13-2021, 10:03 AM

I've always loved Justin's style of playing...sounds like two different guys playing at the same time...

There was a really good interview with him back in 2012 in Acoustic Guitar magazine, where he called it a "drop thumb" style that he learned from Malcom Holcombe...

He said the rhythm is kept with the thumb on the low strings, the high strings are picked with the index finger, while holding the rest of the fingers like a claw...and then he strikes the strings with the claw...

He also said that his right hand cuticles are gone and his thumb is a different shape than it used to be, but it's such a rhythmic style that he had to learn to play it, even if he wasn't as good as Holcombe...

He was also one of my favorite singer/songwriters and I was truly saddened to hear of his passing...

mikethebook · #6 05-13-2021, 10:15 AM

Thanks, Denny. That's helpful and a start! I've only just discovered him through accidentally stumbling on a YouTube video of him playing Champagne Corolla. I was amazed and started looking at his other stuff. It's wonderful. I'm trying to learn a song called Turn Out My Lights (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wq1CftIwVw) that is quite simple but achingly beautiful. I'll get that interview and maybe there are DVDs on Malcolm Holcombe's playing. The sad thing quite apart from Justin's passing is that there's nothing available on his playing, no instruction DVDs, no tablature. But maybe that gap will slowly be filled. Like you, he has quickly become one of my favourite singer/songwriters.

Denny B · #7 05-13-2021, 12:49 PM

Hey, Mike, you're welcome...glad I could help a bit..

I've gotten to where I can pull this off a little, until I try to get the tempo up to Justin's speed...then I feel like a water skier:

I'm up...I'm up...I'm down!

mikethebook · #8 05-13-2021, 02:10 PM

You manage to do it without wrecking your fingernails

?

Denny B · #9 05-13-2021, 06:35 PM

I don't have any major damage yet, because I'm mainly a flatpicker, and I just work on stuff like Justin's style to mix the palette up a little bit... I guess I'm not ready yet to play thru the pain like he did, to get proficient like he was...

mikethebook · #10 05-14-2021, 02:00 AM

Me neither! But I'll give it a go.

Italuke · #11 05-14-2021, 04:32 AM

Yeah, this is kind of a "flaw" if you will of the internet. We tend to think we can just "google" everything and voila! There are often no official names for certain things that players develop, even though the players themselves may call it something. These things are just not standardized. (And the few that are common have variations, like "boom-chicka" is more often described just "boom-chuck." Your milage WILL vary!)

fwellers · #12 05-17-2021, 02:07 PM

Yea that sounds and actually looks like clawhammer style. He's raking down with the back of his nails and hitting his thumb on the bass then plucking that bass on the upbeat. But he's only using one finger instead of all of them.
It has that bun-ditty sound. Molly Tuttle does it a lot.

https://youtu.be/U_LMc1GAEM4

ljguitar · #13 05-17-2021, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikethebook

Hi, Here's a video of Justin Townes Earle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T98a9rRU4_Q&t=76s On the first song he uses a right hand picking/strumming technique that probably old hat to some of you but I can't figure out. Can you break down for me what he's doing and is there a name for it? Thanks.

Hi mtb
About 35:22 in he does a slow song for several minutes where he uses the technique (apparently the only one he knows) and it is a slow piece.

You can see more clearly what he's doing.

mikethebook · #14 05-18-2021, 01:49 AM

Thanks for your replies, both very helpful. I'll check out both videos.

fwellers · #15 05-18-2021, 09:55 AM

I just took another look.
So on the one he's raking his finger down and planting his thumb on top of the bass string.

On the and, he's picking upwards with his finger.

On the two he's raking back down with the finger and simultaneously plucking the bass string with his thumb, kind of going under the string a little and plucking it.

That's it. 3 moves over and over and over.

A lot easier said than done. [emoji849]