The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 06-10-2018, 08:17 PM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default My picking is sounding cliche

The good: I know chords all over the neck, 11ths, 13ths, 6/9s, b5s. I can strum bossa, reggae, ska, country, pop, etc.

The bad: When I cross pick, I find myself stuck in the same patterns, and I'm getting tired of hearing the beautiful chords that I play sounding the same way.
I'm also stuck in my flat picking patterns.

When I listen to the acoustic Pandora station I created and that I listen to in the car, a lot of the guitarists are so outrageously good, I can hardly comprehend what they're doing - maybe if I watched them on video. They're slapping, tapping, getting outrageous harmonics, sometimes every beat is a new chord.

Can anyone recommend exercise books or that can help me break out of a rut?

Also, I don't want to get bogged down learning other people's songs - I prefer exercises, technique, and short compositions. For me, playing my own ideas is therapy I can't live without.
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-10-2018, 08:18 PM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default

OOPS! PLEASE MOVE TO PLAY AND WRITE!
Oh this is Play and write. Never mind!
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-10-2018, 08:33 PM
Mr. Jelly's Avatar
Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Posts: 7,848
Default

The humblest part of trying to create music and not copy others is the fact that one must sound like them self.
__________________
Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini
Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini
Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini

Follow The Yellow Brick Road
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-10-2018, 08:50 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

I wold say forget books and write melodies. Chords are fine and all, but when you get into terms like "crosspicking" and "flatpicking," you're talking patterns...which yeah, get boring...but not if you include a good melody on top.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-10-2018, 09:02 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Years ago I was a flat picker and like you became bored with the same old patterns. After a while everything starts to sound the same. I started to teach myself hybrid style, then went totally over to finger style. It gives me the fullness from the guitar that flat picking couldn't give me.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-10-2018, 09:03 PM
rick-slo's Avatar
rick-slo rick-slo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 17,172
Default

Right. More or less what I pointed out earlier. Jeff is of course correct. Melody is usually what
guides the rest of it rather than relegated to an after thought. Learn a few tunes by others you
like, or at least carefully analyze a few so you tell what makes them click. Then you may be able
to incorporate some of it.
__________________
Derek Coombs
Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs

"Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."

Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love
To be that we hold so dear
A voice from heavens above
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-10-2018, 09:33 PM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Years ago I was a flat picker and like you became bored with the same old patterns. After a while everything starts to sound the same. I started to teach myself hybrid style, then went totally over to finger style. It gives me the fullness from the guitar that flat picking couldn't give me.
OK, so what would be a good approach to move towards finger style?
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-10-2018, 09:44 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Beakybird View Post
OK, so what would be a good approach to move towards finger style?
Probably what is called "Travis" style. Watch Chet Atkins and a lot of Tommy Emmanuel's stuff. A lot of players use a thumbpick too. I do occasionally, but it isn't "required."

Mark Hanson has a couple of books on Travis picking which many of us used to get started.

The hardest part about switching from flat picking to finger style is that it is like having your masters degree and you have to go back to kindergarten to start over. It's worth it though. There is so much you can do and if you learn to use a thumb pick later on down the road its the best of both worlds for certain music.

Here's Windy and Warm played by Tommy E. which is a good example.

The tune starts at around 55 seconds:

__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-11-2018, 05:40 AM
Mr. Jelly's Avatar
Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Posts: 7,848
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
The hardest part about switching from flat picking to finger style is that it is like having your masters degree and you have to go back to kindergarten to start over.
Ain't it the truth!

It may be considered wrong but I never learned picking patterns. I always try to pick the string or note I want. I can flat pick more cleanly than finger pick. It doesn't take long for it to sound a little empty though. I have more control when I flat pick. But I like to finger pick more than flat pick now days. Finger picking seems to be a little bit different way to approach the finger board. It gets you away from playing closed chords and separates the low strings, top strings and the strings that aren't being picked.
__________________
Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini
Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini
Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini

Follow The Yellow Brick Road
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-11-2018, 07:57 AM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Probably what is called "Travis" style. Watch Chet Atkins and a lot of Tommy Emmanuel's stuff. A lot of players use a thumbpick too. I do occasionally, but it isn't "required."

Mark Hanson has a couple of books on Travis picking which many of us used to get started.

The hardest part about switching from flat picking to finger style is that it is like having your masters degree and you have to go back to kindergarten to start over. It's worth it though. There is so much you can do and if you learn to use a thumb pick later on down the road its the best of both worlds for certain music.

Here's Windy and Warm played by Tommy E. which is a good example.

The tune starts at around 55 seconds:

Getting out of bed. Gonna check this out. Thanks.
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-11-2018, 12:20 PM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default

I bought Mark Hanson Contemporary Travis Picking. I love T Emmanuel, but haven't listened to song yet. Today I'm getting out of my block working with some amazing open string minor 11th chords.
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 06-11-2018, 12:33 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

I think if you hear a good flatpicker, the idea that fingerstyle is going to be the solution is pretty silly.

The key to making those patterns interesting(and fingerstylists have patterns too, and hybrid pickers do too) is to make sure that you're not just cycling through the same notes every time you play a chord.

A guitar player needs to learn inversions--and with that, gain the ability to put any melody note on top of a chord that they might need at any given moment. Then it doesn't matter if you play with your tongue or a pair of flaming chopsticks.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 06-11-2018, 01:00 PM
scriv58 scriv58 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: southern illinois
Posts: 661
Default

http://bobbynapier.com/yahoo_site_ad...ll.4461233.pdf

http://acoustictruth.com/download/522/

Here is a free pdf and accompanying sound files which will get you well on the way toward becoming a proficient finger picker- challenging and enjoyable.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-11-2018, 01:53 PM
Beakybird Beakybird is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Woodridge, Illinois
Posts: 1,366
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by scriv58 View Post
http://bobbynapier.com/yahoo_site_ad...ll.4461233.pdf

http://acoustictruth.com/download/522/

Here is a free pdf and accompanying sound files which will get you well on the way toward becoming a proficient finger picker- challenging and enjoyable.
Wow. Thanks!
__________________
Eastman E1SS-CLA-LTD
Eastman E1OOSS-LTD
Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE
Cordoba SM-CE Mini Classical Acoustic
Ibanez Blazer 21 MIJ Stratocaster

2 Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboards I play professionally
Roland FP-90 digital piano I play for pleasure with piano VSTs.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 06-11-2018, 02:13 PM
nickv6 nickv6 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 859
Default

What guitar is Tommy playing there? It looks very classy....
Nick
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:19 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=