Hanson's Art of Solo Fingerpicking....

[Blueser100]

As a result of this thread I cracked open the Travis picking book and gave Hesitstion Blues another shot. That's where I left off before, having gotten through everything up to that point. I remember now why I quit: the song is hard, and seems more difficult than all the exercises beforehand would suggest. But I'm going to stick with it.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

As a result of this thread I cracked open the Travis picking book and gave Hesitstion Blues another shot. That's where I left off before, having gotten through everything up to that point. I remember now why I quit: the song is hard, and seems more difficult than all the exercises beforehand would suggest. But I'm going to stick with it.

Hi Blueser,

I'm a new fingerpicker and must confess to skipping Hesitation Blues. I did pretty well with everything up to that point and had Freight Train down really well, but didn't feel up to Hesitation. Instead I skipped to the last song in the book, Over and Out Rag, which I really like. The first page came fairly quickly, the second page is a struggle but I'm making progress. Doubt I'll ever get it up to Mark's performance speed but it sounds like music.

I plan to go back to Hesitation Blues, and then move on to the Art of Solo Fingerpicking. So if you get bogged down on HB you might want to try Over and Out when you are in need of some encouragement!

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Hi Blueser,

I'm a new fingerpicker and must confess to skipping Hesitation Blues. I did pretty well with everything up to that point and had Freight Train down really well, but didn't feel up to Hesitation. Instead I skipped to the last song in the book, Over and Out Rag, which I really like. The first page came fairly quickly, the second page is a struggle but I'm making progress. Doubt I'll ever get it up to Mark's performance speed but it sounds like music.

I plan to go back to Hesitation Blues, and then move on to the Art of Solo Fingerpicking. So if you get bogged down on HB you might want to try Over and Out when you are in need of some encouragement!

Reeve, your story sounds exactly like mine. I got Freight Train down really well too but then hit a wall with HB. I did actually skip over to try OAOR and like you I really like it. I'm going to work on HB and try to work through my struggle areas, then give OAOR another shot.

For a little confidence building, I revisited Mark's "Beyond Basics, Fingerstyle Guitar" and easily played Wheels and Canyon Canon, two pieces that are really lovely and which can make you sound very skilled even if you aren't!

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Reeve, your story sounds exactly like mine. I got Freight Train down really well too but then hit a wall with HB. I did actually skip over to try OAOR and like you I really like it. I'm going to work on HB and try to work through my struggle areas, then give OAOR another shot.

For a little confidence building, I revisited Mark's "Beyond Basics, Fingerstyle Guitar" and easily played Wheels and Canyon Canon, two pieces that are really lovely and which can make you sound very skilled even if you aren't!

Good to hear your experience is similar to mine. I also have the Beyond Basics book but have not yet spent much time with it.

OAOR is one of those tunes I have to take a few measures at a time while learning it and them fit the pieces together later. Right now I have it down pretty well, except for a couple of the transitions between passages and that pesky F with the thumb on the low E string. When I first tried to play it all the way through it was a complete disaster, so I'm encouraged even though I've been at it for a month or so.

I'm 3 plus months into finger style and really love it, despite the slow progress. When I read about some of our very skilled players in Show and Tell spending literally years on pieces I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry!

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Reeve, your story sounds exactly like mine. I got Freight Train down really well too but then hit a wall with HB. I did actually skip over to try OAOR and like you I really like it. I'm going to work on HB and try to work through my struggle areas, then give OAOR another shot.

For a little confidence building, I revisited Mark's "Beyond Basics, Fingerstyle Guitar" and easily played Wheels and Canyon Canon, two pieces that are really lovely and which can make you sound very skilled even if you aren't!

I'm enjoying this thread, as I have all of these books as well and have worked with them. I've ended up putting Solo Fingerstyle aside because, truth be told, I am not fond of pattern or Travis picking, or ragtime music. Hanson's other book, the earlier one, that has Canyon Canon, Wheels, Windows, etc., is much more to my liking. Those are just lovely songs, not hard to play, etc.

I do like Freight Train, however. So perhaps I can just isolate that one out of both of the other Hanson books and learn it.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by EllaMom

I'm enjoying this thread, as I have all of these books as well and have worked with them. I've ended up putting Solo Fingerstyle aside because, truth be told, I am not fond of pattern or Travis picking, or ragtime music. Hanson's other book, the earlier one, that has Canyon Canon, Wheels, Windows, etc., is much more to my liking. Those are just lovely songs, not hard to play, etc.

I do like Freight Train, however. So perhaps I can just isolate that one out of both of the other Hanson books and learn it.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Hi Carole,

Freight Train is well worth your effort, my wife likes it even though she is not a fan of the blues or ragtime stuff. And Mark has 2 versions which would make for a nice medley. When I was able to play that song at a reasonable tempo I finally felt like maybe I was going to get the hang of things!

[Blueser100]

Indeed, Freight Train is such a great tune to play. It puts me in a good mood to hear and play it, as does ragtime and piedmont blues stuff (Mississippi John Hurt). Another one I learned to play pretty well now is Alice's Restaurant. Also makes me happy!

[TBman]

I'll have to learn Freight Train. I'll have time this weekend.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by TBman

I'll have to learn Freight Train. I'll have time this weekend.

Piece of cake for you, Barry.

Be well!

[SprintBob]

Keeping this thread alive, here's a couple of Mark Hanson arrangements for your critical review.

Windy and Warm is Mark's arrangement. It has five sections (A-E) and this is Sections A-D at 100 bpm. I'd like to be able to play this at 110-120 bpm as it starts to sound loose and not as stiff once you get it up to speed. The double stops in Sections B and C are the speed bumps for me currently but I'll get them with time. I've been listening to other versions and in addition to adding Mark's section E, look forward to adding an intro and a more lively ending.



Canyon Canon is the first fingerstyle song I ever learned and I think it offers a lot of "bang for the buck" for the beginner fingerstylist. It's pretty easy to play but it's a challenge to make the dynamics work to make it engaging for the listener. This is an attempt at Hanson's dynamics with some up and down ticks in both tempo and volume.



Love to hear constructive criticism and please post your versions of Mark's arrangements. I'll probably add my latest on Fishin Blues, RWB Rag, and Freight Train real soon. I'm up to working on Etude in the Solo Fingerstyle book. I skipped Over the Waves, could not get into it.

[rschultz]

I went through just about all his books about 10 years ago. Absolutely great stuff! Should be required reading for any beginning finger stylist...

[TBman]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Keeping this thread alive, here's a couple of Mark Hanson arrangements for your critical review.

Windy and Warm is Mark's arrangement. It has five sections (A-E) and this is Sections A-D at 100 bpm. I'd like to be able to play this at 110-120 bpm as it starts to sound loose and not as stiff once you get it up to speed. The double stops in Sections B and C are the speed bumps for me currently but I'll get them with time. I've been listening to other versions and in addition to adding Mark's section E, look forward to adding an intro and a more lively ending.



Canyon Canon is the first fingerstyle song I ever learned and I think it offers a lot of "bang for the buck" for the beginner fingerstylist. It's pretty easy to play but it's a challenge to make the dynamics work to make it engaging for the listener. This is an attempt at Hanson's dynamics with some up and down ticks in both tempo and volume.



Love to hear constructive criticism and please post your versions of Mark's arrangements. I'll probably add my latest on Fishin Blues, RWB Rag, and Freight Train real soon. I'm up to working on Etude in the Solo Fingerstyle book. I skipped Over the Waves, could not get into it.

Good clean playing Bob. That arrangement of W&W is interesting. I had started learning two arrangements of that, but I never got around to finishing either one.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by TBman

Good clean playing Bob. That arrangement of W&W is interesting. I had started learning two arrangements of that, but I never got around to finishing either one.

Thanks Barry. The W&W arrangement is not that difficult for an early intermediate even though the final section to add that I am currently learning is the most challenging. I see a lot of great players say they spend years learning and refining this song so I guess I am in good company on staying on its learning curve. It's certainly a great "foundation" song to have in your fingerstyle library along with Freight Train.

I'm really itching to take on a modern TE arrangement (something like Lewis and Clark) but just think they are still a bit above my pay grade to attempt right now. Any ideas on one that would not be a total exercise in frustration? I say this based on hearing TE tell someone that there are none of his songs he recommends any beginner or beginner-intermediate take on .

[TBman]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Thanks Barry. The W&W arrangement is not that difficult for an early intermediate even though the final section to add that I am currently learning is the most challenging. I see a lot of great players say they spend years learning and refining this song so I guess I am in good company on staying on its learning curve. It's certainly a great "foundation" song to have in your fingerstyle library along with Freight Train.

I'm really itching to take on a modern TE arrangement (something like Lewis and Clark) but just think they are still a bit above my pay grade to attempt right now. Any ideas on one that would not be a total exercise in frustration? I say this based on hearing TE tell someone that there are none of his songs he recommends any beginner or beginner-intermediate take on .

Try Mombasa. He sells the tab book for the CD "Only"

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Keeping this thread alive, here's a couple of Mark Hanson arrangements for your critical review.

Windy and Warm is Mark's arrangement. It has five sections (A-E) and this is Sections A-D at 100 bpm. I'd like to be able to play this at 110-120 bpm as it starts to sound loose and not as stiff once you get it up to speed. The double stops in Sections B and C are the speed bumps for me currently but I'll get them with time. I've been listening to other versions and in addition to adding Mark's section E, look forward to adding an intro and a more lively ending.



Canyon Canon is the first fingerstyle song I ever learned and I think it offers a lot of "bang for the buck" for the beginner fingerstylist. It's pretty easy to play but it's a challenge to make the dynamics work to make it engaging for the listener. This is an attempt at Hanson's dynamics with some up and down ticks in both tempo and volume.



Love to hear constructive criticism and please post your versions of Mark's arrangements. I'll probably add my latest on Fishin Blues, RWB Rag, and Freight Train real soon. I'm up to working on Etude in the Solo Fingerstyle book. I skipped Over the Waves, could not get into it.

Hello Sprintbob,

Very nice stuff. If I remember correctly you haven't been finger picking all that long (a few years?) so bravo. So cleanly played. I agree W and W will sound a little better when you play it a touch faster, but it is fine right now.

This is a great encouragement to me, as I am a few months into the Hanson books, and while I can get through some of the songs it is nowhere near as clean as your playing. So I guess that means practice really does pay off!

You asked for it, so here is my Over and Out Rag on by $149 cedar top Alvarez. Via my iPhone 5 direct to soundcloud. Despite good advice here on AGF I'm still struggling to get the trebles to ring out....

https://soundcloud.com/user-16619491...017-7-54-46-pm


Thanks for posting!

(Slow)Bob