12 string lesson/song suggestions - flatpick not fingerstyle

[parulid]

I'm about to get my first 12 string (arrives tomorrow). I'm an intermediate level player and I use a flatpick mostly in the first position. Occasionally I use a simple crosspicking pattern.

I'm interested in online lessons or tutorials that are geared toward 12 string specifically, and flatpicking rather than fingerstyle. I may work at fingerstyle someday, but initially I'll just be adjusting to the 12 string as a whole different ballgame, so I'll be looking for stuff that isn't overly difficult and works well with a flatpick on the 12 string. Perhaps songs that have pretty chord progressions that move up the neck, letting the open strings ring out. Mostly I'd like to stay in standard or drop D tuning starting out (perhaps double drop D or DADGAD).

Of course these days, its not hard to find loads of online lessons for free. There's almost too much stuff out there... like when I try to shop for something on Amazon, boom, 200 choices! Especially common are videos that teach the "classic" or "top 10" most iconic riffs on the 12 string... Those are fun but I'd be equally inclined to work at a less traveled piece. For example, I've worked hard on "The Mary Ellen Carter" by Stan Rogers (it was quite a challenge for me to play that one all the way through on a 6 string). But I'm open to whatever your favorites might be, even if it's a well known hit. Also I'm willing to pay $$ for good quality lessons.

Thank you in advance! I expect I could get a lot great suggestions. I need to work pretty hard just to learn to play 1 song all the way thru with any satisfaction, so I usually only work at 2 or 3 at a time. But I'll keep all your ideas so I can come back when I'm ready. And I'll let you know what I end up working on first.

Dave

PS. I already bought a good 12 string capo. I consider that a necessity and I decided to try the G7th Newport, after reading some older threads here on the topic.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

This is one of my favorite 'off-the-track' 12-string tunes

[Rockysdad]

Play whatever you play on a six string, most tunes work well, some don't.

[mike o]

Two of my earliest and favorite songs I play on 12. Neither were originally on 12’s but better this way

Love alive - heart
https://youtu.be/zIbrsS41rI0?si=Ifg6JqCDFoe9boDS

Seasons of wither - Aerosmith
https://youtu.be/aSSWDC_nD5A?si=6XjS1BtWM5bkXZyB

[Dave Hicks]

Some that I like on the 12 string, and rarely do with 6 string, are Four Strong Winds, Ballad of Easy Rider (Fairport Convention version - lots of chords, though), and Wall of Death (Richard Thompson).

D.H.

[Daniel Grenier]

Good for you. Nothing quite like the chime of a 12 string (in moderation, that is ). Anyway, Drop D is a good idea. DADGAD even better but I suspect the vast majority of "classic" tunes are in standard tuning so there's that. I'd start with somewhat easier ones like "Wish you were here" (Pink Floyd);"Sundown" (Gordon Lightfoot); "Free Falling" (Tom Petty), for example. I'd also suggest you try tuning down a full step as I personally find that easier to play and using a capo if need be. I'd also very highly recommend a good pick such as a Blue Chip. Crazy expensive but totally worth it. Good luck and have fun.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi Dave, this is an interesting question, and I hope I can help.
I've just watched Stan Rogers, bless him, singing the Mary Ellen Carter song and he was playing a solid hard strum, (I know he could do far more than that style) but there is much more that you can do with a 12 string and actually get more of that 12 string sound/feel by playing "less" than you might on a six string.

I spent this morning running through my12 strin repertoire for a gig at my own club at the weekend.

I'll attach some of my videos to show what I mean ;

Note, I'm not asking you to watch all of theses videos but to off an understanding.









So, the bass lines can be highlighted and fill the accompaniment without hitting on al 12 all the time.

If this style (or aspects of it) interests and you would like some guidance, I do do online one to one mentoring.
BTW _ you will see that I tune my 12 strings down one whole tone/step which makes them slightly easier to play but also makes them sound more different to your six string.

Best regards, and whatever, Enjoy you new 12 string!

[Ryan51]

The Rolling Stones' "As Tears Go By" is all 12-string with orchestra backing.

"Walk Right In" by The Rooftop Singers from 1962 is one of the first hit songs to feature a 12-string.

"More Than a Feeling" by Boston.

"Question" by The Moody Blues is a great one but requires open C tuning.

"Give a Little Bit" by Supertramp.

[parulid]

Thanks to all you kind people for the suggestions so far! Keep them coming. I hope this thread might be interesting to others like me searching for new things to try on their 12 strings. Think of this as partly a general 12 string appreciation thread. Also don't worry too much about suggesting stuff that is more advanced. I can appreciate most anything, and if it's too hard for me right now, maybe it's just right for someone else reading this...

A few direct replies:

Bob from Brooklyn:

Love some of Steve Earle's stuff. I also liked some of what his sister Stacey Earle did years ago partnering with Mark Stewart. I saw them live and really liked the sound from their old Gibsons, and Mark's style was really interesting.

mike o:

I like the Heart song but I doubt I could pull it off including the singing... I thought the same thing when I looked at the Crazy on You lesson produced at the same time. Sometimes I just have to shake my head and sit back and enjoy the "real musicians"... Partly they are just more naturally talented than I could ever be, but part of it is also that they simply know from a very young age that they love music and they just fully commit to it. I watched a documentary on Heart and I chuckled when they said Nancy Wilson actually slept with her guitar when she was a young girl, and when they got older and all their girlfriends were dying to SEE the Beatles, they said no, we want to BE the Beatles. :-)

Dave Hicks:

I like those suggestions! Four Strong Winds is pretty easy and I might enjoy singing that if I find the right key/capo position. Richard Thompson's "Wall of Death" is a little harder but luckily I see an excellent free lesson so I might very well give that a try someday.

Daniel Grenier:

You cracked me up. 12 string YES, in moderation! I am expecting it will be "a bit much" sometimes, just a lot of sound... Even more than with a 6 string, I'm expecting it will be important to sometimes play more gently and only use some of the strings.

Regarding tuning down, I'm sure I will want to tune down at least 1/2 step (already do that with my 6 strings) and with the 12 I'll probably want to even go a full step down to D thru D. Specific question: Is it safe to use D'Addario EJ39 (medium gauge, .012-.052) so long as long as I always stay tuned down a full step? i.e., if I do that, will the tension be equivalent or less than a light gauge set tuned up to concert pitch?

Finally yes, I recently sort of went off the deep end exploring lots of different picks, including Blue Chips, so I'll see what works/sounds best for me.

Silly M:

Wow, thanks for sharing some great songs! I will look harder at those! And maybe I will be brave and eventually post my own modest first efforts with the 12. Nice guitars!

Ryan51:

Thank you. Yes, I've worked at "Give a Little Bit" on the 6 string... With a lot more work I might be able to pull it off, and the new 12 string might motivate me to keep working at it. The problem with that one was I ended up needing to capo up and sing lower, which still sounded ok... I had to do the same thing on Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"... Singing is a big part of what helps me get enough satisfaction from playing. But my vocal range is limited and sometimes I'm not entirely happy with the sound of my own voice. :-) That's part of why I'm inclined to tune down a half or full step. It sometimes makes it a bit easier for me to sing without transposing or resorting to the capo.

Dave

[Charlie Bernstein]

Try listening to some Long John Baldry.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by parulid

....but initially I'll just be adjusting to the 12 string as a whole different ballgame....

On 12-string I play everything that I played on 6-string, and I play 12-string about 95% of the time. Of course, I don't have a huge repertoire or anything, but hey....

[Glennwillow]

Gordon Lightfoot did a ton of songs on his 12-string. A wade through his repertoire would give you all kinds of ideas. Here's just one idea...



- Glenn

[parulid]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Gordon Lightfoot did a ton of songs on his 12-string. A wade through his repertoire would give you all kinds of ideas. Here's just one idea...

- Glenn

Thanks Glenn. Good idea. Don't get me wrong because Edmond Fitz. is a great song, but when I've tried to do it by myself, I feel a need for a bridge or a chorus, something to help me change it up a bit... Not that the song necessarily needs it, but maybe I need a band! ... that ain't happening... But you're right; there are lots of Gordon Lightfoot classics. I found one I'd like to try and it might be within my reach, with a lot of practice: Canadian Railroad Trilogy. The biggest challenge for me would be the part(s) with that faster tempo, and keeping that fast tempo both rock steady and relaxed/flowing... This guy does a nice job with it all by himself:



Dave

[Glennwillow]

Hi Dave,

Yes, the Canadian RR Trilogy is an excellent song on the 12-string and a great song to learn, period! Excellent choice.

- Glenn

[parulid]

Answering my own thread here, in case anyone else is interested besides me...

Staying on Gordon Lightfoot, I found this free Early Morning Rain lesson that shows how it can sound on a 12 string:
https://www.jerrysguitarbar.com/guit...-morning-rain/

I do want to work at Canadian RR Trilogy, but the more I think about it, that will be a pretty big challenge, so it may be a long term effort where I gradually get there... But Early Morning Rain can be played much more easily; I was already playing that in my own way, but it might sound even better on the 12.

The new guitar has arrived. It's actually not new at all. It's a 31 year old Taylor 555 that I bought from another forum member who had it for sale on the AGF Classifieds. I'm quite pleased with it so far. I daresay it sounds nicer than many other 12 strings I've heard, and although the neck is of course wider (7/8" nut), I'm still able to wrap my thumb around the to fret the low string pair on D and F chords (my hands are small, so it may become impossible as I capo up). I'm finding that DCCougar was right, above: I can play most of the stuff I do on 6 string also on the 12... And while is an "adjustment," it often isn't as big as I thought... Some things of course I will still prefer to stick with the 6.

Norwegian Wood is one that sounds pretty nice on the 12.

Also I was looking at Tom Petty's "The Waiting."

Again, please keep the ideas coming, and thank you!

Dave