fingerpicking styles for folk music

[Mellow_D]

Originally Posted by bassfiddler

I started with The Contemporary Art of Travis Picking a little over a year ago and HIGHLY recommend it. Combine that book with ljguitar's videos and you'll have plenty of things to work on for several months. For me, using the ring finger for the high E string took a little work, but was worth it.

Let me ask you and everyone. I've heard Travis teaches using only two fingers? Of all the names I've heard since I joined this messsage board -- Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum, Pete Hutlinger, Mark Hanson, Happy Traum, Fred Sokolow, Arnie Berle, Tommy Emmanuel -- do any of them teach using the thumb and three fingers, the "p-i-m-a" style fingerpicking?

And ljguitar ... I really liked the sample video he provided. It seems he teaches using the thumb and three fingers approach that I'm interested in continuing to learn. I know he has videos on youtube. Does he also have a complete course/program, that is, a DVD or series of DVDs one can buy, which teaches a lot of these patterns, and goes through the "stages" (beginner to intermediate to advanced)?

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Mellow_D

Let me ask you and everyone. I've heard Travis teaches using only two fingers? Of all the names I've heard since I joined this messsage board -- Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum, Pete Hutlinger, Mark Hanson, Happy Traum, Fred Sokolow, Arnie Berle, Tommy Emmanuel -- do any of them teach using the thumb and three fingers, the "p-i-m-a" style fingerpicking?

And ljguitar ... I really liked the sample video he provided. It seems he teaches using the thumb and three fingers approach that I'm interested in continuing to learn. I know he has videos on youtube. Does he also have a complete course/program, that is, a DVD or series of DVDs one can buy, which teaches a lot of these patterns, and goes through the "stages" (beginner to intermediate to advanced)?

If you just use two or even one finger you will be limiting your choices in what you can play.

Merle for example had the one finger method about as polished as any one possible could and of course what he played (notes and rhythm) fit right in with using one finger, but listen long enough and you will start to hear the limitations as to song material.

What he did play was rocking though as here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8x_1fD5vM

[Mellow_D]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

If you just use two or even one finger you will be limiting your choices in what you can play.

Merle for example had the one finger method about as polished as any one possible could and of course what he played (notes and rhythm) fit right in with using one finger, but listen long enough and you will start to hear the limitations as to song material.

What he did play was rocking though as here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8x_1fD5vM

First thank you and JonPr for answering my questions about what I was doing and my question about whether to mute the fourth string when I return to the pattern, on beat one, and start it again.

Second, I'm a little confused. "If you just use two or even one finger you will be limiting your choices in what you can play."

So my wanting to continue using my thumb and THREE fingers is the right direction? (Just checking I'm reading your comment correctly. I can be "slow" at times, so forgive me.)

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Mellow_D

So my wanting to continue using my thumb and THREE fingers is the right direction?

That would be my advice for overall choices in what you play - and I would suggest not planting fingers on the top of the guitar.

[Mellow_D]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

That would be my advice for overall choices in what you play - and I would suggest not planting fingers on the top of the guitar.

So of all the names brought up by members on this forum (over the months since I joined) -- Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum, Pete Hutlinger, Mark Hanson, Happy Traum, Fred Sokolow, Arnie Berle, Tommy Emmanuel -- and any other names you would add to that list that I'm not aware of, who teaches the patterns using the "the thumb and three fingers approach" (who has a DVD or series of DVDs that teaches that approach) that you would recommend?

(Again, it seems ljguitar, a member of this forum, teaches that approach, but I don't know if he offers a program/course on DVD, for example, that I could order. I mean, I know he's one-on-one teacher from what I've heard, he teaches people face-to-face. I don't know if he offers his course on Homespun or whatever other website offers DVD instruction, as do those other names I listed above.)

Thanks

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Mellow_D

So of all the names brought up by members on this forum (over the months since I joined) -- Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum, Pete Hutlinger, Mark Hanson, Happy Traum, Fred Sokolow, Arnie Berle, Tommy Emmanuel -- and any other names you would add to that list that I'm not aware of, who teaches the patterns using the "the thumb and three finger approach" (who has a DVD or series of DVDs that teaches that approach) that you would recommend?

(Again, it seems ljguitar, a member of this forum, teaches that approach, but I don't know if he offers a program/course on DVD, for example, that I could order. I mean, I know he's one-on-one teacher from what I've heard, he teaches people face-to-face. I don't know if he offers his course on Homespun or whatever other website offers DVD instruction, as do those other names I listed above.)

Thanks

This is not hard stuff to do. You don't really need to be buying a DVD. There are all kinds of free videos on youtube. You just need to practice - less time on the forum. Learn some fingerpicking songs.

[JanVigne]

"Merle for example had the one finger method about as polished as any one possible could and of course what he played (notes and rhythm) fit right in with using one finger, but listen long enough and you will start to hear the limitations as to song material.

What he did play was rocking though as here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8x_1fD5vM"




Oh, if only I were so limited in my abilities.

[Mellow_D]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

This is not hard stuff to do. You don't really need to be buying a DVD. There is all kinds of free videos on youtube. You just need to practice - less time on the forum. Learn some fingerpicking songs.

Well, after learning a handful of patterns from a Mel Bay book a few years ago, at a later time, after seeing the Rolling Stones "Angie" and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" tabs, I did try to fingerpick the opening parts of those songs, and was able to. I mean, my fingers were able to. But I've never gone beyond that. I stopped and went back to focussing on playing with a pick because I thought -- and still think -- I am lacking in many areas of the guitar (especially THEORY ... which I literally only started learning last November when others suggested I get Peter Vogl's theory book and start learning about intervals, and harmonizing the major scale, learning about chord THEORY, not just strumming chords, but knowing the notes that comprise them, etc.)

So I guess I'm not sure what direction to go in. When one is lacking in a host of areas, it's hard to decide which ones to focus on at any given time.

So far as the fingerpicking -- and learning anything -- I guess I'm the type that just needs a structured approach.

And I figured to get that structured approach, it's just easier to order a DVD or series of DVDs with "linear" lessons than trying to cobble a program for myself from thousands of youtube videos from hundreds of different teachers, all with different approaches.

[bassfiddler]

Originally Posted by Mellow_D

So of all the names brought up by members on this forum (over the months since I joined) -- Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum, Pete Hutlinger, Mark Hanson, Happy Traum, Fred Sokolow, Arnie Berle, Tommy Emmanuel -- and any other names you would add to that list that I'm not aware of, who teaches the patterns using the "the thumb and three fingers approach" (who has a DVD or series of DVDs that teaches that approach) that you would recommend?

(Again, it seems ljguitar, a member of this forum, teaches that approach, but I don't know if he offers a program/course on DVD, for example, that I could order. I mean, I know he's one-on-one teacher from what I've heard, he teaches people face-to-face. I don't know if he offers his course on Homespun or whatever other website offers DVD instruction, as do those other names I listed above.)

Thanks

Mark Hanson's book teaches thumb and three fingers. Very similar to the patterns ljguitar teaches.

[JanVigne]

If you'll check my earlier posts I placed a series of instructional books in the series I would recommend. If you prefer DVD's, that's fine but those books will also get you there.