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Started By
Message
How long did it take you to "get" finger picking? Guitar, smartasses!!
Posted on 4/9/20 at 8:01 am
Posted on 4/9/20 at 8:01 am
Before somebody makes a nose picking comment or worse.
John Prine passing is killing my fingers as well as being depressing. I am doing lessons on all things Prine. Which is capos and fingerpicking. I saw a lesson that it is like learning to ride a bike. You get it all coordinated for a second or two and you are up, then you panic and realize you are picking and it falls apart.
I know John Prine only used the thumb and index finger which is different than most. What exercises have you found useful or lessons? I had it rolling for about 3-4 seconds.
John Prine passing is killing my fingers as well as being depressing. I am doing lessons on all things Prine. Which is capos and fingerpicking. I saw a lesson that it is like learning to ride a bike. You get it all coordinated for a second or two and you are up, then you panic and realize you are picking and it falls apart.
I know John Prine only used the thumb and index finger which is different than most. What exercises have you found useful or lessons? I had it rolling for about 3-4 seconds.
14
Posted on 4/9/20 at 8:53 am to LSU alum wannabe
Try learning it without a capo using the cowboy chords. When you start capoing up like 5 or so there's a lot of tension on the strings and you're just gonna get frustrated. go up there when you get the hang of it.
I tend to anchor my pinky on the guitar when I'm finger-picking. I also kinda bend my wrist and "claw" my hand a little if that makes sense, as opposed to keeping it kinda straight and in line when strumming. I admit it's not technically correct but it works for me.
I use Ring on high E, middle on B, index on G, thumb for rest. Nothing unique there.
fingerstyle playing obviously sounds more musical and complicated than just strumming chords. when I started I didn't have the confidence that I could/should be able to make my guitar make all those great cool sounds, which monkeyed with my head and then I'd start screwing up. like anything guitar, take it easy and slow at first and before you know it . . .
I tend to anchor my pinky on the guitar when I'm finger-picking. I also kinda bend my wrist and "claw" my hand a little if that makes sense, as opposed to keeping it kinda straight and in line when strumming. I admit it's not technically correct but it works for me.
I use Ring on high E, middle on B, index on G, thumb for rest. Nothing unique there.
fingerstyle playing obviously sounds more musical and complicated than just strumming chords. when I started I didn't have the confidence that I could/should be able to make my guitar make all those great cool sounds, which monkeyed with my head and then I'd start screwing up. like anything guitar, take it easy and slow at first and before you know it . . .
Posted on 4/9/20 at 8:56 am to LSU alum wannabe
I'm not good at it, but I like fingerpicking more than flatpicking.
I probably should have been a bass player.
I probably should have been a bass player.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 10:22 am to LSU alum wannabe
Posted on 4/9/20 at 10:38 am to LSU alum wannabe
My main instrument is bass, so I don't find right-hand techniques all that difficult. What I would do if you are having trouble putting it together is to choose a sequence you want to practice. You can try a simple I-IV-V-I progression with simple triads, and play higher notes with specific fingers, while using the thumb to play bass notes. I don't know Prine's exact right hand technique, but if you want to emulate it, just do it extremely slowly. Like almost painfully slow. It isn't as fun, but it works. I do this a lot if I'm watching a movie or TV show.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 10:42 am to crazy4lsu
quote:
You can try a simple I-IV-V-I progression with simple triads, and play higher notes with specific fingers, while using the thumb to play bass notes.
That^ and palm muting the bass strings near the bridge.
Get a strong alternating bass sound before worrying too much about the high strings?
Posted on 4/9/20 at 10:45 am to LSU alum wannabe
quote:
I know John Prine only used the thumb and index finger which is different than most.
Thats true.
The Rev Gary Davis got huge sounds using just thumb and index.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 10:54 am to LSU alum wannabe
You have to develop your own method, and that is probably going to be a compromise, between how you set out to learn to fingerpick, and how you felt comfortable, and then improved on it.
Personally, I use thumb and 3 fingers, but I don't really play anything intricate with my fingers, the most important part of the way that I play, is with my thumb, on the top 3 strings. I really like having a dominant bass line going. It's not really like the great pickers do it, but more like boogie woogie or honky tonk/blues style.
Edit: after all that typing, I still didn't answer your question. If you are asking how long it took me to learn what I set out to learn, I'll have to let you know..
but in the meantime, I found a way to cheat at it
Personally, I use thumb and 3 fingers, but I don't really play anything intricate with my fingers, the most important part of the way that I play, is with my thumb, on the top 3 strings. I really like having a dominant bass line going. It's not really like the great pickers do it, but more like boogie woogie or honky tonk/blues style.
Edit: after all that typing, I still didn't answer your question. If you are asking how long it took me to learn what I set out to learn, I'll have to let you know..
but in the meantime, I found a way to cheat at it
This post was edited on 4/9/20 at 9:31 pm
Posted on 4/9/20 at 11:12 am to LSU alum wannabe
I'd start with simple arpeggios.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 12:51 pm to Dale51
quote:
Get a strong alternating bass sound before worrying too much about the high strings?
You can also get a thumb pick to help accentuate the sound. I have an extremely thick one for my Bass VI.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 1:06 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
You can also get a thumb pick to help accentuate the sound. I have an extremely thick one for my Bass VI.
Exactly what I do. I have a long hand, so I can rest the heel of my hand on the saddle, and play over the sound hole. By rolling my hand a little bit, I mute the top strings slightly and let the bottom play clear.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 1:10 pm to El Mattadorr
quote:
Lindsey Buckingham.
When I watch him play Big Love, I realize that I'll never be able to really fingerpick.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 1:39 pm to LSU alum wannabe
quote:Money Talk board misses you... how about an update?
LSU alum wannabe
Posted on 4/9/20 at 1:42 pm to Jalbow3
quote:
When I watch him play Big Love, I realize that I'll never be able to really fingerpick.
He is incredible.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 2:44 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
You can also get a thumb pick to help accentuate the sound. I have an extremely thick one for my Bass VI.
Thats true. Started way late in life with guitar and I can't seem to get used to thumb or finger picks..actually, I probably could but they don't stay on my thumb or fingers for more than 20 seconds.
I like the feel of the strings.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 2:46 pm to Jalbow3
quote:
When I watch him play Big Love, I realize that I'll never be able to really fingerpick.
If you watch Billy Strings play, you'll feel the same way about flat picking.
To top it off, he's about 26 years old.
Billy Strings and Don Julin
LINK
This post was edited on 4/9/20 at 2:49 pm
Posted on 4/9/20 at 3:08 pm to LSU alum wannabe
Get you some finger picks. They are awkward for a while but you eventually get used to them and they procude more sound than just your fingers. There are a whole lot of guitarists, both acoustic and electric players, who finger pick using picks.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 3:10 pm to El Mattadorr
quote:
learn some Lindsey Buckingham.
Buckingham and Knopfler are both self-taught, "claw" style fingerpickers. Some folks were just born to play guitar and these guys are definitely two of them.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 3:45 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
Buckingham and Knopfler are both self-taught, "claw" style fingerpickers. Some folks were just born to play guitar and these guys are definitely two of them.
Knophler and Tom Jones doing a Muddy Waters tune.
LINK
Posted on 4/9/20 at 8:46 pm to Dale51
This
It's used in finger picking as well as Travis style. You basically let the thumb handle the two bass strings. Typically playing the root note and then the fifth note (of the scale). While any number of fingers handle the rest.
They have you start just playing the bass part. Boom - chick. Boom - chick. Until you can do it without thinking. That's step one and then you can add in the melody (because you're not thinking about the bass anymore). I can do the whole thing some and at times it even sounds good. However getting the alternating bass is not too hard. Supposedly the trick is getting the alternating bass done subliminally.
However it's not required to play most John Prine. (removed for brevity)
eta: actually he's usually 1/bass-strun-5th/bass-strum (repeat ad nauseam) (ie: Sam Stone)
or if not
more of a D-D-UD D-D-UD type (ie: Angel From Montgomery)
quote:
Get a strong alternating bass sound before worrying too much about the high strings?
It's used in finger picking as well as Travis style. You basically let the thumb handle the two bass strings. Typically playing the root note and then the fifth note (of the scale). While any number of fingers handle the rest.
They have you start just playing the bass part. Boom - chick. Boom - chick. Until you can do it without thinking. That's step one and then you can add in the melody (because you're not thinking about the bass anymore). I can do the whole thing some and at times it even sounds good. However getting the alternating bass is not too hard. Supposedly the trick is getting the alternating bass done subliminally.
However it's not required to play most John Prine. (removed for brevity)
eta: actually he's usually 1/bass-strun-5th/bass-strum (repeat ad nauseam) (ie: Sam Stone)
or if not
more of a D-D-UD D-D-UD type (ie: Angel From Montgomery)
This post was edited on 4/9/20 at 9:09 pm
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