I learned from the same authors as Roger, but different books! I used "Amereican Folk Guitar" by Alan Lomax and Peggy Seeger and "Folk Guitar Method Book" by Jerry Silverman. As soon as I got some chords down, I started on Stefan Grossman's "Play Country Blues" which I found too hard so I downgraded to his "Essential Fingerpicking Guitar" lessons. They are just right for someone who can find the chords and wants to start fingerpicking. The lessons consist of relatively simple arrangements each with one or two harder licks which are idomatic to one of the great blues players.

I made good progress with that and graduated to the "Play Country Blues" and "The Guitar of Mississippi John Hurt"

Although I know my way around the guitar now, I feel clumsy. Sometimes I hit one string while playing another and things like that so I have been taking some lessons in classical guitar. I feel more comfortable already. Classical music sounds pretty good on a steel-string.

I would like to get better at learning licks and chord progressions by ear. So far the only thing I have done about it is to experiment with records. I did manage to get some half-way decent accompanyments to a few Hedy West tunes by listening to her banjo playing; but I am not ready to transcribe Rev. Gary Davis.

Sydney is rich in Folk Clubs. Due to my own and my wife's health problems, I haven't been able to get to them so I don't have the experience of playing with others I would like, although I do play with a friend once in a while. That really does speed up my learning. I don't know why, but I have noticed it with other instruments too.

Murray