Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 09:50 PM

I miss the man.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: GUEST,Charlie waller's guitar style
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 08:05 PM

I have just came across this site and enjoy it so much. I have tried and tried to learn the guitar style of the Late and great Charlie Waller.
He has a down-strum type lick but does something different than most players. Any help would be appreciated.
god bless and Merry Christmas to all.
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 04:29 PM

Once there was a guitar player, who dreamed he was a Martin guitar -- playing sweet tones, fluttering the hearts of many -- and upon waking he was not now sure if he was a guitar player playing a Martin guitar, or a Martin guitar playing a guitar player -- envy him in his existential fretfulness.

after Chuang Tzu.....

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 03:22 PM

For Master Rick

Duke Huan was reading a book in the hall. Wheelwright Pian, who had been chiseling a wheel in the courtyard below, set down his tools and climbed the stairs to ask Duke Huan, "May I ask what words are in the book Your Grace is reading?"

"The words of sages." the Duke responded.

"Are these sages alive?"

"They are already dead"

"That means you are reading the dregs of long gone men, doesn't it?"

Duke Huan said, "How does a wheelwright get to have opinions on the books I read? If you can explain yourself I'll let it pass otherwise, it's death."

W'heelwright Pian said "In my case I see things in terms of my own work. When I chisel at a wheel, if I go slow the chisel slides and does not stay put; if I hurry, it jams and doesn't move properly When it is neither too slow nor too fast I can feel it in my hand and respond to it from my heart. My mouth cannot describe it in words but there is something there. I cannot teach it to my son and my son cannot learn it from me So I have gone on for seventy years, growing old chiseling wheels The men of old died in possession of what could not transmit. So it follows that what you are reading is their dregs."

Chuang Tzu (http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chuangtz.html)

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Gray Rooster
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 12:19 PM

Ken Gaines, a regular at Anderson Fair in Houston, Tx told me a sad tale. Years ago, he was learning about finger picking from one of his idols at the time and was told not to "marry" his fingerpicks. Alas, Ken did and he regrets it now.

I think it is absurd to stick with one method/style/device/sound/etc. Try 'em all and try to develop them all to some degree.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 12:00 PM

I have to admit Marion, that after three years of trying to explain things in understandable ways, I made a total complete and unadulterated hash of the "rolling thumb" thing. If you've managed to decipher some of it...Wonderful, but after sitting down and playing some things in that style, I realize I made it sound so complex, that even I wouldn't have been able to figure it out,...and I think I invented it! It's actually quite a simple concept, but as Peter says, devilishly hard to get smooth.

The REALLY key part is to play the three bass strings so they sound like something in between a strum and a picking pattern.

As far as using the left hand thumb on chords (F, all Ds, B7, Bb etc.) it's simply adding another tool to your arsenal. It's crucial for playing Ragtime, or any style where you want a constant bass playing under your chords and melody.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 10:01 AM

A VOICE FROM THE INFERNO: Well, you may be right, not having tried a fiddle. Certainly from the outside it sounds like the shrieking of demons....Anyway, you are right that the moment critique is the shift from the thumb to the fingers as you move south -- one reason for not just letting the thumb do all the work is that you can (later on) separate out the thumb to do double thumbing etc, and the fingers can be used in threes and twos and ones in different patterns. Or so I am told.....
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 11:26 PM

Well I've been playing around with the seven-notes-in-G sequence you describe, so I think I know what you mean, although I can't do it fluently. But it doesn't seem like TOTAL GUITAR HELL [giggle] so maybe I'm not understanding it; I'd better give you a call if you really don't mind.

You never go past the string where the melody note is, right? The way I'm picturing it is as a quick run of grace notes before a long melody note, with the grace notes strategically chosen to be on as many consecutive strings as possible. Right? If that's the case, I could imagine playing an waltz by rolling up to the longer notes and playing the shorter notes normally.

As for doing it fluently, it seems like the devil is in the change from the right hand thumb to the fingers. So why change? Couldn't you create the effect more smoothly and much more easily by doing it all with your right thumb, just stopping wherever you need to?

Speaking of thumbs, Rick: I can't remember which thread this was in (and I've just realized that the double thumb pattern I just thanked you for isn't even in this thread), but you said that if somebody really wants to get better on guitar they should learn to use the left thumb on the E and A, and that this could be learned in a couple of weeks. What do I have to do for those few weeks to develop this skill? Right now I'm not using my left thumb at all. But I have just bought a new guitar so now I'm all inspired to get better.

Thanks, Marion

Oh, and Peter... speaking as a novice fiddler, I don't believe anything can be described as TOTAL HELL that doesn't involve a bow.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 11:57 AM

All I can say is that to do it right is TOTAL GUITAR HELL. Also, what is slightly buried in Rick's description is that the melody is being played on the high (high as in high notes) 2,1 strings as you go along. Also that you try and keep your three fingers on the right hand as close to those strings as possible always (Rick also anchors it all with his pinkie, but I can't do that -- at least not yet). DID I SAY IT WAS TOTAL HELL? (Not to discourage you or anything).
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:48 AM

It's been in the resource page for three years now. I'm pretty trusting.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:46 AM

"Do you mean that the notes you are articulating are the melody notes - and the rolls are a fast little envelope for each melody note...."

Well put Marion. Yeah, something like that. Bit of a can of worms I've opened. I just got my guitar to see if I was explaining it correctly...and the answer is "Yes....and No".

Let's wait til Peter T sees this. he makes his living explaining things. Trust me, if you were sitting in this room I could show it to you in five minutes!

The problem is that there are more variables than I mentioned. All of which are neccessary in order to use it as a complete accompaniment.

Sorry to be so confusing. If I drank, I'd need a drink!

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:45 AM

Thanks very much for the offer Rick. I hadn't seen your 12:28 post when I wrote last; I imagine that fuller description will help. I'll try it tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Marion

PS Are you sure it's a good idea to put your phone number in a thread?

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:36 AM

Do you mean that the notes you are articulating are the melody notes - and the rolls are a fast little envelope for each melody note, like using a lot of grace notes? Gosh, it's also difficult to explain how I'm picturing what you describe.

Is this like a picking pattern that you could use for a whole song, or an embellishment that you would use on a few notes?

Marion

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:28 AM

When your playing a chord with the root on the fifth string (like C or A) you can start the roll on that string, so you're actually playing five notes (the high three are always played with the fingers...so the thumb only rolls over two strings). You lose the "feel" of the roll on a chord where the root is on the fourth string (D) so it's good to use your thumb on the sixth string second fret) and go back to a full six note roll.

A good way to hear how it sounds with added melody notes would be to play a G chord (have to use the middle, ring and pinky here). Do the roll and articulate (play it a bit louder) the G note on the first string. Let it sustain. Now lift off the pinky (keep the two others on) and squeeze your index finger onto the first string second fret. (articulate the note when you roll). The sound will be a G Maj7. Roll again, and put the index on the first string first fret (you'll have a G7th of course) Now lift the index off the first string altogether and roll again. You'll hear a G6.

OK, here's where it breaks from what I described earlier. (not harder, just different) Do the roll with Five strings (thumb still plays three bass notes but fingers (index and middle) play third and second, only. Put your left hand pinky on the second string third fret (where the roll stops) and don't forget to sustain it. You're hearing a regular G with an articulated D note. Now put the index on the second string first fret (remember the two fingers on the bass strings haven't moved) Do the five note roll. You'll hear a G suspended. Do one more (for now) five note roll ending on an open B string (with sustain). The chords back to G.

It's sort of "harp-like" but you've played seven melody notes over the same chord. Once you can do this, you can re-arrange those notes to suit your accompaniement.

One thing I should have said in the first post was that the roll doesn't always involve six strings. It can stop after four, five or six,(always with the sustain..and as often as possible with three bass notes to get that "rolling feel".

Marion I truly understand how confusing this can seem. If you want to give me a call. I'm at 416 690 8697. I'll try and play it for you over the speaker phone, so at least you can hear what it sounds like.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 12:05 AM

Marion, in the strictest sense the timing is 6/8 or a fast 3/4, but I use it for slow ballads (like Shenandoah) with the notes all sustaining for a bit before you play them again. The amount of sustain actually decides whether you're playing in 4/4 or not.

By articulating, I mean that you play one string Louder than the the other two. This way, when you've got comfortable with the pattern itself (took me about 4 to 5 hours to make it really smooth you can play melodies along with your bass notes. It's almost impossible to put this style on the printed page, but if you practice the first most basic steps (that which I've outlined) you can go in a lot of very complex directions with it.

It's similar in sound (but not execution) to a Flamenco "rasquedo", but played a little more slowly.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 11:53 PM

Not sure I understand, Rick. Is this thumb roll filling a 3/4 bar, with each string being an eighth note? Or when you say to do the roll quickly, do you mean doing a triplet then 3 quarter notes for a 4/4 bar? What does articulating mean?

Thanks, Marion

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 11:42 PM

Well I'll be! I'd forgotten about this. Actually since this came out, I've seen a couple of "up down" finger pick designs. The Indian "sitar pick" seems to be designed for that application. Thanks Marion.

Also, something that I'm using a lot these days that may be of some use to someone. I call it the "thumb roll".

Put an E chord down (to start). now roll your thumb over the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings quickly...but articulating each note. When you've played the fourth, continue with your index, middle, and ring on the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st. It should sound like a smooth uninterrupted "buh,duh,duh,duh,duh,duh. Now learn to articulate any one of the high three strings, so that you can do the roll with any one of those strings sounding prominent. Without hammer-ons or pull-offs (or double hammer-ons or double pull-offs) which I do a lot, you have six "rolling notes'. If you want eight, just come back on the ring and middle finger. Works nice with ballads.

Peter T's learned to do it pretty well. Harder than it seems (to get it smooth) but with practice.....

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 11:07 PM

Ignore the diagram above, it didn't work out with the change in font. I'll try it this way:

For a 6 string chord:

(1/4) T-6, I-3, M-2, and A-1
(1/4) T-4
T-6
M-2
T-4
I-3
T-6
M-2
T-4
R-1
T-6
M-2
T-4
I-3

The ones that are not marked as quarter notes are eighth notes.

Marion

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Marion
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 10:58 PM

Thanks for the double thumbing pattern Rick. Very nice.

Here's a picking pattern in 4/4 someone recently gave me. I think it would be best suited for a song where the chords last two bars each: it would sound pretty busy packed into one bar. I'll give the pattern here for a 6 string chord; for a 5 string chord you would let the 5th string be your first bass and the 4th be the second bass, and reverse those for a 4 string chord.

--A---------------------A----------
--M---------M-------M-------M------
--I-------------I---------------I--
------P-------P-------P-------P----
-----------------------------------
--P-------P-------P-------P--------
. . . . . . . .

Marion

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 11:51 AM

Thanks Chris. It sounds weird and wonderful. I'm going to try and get it.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Canberra Chris
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 05:01 AM

Rick, I think it was your thread last week about helping a lass with banjo finger-picking styles. I found that French banjo album. It is LDX 74472, Le Banjo Americain, by Steve Waring, on Le Chant du Monde label. The whole production is a collector's piece, with elaborate sleeve-notes in Franglais - such as "Ici Claude en Cross-Picking really blows my mind!" (followed by a translation into French of 'really blows my mind'.) I acquired the album off a friend in the late seventies, it could be years older. It has some wild technical tracks on it, and full three-fold sleeve notes on technique in French. It may not be what you want, but it should be worth the effort to track down if you can find it. The album's discography cites Folkways albums Dock Boggs, FA 2351, and Roscoe Holcomb & Wade Ward, FA 2363, and also Steve Wray in Tom Banjo, LDX 74393. Hope it's of interest.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 12:55 AM

Rog. Thanks for joinin' in here.

I love to hear someone play waltzes with a flat pick where the "2 and 3" are just "implied", rather than boom, chick,chick. I worked in a Polka band for about two weeks and the leader said "Make it OBVIOUS, boy, Make it OBVIOUS"! And ohhh boy was that band "OBVIOUS"!

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 02:07 PM

Thanks, Roger, I'll work on that one too (or is it three?).
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 01:34 PM

Thanx for the pick tips, guys; I won't have time 'til after Labor Day to try these ideas, then I will go at it.

MA

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 01:16 PM

Peter,

Here are two interesting picking patterns that I learned from Peggy Seeger's little appendix to Folk Songs in North America.

Try that old "G" chord. Remember to alternate bass with your thumb.

T-6, I-3, (M-2, R-1) The parentheses indicate that the two strings are plucked simultaneously. So you have three quarter notes per measure.

An alternative, is the following:

T-6, I-3, (M-2, R-1), I-3, (M-2, R-1), I-3 Here you have essentially 6 eighth notes per measure with the I-3's being the off-beats for three-four time.

If I recall correctly, Peggy suggests alternating your bass, pluck three, pluck three with one of these two for yet another pattern.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 11:12 AM

Thank you O Supreme Pickerupper. If I do this well will Johann Strauss dance with me?
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 11:08 AM

Peter T, here's your 3/4 time pattern.

"G" chord. (remember..middle, ring and pinky.

T-6, M-2, T-4, I-3, T-6, M-2.

There are many 3/4 and 4/4 patterns, but this is a good simple one to start with. Learn it well, before you start playing it in a song.

Seed, if you can make those, the world will beat a path to your door. (and I'll be first). I must have two dozen designs for things that I don't have the technical skills to build.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 01:41 AM

I have a design in my head for a fingerpick that could be used both for up picking and strumming--or frailing. I could fabricate them myself except they should be made out of light spring steel, and I wouldn't know how to form that to fit. Any ideas? (I think the design would be great for people who want to feel the strings when either plucking or strumming/frailing.) --seed

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 01:24 AM

Thanks Jeri.

Mary Ann. I forgot about "Gorilla Snot" and I LOVE saying it! Here's something that Earl Scruggs wrote about in his banjo book. Rub violin rosin on your fingers. Now of course he always worked with a fiddler so it was close at hand. You may prefer to go into a music store and ask for rosin rather than Snot...Personally I just squeeze the suckers so tight they've changed the shape of my fingers over the years!
Seed's right about the adhesive tape. I've seen lots of folks use that.
Rog, I've tried Pro picks and it'a neat idea. If they'd been around at the beginning I'd probably use them.

Rick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 08:53 PM

MAG,

The first finger picks I have ever felt comfortable with are a new design by Pro-Pick. They are metal fingerpicks with a difference. The pick end has a substantial hole cut out so the tip of your finger pokes through and you get some of the "feel" of naked fingerpicking along with the clarity of a stiff pick. They also come in a style with a "split" finger band. The band is about as wide as a National metal finger pick, but it is split so there are two pieces wrapping around each side of your finger. They come in regular and large sizes as well.

They are more comfortable and firmer than any pick I have tried. Unfortunately, they retail for $3 and change per pick!!! Ouch!!

If your local store does not carry them, you can mail order. I found them in an ad in Acoustic Guitar magazine. I swear by them instead of swear at them!. Now if only they came in day glo colors so I would not "misplace" so many of them.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 07:58 PM

MAG--I didn't see an answer above to your question about slipping picks. I used to use adhesive tape to keep them from slipping off, and it worked well enough that my autoharpy friend tried it. She used it for a while, then discovered "Gorilla Snot": disgusting, but the actual name of the product. It comes in a tiny bottle--about an inch in diameter and 3/4" high--and is available at lots of music stores. The autoharpy now swears by it, even if she won't say its name aloud. --seed

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 07:42 PM

Here it is again: Help: Learning to finger pick

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 07:32 PM

Neil. First of all tell me how you know that John gets "so much volume". I saw him once and he practically fell off his chair he was so drunk! His playing was not very clear and his volume quite average. He made some fine recordings, but the volume is taken care of by the engineer.
I'm probably able to play as loudly as anyone I've ever heard, and I'd say that's a combination of many years of experience, an instrument that really puts out (I love a guitar that you can "overdrive") and simplicity of right hand. I've always tried to get the folks I work with to learn the right hand patterns (see "finger picking thread")....If someone could help me with a blue clicky for that thread I'd really appreciate it.....sorry for the interruptions..Learn the right hand patterns FIRST, before tackling a song. If you're really solid and simple with the right hand you WILL get volume..then you can get fancy!

Vixen. All that experience should help tremendously if you did decide to start from fresh with your natural lefty tendencies. Why not give it a shot. You should be able to pick within a month (or real close to it.) If you can't then go back to righty..but you might be surprised. Don't learn by a book this time though. take the first simple pattern from the other thread and spend one day on it..no variation. Practice it while you're watching TV or looking out a window, or talking to someone. Then we'll play something like Skip to my Lou in D. You'll know very quickly whether it's gonna work this way. My feeling is it will. Also don't forget, you got the Mudcats with you all the way now!

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 05:01 PM

Vixen, I am a lefty, too -- Sig Freud, Paul McCartney, Leonardo, you and me!!!! --, but am equally incompetent with both hands. It seems to me that shifting over at this stage doesn't make sense, since you have all those pathways down in your brain (I know, I know, even if they are lousy). Is the problem getting the right hand to work, or getting the left hand in place in time? I can't do either!!! I was once told that it was nothing to do with dexterity (a very sinister word that!) but that lefties had brains that stuttered between options, which is why they are so hard to train, but otherwise brilliant!! (F.Scott Fitzgerald: the definition of a genius is someone who can keep two opposite ideas in the mind simultaneously and still function). Given all the great lefty tennis players and baseball players, I can't go with that, but.... This is no help -- I am just commiserating. The best invention for lefties ever was fast drying ink. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 04:31 PM

.....thanks kat, but I'm not on any medication....at least not any prescribed (ahem) by bona fide doctor *BG*

Regards, Neil (who'd rather not go into any more details)

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Vixen
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 04:27 PM

Fellow Southpaws--

I have been playing my guitars "righty" for thirty years...and it takes me AGES to learn anything with my right hand. I mean, I've been working on finger pick patterns from Carcassi for 17 years that I still don't have right. And the ones I DO manage still sound/feel "mechanical." I can't strum rhythm for beans. I can play rhythm things like eggs and tambourines with my left hand just fine, but my right hand seems to be rhythmically challenged.

My friend John has been telling me "whaddya expect? yer tryin' to play with the wrong hand!"

So I'm just about at the point where I'm ready to acquire a lefty guitar, and start ALL OVER AGAIN from scratch. (or would that be "pick?") Have any of you southpaws tried this. Is it worth it?

TIA

V

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 03:10 PM

Neil,

One of the things I noticed that helped with my nails breaking was how medication effected them. When I was finally able to stop taking my prescription med, which various sorts I'd been on for years, my nails quit breaking and grew faster than they had in years. I'd always thought it was just the computer keyboard that was being hard on them. Ironies of ironies, I have nice strong nails now and have to keep them trimmed short, again, just like in school, because I am finally playing my violin, again, once in awhile!

kat

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 02:21 PM

Rick,

Are you familiar with the music of John Fahey? I can copy his licks fairly accurately on his faster tunes, which are the ones I'm interested in - where he gets that thumb doing the rhythm thing - only I can't play them as fast as he does - I'm not worried; I assume that will come with time...what I am wondering though, is how he gets so much volume out of his fingers. Does he use fingerpicks? Or thumbpick and fingernails, or what? And how does he get all that volume when he sounds like he's picking so close to the bridge? If he uses fingerpicks, then I'm up the creek....I've tried Alaska picks, etc....no luck. I don't like anything around my finger; I like using my nails, but they keep breaking...especially when I try to copy Fahey and go for the volume...seems like I've come full circle in this dissociated ramble, but unlike T.S. Eliot, I have not returned to the place I started from and known it for the first time....TIA, Neil.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Tiger
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 08:27 AM

Hi, Mary Ann.

I have an LG-1 which matches my short arms and small hands pretty well. Any time I pick up a dreadnaught, I feel like I need a ladder.

I play fingerstyle on medium light strings - the action is set low, and if you really worked it hard with a flat pick, it would buzz.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: DonMeixner
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 12:13 AM

Mary Ann.

I have a great late 50's Guild F-30 with a very trim neck that suits my problematic hand and fingers quite well. I'd love an old Gibson L-0 or LG -1 either in a six or tenor style for the same reasons. Bad fingers. But when it all comes down to it. Practice and accommodation will mean the most to how you play.

Don

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Dani
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 10:27 PM

Oh, Lord know PETE can do it. I want to do it TOO!

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 08:15 PM

Great stuff Mary Ann. I'm a firm believer in spending ALL one's money on music stuff.

By the way, if anyone wants the tiniest neck in the universe, hunt down a small bodied Gibson from '64 to '78. The folks at Gibson didn't do much right in that period but they sure made thin necks!

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 07:54 PM

Rick, I play on my Tak dreadnought, which is certainly too big. My beater is a Lotus (Japanese), and, after much (but probably not enough) thought, I have this beautiful, beautiful Webber OO on layaway in Seattle. My fingers itch. I know from some checking around that size is a big factor, and I'm doing something ridiculously expensive about it.

the guitar is too much guitar for me, but I fell in love with it and could not help myself. I just hope I grow into it.

Mary Ann

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 07:38 PM

Mag, what kind of guitar are you using. The instrument should fit your limitations and style rather than the other way around. Most of the folks that I've seen who complain that their fingers are too short, are really only lacking in wrist flexibility. The MUCH repeated story of Segovia's short pudgy fingers has merit. In his bio however he said that at age 85 he still practiced 8-10 hours a day! Jeez, he should have done it for a living!

Dani, listen to Pete Seeger play blues on the Banjo. He did a nice job. The album "Goofing Off Suite" on Smithsonian Folkways shows off his playing well.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Dani
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 05:27 PM

Phil, Re: life-time habits, I think that's what's been my sticking point in getting started learning and devoting myself to practicing. The 'do this hundreds of times' lessons in books and videos have been based on styles of music I'm not sure I want to play. So I've wanted to find generic (well, Rick, like your blues guitar practices) things to work on to get it sounding like music and get my fingers working. Thanks for this thread.

Got any blues for the banjo? I've often said that what I wanted to play on the banjo is Stevie Ray Vaughn. Aim high, I always say.

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 03:29 PM

OK, I'll bit on a couple questions:

Some of those chord positions take a lot of stretch; I have short stubby fingers. I know people who have dont it umpty ump years have stretched out left hand,s but the last time I tried seriously to stretch like this (double entendre intended), 15 years ago, I ended up with overuse injuries that are with me to this day. What is the fine line between growth and injury, when do you know to pull back, and do you recommend anything for old aches?

#2: The flipping fingerpicks STILL slide around on my righthand fingers. I'm one of those who learned picking with the pinkie anchored, to learn accuracy. Playing with my nails tears them (tho' my calcium supplements help with that ;.) ), I'm not happy with my accuracy playing with my bare fingers, a workshop leader from Philadelphia at last year's Tumbleweed Festival convinced me that fingerpicks were my answer and thanks to the Mudcat I finally got some and try them, but I just can't snug 'em to my fingers! and YES, I have them on the bare side of my fingers.

Whew.

TIA, MAG

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 01:38 PM

Thanks, Rick, as ever -- the reason there are so few questions is that intelligent people are outside enjoying the last rays of summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 01:24 PM

Thanks for the question Peter. They've been in short supply lately!

My (very predjudiced) suggestions. Shoot AT FIRST(!!) for the blues folk who had (have) good timing. It keeps you learning good habits. After a bit, try the idiosynchratic (sp) ones who play 5 beats to the bar and 11 bar blues. You can then decide whether you want to copy their mistakes or not.

Josh White: One of the most technically accomplished singers and player. Thought by a lot of people to have been "too" slick.
Big Bill Broonzy: A master. When drunk, a lazy master.
Blind Boy Fuller: tremendous technique.
Dick Justice: He was WHITE(!) and could play Blind Lemon Jefferson note for note. Superb musician.
Lonnie Johnson: clean, clear, and totally in control.

Some of the more idiosyncratic (I'll spell it differently this time) players.

Mississippi John Hurt: Simple sounding, HARD to do right!
John Lee Hooker: 2 and a half chords and a great voice.
Lightnin' Hopkins: Knew how to play in time, but often chose not to.

The greatest technician: Blind Blake.
The most feeling: Robert Johnson

Need I repeat these are just MY opinions!

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 01:08 PM

Peter T - got DNA?

Subject: RE: Rick's Pickin' tips. Questions & Answers
From: Peter T.
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 12:55 PM

O Rick of All Ricks, returning to my original question upgraded -- if you know the blues form, what is the best easy style to shoot for, but the real thing? Who would you send people off to copy? (boy, you got to ask questions really carefully around here).
yours, Peter T.