Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs

Subject: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: GUEST,King Knapperty
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 12:06 AM

Just bought myself a Taylor GS Mini, and I've been having a lot of fun fingerpicking lately.


Does anyone have some suggestions for good (Standard tuning preferably) fingerstyle songs to diversify my style?

I feel like I've been going in the same circles, not learning anything new.

I can play angi comfortably, if you need some sort of skill level measure.


Thanks friends,

His majesty, King Knapperty

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 12:46 AM

I occasionally like to use the Mary Hopkin version of Streets of London as a warm up exercise.


Jay

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 01:30 AM

Stefan Grossman's how to play blues guitar cd has one ortwo good fingerpicking tunes. which will see you through most folksongs in standard tuning technique wise.

Tom Paxton amazed us all with his ingenuity in using the C chord inside the G back in the 1960's. Similarly Jansch's Running from home is a great little exercise in using the A minor inside the G chord - elision that REv Gary Davis uses in Candyman.

if you like trad material Joan Baez is probably the lady who uses standard tuning most effectively.

Check out her versions of THe Four Marys, Come all you fair and Tender Maidens, HeNRY Martin , Geordie, once i had a sweetheart.
hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 03:59 AM

use the key of c major or g major this is very good for carter style finger picking using thumb melody or the opposite missipi john hurt piedmont index and middle and ring with thumb playing bass harmony, sometimes you can combine the two style fror different phrases. tom dooley, bonny lass of fyvie, john of dreams, adieu sweet lovely nancy, peggy and the soldier, jimmie brown the newsboy

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 04:16 AM

What do you play already? That would give us an idea of what NOT to suggest.

Do you like a little simple jazz, for example (blowing his own trumpet):

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

I've got lots of my own arrangements of fairly straightforward tablature/music/chords for solo guitar pieces - all free - at my website:

http://www.willflyguitar.com/

Help yourself!

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: gillymor
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 09:25 AM

Songs or tunes or both?

If you can play Anji you can probably learn "Hesitation Blues", Kottke's
"The Fisherman" and a bunch of Merle Travis arrangements like, "Nine Pound Hammer", "I'll See You in My Dreams", "I am a Pilgrim", Doc Watson's "Doc's Guitar"
Dave Van Ronk's arrangement of "St. Louis Tickle". "Victory Rag".

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: gillymor
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 09:33 AM

whoops,"Angi"

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: gillymor
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 10:10 AM

Upon further investigation it looks like Davey Graham called it Anji at least some of the time. Don't mind me I'm going back to bed.

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 01:30 PM

Don't worry gillymor - I have the original EP ("3/4 AD") - it was Angi by Davy Graham.

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: GUEST,RA
Date: 08 Jun 17 - 01:40 PM

Elizabeth Cotten's 'Freight Train'.

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: GUEST,King Knapperty
Date: 12 Jun 17 - 07:04 AM

I think we should find the Anji/Angie that was dating Davy when he wrote it, maybe that would finally solve the mystery.


Thanks Gillymoore thats exactly what I wanted

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 13 Jun 17 - 06:05 AM

As well as perusing his website, it's worth noting that Will's video lessons are on his YouTube channel interspersed among his straightforward tunes (most of which he has tabs for). A very good learning resource and absolutely free. Just wish I had more time to devote to perusing it!!!

Henfield Will


Justin Sandercoe also has a load of free video lessons on YouTube, including a Fingerstyle module which you might find useful:

Justin Guitar

Subject: RE: Good Fingerstyle Guitar Songs
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Jun 17 - 12:03 PM

I suggest that after learning alternate bass thumbing, you investigate Big Bill Broonzy and start working on bass on the off beat, so that you can vary the bass rythym more.
In a related way double thumbing on a 5 string banjo gives you an insight in to offbeat guitar bass
Will Flys, Videos are helpful and good.