Travis picking exercise.

[mkster]

I made this video of one of the exercise i used to get good at Travais picking. The thumbs plays the bass and drum and the fingers the melodies.

Its one of two exercises i have used , This one is for Travis picking but while i was practising it i also noticed the similarities with Bluesmans picking technique from the 30's and 40's. Its great for Hill country blues and Mississippi Delta blues . Its close to Robert Johnson as well except that Robert used 3 fingers to pluck first second and third string at once .

I learned to do the Train with it as should you .



3 months later i made this video to document my progress , almost 10 year ago.

 

[johnny k]

I made this video of one of the exercise i used to get good at Travais picking. The thumbs plays the bass and drum and the fingers the melodies.

Its one of two exercises i have used , This one is for Travis picking but while i was practising it i also noticed the similarities with Bluesmans picking technique from the 30's and 40's. Its great for Hill country blues and Mississippi Delta blues . Its close to Robert Johnson as well except that Robert used 3 fingers to pluck first second and third string at once .

I learned to do the Train with it as should you .



3 months later i made this video to document my progress , almost 10 year ago.

Cool. Is it improvised all the way or are there a written tune in there ? If so, i'd like to know the name of the song. And the tuning is open G ? thanks!

 

[Whoa Tele]

Sounds nice man

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Nice!

On the second one, what tuning are you using? (Looks like open D, but your right thumb's a little blurry, so I'm not sure which strings it's hitting.)

 

[Wally]

Banjo type thing.,.open G?

 

[mkster]

Cool. Is it improvised all the way or are there a written tune in there ? If so, i'd like to know the name of the song. And the tuning is open G ? thanks!

Yes Open G with a capo on the second fret so Open A, Its a mix of many things . It starts with mississippi John Hurt Spike driver blues(adapted from standard tuning ) i think ,some RL Burnside (poor black Mattie), Magic Sam( Looking good )the rest is pretty much improvised .

 

[mkster]

Nice!

On the second one, what tuning are you using? (Looks like open D, but your right thumb's a little blurry, so I'm not sure which strings it's hitting.)

Open G , capo second fret . Open A or close to it.

 

[johnny k]

Yes Open G with a capo on the second fret so Open A, Its a mix of many things . It starts with mississippi John Hurt Spike driver blues(adapted from standard tuning ) i think ,some RL Burnside (poor black Mattie), Magic Sam( Looking good )the rest is pretty much improvised .

the burnside part rang a bell and i was wondering where i had heard it.

 

[mkster]

I will try to explain what i do in this video . The concept is taken to the extreme in the second video.

I am working on a video to show you 3 different train inspired old style riffs including PoorblackMattie

 

[mkster]

Train beat riff 1.

 

[mkster]

RL and Mississippi Fred

 

[mkster]

This was my first train beat creation.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

It starts with Mississippi John Hurt Spike driver blues (adapted from standard tuning).

I have tried for years to get that song down and have gotten close. Never considered trying it in an open tuning. Cool!

 

[mkster]

I have tried for years to get that song down and have gotten close. Never considered trying it in an open tuning. Cool!

That was the first time i adapted something from standard to open G , early in my musical adventure , i gathered that everyone adapting Open tuning to standard i wondered why , almost all of Robert Johnson songs got adapted to standard as a recipe for success it worked for Clapton but beyond that most sucks . I got the idea of doing the opposite 20 years later i started doing it and that how i got here.

 

[mkster]

In this video i play Clapton's version adapted to Open tuning then the Robert's version .

 

[mkster]

Are you guys ready for Robert Johnson.

 

[johnny k]

Are you guys ready for Robert Johnson.

The guys at tdpri were born ready.

 

[mkster]

The guys at tdpri were born ready.

Well since most tdprier are ready , i will wait i little anyways since i only have 4 follower so far based on the likes on the videos. I will wait for the class to fill up a little.

 

[johnny k]

Well since most tdprier are ready , i will wait i little anyways since i only have 4 follower so far based on the likes on the videos. I will wait for the class to fill up a little.

You might not get as many likes / followers as you hope for since what you are teaching is a pretty niche stuff. I understand getting your work recognized is important, and i appreciate it.

 

[mkster]

You might not get as many likes / followers as you hope for since what you are teaching is a pretty niche stuff. I understand getting your work recognized is important, and i appreciate it.

Its not really recognition its more about time vs rewards , i get more views making covers . My only potential reward is views , like and subs . I work for free and my reward it free as well so it shouldn't be complicated . I agree its a little niche , but i am sure more then 4 people took their guitar and tried and might have learned something. I have still much to learn about making videos , teaching and so on . Its always about motivation since money is out of the equation , if there is no need for it its hard to find the will.