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It's best to download the Audio samples.
Use them to help get the rhythm of the pick patterns.
(These samples are mp3 formatted at 64kbps, 10 to 15sec. in length,
and average about 100KB)
Picking Pattern #14 (Roll
pick)
Now
we are going to change the basic pattern and do something different.
Start in the middle
strings in the SECOND POSITION. We are showing a C chord.
Rather than
alternating back and forth between the thumb and fingers as in
Travis style,
on this page
of patterns you will use what is called a "roll." In these patterns
you will pick
the thumb then
'roll' to 1st and 2nd fingers.
Merle Travis did not and could not play
these
type patterns
using his famous style because he didn't use three finger picks like
you are.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C chord
E II------------------------I--------------------------II
B II----------1---------1---I---------1----------1-----II
G II-*-----0---------0------I------0----------0------*-II
D II-*------------2---------I-------------2----------*-II
A II----3-------------------I---3----------------------II
E II------------------------I--------------------------II
T 1 2
T
1 2
T 1 2 T 1 2
Picking Pattern
#15 (Roll
pick)
This
picking pattern begins with "Travis style" and then
quickly changes to a subtle
"roll
style" in the
middle of each measure.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C chord
II----------------------------I-----------------------------II
II--------1--------1----------I------1---------1------------II
II-*------------0---------0---I-------------0---------0---*-II
II-*---------2---------2------I---------2----------2------*-II
II-----3----------------------I---3-------------------------II
II----------------------------I-----------------------------II
T 2 T
1 2
T
1 T 2 T
1 2 T 1
Picking Pattern
#16 (Roll
pick)
This pattern is the
same as #15 except your using the high strings instead of the middle
strings.
So your right hand will be in the FIRST POSITION. Your thumb
reaches to the 'a' string.
Your goal will be to learn to adjust the right hand position while continuing to play.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C
chord
II--------0----------0-----------I------0--------0-----------II
II---------------1----------1----I------------1----------1---II
II-*---------0-----------0-------I---------0----------0----*-II
II-*-----------------------------I--------------------------*-II
II-----3-------------------------I---3------------------------II
II-------------------------------I----------------------------II
T
2 T
1 2 T 1 T 2
T
1 2
T 1
Picking Pattern
#17 (Roll
pick)
Combine both finger
picking patterns
#15 and #16
Note that you still use the 1st and 2nd right
hand fingers in the second measure in this one,
even
though you switch from SECOND POSITION to the FIRST POSITION. This is
accomplished by keeping the same
finger picking pattern going while shifting the right hand position
.
to the higher
strings. Please note that this change in your right hand
position doesn't necessarily mean
that
your "anchor" changes. That is your little finger
may not move on the top of the guitar as you
make
these changes back and forth.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C
chord
II-----------------------------I------0---------0----------II
II--------1---------1----------I-------------1--------1----II
II-*-------------0---------0---I---------0---------0-----*-II
II-*----------2---------2------I-------------------------*-II
II-----3-----------------------I---3-----------------------II
II-----------------------------I---------------------------II
T 2 T
1 2
T 1 T 2
T
1 2 T 1
Picking Pattern
#18 (Roll pick)
This finger picking pattern will be the same as #17
but a slight change in the last bass note.
Learn to
concentrate
on the Thumb while picking different patterns. Let your thumb
be your guide.
Again you are
changing your right hand position from FIRST POSITION to SECOND
POSITION.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C chord
II-----------------------------I------0---------0----------II
II--------1---------1----------I-------------1--------1----II
II-*-------------0---------0---I---------0---------------*-II
II-*----------2---------2------I-------------------2-----*-II
II-----3-----------------------I---3-----------------------II
II-----------------------------I---------------------------II
T 2 T
1 2
T 1 T 2 T
1 2 T 1
Picking Pattern
#19
This time the pattern will change in the second
measure. (The whole 2nd measure is Travis
style)
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C
chord
II-----------------------------I---0---------------------------II
II--------1---------1----------I-----------------1-------------II
II-*-------------0---------0---I---(------0--------------0---*-II
II-*----------2---------2------I-------2--------------2------*-II
II-----3-----------------------I---3----------3----------------II
II-----------------------------I-------------------------------II
T 2 T
1 2 T 1 3
T 1
T 2 T 1
T
Picking Pattern
#20
In this finger picking pattern you begin like
pattern #15 but you continue to roll
your pick three times.
After the
third time you have a subtle change back to Travis style.
Audio samples / Slow / Fast
/
C
chord
II--------------------------------------------------------II
II--------1---------1---------1--------1-----------1------II
II-*------------0----------0--------0--------0----------*-II
II-*---------2----------2--------2--------2-----2-------*-II
II-----3--------------------------------------------------II
II--------------------------------------------------------II
T 2 T 1
2
T
1 2 T 1
2 T
1 T 2
Again on these new finger picking patterns try
these exercises:
Accent individual notes each time as you pick it. Do this
for each note in the pattern until you can
accent any note at any given time. Just as you did in the
other patterns #1 - 13.
Another exercise - increase speed and go as fast as
you can until you begin to make mistakes
Then- STOP!!!
Start again very slowly and pick all the strings very
hard, as hard
as you can as you increase speed.
Pick as hard as you can and go as fast as you can until you start to make mistakes
STOP!!!
Start again, very lightly picking the strings this time, as you
increase speed. Go as fast as you can
until you start to make mistakes.
STOP!!!
Play at a speed that is about as fast as you can without making
mistakes but play that pattern
for a long time. Still if you start to make
mistakes. STOP!!!
Try to build to 5 minutes. (That's about the average
length of one of my songs.)
Doing these exercises will help you
"set" or "burn" the patterns in your brain.
Some other things to help "set" what you've learned in
your mind is to play them
somewhere else and in different settings. Leave your computer
and go to
another room. Play and practice the patterns
there.
Also play them at different times of the day.
Get up from bed in the morning,
and before you do anything else practice your new patterns, again at
noon,
then again at night before you go to bed. This will help you
"burn" them in your mind.
Go to a friend's house, and play for them. Changing your
surroundings and people.
You'll be surprised how the first time you try to play the new
things you've learned
in front of someone, it will be like you have
"forgotten" everything. Changing your
surroundings and playing in front of an audience will further
imbed them in your
memory. The bigger the audience the better! Then think
about, say, John Denver.
How does someone like him get to be so good. Simple really -
He did it a lot.
Remember - Do not practice the pattern wrong.
Also - Do not practice a new pick pattern more then 15 minutes.
Your mind will learn best while fresh.
So don't overdo it.
Of course once you have mastered a pick, you can forget about the 15
min.
"Rule" but if you start to make mistakes, it's time to
move on to something else
or just stop playing all together.
Something else that will help you is to
learn to go back and forth between pick patterns,
using all the
patterns you've already mastered. You don't want to lose what you've worked
so hard to learn.
So keep practicing all of them. Go back and practice the patterns #1-13
if
you still want to practice. Work on the new pattern only when fresh or at the beginning of
practice
sessions.
The most enjoyable way to learn to pick is to incorporate the
patterns in songs.
If you have mastered these 20 patterns then you can learn the
songs on my Eastern Shore
album and most of the songs on Goose Lake.
You can download Eastern Shore for
$5.55.
Download Goose Lake for
$7.14.
By using those sound tracks and the lyrics and chords pages of this site you can -
Learn to play these songs similar
to the way Paul Smith does them.
Best Buy on Paul's CDs !!! You save $6.90
$29.95
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three of my CD's with jewel cases!
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Please note:
I'm
helping you learn to finger pick, and I'm doing this absolutely free of charge.
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