Hi all fingerstyle guitar player.
I'm thinkin of trying fingerstyle blues playing. I like when people do this and want to try my self but I don't have a clue where to start. Someone how know anything about a site or somthing where I can study this style ?? I know that BB is good att this type of playing and maby you BB can lead me on the track ??? (I mean "our" BB in this forum )
I know a litle ( I have not practis for years) about use all fingers except pinkey. I did this in a course I took many years ago and it whas not blues.
/Michael
I need a hint
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MichaelRobinson
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I need a hint
Last edited by MichaelRobinson on Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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VikingBlues
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Re: I need a hint
I've only being playing without a pick for just over three years but I didn't learn any particular style as such. Wish I could help MR - but I just make it up as I go along!
It's possible to use the backs of the fingers too - the sound you get from playing a downstroke with the back of a fingernail is much different to the normal upstroke plucked sound. Also you can play a downstroke with two or three fingers at once for impact. On a normal upstroke you can still get a lot of variety from the fleshy part of the finger, brushing with the finger nail, or digging in a bit with the nail. The different fingers have different sounds too - so sometimes I'll end up using one in particular for a particular sound.
It's possible to use the backs of the fingers too - the sound you get from playing a downstroke with the back of a fingernail is much different to the normal upstroke plucked sound. Also you can play a downstroke with two or three fingers at once for impact. On a normal upstroke you can still get a lot of variety from the fleshy part of the finger, brushing with the finger nail, or digging in a bit with the nail. The different fingers have different sounds too - so sometimes I'll end up using one in particular for a particular sound.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
Re: I need a hint
Wow, it is always difficult to analyze your own style. (At least it is for me...)
I don't think about it anymore, but I guess it is a modified Piedmont blues style. I use my thumb for the lowest three strings (E, A, and D) and my first, middle, and ring fingers for the rest of the strings. That is for rhythm playing. For lead stuff, I use my thumb for downstrokes and a finger for upstrokes. This is a very rough description. These are not hard and fast, sometimes I use a finger or thumb for whole runs. Sometimes for doublestops (two strings plucked at once) I will use first and middle fingers, sometimes I will use thumb and first fingers.
Hope this helps... Maybe I can try to do a video that shows my hands. We'll see.
I don't think about it anymore, but I guess it is a modified Piedmont blues style. I use my thumb for the lowest three strings (E, A, and D) and my first, middle, and ring fingers for the rest of the strings. That is for rhythm playing. For lead stuff, I use my thumb for downstrokes and a finger for upstrokes. This is a very rough description. These are not hard and fast, sometimes I use a finger or thumb for whole runs. Sometimes for doublestops (two strings plucked at once) I will use first and middle fingers, sometimes I will use thumb and first fingers.
Hope this helps... Maybe I can try to do a video that shows my hands. We'll see.
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
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MichaelRobinson
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Re: I need a hint
Tank's VB and BB. Youre descriptions give some lead how to use my fingers
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Strummer07
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:59 pm
Re: I need a hint
DaddyStove Pipe on You tube isn't bad for fingerpicking and he's got lots of stuff online (free)
and he has a website where you can pick up / purchase the tabs quite cheaply
http://www.youtube.com/user/daddystovepipe
It seems quite advanced stuff to me ( but fingerpicking I find a bit of a challenge anyway )
Stefan Grossman also has a bit on You Tube .. but he's more Commercial and want you to buy the book/ DVD
http://www.guitarvideos.com/styles-1/blues
If you come across anything good ..let us know ! ..Good Luck
and he has a website where you can pick up / purchase the tabs quite cheaply
http://www.youtube.com/user/daddystovepipe
It seems quite advanced stuff to me ( but fingerpicking I find a bit of a challenge anyway )
Stefan Grossman also has a bit on You Tube .. but he's more Commercial and want you to buy the book/ DVD
http://www.guitarvideos.com/styles-1/blues
If you come across anything good ..let us know ! ..Good Luck
"Death is just a heartbeat away"
lyric from "Out in The Fields"
Gary Moore 1952-2011
lyric from "Out in The Fields"
Gary Moore 1952-2011
Re: I need a hint
Hay Micheal, maybe you can look after Sean Costello who play a magnificent fingerstyle on his Goldtop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKeL6MGT ... ults_video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKeL6MGT ... ults_video
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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MichaelRobinson
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Re: I need a hint
Yeeeeea. They are all good, but they play to fast to grasp the concept of fingerstyle. I got inspired thogh and realy want to give it a try to learn fingerstyle. The problem is my patiens but I hope few minutes a day will be OK in the beginning.
In Sweden we have a saying that goes. "You have to crawl before you can walk" . I probebly go nuts in the beginning in lack of patients.
I have learned the lesson that books don't work as well as I expect and allway get disipointed. I have books regarding guitar education with CD-disc's but they learn like Mc Donalds. Quick in, Quick out.
I can of course by a book but I have my doubt that they work as I want. It has to go very slow in the beginning so I have a chans to hear what to do. The books I have goes trough the music to fast for me to grasp.
But I will take a second thougt about the books.
Thank's for youre help, guy's
In Sweden we have a saying that goes. "You have to crawl before you can walk" . I probebly go nuts in the beginning in lack of patients.
I have learned the lesson that books don't work as well as I expect and allway get disipointed. I have books regarding guitar education with CD-disc's but they learn like Mc Donalds. Quick in, Quick out.
I can of course by a book but I have my doubt that they work as I want. It has to go very slow in the beginning so I have a chans to hear what to do. The books I have goes trough the music to fast for me to grasp.
But I will take a second thougt about the books.
Thank's for youre help, guy's
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VikingBlues
- Posts: 4466
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm
Re: I need a hint
Interesting to hear how much Blindboy uses his thumb - I hardly use mine at all - but then it's not in good shape at the tip of the thumb near the nail - tends to get deep splits in the skin - not good with a metal string! 
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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Strummer07
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:59 pm
hard Work and Practice
If you want to master any sort of fingerstyle I'm afraid if you are over 50 and unless you are very dexterous .... then patience and hard work is the name of the game.
getting older figers to be independant takes time and reguular practise.
One omore site trhat is worth a look
Justin Sandercoe ........His site operates on a donation basis and the donation is up to you !
his latest songbook has a couple of decent fingerstyle songs and the lseeson s on site are not too bad
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/FO-000-Folk.php
and the best step by step instruction book that I've come across
is "Begininng Fingerstyle Blues Guitar" By Arnie Berle and Mark Galbo includes a CD so you can hear what they are expecting etc
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0825625564/? ... 0825625564
and its not big bucks either.
But at the end of the day .there is no magic potion .....just hard work and practice
I can play a bit of fingestyle now .. but not well enough to really be able to use it and singing ..and playing...esp fingerstyle is really tough.
Bon chance !
getting older figers to be independant takes time and reguular practise.
One omore site trhat is worth a look
Justin Sandercoe ........His site operates on a donation basis and the donation is up to you !
his latest songbook has a couple of decent fingerstyle songs and the lseeson s on site are not too bad
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/FO-000-Folk.php
and the best step by step instruction book that I've come across
is "Begininng Fingerstyle Blues Guitar" By Arnie Berle and Mark Galbo includes a CD so you can hear what they are expecting etc
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0825625564/? ... 0825625564
and its not big bucks either.
But at the end of the day .there is no magic potion .....just hard work and practice
I can play a bit of fingestyle now .. but not well enough to really be able to use it and singing ..and playing...esp fingerstyle is really tough.
Bon chance !
"Death is just a heartbeat away"
lyric from "Out in The Fields"
Gary Moore 1952-2011
lyric from "Out in The Fields"
Gary Moore 1952-2011
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MichaelRobinson
- Posts: 2172
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:20 pm
Re: I need a hint
Yes, Strumer. I know it's hard work and lot of patient that's needed. And yes I'm over 50 years and I know the physics get stiffer by the years. One plus is that I have good coordination and quick reflexes to lean on, if it's enough. I allso get bored when things to do comes to easy for me and to frustrated when it comes to hard. I will see if I can put across my "dream" of the real rythm and blues stuff. I allways chase new things.
And thank's for the hint's. I will check them out and see what's required and what I'm think I can put across or not.
I wish there was a DVD with lessons recorded in close up video in slow tempo. I have a hard time to hear what to do when it goes to fast. But, I will "scan" the net for more books and lessons.
I ones could notes but that's a long time ago when I hade a course in folk musik on the beginners level. I have tryed some books to relearn notes but I purchased to difficult books that's ment for higher schools and classic music. To much for me. Wasted money on book's, again. I'm close fisted too, so it aches in my wallet.
I have "scaned" the net on the search word's "blues" and "picking" and the result is good, if someone except me is interested in finger style for blues.
(At the moment I'm rather measured with repeting my style and the few licks I invented. I'm bored and need a new goal so I can extend my knowedge. Same old things over and over never work for me. I loose interest in playing in that way. I realy need to learn some new stuff.)
I look forward to more hint's. One can never get to many.
Cheers!!
And thank's for the hint's. I will check them out and see what's required and what I'm think I can put across or not.
I wish there was a DVD with lessons recorded in close up video in slow tempo. I have a hard time to hear what to do when it goes to fast. But, I will "scan" the net for more books and lessons.
I ones could notes but that's a long time ago when I hade a course in folk musik on the beginners level. I have tryed some books to relearn notes but I purchased to difficult books that's ment for higher schools and classic music. To much for me. Wasted money on book's, again. I'm close fisted too, so it aches in my wallet.
I have "scaned" the net on the search word's "blues" and "picking" and the result is good, if someone except me is interested in finger style for blues.
(At the moment I'm rather measured with repeting my style and the few licks I invented. I'm bored and need a new goal so I can extend my knowedge. Same old things over and over never work for me. I loose interest in playing in that way. I realy need to learn some new stuff.)
I look forward to more hint's. One can never get to many.
Cheers!!