NOTE: I uploaded this last week, but I'm still getting "Error loading this resource," so I'm reposting the video in a different file format.
I'm a couple weeks behind the program here, Critter; I hope you don't mind an upload to last month's tune. Two clips together here, one in the low octave and one "up the neck."
You commented on my last (Gold Rush) upload that I might get more even up versus downstrokes if I pull the guitar a bit to my left to get my forearm closer to horizontal. I thought I was trying but it doesn't look that way on playback. I've noticed other people who seem to have the crook of their elbow most of the way down to the strap button, with their forearm really coming in from the side. When I've tried to do that, I find I just don't have long enough arms (on my little L-00; they do this on dreadnaughts). But that's not how you seem to hold the guitar and it's probably an exaggeration of what you meant. I need to experiment more in front of the mirror.
In any event, I find it much harder to grab bass notes than higher strings and I wonder if that would also improve with the arm repositioning you're talking about. There's the low-string stuff throughout the cross-picking version of Whiskey here, and the Tony-like lick in your intro to On and On (b3 into the G-run) is another good example of this. Your right hand looks equally relaxed floating across all 6 strings, attacking them all with a very similar-looking stroke. Getting your hand to do that must have taken a lot of very focused work, definitely something to aspire to.
I think that the balance between your up and downstrokes is much better here. Regarding a horizontal forearm, there are indeed some people whose arms are properly horizontal when they play. But what I meant was that it is desirable for one's arm to be more horizontal than vertical because then you can meaningfully involve your elbow/forearm in the pick stroke. Which is not to say that the entire pick stroke would be coming from the actual elbow - just that your elbow and forearm would be free to contribute. The following is not exact but: when the forearm moves more or less past 45 degrees and tilts toward being more vertical then horizontal, any movement from the elbow will draw the pick along the *length* of the string rather than *across* the narrow part of the string (and toward another string above or below). The natural way to compensate is by using a lot of angle at the wrist, but that can cause its own problems because the wrist is no longer in a neutral position - it's cocked to an extreme.
The same principal applies to reaching the bass strings. Imagine your forearm at a completely horizontal position. As you move your forearm your hand will move up and down. Now imagine your forearm in a completely vertical position. As you move your forearm your hand will move side to side. So the more horizontal orientation helps here too. I'm a strong believer in an individual's contemplation in and engagement with basic principles as a path to effective learning. I think that with a little curiosity and reflection you'll find a way to make these concepts work for you.
For what it's worth, I've always found it more difficult to manage these angles with a strap attached to the headstock than to the body. But none of this seems to be slowing you down too much - you really do sound great!
Thanks for the great commentary, Chris! "There's an extra G and a D that you're leaving out" -- that totally decoded the timing of the up-the-neck lick for me. (Or so I think, you tell me. ;-)
I cranked the speed down here to a leisurely 70bpm. I felt like I needed to take it real slow if I was going to get through a complete take. I'm playing along to a backing track I got online (flatpickapprentice.blogspot.com) rather than the metronome -- less pressure that way. The backing track's in A, hence the capo.
I recorded the two sections that you flagged (that hammer-on exercise was also really helpful, thank you), then I played a verse I'm working out from a Kenny Baker version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF8vtEMpdok), and finally the A and B section from weeks 1 & 2.
I apologize in advance for the sharp D string. Ouch.
Sounds great Dan! I loved hearing the Kenny Baker verse too! It can be so cool to bring notes and phrasing from other instruments back to the guitar. And you're really pulling a nice sound. Well done.
The next thing I would work on is finding a nice consistent flow in your right hand between up and downstrokes. I'd be curious if you shifted the guitar just a tiny bit to your left relative to your whole body - like maybe an inch - which might allow the angle of your right forearm to be a tiny bit more horizontal. Usually with a forearm orientation that is *slightly* more horizontal than vertical, up and down strokes flow more naturally. To be clear, you're actually making a lovely, musical sound, but this would be the next place I would look for improvement.
Ok, first video post; first time video-recording myself, actually, and I'm stunned by how hard it was. In the end I gave up on getting all the way through it in one pass, so the three verses are separate clips back to back. Verse 3 got pretty sloppy as it went on, but I left it in.
I see I've got to work on relaxing. Part of it is finding a comfortable position -- standing, sitting, I just carry a lot of tension. Also, I've (unintentionally) started planting where I used to use more of a floating fist, and I can hear my fingers tapping the soundboard. I think I started doing this as part of learning rest strokes ("You Don't Know My Mind").
I'll be really interested to hear your comments. Gold Rush is a great tune and I've loved the progression of difficulty from lesson to lesson. And getting a window into Tony Rice harmony is just fantastic (especially this week!).
Yeah, Denny, I had wanted to do a video of me playing this and make it my first post on SJ, but this is SO sad. Fretboard Journal has a link in their Tony obit to video from the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival in 1986. At 3:25 he launches into a cookin' Gold Rush very much like what Chris is showing us (and then some):
NOTE: I uploaded this last week, but I'm still getting "Error loading this resource," so I'm reposting the video in a different file format.
I'm a couple weeks behind the program here, Critter; I hope you don't mind an upload to last month's tune. Two clips together here, one in the low octave and one "up the neck."
You commented on my last (Gold Rush) upload that I might get more even up versus downstrokes if I pull the guitar a bit to my left to get my forearm closer to horizontal. I thought I was trying but it doesn't look that way on playback. I've noticed other people who seem to have the crook of their elbow most of the way down to the strap button, with their forearm really coming in from the side. When I've tried to do that, I find I just don't have long enough arms (on my little L-00; they do this on dreadnaughts). But that's not how you seem to hold the guitar and it's probably an exaggeration of what you meant. I need to experiment more in front of the mirror.
In any event, I find it much harder to grab bass notes than higher strings and I wonder if that would also improve with the arm repositioning you're talking about. There's the low-string stuff throughout the cross-picking version of Whiskey here, and the Tony-like lick in your intro to On and On (b3 into the G-run) is another good example of this. Your right hand looks equally relaxed floating across all 6 strings, attacking them all with a very similar-looking stroke. Getting your hand to do that must have taken a lot of very focused work, definitely something to aspire to.
Beautiful, Dan! Really lovely playing.
I think that the balance between your up and downstrokes is much better here. Regarding a horizontal forearm, there are indeed some people whose arms are properly horizontal when they play. But what I meant was that it is desirable for one's arm to be more horizontal than vertical because then you can meaningfully involve your elbow/forearm in the pick stroke. Which is not to say that the entire pick stroke would be coming from the actual elbow - just that your elbow and forearm would be free to contribute. The following is not exact but: when the forearm moves more or less past 45 degrees and tilts toward being more vertical then horizontal, any movement from the elbow will draw the pick along the *length* of the string rather than *across* the narrow part of the string (and toward another string above or below). The natural way to compensate is by using a lot of angle at the wrist, but that can cause its own problems because the wrist is no longer in a neutral position - it's cocked to an extreme.
The same principal applies to reaching the bass strings. Imagine your forearm at a completely horizontal position. As you move your forearm your hand will move up and down. Now imagine your forearm in a completely vertical position. As you move your forearm your hand will move side to side. So the more horizontal orientation helps here too. I'm a strong believer in an individual's contemplation in and engagement with basic principles as a path to effective learning. I think that with a little curiosity and reflection you'll find a way to make these concepts work for you.
For what it's worth, I've always found it more difficult to manage these angles with a strap attached to the headstock than to the body. But none of this seems to be slowing you down too much - you really do sound great!
Cheers,
Chris
Thanks, Robert!
Thanks for the great commentary, Chris! "There's an extra G and a D that you're leaving out" -- that totally decoded the timing of the up-the-neck lick for me. (Or so I think, you tell me. ;-)
I cranked the speed down here to a leisurely 70bpm. I felt like I needed to take it real slow if I was going to get through a complete take. I'm playing along to a backing track I got online (flatpickapprentice.blogspot.com) rather than the metronome -- less pressure that way. The backing track's in A, hence the capo.
I recorded the two sections that you flagged (that hammer-on exercise was also really helpful, thank you), then I played a verse I'm working out from a Kenny Baker version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF8vtEMpdok), and finally the A and B section from weeks 1 & 2.
I apologize in advance for the sharp D string. Ouch.
Sounds great Dan! I loved hearing the Kenny Baker verse too! It can be so cool to bring notes and phrasing from other instruments back to the guitar. And you're really pulling a nice sound. Well done.
The next thing I would work on is finding a nice consistent flow in your right hand between up and downstrokes. I'd be curious if you shifted the guitar just a tiny bit to your left relative to your whole body - like maybe an inch - which might allow the angle of your right forearm to be a tiny bit more horizontal. Usually with a forearm orientation that is *slightly* more horizontal than vertical, up and down strokes flow more naturally. To be clear, you're actually making a lovely, musical sound, but this would be the next place I would look for improvement.
Cheers!
Chris
That was great Dan!
Thanks, Robert!
Hi Chris,
Ok, first video post; first time video-recording myself, actually, and I'm stunned by how hard it was. In the end I gave up on getting all the way through it in one pass, so the three verses are separate clips back to back. Verse 3 got pretty sloppy as it went on, but I left it in.
I see I've got to work on relaxing. Part of it is finding a comfortable position -- standing, sitting, I just carry a lot of tension. Also, I've (unintentionally) started planting where I used to use more of a floating fist, and I can hear my fingers tapping the soundboard. I think I started doing this as part of learning rest strokes ("You Don't Know My Mind").
I'll be really interested to hear your comments. Gold Rush is a great tune and I've loved the progression of difficulty from lesson to lesson. And getting a window into Tony Rice harmony is just fantastic (especially this week!).
Yeah, Denny, I had wanted to do a video of me playing this and make it my first post on SJ, but this is SO sad. Fretboard Journal has a link in their Tony obit to video from the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival in 1986. At 3:25 he launches into a cookin' Gold Rush very much like what Chris is showing us (and then some):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMm38GGxZmk
Dan, thanks for that link - that's an excellent piece on Tony, and as for the Gold Rush clip - "and then some" is right.
If you'd care to, email me at symbolic418@gmail.com. I'd like to compare notes with you on your approach to this song.