I think someday speed will come for me or at least increase ... I guess it is expected on a lot of these songs but for the time being I'm pleased with the progress.
Kip, well done! And it sounds like you got the "Doc-like" essence of those phrases in the way you're playing it. One thing: you're adding an extra beat on the C chord at around 0:15. Iron that out and you'll be good to go.
Hi Chris - and anyone else who may be reading along. So, although I've caught on later in life to this style of music and picking the guitar, I still feel like I've discovered America or something. So much great music and so many tremendous pickers out there - You, Julian Lage, David Grier, Bryan Sutton, the old guard, the new gaurd - I'm not even scratching the surface of how many great guitar pickers there are.. Weird feeling being late to the show but still feeling as if I've found something shiny and new.
I've been exploring, watching, reading about how to do this or that ... dip your shoulder ... tap your toe ... bob your head ... up/down ... relax ... breathe ... anchor - don't anchor ... I feel like when my Dad was trying to teach me to hit a baseball. A lot of fun for the whole family LOL.
Anyway, this series of lessons has underscored for me that there is so much more to it than just rendering a song note for note. I understand that to be taught how to do something - you have to be shown - but the more I watch and listen the more I also understand that there are countless ways to get there - playing a song - how to get from "G" to "C" and back - or wherever the destination is BUT it's "all" about just playing which equals fun. All you guys look like you're having a blast when you're performing.
I may never become the greatest picker ever (maybe I will) - either way -- I'm having fun too. Thanks for the lessons. You Rule.
Here are a couple of quick run throughs of the 1st half of the Tony Rice Solo. You can tell me if I'm on the right track or close or whatever. The 2nd half is another ball of wax as I'm entirely out of my element. Thank you!
Hey Kip (and John!), sorry somehow I missed these two videos you guys posted on this lesson a few weeks back so sorry for the slow response time. Better late than never I suppose!
Kip, the timing of these phrases is off with some consistency for most of the A-part. Try singing along with my version until you know it and all of the syncopations exactly and can sing it correctly without hearing my version. Then once you've got that down, try playing it on the guitar.
John, I have to run to the studio (Julian Lage and I are in the middle of recording a new record!) but I'll answer your video when I get a chance in the next few days.
I'm really happy and excited to hear that you and Julian Lage are back in the studio.
I know it takes forever but I'm already looking forward to a release.
As for the pickin' - my rendition excludes this part lol ... I added some of the things you did but didn't formally teach and maybe I'll try to do a video when the opportunity presents itself but now you've introduced Church Street Blues and I'm mesmerized.
Ok Chris - this is my take on the Norman Blake 1st solo ... but right off the bat ... as I just rewatched yours ... I notice my rhythm isn't quite right.
As for the speed of my playing - maybe someday but way better than when I started.
Needless to say - I'm happy about all that I'm learning here.
The morning after - Manzanita is a great record and there is so much I want to learn how to play. Disregard everything I said about never being able to play this particular lead - I'm on this until I can.
Chris - thank you for showing us this incredibly great Tony Rice lead. I have zero chance of learning it but wow ... great. You may recall that it virtually took me 3 months to almost nail Gold Rush. If I ever come close on this lead .. I would probably be hesitant or intimidated to play it for you since you admireTony Rice so much. I think it may be out of reach for me at this point in my flatpicking journey. We'll see. My plan was to show you my Norman Blake solo you taught last week but I think I'm just going to put that on hold for a bit while I stare at this one. Thanks for another record recommendation. Manzanita will be in my nightly dog walking ... earbud listening routine shortly. Norman Blake's Live at McCabe's didn't disappoint at all.
Unrelated question because I'm just curious about this - is your guitar plugged in or mic'd now and/or when you perform? Thanks man.
The morning after - Manzanita is a great record and there is so much I want to learn how to play. Disregard everything I said about never being able to play this particular lead - I'm on this until I can.
I've lived my life probably like most people looking forward to Friday, the end of the work week, and a chance to relax. I still look forward to Friday but now for an entirely different reason. As I'm sure you have guessed and hopefully share my sentiment - I so look forward to seeing Chris pick and teach these cool lessons. I have no reason to blow smoke - it is a genuine happiness. I'm only a bit sorry that it took so long to discover that I love this form of music. I'm also looking forward to buying (downloading) Norman Blake - Live at McCabe's.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to play this solo but I'm going to have a lot of fun trying (minus the triplets ha ha). It may take a while for these old(er) fingers to get the hang of it. I did have better than average ... for me ... luck with Nashville Blues so I'm encouraged going in.
I guess I've lived under a rock my entire life because "With Body and Soul" is another wonderful song I've never heard. I doubt I'll be able to sing it well enough to post but I willl try to learn the guitar parts.
I started to explore the intro and here is a video of it. Does this work ... a combination of some cross picking and strumming. I don't think the final little run is correct or at least the way you played it but I'll have to be shown how to do that.
Yeah, sounds great Kip! I really like the way you internalized my version and have turned it into your own thing. I really like how you've embraced the funky side of it.
One thing: make sure that your whole arm is loose and engaged. It looks like you're mostly moving from your right wrist and that things are a bit locked up further up your arm. Something to be mindful of...
Mark/Chris - may I make a comment. First off - awesome picking job. Sounded great. As for perfection - I always wanted to be pefect before I attempted to play for anyone. In a way, it held me back. Since I could never play anything close enough to perfect, I rarely played, or progressed even as an amateur guitar picker. I couldn't ask anyone to teach me anything - because I knew eventually I'd have to play what I'd been taught to my teacher (imperfectly). I'm not sure that makes any sense but the years go by very quickly and eventually you end up old(er) and can't play a lick. Luckily I changed my thinking on that. I'm not a great guitar player but I'm having fun and learning something knew. I wish I had 1/10th of the talent of most people on here but no one is having more fun than I am. Great Job Mark!
Chris - thx for the confidence boost. I listened to my performance again noting the times you referenced and I understand and agree, This is a picking tune that thrills me and that I want to play as correctly as I'm capable of so I'll continue working at it. I have not tried playing it with you note for note at a slower tempo because I figured I probably couldnt do it so that will be my next big move.
I'm going to post this before I attempt to learn (start working on) the Tony Rice run, lick, chord progression thingy of the next and last lesson for this song. Is the cross picking done correctly and I threw in your variation E7 Am C7 F deal .. is that close? Thanks man for teaching an old dude some new tricks.
Killer! Sounds great! The timing got off around 0:54. Sounds like it may have skipped ahead a tiny bit. Tap your foot and count along and see if you can straighten it out that way. You're really making great progress! I love it!
Chris - you said take your time with it and I did ... literally ... a couple of months. My aim was to try and get the solos correct. This is where I'm at with this song. Am I close enough to play it around the camp fire at the lake ha ha. I'll never be much of a speedy picker but I am persistant.
Kip, I'm really psyched with how much you have improved as a guitar player over the few months. It's great! You're playing with a real confidence now and that makes such a big difference to the listener.
The one thing that that still needs some attention here is that the timing of the phrases is getting off from the beat from time to time. I'll mention some here and you can take a look: you go to the B section a beat early at 0:26; there's an extra 8th note at 0:57; the up the neck section skips forward a few beats a couple of times in short succession (1:32-1:37); and it jumps forward a bit around 1:52 as well. Considering that these are only about 10 notes out of probably 1,000 I'd say you're doing pretty well! That said, you'll still want to straighten them out. You should be able to count "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" out loud, evenly the whole time and the whole thing should stay on track. Try doing that along with me a few times to see what I mean, then do it along with your recording. See if you can intuitively feel where it's getting off from the 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 beat.
Chris - I'm gonna need a bigger boat. The Tony Rice thing sunk me. I'm glad you showed the alternate way you play the B part which also dresses everything up very nicely and I've got a better chance of nailing that down. I will try to play it the way that Tony does as well but that is surely going to take me a lot of time. It is amazing how a tune like "Wildwood Flower" which at first glance seems pretty straight forward and simple, can be made to sound more pleasing than it already does.
Hey Kip, also keep in mind that you don't have to do the Tony Rice thing if it feels way out of reach for now. As you keep working on all of this stuff you will keep getting better, and something that feels really tough now will seek entirely attainable down the road. Some of the TR stuff is pretty advanced and I would almost be surprised if it didn't feel like a stretch.
Thanks Chris for explaining all of this in detail. So much fun playing Wildwood Flower.
When you perform this song (if you ever do) besides when picking up a new guitar ... do you always play it the same way? For instance, you performed it for Fretboard Journal and you're showing us what you did there but this song lends itself to playing it so many ways. Just wondering. Even within the song ... straight pick the melody, cross pick the melody, strum the melody all to keep it interesting?
Hi Kip, if I find myself performing this song in front of people I'll draw on any/all of the various approaches to keep it interesting for both me and the audience. Or sometimes if I'm just sitting around playing it can be fun to explore different ways to get through the tune. To me playing it a different way feels like going on a little adventure.
Love this. I have been working on the crosspicking concept ever since you introduced it a couple of months ago but never did completly master the subtleties a.k.a. ... Banks of the Ohio. My intention is to go back to that song soon but I always get sucked into the next lesson. Crosspicking really sounds awesome in Wildwood Flower and I hope to get it together because it is essential in these songs that you are introducing me to. I missed these really cool songs and method of playing the guitar growing up. Thanks!
Thank you Chris ... I see what you mean about the 2 extra beats. I can fix that. Yes it is a really fun song to play and addictive ... I plan on playing this for the rest of my days. I'm looking forward to your future Wildwood Flower lesson(s). Ps ... I saw you throw what appeared to be an Em7 .. Am combination or something like it in at one point in your intro ... I obviously didn't nail that but threw it in too ... I honestly expected you to say ... Uhhhhmm No. Hopefully, in a future lesson you eplain exactly what you did there. Thanks again.
I'll throw this one on here ... I probably wouldn't have until you said, "you never have to be totally exact with anything ... it's music". Might be the sweetest words I've ever heard ... so far ... even though you probably didn't mean it. I'd like to play the song like you did in your intro but you throw a lot of curves and variations out there so I'll put this Lesson 1 short version of mine up ... not toally exact.
Kip, ha! Wildwood Flower is a great tune to play, isn't it? And your not totally exact version is lovely! There's just one thing that I need to correct: in the B part you are adding 2 extra beats on the 1 chord after you return from the 4 (See 0:24 and 0:53). You'll want to straighten that out if you ever plan on playing this with anyone else. Otherwise, sounding good. 😎
Thanks for your comment on my post, Kip. I appreciate it. Nice job, here, as well. One of the hardest parts of playing, in my humble opinion, is relaxing and letting the music flow. After I get a tune "down" I spend most of my time trying to let the fingers do the talking, not thinking much about precision-- otherwise, it can fall apart pretty quickly. Keep up the great work!
I think someday speed will come for me or at least increase ... I guess it is expected on a lot of these songs but for the time being I'm pleased with the progress.
Kip, well done! And it sounds like you got the "Doc-like" essence of those phrases in the way you're playing it. One thing: you're adding an extra beat on the C chord at around 0:15. Iron that out and you'll be good to go.
Hi Chris - and anyone else who may be reading along. So, although I've caught on later in life to this style of music and picking the guitar, I still feel like I've discovered America or something. So much great music and so many tremendous pickers out there - You, Julian Lage, David Grier, Bryan Sutton, the old guard, the new gaurd - I'm not even scratching the surface of how many great guitar pickers there are.. Weird feeling being late to the show but still feeling as if I've found something shiny and new.
I've been exploring, watching, reading about how to do this or that ... dip your shoulder ... tap your toe ... bob your head ... up/down ... relax ... breathe ... anchor - don't anchor ... I feel like when my Dad was trying to teach me to hit a baseball. A lot of fun for the whole family LOL.
Anyway, this series of lessons has underscored for me that there is so much more to it than just rendering a song note for note. I understand that to be taught how to do something - you have to be shown - but the more I watch and listen the more I also understand that there are countless ways to get there - playing a song - how to get from "G" to "C" and back - or wherever the destination is BUT it's "all" about just playing which equals fun. All you guys look like you're having a blast when you're performing.
I may never become the greatest picker ever (maybe I will) - either way -- I'm having fun too. Thanks for the lessons. You Rule.
WELL SAID! Ultimately there are as many different ways to play it as there are people to play it. The important thing is that you play it!
Here are a couple of quick run throughs of the 1st half of the Tony Rice Solo. You can tell me if I'm on the right track or close or whatever. The 2nd half is another ball of wax as I'm entirely out of my element. Thank you!
Hey Kip (and John!), sorry somehow I missed these two videos you guys posted on this lesson a few weeks back so sorry for the slow response time. Better late than never I suppose!
Kip, the timing of these phrases is off with some consistency for most of the A-part. Try singing along with my version until you know it and all of the syncopations exactly and can sing it correctly without hearing my version. Then once you've got that down, try playing it on the guitar.
John, I have to run to the studio (Julian Lage and I are in the middle of recording a new record!) but I'll answer your video when I get a chance in the next few days.
Cheers!
Chris
I'm really happy and excited to hear that you and Julian Lage are back in the studio.
I know it takes forever but I'm already looking forward to a release.
As for the pickin' - my rendition excludes this part lol ... I added some of the things you did but didn't formally teach and maybe I'll try to do a video when the opportunity presents itself but now you've introduced Church Street Blues and I'm mesmerized.
Ok Chris - this is my take on the Norman Blake 1st solo ... but right off the bat ... as I just rewatched yours ... I notice my rhythm isn't quite right.
As for the speed of my playing - maybe someday but way better than when I started.
Needless to say - I'm happy about all that I'm learning here.
The morning after - Manzanita is a great record and there is so much I want to learn how to play. Disregard everything I said about never being able to play this particular lead - I'm on this until I can.
Chris - thank you for showing us this incredibly great Tony Rice lead. I have zero chance of learning it but wow ... great. You may recall that it virtually took me 3 months to almost nail Gold Rush. If I ever come close on this lead .. I would probably be hesitant or intimidated to play it for you since you admireTony Rice so much. I think it may be out of reach for me at this point in my flatpicking journey. We'll see. My plan was to show you my Norman Blake solo you taught last week but I think I'm just going to put that on hold for a bit while I stare at this one. Thanks for another record recommendation. Manzanita will be in my nightly dog walking ... earbud listening routine shortly. Norman Blake's Live at McCabe's didn't disappoint at all.
Unrelated question because I'm just curious about this - is your guitar plugged in or mic'd now and/or when you perform? Thanks man.
The morning after - Manzanita is a great record and there is so much I want to learn how to play. Disregard everything I said about never being able to play this particular lead - I'm on this until I can.
I've lived my life probably like most people looking forward to Friday, the end of the work week, and a chance to relax. I still look forward to Friday but now for an entirely different reason. As I'm sure you have guessed and hopefully share my sentiment - I so look forward to seeing Chris pick and teach these cool lessons. I have no reason to blow smoke - it is a genuine happiness. I'm only a bit sorry that it took so long to discover that I love this form of music. I'm also looking forward to buying (downloading) Norman Blake - Live at McCabe's.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to play this solo but I'm going to have a lot of fun trying (minus the triplets ha ha). It may take a while for these old(er) fingers to get the hang of it. I did have better than average ... for me ... luck with Nashville Blues so I'm encouraged going in.
See you on the other side
Kip
Kip, thanks so much for saying that! That makes me genuinely happy.
Chris -
My goodness ... it's worth the subscription price just to watch you play that.
Kip
Thank you Kip!
Chris,
I guess I've lived under a rock my entire life because "With Body and Soul" is another wonderful song I've never heard. I doubt I'll be able to sing it well enough to post but I willl try to learn the guitar parts.
I started to explore the intro and here is a video of it. Does this work ... a combination of some cross picking and strumming. I don't think the final little run is correct or at least the way you played it but I'll have to be shown how to do that.
Cool song - thank you!
Kip
Yeah, sounds great Kip! I really like the way you internalized my version and have turned it into your own thing. I really like how you've embraced the funky side of it.
One thing: make sure that your whole arm is loose and engaged. It looks like you're mostly moving from your right wrist and that things are a bit locked up further up your arm. Something to be mindful of...
Mark/Chris - may I make a comment. First off - awesome picking job. Sounded great. As for perfection - I always wanted to be pefect before I attempted to play for anyone. In a way, it held me back. Since I could never play anything close enough to perfect, I rarely played, or progressed even as an amateur guitar picker. I couldn't ask anyone to teach me anything - because I knew eventually I'd have to play what I'd been taught to my teacher (imperfectly). I'm not sure that makes any sense but the years go by very quickly and eventually you end up old(er) and can't play a lick. Luckily I changed my thinking on that. I'm not a great guitar player but I'm having fun and learning something knew. I wish I had 1/10th of the talent of most people on here but no one is having more fun than I am. Great Job Mark!
Chris - thx for the confidence boost. I listened to my performance again noting the times you referenced and I understand and agree, This is a picking tune that thrills me and that I want to play as correctly as I'm capable of so I'll continue working at it. I have not tried playing it with you note for note at a slower tempo because I figured I probably couldnt do it so that will be my next big move.
Thank you for the tips and suggestion.
Kip
Hi Bruce - just out of curiosity what is that guitar you're playing (btw really well). It's a beauty.
Thx
Kip
Chris -
I'm going to post this before I attempt to learn (start working on) the Tony Rice run, lick, chord progression thingy of the next and last lesson for this song. Is the cross picking done correctly and I threw in your variation E7 Am C7 F deal .. is that close? Thanks man for teaching an old dude some new tricks.
Kip
Killer! Sounds great! The timing got off around 0:54. Sounds like it may have skipped ahead a tiny bit. Tap your foot and count along and see if you can straighten it out that way. You're really making great progress! I love it!
Chris - you said take your time with it and I did ... literally ... a couple of months. My aim was to try and get the solos correct. This is where I'm at with this song. Am I close enough to play it around the camp fire at the lake ha ha. I'll never be much of a speedy picker but I am persistant.
Kip, I'm really psyched with how much you have improved as a guitar player over the few months. It's great! You're playing with a real confidence now and that makes such a big difference to the listener.
The one thing that that still needs some attention here is that the timing of the phrases is getting off from the beat from time to time. I'll mention some here and you can take a look: you go to the B section a beat early at 0:26; there's an extra 8th note at 0:57; the up the neck section skips forward a few beats a couple of times in short succession (1:32-1:37); and it jumps forward a bit around 1:52 as well. Considering that these are only about 10 notes out of probably 1,000 I'd say you're doing pretty well! That said, you'll still want to straighten them out. You should be able to count "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" out loud, evenly the whole time and the whole thing should stay on track. Try doing that along with me a few times to see what I mean, then do it along with your recording. See if you can intuitively feel where it's getting off from the 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 beat.
Chris - I'm gonna need a bigger boat. The Tony Rice thing sunk me. I'm glad you showed the alternate way you play the B part which also dresses everything up very nicely and I've got a better chance of nailing that down. I will try to play it the way that Tony does as well but that is surely going to take me a lot of time. It is amazing how a tune like "Wildwood Flower" which at first glance seems pretty straight forward and simple, can be made to sound more pleasing than it already does.
Kip
Hey Kip, also keep in mind that you don't have to do the Tony Rice thing if it feels way out of reach for now. As you keep working on all of this stuff you will keep getting better, and something that feels really tough now will seek entirely attainable down the road. Some of the TR stuff is pretty advanced and I would almost be surprised if it didn't feel like a stretch.
Thanks Chris for explaining all of this in detail. So much fun playing Wildwood Flower.
When you perform this song (if you ever do) besides when picking up a new guitar ... do you always play it the same way? For instance, you performed it for Fretboard Journal and you're showing us what you did there but this song lends itself to playing it so many ways. Just wondering. Even within the song ... straight pick the melody, cross pick the melody, strum the melody all to keep it interesting?
Hi Kip, if I find myself performing this song in front of people I'll draw on any/all of the various approaches to keep it interesting for both me and the audience. Or sometimes if I'm just sitting around playing it can be fun to explore different ways to get through the tune. To me playing it a different way feels like going on a little adventure.
Mark - super cool picking.
Kip
Love this. I have been working on the crosspicking concept ever since you introduced it a couple of months ago but never did completly master the subtleties a.k.a. ... Banks of the Ohio. My intention is to go back to that song soon but I always get sucked into the next lesson. Crosspicking really sounds awesome in Wildwood Flower and I hope to get it together because it is essential in these songs that you are introducing me to. I missed these really cool songs and method of playing the guitar growing up. Thanks!
Thank you Chris ... I see what you mean about the 2 extra beats. I can fix that. Yes it is a really fun song to play and addictive ... I plan on playing this for the rest of my days. I'm looking forward to your future Wildwood Flower lesson(s). Ps ... I saw you throw what appeared to be an Em7 .. Am combination or something like it in at one point in your intro ... I obviously didn't nail that but threw it in too ... I honestly expected you to say ... Uhhhhmm No. Hopefully, in a future lesson you eplain exactly what you did there. Thanks again.
Yes, good observation. C - E7 - Am - C7 - F. We'll get into that in a few weeks!
I'll throw this one on here ... I probably wouldn't have until you said, "you never have to be totally exact with anything ... it's music". Might be the sweetest words I've ever heard ... so far ... even though you probably didn't mean it. I'd like to play the song like you did in your intro but you throw a lot of curves and variations out there so I'll put this Lesson 1 short version of mine up ... not toally exact.
Kip, ha! Wildwood Flower is a great tune to play, isn't it? And your not totally exact version is lovely! There's just one thing that I need to correct: in the B part you are adding 2 extra beats on the 1 chord after you return from the 4 (See 0:24 and 0:53). You'll want to straighten that out if you ever plan on playing this with anyone else. Otherwise, sounding good. 😎
Thanks for your comment on my post, Kip. I appreciate it. Nice job, here, as well. One of the hardest parts of playing, in my humble opinion, is relaxing and letting the music flow. After I get a tune "down" I spend most of my time trying to let the fingers do the talking, not thinking much about precision-- otherwise, it can fall apart pretty quickly. Keep up the great work!
Mark