Fingerpicking and slide

CHRISB50

I've started trying to learn slide and how to fingerpick. I think it's bloody hard.

One or the other I can do. But combining the two I'm fecking useless.

I've been listening to a lot of Sun House and Bukka White, so decided to try and learn a bit about their styles.

The whole part of picking a bass line with your thumb whilst playing melody with fingers at the same time I'm finding a nightmare.

Turning off your fingers while picking with the thumb or vice versa, whilst also trying to control my fretting hand I find impossible at the mo.

I presume it's just practice as I'm already managing stuff I couldn't do a few days ago, but has anyone got any tips or drills that could help?

randomhandclaps

With finger picking in general a great exercise is to do basic patterns on repeat whilst watching the TV, that way you stop over-thinking things (or intently focusing on your fingers) and it starts to become more automated and natural.  It also means you tend to practice more.

Lewy

What you want to do certainly is achievable through structured and above all disciplined practice. the stricter you are with yourself. the quicker it will come and you might be surprised about how quickly it can come if you practice it properly.

My advice is get hold of this: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Steps-Guitar-Fingerpicking-Demystifying/dp/0634050095

Its the best intro to fingerstyle I've seen and gives you the right foundation upon which you can start adding slide.

Interesting that you reference Son House and Booker White, as they were both fairly unorthodox from a finger-picking point of view. I've done extensive analysis on Booker's style in particular so if you have any specific questions about that, pm me.

Jalapeno

With 13+ gauge strings it flipping hurts your picking fingers - you need callouses on the OTHER hand !

Lewy

Jalapeno said:

With 13+ gauge strings it flipping hurts your picking fingers - you need callouses on the OTHER hand !

True that. Fingerpicks are worth getting the hang if you're using heavier strings. Don't think Son House used them but Booker definitely did (thumb and index finger).

CHRISB50

I'll have to see if I can pick that DVD up. Cheers. I've been listening to a lot of old Delta stuff recently. Mainly Fred McDowell, John Hurt, Son House and Bukka White. McDowell and Hurt's stuff sounded more complex so I figured I'd start working on Bukka White and Son House first. I started with Bukka's Special Streamline, from the Tom Feldmann instructional that's on YouTube. I like his teaching style and the way he builds up a song gradually. I'm coming from an electric only background with no experience of slide or fingerpicking. To begin with I couldn't even pick an alternating bassline. After a night or so I got that down. Then started trying to incorporate the droning 6th string in between each bass note. I found this really hard to coordinate but after a couple of nights I got it. Next was adding in the 5th string with a hammer on (so adding in the fretting hand as well). That again got me for a couple of nights, but I've got it down now as well. Now I'm at the stage of starting the slide parts. I can play them all cleanly when only playing the slide parts, but I'm struggling with playing the bass parts at the same time. Starting / stopping picking with my fingers whilst carrying on playing with my thumb, or vice versa. Coordinating between them has got me at the moment. I've just really really slowed the pace down and I'm gonna build up from there. Fingers crossed with practice it will come! I'm having no luck with getting used to finger / thumb picks, so I'm persevering sans picks. Both thumb and fingerpicks felt too long and cumbersome. I look forward to building up some callouses as my picking hand is killing me at the moment. Thanks for the pointers RHC, Jalapeño and Lewy. Wish me luck! And Lewy as I carry on, if I come up with any specific questions with Bukka's stuff I'll give you a shout. Cheers.

CHRISB50

Wtf has happened to formatting posts from Apple devices? Not possible to make paragraphs!?

Lewy

This style is kind of my thing - I'm going to see if I can dig out some videos I did for a student a while back that have some exercises that could be useful for you.

So nice to see someone wanting to learn the proper stuff when it comes to slide.

CHRISB50

Lewy said:

This style is kind of my thing - I'm going to see if I can dig out some videos I did for a student a while back that have some exercises that could be useful for you.

So nice to see someone wanting to learn the proper stuff when it comes to slide.

Cheers Lewy. That would be great. You teach? Where are you? If this is the sort of stuff you do I would definitely be interested in some lessons, if you're anywhere near me. I love this stuff too. It's great isn't it

Lewy

I'm in Maidenhead, Berks. Where are you?

CHRISB50

I'm in Walton on Thames, Surrey.

Lewy

Not too far from here - about 40 mins although Skype lessons could be an option too...probably more viable if you wanted to do it soon as I have a 3 week old baby at home who doesn't value the concept of peace and quiet...

CHRISB50

Yeah not too far. I would definitely be interested in some lessons but would prefer doing it in person. Congrats on the baby. My youngest is 11 months, I remember 3 weeks in was pretty crazy. I'm in no massive hurry. I've got plenty of stuff to work on in mean time as I've literally only just started trying to learn this sort of stuff. Pm me some contact details or I can send you mine. Then just let me know once you are available. Hopefully we can sort something out.

Lewy

Ok will ping you once the dust settles a bit. Sounds like you've got the right listening going on which is half the battle.

Fred McDowell - another fascinating player to study and another very interesting picking style. Bass notes played with the thumb but the index finger brushing up and down on the top strings rather than just picking upwards. Created a full, complex driving sound. You can see the same approach in the playing of his protégée RL Burnside.

CHRISB50

Cheers Lewy.

Fred McDowell stylistically is probably my favourite. His style sounds more precise and developed than most of the others.

I'll wait to hear from you.

In the mean time I'll keep listening and practicing.

Lewy

Check out this recrording of Fred with Big Mama Thornton. I only recently became aware of it....it's amazing:

CHRISB50

I really like that. It's the same guitar as 61 Highway, which is one of my favourites of his.