Yep! I'm 75, and just found something better than watching the garbage on T.V. Last 6 months been trying to teach myself to play guitar. Many sore fingers, and many tutorials watched on uTube. Dennis, you are the best for us older beginners. I'm going to subscribe.
... Thanks for subscribing; I appreciate your support. I hope I won’t disappoint you. Stay tuned. I’ve got another tutorial in the works that I’ve been working on for about a week. I may post it this evening or tomorrow. Cheers my friend.
....Thanks Frank. Practice the pattern until it’s assigned to muscle memory. I’m working on a tutorial on how to play “Just Breathe” (Pearl Jam) that will have better graphics - chord diagrams and fingerpicking diagrams. Hopefully, in a couple days. Stay tuned. Cheers buddy.
Stop right here if you want to learn the Travis finger picking pattern for guitar. This is the BEST video on UA-cam. Not the simplest, but the best. There are easier patterns but this is the genuine article and works with daily practice.
Thank you Brenda for your kind words. I remember the absolute glee I experienced when I finally got this. That’s why I’ve sort of dedicated myself to teaching this to as many people as I can. Please visit my UA-cam channel and check out my two latest uploads, designed for beginners. I’m working on the third installment as we speak. Thank you for appreciating the effort that goes into producing these lessons. 👏🤝❤️
Buddy Violan ...Hey Buddy, my son-in-law is Filipino. They went to the Philippines for their honeymoon. You’re a youngster; I started at 64. You can become quite an accomplished guitar player in no time. It just takes dedication and practice. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your support. Good luck my friend.
Thank you for your awsome help and advice Sir!!! I'm 52 and learning guitar again after dropping it for 23 years. We didn't have you tube when we were first learning guitar. I heard a lot of people have a hard time learning from you tube videos on how to play guitar but not me especially with such good instruction and done slowly. You made me happy, thanks again MAN!!!
... You’re welcome Aaron. I love UA-cam and have learned a lot from it; it’s a wonderful educational forum. Visit my other tutorials on Travis picking. Practice the pattern 15 minutes each day for about a week and I believe you’ll be on your way to become an accomplished fingerpicker. Good luck my friend!
Dennis. What can I say. I’ve been messing about for years trying to master travis picking. I’ve watched your videos for the last two nights and learned more in 2 nights than I have ever over the past 10 years. Brilliant, absolute brilliant. Super teacher, Ian, 59, UK
Thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. I’m glad the lessons are helping. Once you learn the pattern and can change briskly between chords, you’re there!
Dennis, I have been playing guitar for 47 years and I’m just starting to learn the Travis pattern as I never used it before. I was frustrated with the way others taught it, but the way you break it down in colors made it so much easier to grasp, thank you!
You’re welcome Robert. Please look at my latest post, How to Fingerpick “Just Like That “ by Bonnie Raitt. I think it will serve to further explain the pattern even more completely for you. Give it a listen and tell me what you think. I’d appreciate your feedback. Cheers my friend.
Thanks! I used to play with a pick, but recently I found your lessons. It was time to learn, I am 75. But I remember my mother knitting socks while she was watching TV. Everybody was impressed. So fast. So , I guess it is muscle memory... And I started to learn. I guess I am closed to knit songs while I am singing. :-)
Thank you for this lesson. I was taught a 'modified' form of Travis picking that excluded the pinch. After watching this video, I realize that I am not creating the lovely sound that I hoped to achieve. Time to go back and learn. Your excellent video makes the Travis process easy to follow.
You’re welcome Richard. Please refer to my tutorial on “to pinch or not to pinch; it might help. The “pinch” sounds better on certain songs, while some songs sound better without the pinch. Eddie Vedder’s “Toullumne” and “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas use the “pinch.” Check them out. Cheers my friend. I’ve been inactive for a couple months with a bad case of trigger finger. I’m seeing a hand specialist on Tuesday. Hopefully surgery can fix it and I’ll be back!
Wow, thanks again , I will stick with it for as long as it takes , I don't need anything more , and this is beautifully presented.IT ames sense immediately , but of course it will take some time and practise.@@DennisAnthonis
you are a good teacher. i am a toolmaker by trade. 66 years old and you said something that i teach young people. accurate before speed. patience is everything.
thomas stampflmeier ... Thank you Thomas. It’s difficult in the beginning to get the thumb and fingers coordinated to perform this “pattern” style technique. Too many students attempt to speed up their picking prematurely. It’s essential to start out slow. This will insure accuracy later when you systematically increase your speed. Good luck my friend. Keep me posted! Cheers.
Really great video. Youre a great teacher. Ive been struggling with this pattern for a day or two. Your chart inners and outers the G really helped me. Thank you so much sir.
Stay tuned Robert. This Tuesday (August 24) I’ll post the 2nd Lesson Review and Homework Assignment. I’ll address proper hand position which will help everyone. I’m worried that the actual class may not be fully ready due to continued technical glitches. However, the review lessons will always be there. Keep at it Robert; 5 minutes each day.👍
Thanks Dana. Once muscle memory takes over and you can do this in your sleep, you really begin to experience the elation of adding this technique to your musical repertoire. Please share my tutorials with your friends who want to learn how to fingerpick like this. Stay tuned; more coming. Good luck! Keep me posted.
Thank You Dennis, Have played12 string Acoustic for more years than I care to remember. Have developed a style of my own, don’t know if it even fits any type but, after listening to your video, It has helped me to get a more uniformed control of my Instrument. Though our ages are fairly close, You are NEVER too old to Learn. Hope to see more of your Video’s.Gob Bless. Wayne
... you are correct, you’re never too old to learn. I’ve tried to come up with a better way to teach this technique. I remember when I finally mastered this pattern and felt such jubilation. If you dedicate yourself to learning this, you’ll never regret it. Good luck my friend.
John ... You’re welcome John; thank you for visiting my channel and taking the time to comment. The inside/outside concept has helped many. The other concept that really helps learn to Travis-pick even faster is the color-coded “three phase approach. Don’t forget, once you learn it you can move the pattern to encompass the lower strings more. Stay tuned! I have another in the works that will touch on this. Please share my tutorials with your friends. Maybe even subscribe! Keep me posted on your progress. Cheers from St. Louis.
Thanks Dennis for showing us this simpler way of learning to Travis pick. I am 78 years old and doing pretty well with getting it down except for the timing of the inner strings and getting to the turn around on the G. I can't seem to smooth it out, so it kind rolls into the next line.
... as you learn a new song and the chords within, your transitions between chords will improve as you practice the song over and over. Start slow and focus on accuracy. Speed will come automatically. A metronome can help. Start by learning the pattern on the D-chord. This will help you grasp that the pattern revolves around the four high strings (the thinnest strings). Then practice an A chord, played on five strings, the open A on the 5th string being the bass note of that A Major chord. Then do the same pattern for a G chord. Again, the only difference being the G-note on the 6th string on the 1st downbeat. I’m 75 in January. Review my other tutorials. They’re repetitive but each lesson offers something unique. Good luck my friend.
... Thanks Bob. Many beginners look at this as if it’s just too difficult for them to attempt; far from it. It simply requires sitting down each day for 15 minutes and repeating it over and over ad nauseum until the pattern is assigned to muscle memory. Slow at first. Focus on precision in the beginning. Speed and fluidity will come automatically. Review all my lessons. Although repetitive in some ways, each lesson offers something new to help you learn this technique. Good luck my friend. Cheers from St. Louis.
Thank you so much; that was very helpful! I’m 67 and have been a drummer but now ready to try guitar and slow things down a bit…easy to pick up and play anytime anywhere! Really drawn to this at this point in my life! Thanks again,
You’re welcome my friend. I’m glad the lesson inspired you. As a former drummer, rhythm in strumming should be very natural for you. Now I’m pretty much a finger picker, particularly Travis picking. I can help you with that. Anyway, thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. Good luck in your new endeavor.
Thank you 😊 Thank you Thank you 🙏 Thank you etc etc you are the first of many to really explain this in a way I believe I can LEARN and thank you 😊 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
You’re welcome Ed. I hope my method helps you learn to fingerpick most effectively. If you devote at least 15 minutes each day, you’ll be fingerpicking in no time. Please share my tutorials with any of your musician friends who may be interested in learning this technique. Cheers buddy.
After watching several videos trying to get both the pattern and the proper rhythm to cement in my understanding, this seems to have finally done it! Thank you for breaking it down into digestible and logical steps that made sense to my middle aged brain. :)
Thank you so much Dennis. Still working on this Travis picking pattern. It's taking this old man a little longer, than i expect most, almost 69 years of age, retired and still plucking along. I took classical guitar 22 years ago a our local University, left my guitar for that long due to family life stuff, work and such, but, trying to relearn everything I forgot, LOL. Again, you are quite an inspiration to this older guy. Love your music videos, watched quite a few I them, very uplifting and encouraging. God bless, my friend.
I’m 77. Our lives have seen parallel paths. When I got married, I dropped the guitar like a hot potato for 40 years and didn’t pick it up until just before I retired at 71. Fortunately, we both picked them up again. Please don’t give up on this pattern. Be persistent and one day, almost like an epiphany, it will happen; the connection will be made, and your musical repertoire will double. Cheers my friend.
I really loved this tutorial - I was able to follow you as you went slowly and said thumb inside, outside, thumb on g string as you went - I felt confident that with regular practice I would also be able to do the pattern - thank you 🎶
You’re welcome Bonnie. The key to this pattern is realizing that it’s based around the 4 thinnest strings (D, G, B, E)....the only difference being the base note on downbeat “1.” Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.
Dennis, superb thank you, really appreciate your time and kindness in sharing this.Its my first attempt at picking and the lesson is invaluable. More please
Thanks for listening and thanks for taking the time to comment. I tell everyone they can learn this if they dedicate some time and effort. Please visit my other lessons on Travis picking; each one offers something new. I’m about to upload another lesson (maybe Tuesday or Wednesday) on how to play “Just Breathe “ by Eddie Vedder. The takeaway message for this upcoming lesson will focus on how you must move the right hand pattern up & down (i.e., north or south on the fretboard) according to what the left hand is doing (chords and melody notes). Stay tuned. Cheers my friend.
Hello from wintery Halifax, Nova Scotia. Just wanted to add my two cents worth again about what I tell people , that this is the very best way to start Travis picking pretty much right away. At 67 I struggle to get my fingers to do what I want them to at times but the progress is very gratifying. If you haven't tried finger picking or have become frustrated, then before you give up, try Dennis's method, you'll be glad you did. Learning fingerpicking has actually reaped benefits that I didn't expect. Not only have I elevated my fingerpicking to a level I did not think I would be at, but it has also increased my chord changing and strumming to a new level as well. What I discovered was that I was cheating, or more to the point I had developed some bad habits. When you are playing with a group, you can get away with murder, so to speak. When you fingerpick it's virtually impossible to cheat because you need to be on the chord changes. Fingerpicking has forced me to develop a better practice routine and has me focused on technique. If you want to elevate your guitar playing period then you need to take up fingerpicking, I recommend this method highly. Thanks Dennis, keep up the great work.
Bob Power ... Thank you Bob for your kind words. I remember when I finally learned how to do this back in 1964. My friend Bernie taught me this one on one, facing each other. It took 2 or 3 weeks. Then I went to college, later got married and had kids. I never picked up a guitar again until 2008; and I’ll be damned, I recalled the pattern right away (muscle memory) after over 40 years. Back when Bernie taught me how to do this, we didn’t have chord charts, or fingerpicking patterns, etc. My goal is to create those patterns and charts so that potential Travis pickers can sit at their computer and learn to do this as quickly as possible. Anyway, thanks for your strong endorsement. Stay warm up there in Nova Scotia! Cheers buddy.
Just wanted to say thanks for this Dennis. I've just come back to the guitar after a 35 year break, so I'm trying to build up some foundations. I've watched 20x travis picking videos and they got me so far but then lost me. This (and your previous) films are wonderfully clear and simple, so easy even I can follow them. Your video production is first class and really helpful, and I hope you produce a follow on to this show newbies like myself where we go next with Travis.
Back2TheBike .... Thanks buddy. Stay tuned, I’m getting ready to post another tutorial Monday or Tuesday that I hope will help explain Travis picking even more. I’m like you; I learned a few chords in high school, then went to college and never picked up a guitar again till I was 64. Cheers my friend. Keep practicing.
P J ... You’re welcome P.J. I’m fortunate in that my wife is a graphic artist and provides the illustrations. As a former adjunct faculty at our local community college, I’ve learned that students learn in a variety of ways and there is a big segment that does well with graphics and illustrations. I feel it helps to distinguish my lessons from others. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a message. Stay tuned; I have some things on the burner! Please share my tutorials with your friends who may be interested. And maybe consider subscribing. I would appreciate the support. Cheers from St. Louis MO.
Thanks for the tutorial, Dennis. The colour coding of the strings in inner and outer pairs certainly helps to nest and the sequence the Travis picking pattern. Really appreciate your lesson. You’ve helped me achieve one of my goals for the day. Just bought a new Cort acoustic guitar to learn fingerpicking and I’m n my way already. Now I just need to put in the time to practice. 🙏👍🙏👍
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. If you’re really interested in learning how to Travis pick, please check out my latest endeavor, a series of lessons and accompanying exercises on Travis Picking designed for beginners. I’m due to produce the 6th in this series but I’m presently experiencing trigger finger on my fretting hand. Start with lesson 1 and work your way u to Lesson 5. By then, I’ll hopefully be back. Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad the lessons are helping.
Joe Gavua ... Hey Joe, I apologize for not responding sooner. I’m so glad the tutorials are helping you learn this fingerpicking pattern quicker. Do you have any requests for songs you may want to learn ? Cheers my friend.
Dennis, brotha this is awesome! I love the way you clearly outlined each beat with the on screen chart! This is exactly how one should be practicing this! Constant review and understand what each "flick" is! This is a quality travis picking lesson by Dennis Anthonis! Thanks for sharing!
Stokes Music Studios Online ... Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate the endorsement. I had hoped that the diagrams would help. Cheers buddy.
Dennis, I have never been able to get my brain and fingers wrapped around the rhythm, getting that swing thing going between chords, you name it, it just gave up. Sadly, I've studied classical guitar so i can read and pick that way. In my case, I noticed a couple of odd habits that I have developed over the years when approaching a challenging bit of written music, and I'm telling on myself, I am holding my breath! Bad habit, when I run out of breath I start to mess up. I had no idea I was doing this. Also with pop songs, I haven't put the time in to "counting" out loud as I should. Your 15 min method put me straight on the finger brain thing, thank you. I'll soon be 68 and would like to enjoy some fun picking before it's to late. I never perform for anyone because I wasn't able to pick their favorite songs, just strum. Now I think this too shall pass, in a good way. Thank you for the inside, outside picking chart.
It’s never too late to learn new tricks. Once you assign the pattern to muscle memory and get the swing, remember this... the entire pattern revolves around the four high strings, as long as you strike the bass note of the chord on the 1st downbeat, whether it’s a 4-string chord (D, Dm, D7), or a 5-string chord (Am, C,), or a 6-sting chord (G, G7, barre F or barre G). The “inside/outside concept has helped many. Good luck my friend.
You’re welcome Rich; sorry for not responding sooner. I’ve developed trigger finger in the middle finger of my left hand and can longer play. I’m seeing a hand specialist next Tuesday. Hopefully, he’ll be able to fix it. Please see my other tutorials and exercises on Travis picking. They should help a lot too. Cheers from St. Louis.
I was hoping to learn Travis picking in 14 minutes, but never mind 😀. Seriously though, thanks so much for this, Dennis. I have tbe utmost respect for those who share their skills for the benefit of others. I found the combination of your diagram/explanation and playing to be really helpful. My recent discovery of the great John Prine has been the driving force behind my attempts to learn Travis picking, even if it kills me (and it might actually do that!). I am getting there though, and your tutorial goes a long way in helping me achieve that. Stay well Dennis, and thanks again 👍
Thanks D G. Have you checked out my other lessons on Travis Picking. They will help you too. I’ve developed trigger finger on the middle finger of my fretting (left) hand and I’ve been unable to play for nearly three months. I’m seeing a hand specialist next week; hopefully he’ll be able to fix it. I’ve got some good ideas for future lessons. Wish me luck.
Can’t go wrong with listening to John Prine. Thanks for checking out my channel. Have you watched my recent beginning lessons (red) and beginning exercises (blue), Those lessons are will help too. Remember, 15 minutes!
A big thank from Germany-it's very relaxing listen to you , I'm 60 years old and start playing by myself for about 4 Years . I love the old time Blues an' my favorit is Lonny Johnson & Blind Willie but also SRV and Jhonny Winter Stuff.And you give me the right Way to learn Finger Pickin' but it's a very very hard Way!!!So lot's of thank's !!!!!! Let it Roll!!!🎲☻🎲
Hey Chris, thanks for your comment. I love the blues too. I’m working on another Travis picking lesson that I hope to upload this weekend which will help you learn this technique. It’s a lesson on how to play “Caravan of Fools” by John Prine. In it, we review important aspects of how to execute the pattern as efficiently as possible. Cheers my friend. Stay safe over there.
... You’re welcome my friend. Be sure to check the other tutorials as well. Each one offers something new to the discussion of Travis-style fingerpicking. Be persistent; you’ll get it!
.... Thank you Savan and I appreciate you noticing the visuals. I’m fortunate to have a talented wife experienced in graphics. Stay tuned. I’m working on two projects, a cover and another tutorial. Stay safe.
You’re welcome. I hope the lessons are helpful. Remember, you only have to learn one measure and then repeat it over and over again. You need to practice it over and over until it’s assigned to muscle memory. Good luck with this.
You’re welcome Catherine. I’m glad the lessons are helping. I can’t wait to get my finger fixed so I can continue producing lessons. Wish me luck. Keep practicing! Remember, fifteen minutes a day!
I have been practicing Travis picking every chance I get. Thank you for this. some PDFs would have been a great help instead of having to come back to the video and pausing it, but thank you this is very informative.
christopher ramirez .... Thanks Christopher for stopping by and listening and taking the time to comment. You ask a legitimate question. I’ll try to figure out how to make a PDF of the tabs and lyrics in the future. Cheers my friend.
... You’re welcome Kenneth. Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment. My wife is a graphic artist and creates the chord charts, picking pattern diagrams, etc. I’ll tell her you appreciate her efforts. Learning to fingerpick this pattern was a slow process for me. I’m just trying to find some way to teach it so students can learn it faster and start playing sooner. Cheers buddy.
Thanks Frank. Learning to Travis pick comes easy for some people, but difficult for most. It took me a while to master it. I believe I've come up with this method, which I believe will be the fastest way to learn. Cheers buddy.
Thank you 🙏 I have always wanted to finger pick but everyone that I know that does it basically said it was too hard for me ( that they are just gifted) and I should just strum You explained it so well I was doing it right away. Thank you again sir! Now to my practice session 🎸🎯
Maybe this tutorial will explain the process even more. If you find it helpful, please share it with your musician friends who may find it helpful. Cheers buddy. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Merle Travis was a thumb-picker. He used his thumb and first finger to play. Doc Watson did too. Rev Gary Davis was a two finger picker also. Thus they avoided problems involving additional fingers.
Mike, that’s an excellent question. Singing, while accompanying yourself on guitar may look easy when in fact, it really requires a little extra effort to insure the best presentation possible and without a doubt, timing is key. Of course, it helps to have practiced the guitar part to the point of being able to play it from start to finish, as fluidly as possible. To be sure, I have always encouraged aspiring singer-songwriters to always sing the song while practicing the song. However, I will say that I review several interpretations of people covering songs just for that reason, to asses accent marks, the cadence of the lyrics with the music. Sometimes, you settle on incorporating two different styles into your final interpretation. Today, I was working on posting “I’ll Follow You into the Dark,” by death cab for cutie. I must have repeated it 15 times and still wasn’t satisfied, and my dissatisfaction revolved principally about putting the right syllable of the lyric with the most appropriate note in the music. I’ll attempt to post it again tomorrow. Anyway, I hope this helps you in someway. I guess what I’m essentially saying is practice, practice, practice. Cheers my friend.
While I haven't been able to master this due my guitars bridge coming loose and having to send it in for major repairs, I like the old videos much better. Therefore, I will be returning to them to continue top figure this out, and lick it once and for all. Thanks so much for the instructions though as you are the easiest to understand.
Johnny Baker thanks Johnny. I actually believe that even a beginner guitar player who is still limited to strumming can learn to Travis-pick right away using this technique. Good luck my friend.
Hi Johnny, Just keep plugging away, I struggled too for a while but one day you get it and then it's great. It is the best method, I've tried them all.
Tony C. Morgan ... You’re welcome Tony. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. This can be a tricky concept for some to pick up. This technique illusohere is, in my opt, the fastest way to get going and actually play. Good luck.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. All it really takes is at least 15 minutes each day, almost religiously and with some dedication and within a couple weeks you’ll take off. Let me know when the epiphany occurs. 👍
I've always understood what the travis picking is about, but I'm a visual person and hearing people say "pinch" and "inside" and "outside" was really confusing. Holy crap seeing that diagram feels like filling in the last puzzle piece in a jigsaw. Thank you so much!
Arctic IceFox .. thank you for your kind words. This last production is the culmination of 4 or 5 previous attempts. It’s been an ever-evolving culmination of re-vamping, based on input from subscribers, as well as comments from guys like you. Give it 15 minutes a day; you’ll be doing it in your sleep! Cheers buddy!
Hi Dennis , thanks for the picking lesson , I have played bass for many years and only just started to Travis pick . It is a slow process but I am determined to get it consigned to muscle memory in a week , which you say is possible Regards Si
You’re welcome Simon. And you’re right, it takes a while. But once it finally happens, you’ll wonder why it took that long. Be diligent and commit to daily practicing of the pattern until the epiphany is realized. Stay tuned; I’ve got a couple projects in the works that you’ll find useful. Maybe even subscribe!
Thanks so much for your musical instruction. I've been trying to play guitar for years but lack the natural talent. I keep at it however. My hero was GORDON LIGHTFOOT. Could you maybe cover his picking style as it seems somewhat unique. He was a great strummer but his picking brought many of his songs to life.
You must keep at it, every day, even if it’s just 15 or 20 minutes a day. Boy, Gordon Lightfoot….where do you start? His picking style varies a lot, from arpeggiating to more complicated and varying techniques, including Travis-style pattern picking. My favorite song he performed was not even one of his own…”The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” written by Ewan McColl for Pete Seeger’s sister. To me, his baritone voice and his fingerpicking a 12-string guitar best epitomizes what best represents Gordon Lightfoot. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen. And thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. Cheers Richard from St. Louis.
@@DennisAnthonis Believe it or not, I was reading your reply and that song was playing on my Lightfoot playlist. I starting going to Lightfoot concerts at Massey Hall close to 50 years ago. I saw him about ten times over the years. He was always so precise in his playing. I remember him saying that he practiced constantly and had unique tunings. I stood beside him once at an event in Toronto but was too shy to say hello. Anyway, thanks for getting back to me. Have a good day!
@@quintonplace wow, I only saw him once… at the Washington University Field House in St. Louis in the early 70’s. He is a wonderful strummer. I remember his show was quite memorable. Since we’ve made contact, I’ve been looking for a GL song that seems to fit my fingerpicking pattern the most is and I came across “Song for a Winter’s Night.” I must learn it,
Thanks Dennis for the breakdown! got the rhythm down and liked the small variations! are there other fingerpicking patterns like the travis pattern or variations to move forward from here? :)
... Thank you Rabin for your inquiry. The pattern I play is really the only one I know and use. I don’t doubt there are many variations. You can certainly pursue that angle for moving forward. I would focus on repetition and practice to improve accuracy and the ability to enunciate each note. At that point, you’ll be in a better position to gradually increase your speed without jeopardizing precision. One of the appeals about Travis-picking is the crispness and precise cadence it provides. I would simply grow my repertoire of learning new chord voicing, or open-chord tunings. Good luck my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis i only just recently found you on youtube and im a beginer but more drawn to finger picking as im a huge james taylor john prine and iris demente fan i also bought a strat recently and dont know why as im more attracted to accoustic your tutorial has inspred me to persist with finger picking i also fell its more forgiving in chord transition more prine please???
matthew bulloch .... Yes Matthew, if you’re a fan of John Prine, you must learn how to Travis Pick; he’s famous for it. Although there is some repetition in each lesson, at the same time each lesson offers something new. Keep this in mind...you’re only having to learn one measure. Dedicate yourself to assigning that one bar measure to muscle memory. Start out slow. Speed and improved cadence will come later. Let’s start there. Let me know how it goes. Dennis
matthew bulloch .... I have 7 guitars (all acoustic, 4 are acoustic-electric). I’m looking to get my first electric, a fender stat would be great! Anyway, I think there’s all kinds of potential for Travis picking on an electric guitar. Hey, I’m working on another John Prine song that I’ll post this weekend. Stay tuned.
@@DennisAnthonis looking forward to it dennis i always wanted to learn guitar and my daughter bought me an encore dreadnought about 20 yrs ago but found the fretting impossible then i was given a yamaha which again i found troublesome or mibbies i gave up too easy anyway retired 3 years ago and soon got bored tried tinkering then read abot seagull 6 nut with got one and love it just wish i could get 20% of its potential lol and since the lockdown and not bowling i have started craving new guitars i have a david gilmour tribute strat from thoman not expensive recently bought a boss50 amp but kinda put them to the side for now as i want to concentrate on perfecting the basic ie transition timing and feel but im now pondering an art lutherie roadhouse i think i have a problem as i also just got an vintage paul bret viator really small guitar and .ore akin to someone with more experiance but will hold on to it with the hope i can get a use from it the thomman dealer is really worth a look not expensive and very hood to deal with anyway is seeya from your newest fan looking forwaerd to you next installment stay safe!!!
Dennis - just came across your channel and already subscribed! I just picked up acoustic guitar about a month ago. Bought a cheaply acoustic over 20 years ago but never really put in the time. Well the time is now. I’ve been practicing for a solid month now - learning my basic chords and strumming. But I was interested in learning about the Travis style finger picking and your video made it quite clear and easy to learn - thank you. It’s fun to look ahead but important to stick to the learning process. Anyway - thanks again and I look forward to following your channel.
Chris Reeder ... Thanks very much for your kind words Chris. Good luck with your quest to regain your guitar knowledge and skills. Remember that 15 minutes each is better than 3 hours on the weekend. Keep in touch. Let me know how it goes.
Hi sir Dennis!I'm from PhilippinesI found your finger picking tutorial video so helpful. I'm eager to learn a finger picking I'm very new sir learning here .if not too much for you sir I ask to have more or your chords diagram so i will practice everyday.since we are strictly home quarantine by our government due to a virus.iwant to learn a new skill.thank you very much sir Dennis
Jose romel Escobar ....Thank you Jose. My daughter just married a Filipino and they spent their honeymoon in the Philippines where Miguel’s family is from! Anyway, I’m working on another Travis picking lesson and I’ll include chord charts. Remember Jose, the most important aspect of this is PRACTICE (everyday). Good luck my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis thank you sir for your beautiful advice.i really love the pattern you show on your vlog and now that is the pattern I practice every day.
Good question Martin! For the open G, open E Major or minor, and barred F Major chords, the bass note is on the 6th string (thickest), so it must be plucked on downbeat “1.” For the C Major, or the A minor, those bass notes are on the 5th string. The bass note for the D chord is the 4th string. Please check out my video “Travis Picking 2.0 Selecting alternate bass notes for each chord.” I’ll bet this will help. Get back to me, okay?!
@@DaveE69 … this may also help. Think of it this way; always pluck the bass note of the cord, along with the high E-string (pinch) on down beat “1.” After that, the rest of the pattern is the same for every cord. Thanks for your intelligent question.
Any song in 4/4 time…. 1&2&3&4&, it’s a matter of repeating the pattern over and over until it’s assigned to muscle memory. Then making sure you strike the root note of the chords for each measure. The root note changes with automatically with.different chords. Sorry for not responding sooner. I’ve been sick and suffering from trigger finger for nearly two months. Got something in the works; stay tunes. I appreciate your support.
Dennis thanks for a great video series on fingerpicking. I’ve only picked up a guitar again recently in past few months after stopping my lessons over 20 years ago...( probs my biggest regret in life ) and I’m drawn to fingerpicking rather than strumming. To me and my ears it just sounds so much more beautiful. I know this particular technique is for songs in 4/4 time but do you have a technique for songs that are in waltz time as well ? I have learned B32123 from Jamie Anderson UA-cam channel and it’s great technique but variety is spice of life and knowing more than 1 way to do anything in life is greatly helpful along life’s journey. Take care of yourself in these strange times. 🏴🎸
S Keir ... Thanks for stopping by. My “go to” fingerpicking pattern for songs in waltz time is ... T (on beat 1) and then the index, middle, and ring fingers on the G, B, and high E strings on beats 2 and 3. Its pretty simple and basic. Also, you move the fingers down to strings 432 for a lower sound , much like you can do while fingerpicking. Have you heard “Waltzing Fool” by Lyle Lovett?! Check it out. Cheers my new friend from Scotland, from St. Louis Missouri USA.
Dennis, I really like your version of the basic Travis Picking pattern. The only thing that I did not see in this video was the Tab for a 6-string chord. I have a difficult time seeing it when someone is picking it because their fingers get in my way. Can you help me out here.
Excellent question. Please refer to my tutorials “Travis Picking 2.0; Selecting Alternating Bass Notes,” which addresses exactly this, and the lesson is supplied with chord diagrams and picking patterns to explain it all. Thanks for visiting my channel and taking the time to ask this very important question. Another lesson, “How To Play ‘Just Breathe,” addresses this concept as well, with respect to the frequency with which the pattern changes and is played on 4, 5, or 6 strings, depending where the bass note is on the 1st downbeat. Check those out and let me know if they help. Cheers my friend.
@@jeanetteaurelio4207 … Thanks for subscribing; I appreciate your support. This pattern works for any song in 4/4 time. Most of the covers that I do that are in 4/4 time, I use this pattern. Jeanette, have you reviewed my most recent post, How to fingerpick “Just Like That?” It will help you understand more clearly what Travis picking is. Practice every day, at least the pattern. Keep me posted. ❤️🤝
Norm Noel ... Absolutely! In fact, this pattern I teach is essentially the same pattern he employed in a lot of his songs. Please listen to my cover of Mr. Prine’s song, “Hello in There.” Thanks for your inquiry. It was a great question. Cheers my friend. Any requests?!
Thank you Dennis...you're one of those teacher that appears when the student is ready...I wonder if picking the A string on the first beat while playing an E chord, is because the chord E it self is played like a 2nd inversion? You got a left handed guitar, would you be ambidextrous? And you do can sing....well complete package...thanks again...subs😊
Fred A. ... If in fact it ever appears that I’m playing left-handed it’s only because the image was reversed in error during production; I can’t brush my teeth left- handed. Anyway, I usually pluck the E- string with the open E chord on the first downbeat and then either the A-sting (b-note) or the e-note on the 4th string for the alternating bass note with that open E-Major chord. One instance comes to mind ...in the song “First Day of My Life” the A-string (b-note) is used as the bass note for that E Major chord, at least for this song. I cover this song so you might check it out if you haven’t already. Then, if you want to take it to the next level then check out the first lesson, “Travis Picking Made Ridiculously Simple: A Tutorial.” Anyway, nice to meet you! Thanks for the sub. Keep in touch Fred. Please share my tutorials with your friends who may want to learn how to Travis pick. Cheers my friend.
Dennis, GREAT video, and I have just one question...with your index and middle fingers, are you plucking the strings with your fingernails or with the fleshy part of your fingertips? If I catch a string with my fingernail, it seems loud and in harsh contrast to the soft tones of the thumb’s bass notes. So I’m wondering, what is the correct way to pick with those two fingers...nail or flesh? Thanks!
Excellent question Larry. Personally, I use the fleshy part of my thumb and fingers. I keep my nails trimmed just to avoid just what you refer to with catching a string with a nail. Some people use fingerpicks, which I use to use but I found them to be too cumbersome and sometimes too loud. I hope this helps. Cheers my friend.
Thanks Dennis, I appreciate the reply. I’m 75, and the recent death of John Prine took me back to his music, and from there to taking up the guitar again after a 40-year lay-off. John has to be the most prolific songwriter to ever grace this planet; I feel blessed to have grown up with his music. It would be fun if you’d devote a lesson for one of his old classics, maybe an easy one like “That’s The Way The World Goes Around,” or “Speed of The Sound of Loneliness.” Kind of a memorial, if you will. Anyway, thanks again; I’m really enjoying your tutorials! 👍
Mike - just wondered if you could explain how to incorporate Travis picking while singing. I can do 3 different patterns within Travis picking, however I am having a difficult time to Travis pick and sing at the same time. I have built my speed of Travis picking to 120 bpm, yet I am having difficulty with rythm while singing. cheers......any help would be appreciated.
joseph spring ... Thank you Joseph. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I have one more lesson in the works and then I’m planning on getting back to posting a few covers. I hope these lessons help strummers enhance their musical repertoire and become proficient at this wonderful finger-picking technique. Cheers my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis I Look forward to seeing your new covers Dennis. meanwhile I will practice your lesson on Travis picking nearly have it down. Thanks again.
Very nice tuto, good explanations. It is good to watch, and we can always learn sothing. I used to learn from Chet Atkins style....40 years ago, and now I just play the way I feel . Thank you for sharing this, Dennis.
... Thanks Jennifer. I’m fortunate in that my wife is a graphic artist and provides the chord patterns and picking patterns for the tutorials. I’m glad you’re finding the lessons helpful. Keep it up. Your speed and fluidity will improve rapidly once you assign the pattern to muscle memory. ❤️
I think i almost have it down ! i can practice the pattern more or less smoothly withour any errors, however it takes some brain power away from switching between chords i already master, at worse i find myself stopping for half a second to check if my fingers are ready for my Am Em G D or C chords even tho i never had any problems doing them before ? is it normal ? anyway thank you somuch i never though id "have it" so quickly !
Yes Fabien, I believe that, even though you could change chords quickly with your fretting hand when just strumming, your picking hand still hasn’t completely assigned the pattern to muscle memory and so your brain is forced to focus on the fretting hand to form the chords. Here’s your assignment: take three chords...Em, Am, and B7. Strum the chords in 4/4 time, giving only 1 measure per chord. When you can change from chord to chord without looking and fairly quickly, start doing it while assigning the pattern to it. These 3 chords are the only chords in the song “Caravan of Fools” by John Prine. Watch him play it. Study it. Then get back with me. 👍
@@DennisAnthonis Em Am and B7 awesome ! Not going to lie i always avoided B7 as i always found if super awkward to do ! Thank you again for your awesome advices i will work on those ! Be well
@@DennisAnthonis Hello Dennis ! Hope you're doing well ! Sadly i didnt have as much time to practice this week but i sat down during the weekend i think i got the pattern down consitently, being able to switch between the different bass notes of each chords, but that damn B7 chord haha ! I really can't seem to be comfortable with this one, i somehow find it even harder than barre chords ! Still going to practice this B7 chord and picking pattern consistency as well as speed, because caravan of fools is such a nice tune, thank you again !
My friend have been watching and its is going well just started to finger pick with the left hand there is no problem but my chord changes are late with strumming it goes well but as soon I start to finger pick it goes wrong. I know it is new but what can i do to improve chord change on time. Have been playing for a while but this is driving me crazy. So let me know what might be my problem.
Excellent question! For beginners, it’s important to start slow. A metronome will help. Set the metronome slow at first (maybe 60 beats per minute) and execute it perfectly before going to the next level (maybe 80 bpm). When I’m learning a song, I familiarize myself with the chords first. Then I practice the chords, maybe just strumming them at first, before attempting to actually finger pick it. I’ll address this for you in a future lesson. Thanks my friend.
Hi Dennis. Nice and clear, thanks. Many guitar teachers teach using the thumb on the E, A and D strings, leaving the G, B, e, to the fingers. Does your method restrict you at all?
Kevin Carey... Great question. I pretty much adhere to what you describe here, i.e., mostly using the three thickest strings for the bass, leaving the G, B, and E strings for the high notes and melody line. However, there are exceptions to everything, e.g., with the open D major chord, you’re limited in your options for bass notes because the E and A strings aren’t in the D major triad and would sound wrong (which is why they are X’d out on chord chart diagrams) .Therefore, you’re limited to only the top (thinnest) strings to execute the pattern (Unless you wrap your thumb around to fret that F# at the 2nd fret of the low E string. Also, you can play the pattern on the thickest five strings (ignoring the high E string) for a softer accompaniment for singer songwriters. John Prine uses this technique a lot. So do I. I hope this helps. Thanks for the great question Kevin.
Thank you for linking this video to me this is very helpfull ! However, speaking for myself only here, this is too much informations in one take, i paused the video at around 5 minutes when you showcase it kinda slowly, i practiced it with suprisingly better results than i expected for 15 minutes, but after finishing the whole video i cannot help but feeling frustrated, even anxious ? i think that was too much information in one go, talking for myself only of course, i'm usually a slow learner - don't really know which word to use as english is not my first language but i think you get the idea. I think that must be my brain building up new connexions as i never really payed much attention to my "strumming" hand. Anyway, i've seen that you've done some other videos about travis picking so i will save this one and those for later and hope that after enough watching and practice this will become fun rather than frustrating ! Expect me to report back when that's done haha : i'm keeping my guitar learning kind of secret to a few members of my family and friends as i want to come out with decent playing so i have no shame sharing my progress with strangers lol With all that said i'm really admirative of you all teaching peoples, as this is a very noble skill to share knowledge. 28 years old and i always though guitar was too hard for me, but after starting to learn during the past quarantine i'm realizing you are all as cool as those guitar legends who made me want to start learning ! Gonna take time to take all that post practice stress off my nerves and come back at it ! take care good sir !
Well finally i ended up practicing 1 hour trying to be friend with that frustration ... So far i have discovered that if i take it slower, but with focusing on the touch and the sound of the pattern rather pattern itself with eyes closed and i tend to so less mistakes. While i could play the little bit you showcase around 5minutes in the video, i'm really struggling to add the second pinch witht he middle finger on the high E and all hell broke loose as you said. coming back to it tommorow hoping to see clearer in these muddy waters. As i said i'm planning on watching all your videos but i want to avoid swallowing too much information for the moment, so if you happen to see comment, what would be the one advice for me to be able to inject that second pinch into the pattern without feeling a " loss of rythm " ? Thank you for reading me and thank you a lot for your valuable lessons !
Fabian, I really appreciate your critique. When I finally hit “ send” and posted it, I wondered myself if I had overloaded the student with too much information. Here’s the thing: whatever it takes, first learn the pattern, no matter what method you apply to accomplish this. Assign it to memory, muscle memory. It’s just one measure! Learn it so you can play it without really trying. Start out slow. Fifteen minutes each day won’t give you enough time to get too frustrated. Then focus on increasing speed. Learn a slow slow songs and in 4/4 time, preferably any slow John Prine song (“I Remember Everything,” or “Caravan of Fools”). Both are easy songs with easy chords (no barre chords). Give them both a listen. Think about this, 15 minutes a day and by the end of the month you’ll be playing both of these songs just like Prine. Keep me posted. Cheers and thanks for your candor.
@@DennisAnthonis John Prine, I'm really happy and thankfull that you mentionned this name along these two tunes. they are both amazing and will have no trouble putting them in my "want to learn and play list" along 4 + 20 by Stephen Stills which is the lesson that brought me to your channel and led me to give fingerstyle a go. But i got to say that I Remember Everything really stands out .... Brings up the Onions cutting demon ! This is funny because i knew John Price's face but never heard his name nor any of these songs, thanks again for these recommendations ! I Just feel a bit ashamed and sad of learning about that man after he passed away so recently. As for the critique you are very welcome, I had absolutelly no doubt that you would appreciate any student feedback, However, just my opinion here you please stay the master, I don't think you should adapt your "video editing / information flow " to this particular kind of feedback. While i know myself and the slow learner that i am, the magic of youtube is that i can still consume your video by little bits and rewind it as much as i need ! but i still understand the need not to turn off students who would identify the frustration of learning a new skill as an unability of learning it. Now, do you think that watching your videos by little bit is necessarily the best way to do even if - i think- i know myself ? Or in the contrary should i give the whole lesson a go even if i dont suck and save all the information out of it ? This is something i always wondered about youtube guitar lessons video, how to consume them. Sometime i want to learn a song with a few different chorus and verses, but, to quote you, all hell breaks loose when i try to put them all together rather that when i go bit by bits, practicing this verse this day .. that one that day ... putting them together that day. While i'm having better results doing so i'm wondering if i'm not teaching myself some kind of bad habit on here. Maybe i'm overthinking, i started 2 Months ago after all haha. I was planning on taking a lesson with a guitar teacher to check on my playing even tho those are too expensive for me in my area, with a decent teacher at least Oh and thank you for answering to the two hidden question that were, should i power through the frustration or go bit by bit every day and - Do you have any song recommendation that would be better for a beginner rather than 4 + 20 by Stills. I will just inject a little bit of fingerstyle practice in my everyday routine and try not rush it too much, and listen John prine a lot i think ! I'm lucky enough to have my grandparents still running around and i wanna play this to them, tho his english sadly worse than mine i think the melody will do :) Thank you a lot for taking the time to read my story like speaking and answering to it, i wouldn't be playing guitar if it wasn't for peoples like you !
@@DennisAnthonis Oh and i forgot to ask, since you are mentionning this beautiful song that is " I remember everything ". Would you consider doing a lesson for it, of even caravan of fools ? I have no doubt that internet has enough ressources for me to learn it with enough time but your teaching style is so speaking to me that i can't help but ask you this ! Will work on my travis picking first
It can be played many ways. Because I tackle the inside strings first (on beats 2&) followed by the outside strings (on beats 3&) it seemed more natural to pluck the G-string with the thumb on downbeat “4.” But it could certainly be played with the index finger.
One thing I don’t understand. I thought the thumb plays E A D and the G B e respectively pointy -middle-ring. You play the G with your thumb. Why is that. Thank you...
01 s o n g s ...Thanks for tuning in and for your inquiry. Yes, the thumb focuses on the E,A, D and G-strings and, based on the chord and the bass note of that chord, the alternate bass notes are determined. For example, for the C Major open chord, the alternating bass note are the C and E notes on the 5th and 4th strings respectively. Other than the bass note of each chord, my Travis picking pattern revolves completely around the 4 top (high) strings, the D,G,B, and e strings. I rarely use the ring finger in my scheme, unless I’m adding a specific melody note (see my video “If I Needed You”). And yes, you are very observant. On downbeat “2” and “4” of each chord, the thumb plays the G-string. I suppose you could use other fingers. This scheme seems to work pretty well though, at least for me. Good question! I hope this helped. Cheers my friend.
I would welcome seeing that. When I bear witness to a student successfully mastering the “pattern,” I’m enthralled. Be religious about the daily practice regimen. Start out slow; focus on accuracy initially. Speed will happen almost automatically; you’ll be amazed. When that happens, you can then focus on changing chords while maintaining the pace and the pattern. When you decide on a song, pick a song with simple chords, at least in the beginning. Learn new chords as you learn new songs. You might want to check some of my posts where I Travis pick. Most of the songs have relatively easy chords. Good luck Filippo. Let me know how it goes! Maybe try “Hello in There.”
Yep! I'm 75, and just found something better than watching the garbage on T.V. Last 6 months been trying to teach myself to play guitar. Many sore fingers, and many tutorials watched on uTube. Dennis, you are the best for us older beginners. I'm going to subscribe.
... Thanks for subscribing; I appreciate your support. I hope I won’t disappoint you. Stay tuned. I’ve got another tutorial in the works that I’ve been working on for about a week. I may post it this evening or tomorrow. Cheers my friend.
Maybe you’ll appreciate this lesson. Give it a look and let me know. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
I have been flat picking and finger picking for many years and your first lesson opened my eyes and fingers-give me more
....Thanks Frank. Practice the pattern until it’s assigned to muscle memory. I’m working on a tutorial on how to play “Just Breathe” (Pearl Jam) that will have better graphics - chord diagrams and fingerpicking diagrams. Hopefully, in a couple days. Stay tuned. Cheers buddy.
Stop right here if you want to learn the Travis finger picking pattern for guitar. This is the BEST video on UA-cam. Not the simplest, but the best. There are easier patterns but this is the genuine article and works with daily practice.
Thank you Brenda for your kind words. I remember the absolute glee I experienced when I finally got this. That’s why I’ve sort of dedicated myself to teaching this to as many people as I can. Please visit my UA-cam channel and check out my two latest uploads, designed for beginners. I’m working on the third installment as we speak. Thank you for appreciating the effort that goes into producing these lessons. 👏🤝❤️
I'm 51 years old from the Philippines and I am so amazed with your video so I decided to learn how to play guitar. Thank you so much.
Buddy Violan ...Hey Buddy, my son-in-law is Filipino. They went to the Philippines for their honeymoon. You’re a youngster; I started at 64. You can become quite an accomplished guitar player in no time. It just takes dedication and practice. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your support. Good luck my friend.
Thank you for your awsome help and advice Sir!!! I'm 52 and learning guitar again after dropping it for 23 years. We didn't have you tube when we were first learning guitar. I heard a lot of people have a hard time learning from you tube videos on how to play guitar but not me especially with such good instruction and done slowly. You made me happy, thanks again MAN!!!
... You’re welcome Aaron. I love UA-cam and have learned a lot from it; it’s a wonderful educational forum. Visit my other tutorials on Travis picking. Practice the pattern 15 minutes each day for about a week and I believe you’ll be on your way to become an accomplished fingerpicker. Good luck my friend!
Dennis. What can I say. I’ve been messing about for years trying to master travis picking. I’ve watched your videos for the last two nights and learned more in 2 nights than I have ever over the past 10 years. Brilliant, absolute brilliant. Super teacher, Ian, 59, UK
Thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. I’m glad the lessons are helping. Once you learn the pattern and can change briskly between chords, you’re there!
Dennis, I have been playing guitar for 47 years and I’m just starting to learn the Travis pattern as I never used it before. I was frustrated with the way others taught it, but the way you break it down in colors made it so much easier to grasp, thank you!
You’re welcome Robert. Please look at my latest post, How to Fingerpick “Just Like That “ by Bonnie Raitt. I think it will serve to further explain the pattern even more completely for you. Give it a listen and tell me what you think. I’d appreciate your feedback. Cheers my friend.
Thanks! I used to play with a pick, but recently I found your lessons. It was time to learn, I am 75. But I remember my mother knitting socks while she was watching TV. Everybody was impressed. So fast. So , I guess it is muscle memory... And I started to learn. I guess I am closed to knit songs while I am singing. :-)
Yes, it’s all about muscle memory. Like your mother, I used to practice the pattern while watching television.
Thank you for this lesson. I was taught a 'modified' form of Travis picking that excluded the pinch. After watching this video, I realize that I am not creating the lovely sound that I hoped to achieve. Time to go back and learn. Your excellent video makes the Travis process easy to follow.
You’re welcome Richard. Please refer to my tutorial on “to pinch or not to pinch; it might help. The “pinch” sounds better on certain songs, while some songs sound better without the pinch. Eddie Vedder’s “Toullumne” and “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas use the “pinch.” Check them out. Cheers my friend. I’ve been inactive for a couple months with a bad case of trigger finger. I’m seeing a hand specialist on Tuesday. Hopefully surgery can fix it and I’ll be back!
What a joy to learn from such a brilliant teacher.
Thank you Alan for your kind words. I hope the lessons are helping.
Alan, look at this and tell me if it helps. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Wow, thanks again , I will stick with it for as long as it takes , I don't need anything more , and this is beautifully presented.IT ames sense immediately , but of course it will take some time and practise.@@DennisAnthonis
you are a good teacher. i am a toolmaker by trade. 66 years old and you said something that i teach young people. accurate before speed. patience is everything.
thomas stampflmeier ... Thank you Thomas. It’s difficult in the beginning to get the thumb and fingers coordinated to perform this “pattern” style technique. Too many students attempt to speed up their picking prematurely. It’s essential to start out slow. This will insure accuracy later when you systematically increase your speed. Good luck my friend. Keep me posted! Cheers.
Really great video. Youre a great teacher. Ive been struggling with this pattern for a day or two. Your chart inners and outers the G really helped me. Thank you so much sir.
Stay tuned Robert. This Tuesday (August 24) I’ll post the 2nd Lesson Review and Homework Assignment. I’ll address proper hand position which will help everyone. I’m worried that the actual class may not be fully ready due to continued technical glitches. However, the review lessons will always be there. Keep at it Robert; 5 minutes each day.👍
@@DennisAnthonis Thanks Dennis. Looking forward to it. 👍
Very good instructions Dennis
I'm glad I found it. You make clear.
Thanks Dana. Once muscle memory takes over and you can do this in your sleep, you really begin to experience the elation of adding this technique to your musical repertoire. Please share my tutorials with your friends who want to learn how to fingerpick like this. Stay tuned; more coming. Good luck! Keep me posted.
Thank you Dennis, Very good presentation| I really learn from it.
... You’re welcome Xanh. Thanks for watching and for taking time to comment. I hope the tutorials are helping you learn how to Travis pick.
Thank You Dennis, Have played12 string Acoustic for more years than I care to remember. Have developed a style of my own, don’t know if it even fits any type but, after listening to your video,
It has helped me to get a more uniformed control of my Instrument. Though our ages are fairly close, You are NEVER too old to Learn. Hope to see more of your Video’s.Gob Bless. Wayne
... you are correct, you’re never too old to learn. I’ve tried to come up with a better way to teach this technique. I remember when I finally mastered this pattern and felt such jubilation. If you dedicate yourself to learning this, you’ll never regret it. Good luck my friend.
Try this lesson. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Thank you Dennis, after watching numerous videos on Travis picking, I finally got it thanks to your concept of inside and outside strings. Brilliant.
John ... You’re welcome John; thank you for visiting my channel and taking the time to comment. The inside/outside concept has helped many. The other concept that really helps learn to Travis-pick even faster is the color-coded “three phase approach. Don’t forget, once you learn it you can move the pattern to encompass the lower strings more. Stay tuned! I have another in the works that will touch on this. Please share my tutorials with your friends. Maybe even subscribe! Keep me posted on your progress. Cheers from St. Louis.
@@DennisAnthonis . Thanks Dennis, subscribed. Greetings from UK.
Thanks Dennis for showing us this simpler way of learning to Travis pick. I am 78 years old and doing pretty well with getting it down except for the timing of the inner strings and getting to the turn around on the G. I can't seem to smooth it out, so it kind rolls into the next line.
... as you learn a new song and the chords within, your transitions between chords will improve as you practice the song over and over. Start slow and focus on accuracy. Speed will come automatically. A metronome can help. Start by learning the pattern on the D-chord. This will help you grasp that the pattern revolves around the four high strings (the thinnest strings). Then practice an A chord, played on five strings, the open A on the 5th string being the bass note of that A Major chord. Then do the same pattern for a G chord. Again, the only difference being the G-note on the 6th string on the 1st downbeat. I’m 75 in January. Review my other tutorials. They’re repetitive but each lesson offers something unique. Good luck my friend.
Wow I’ve always thought this is a mystery. Seventy two years old and finally cracked it. Thanks so much
... Thanks Bob. Many beginners look at this as if it’s just too difficult for them to attempt; far from it. It simply requires sitting down each day for 15 minutes and repeating it over and over ad nauseum until the pattern is assigned to muscle memory. Slow at first. Focus on precision in the beginning. Speed and fluidity will come automatically. Review all my lessons. Although repetitive in some ways, each lesson offers something new to help you learn this technique. Good luck my friend. Cheers from St. Louis.
Thank you very much great lessons great teacher , your good at teaching .
Thank you so much; that was very helpful! I’m 67 and have been a drummer but now ready to try guitar and slow things down a bit…easy to pick up and play anytime anywhere! Really drawn to this at this point in my life! Thanks again,
You’re welcome my friend. I’m glad the lesson inspired you. As a former drummer, rhythm in strumming should be very natural for you. Now I’m pretty much a finger picker, particularly Travis picking. I can help you with that. Anyway, thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. Good luck in your new endeavor.
Try this . ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Thank you 😊 Thank you Thank you 🙏 Thank you etc etc you are the first of many to really explain this in a way I believe I can LEARN and thank you 😊 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
You’re welcome Ed. I hope my method helps you learn to fingerpick most effectively. If you devote at least 15 minutes each day, you’ll be fingerpicking in no time. Please share my tutorials with any of your musician friends who may be interested in learning this technique. Cheers buddy.
Then maybe you’re ready for this! I think you’ll find this lesson helpful. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Nice way to start out! Very helpful and lots of good tidbits and tips!!!!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I’m the lessons are helpful.
After watching several videos trying to get both the pattern and the proper rhythm to cement in my understanding, this seems to have finally done it! Thank you for breaking it down into digestible and logical steps that made sense to my middle aged brain. :)
You’re welcome J R. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Thank you so much Dennis. Still working on this Travis picking pattern. It's taking this old man a little longer, than i expect most, almost 69 years of age, retired and still plucking along. I took classical guitar 22 years ago a our local University, left my guitar for that long due to family life stuff, work and such, but, trying to relearn everything I forgot, LOL. Again, you are quite an inspiration to this older guy. Love your music videos, watched quite a few I them, very uplifting and encouraging. God bless, my friend.
Thank you for your kind words.
I’m 77. Our lives have seen parallel paths. When I got married, I dropped the guitar like a hot potato for 40 years and didn’t pick it up until just before I retired at 71. Fortunately, we both picked them up again.
Please don’t give up on this pattern. Be persistent and one day, almost like an epiphany, it will happen; the connection will be made, and your musical repertoire will double. Cheers my friend.
I really loved this tutorial - I was able to follow you as you went slowly and said thumb inside, outside, thumb on g string as you went - I felt confident that with regular practice I would also be able to do the pattern - thank you 🎶
You’re welcome Bonnie. The key to this pattern is realizing that it’s based around the 4 thinnest strings (D, G, B, E)....the only difference being the base note on downbeat “1.” Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.
Dennis, superb thank you, really appreciate your time and kindness in sharing this.Its my first attempt at picking and the lesson is invaluable. More please
Thanks for listening and thanks for taking the time to comment. I tell everyone they can learn this if they dedicate some time and effort. Please visit my other lessons on Travis picking; each one offers something new. I’m about to upload another lesson (maybe Tuesday or Wednesday) on how to play “Just Breathe “ by Eddie Vedder. The takeaway message for this upcoming lesson will focus on how you must move the right hand pattern up & down (i.e., north or south on the fretboard) according to what the left hand is doing (chords and melody notes). Stay tuned. Cheers my friend.
Hello from wintery Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Just wanted to add my two cents worth again about what I tell people , that this is the very best way to start Travis picking pretty much right away. At 67 I struggle to get my fingers to do what I want them to at times but the progress is very gratifying. If you haven't tried finger picking or have become frustrated, then before you give up, try Dennis's method, you'll be glad you did.
Learning fingerpicking has actually reaped benefits that I didn't expect. Not only have I elevated my fingerpicking to a level I did not think I would be at, but it has also increased my chord changing and strumming to a new level as well.
What I discovered was that I was cheating, or more to the point I had developed some bad habits. When you are playing with a group, you can get away with murder, so to speak. When you fingerpick it's virtually impossible to cheat because you need to be on the chord changes. Fingerpicking has forced me to develop a better practice routine and has me focused on technique.
If you want to elevate your guitar playing period then you need to take up fingerpicking, I recommend this method highly.
Thanks Dennis, keep up the great work.
Bob Power ... Thank you Bob for your kind words. I remember when I finally learned how to do this back in 1964. My friend Bernie taught me this one on one, facing each other. It took 2 or 3 weeks. Then I went to college, later got married and had kids. I never picked up a guitar again until 2008; and I’ll be damned, I recalled the pattern right away (muscle memory) after over 40 years. Back when Bernie taught me how to do this, we didn’t have chord charts, or fingerpicking patterns, etc. My goal is to create those patterns and charts so that potential Travis pickers can sit at their computer and learn to do this as quickly as possible. Anyway, thanks for your strong endorsement. Stay warm up there in Nova Scotia! Cheers buddy.
@@DennisAnthonis
Hi Dennis, long time no see and hope all is well.
Looking forward to your future awesome videos.
Ivan
thanks Dennis for ur unselfish tutorial , patient instruction and great examples. Thank You
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
Just wanted to say thanks for this Dennis. I've just come back to the guitar after a 35 year break, so I'm trying to build up some foundations. I've watched 20x travis picking videos and they got me so far but then lost me. This (and your previous) films are wonderfully clear and simple, so easy even I can follow them. Your video production is first class and really helpful, and I hope you produce a follow on to this show newbies like myself where we go next with Travis.
Back2TheBike .... Thanks buddy. Stay tuned, I’m getting ready to post another tutorial Monday or Tuesday that I hope will help explain Travis picking even more. I’m like you; I learned a few chords in high school, then went to college and never picked up a guitar again till I was 64. Cheers my friend. Keep practicing.
thank you for showing me travis picking in such detail i am 73 playing for me thanks again
... You’re welcome John. Devote 15 minutes each day to this for about two weeks. You’ll be surprised.
Thank you Dennis for this beautiful video...well explained and we'll illustrated.. God bless you 👍
P J ... You’re welcome P.J. I’m fortunate in that my wife is a graphic artist and provides the illustrations. As a former adjunct faculty at our local community college, I’ve learned that students learn in a variety of ways and there is a big segment that does well with graphics and illustrations. I feel it helps to distinguish my lessons from others. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a message. Stay tuned; I have some things on the burner! Please share my tutorials with your friends who may be interested. And maybe consider subscribing. I would appreciate the support. Cheers from St. Louis MO.
@@DennisAnthonis Thanks for replying..Much appreciated and will look forward to your new vids.,.. Stay Safe , stay healthy....
Thanks for the tutorial, Dennis. The colour coding of the strings in inner and outer pairs certainly helps to nest and the sequence the Travis picking pattern. Really appreciate your lesson. You’ve helped me achieve one of my goals for the day. Just bought a new Cort acoustic guitar to learn fingerpicking and I’m n my way already. Now I just need to put in the time to practice. 🙏👍🙏👍
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. If you’re really interested in learning how to Travis pick, please check out my latest endeavor, a series of lessons and accompanying exercises on Travis Picking designed for beginners. I’m due to produce the 6th in this series but I’m presently experiencing trigger finger on my fretting hand. Start with lesson 1 and work your way u to Lesson 5. By then, I’ll hopefully be back. Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad the lessons are helping.
I have looked at a dozen sites on how to Travis Pick. You teaching technique was the best. Thank you from Canada
Joe Gavua ... Hey Joe, I apologize for not responding sooner. I’m so glad the tutorials are helping you learn this fingerpicking pattern quicker. Do you have any requests for songs you may want to learn ? Cheers my friend.
Thank you Dennis , you are a good teacher . Greeting from Bali 🙏🌴
... Thank you Wayan, I appreciate you stopping by. Cheers from St. Louis Missouri USA.
Dennis, brotha this is awesome! I love the way you clearly outlined each beat with the on screen chart! This is exactly how one should be practicing this! Constant review and understand what each "flick" is! This is a quality travis picking lesson by Dennis Anthonis! Thanks for sharing!
Stokes Music Studios Online ... Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate the endorsement. I had hoped that the diagrams would help. Cheers buddy.
Dennis, I have never been able to get my brain and fingers wrapped around the rhythm, getting that swing thing going between chords, you name it, it just gave up. Sadly, I've studied classical guitar so i can read and pick that way. In my case, I noticed a couple of odd habits that I have developed over the years when approaching a challenging bit of written music, and I'm telling on myself, I am holding my breath! Bad habit, when I run out of breath I start to mess up. I had no idea I was doing this. Also with pop songs, I haven't put the time in to "counting" out loud as I should. Your 15 min method put me straight on the finger brain thing, thank you. I'll soon be 68 and would like to enjoy some fun picking before it's to late. I never perform for anyone because I wasn't able to pick their favorite songs, just strum. Now I think this too shall pass, in a good way. Thank you for the inside, outside picking chart.
It’s never too late to learn new tricks. Once you assign the pattern to muscle memory and get the swing, remember this... the entire pattern revolves around the four high strings, as long as you strike the bass note of the chord on the 1st downbeat, whether it’s a 4-string chord (D, Dm, D7), or a 5-string chord (Am, C,), or a 6-sting chord (G, G7, barre F or barre G). The “inside/outside concept has helped many. Good luck my friend.
Great tutorial! I enjoy learning from you and listen to your voice :)
... Thank you Amir for your kind words.
Awesome tutorial, just what I have been looking for as I was struggling to remember the sequence, you broke it down perfect 😊
You’re welcome Rich; sorry for not responding sooner. I’ve developed trigger finger in the middle finger of my left hand and can longer play. I’m seeing a hand specialist next Tuesday. Hopefully, he’ll be able to fix it. Please see my other tutorials and exercises on Travis picking. They should help a lot too. Cheers from St. Louis.
Another great lesson, Dennis. Top man. 👍👍👍
Thanks Seamus. I appreciate the feedback. I hope my lessons are helping. Cheers from St. Louis.
Seamus, give this lesson a look. Better graphics and diagrams. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
I was hoping to learn Travis picking in 14 minutes, but never mind 😀. Seriously though, thanks so much for this, Dennis. I have tbe utmost respect for those who share their skills for the benefit of others. I found the combination of your diagram/explanation and playing to be really helpful. My recent discovery of the great John Prine has been the driving force behind my attempts to learn Travis picking, even if it kills me (and it might actually do that!). I am getting there though, and your tutorial goes a long way in helping me achieve that. Stay well Dennis, and thanks again 👍
Thanks D G. Have you checked out my other lessons on Travis Picking. They will help you too. I’ve developed trigger finger on the middle finger of my fretting (left) hand and I’ve been unable to play for nearly three months. I’m seeing a hand specialist next week; hopefully he’ll be able to fix it. I’ve got some good ideas for future lessons. Wish me luck.
Great lesson Dennis. I really like your method of teaching. Thank you for your time and sharing knowledge.
Quality lesson. Really enjoying this picking and also been listening to John Prine all day 👏👏
Can’t go wrong with listening to John Prine. Thanks for checking out my channel. Have you watched my recent beginning lessons (red) and beginning exercises (blue), Those lessons are will help too. Remember, 15 minutes!
Here’s another lesson for you. Give it a look and let me know. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Excellent !! Thanks for this careful explanation sir !!
You’re welcome. Thanks for tuning in.
Thanks Dennis - I have an Ibanez ‘wide neck’ acoustic guitar - suits my picking fingers! 😊
A big thank from Germany-it's very relaxing listen to you , I'm 60 years old and start playing by myself for about 4 Years . I love the old time Blues an' my favorit is Lonny Johnson & Blind Willie but also SRV and Jhonny Winter Stuff.And you give me the right Way to learn Finger Pickin' but it's a very very hard Way!!!So lot's of thank's !!!!!! Let it Roll!!!🎲☻🎲
Hey Chris, thanks for your comment. I love the blues too. I’m working on another Travis picking lesson that I hope to upload this weekend which will help you learn this technique. It’s a lesson on how to play “Caravan of Fools” by John Prine. In it, we review important aspects of how to execute the pattern as efficiently as possible. Cheers my friend. Stay safe over there.
@@DennisAnthonis Thanks for answer me - it's very hatd to learn but it gives so much fun✌so let the good times roll☮
Awesome tut. Thanks so much
... You’re welcome my friend. Be sure to check the other tutorials as well. Each one offers something new to the discussion of Travis-style fingerpicking. Be persistent; you’ll get it!
Amazing tutorial with easy to follow visuals. Thank you.
.... Thank you Savan and I appreciate you noticing the visuals. I’m fortunate to have a talented wife experienced in graphics. Stay tuned. I’m working on two projects, a cover and another tutorial. Stay safe.
@@DennisAnthonis Hello sir, definitely looking forward to more of your videos. You too keep safe
Thanks ... You explained it good. I understand .
You’re welcome. I hope the lessons are helpful. Remember, you only have to learn one measure and then repeat it over and over again. You need to practice it over and over until it’s assigned to muscle memory. Good luck with this.
Maybe you’re ready for this!
ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Thanks, Great lessen and good explained,
Thanks Bas.
Thank you to the moon and back.
You’re welcome Catherine. I’m glad the lessons are helping. I can’t wait to get my finger fixed so I can continue producing lessons. Wish me luck. Keep practicing! Remember, fifteen minutes a day!
I have been practicing Travis picking every chance I get. Thank you for this. some PDFs would have been a great help instead of having to come back to the video and pausing it, but thank you this is very informative.
christopher ramirez .... Thanks Christopher for stopping by and listening and taking the time to comment. You ask a legitimate question. I’ll try to figure out how to make a PDF of the tabs and lyrics in the future. Cheers my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis Thanks Dennis for responding, looking forward to more lessons.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Such a complete, measured, approach, with great visuals that help BIG Time!
... You’re welcome Kenneth. Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment. My wife is a graphic artist and creates the chord charts, picking pattern diagrams, etc. I’ll tell her you appreciate her efforts. Learning to fingerpick this pattern was a slow process for me. I’m just trying to find some way to teach it so students can learn it faster and start playing sooner. Cheers buddy.
Gracias. Muy bien explicado, sencillo y comprensible.
juancarlos14151 ... you’re very welcome my Italian friend!
Thank you Mister. You teach like those more talentous musicians. Antonio Almeida. PT
Thanks Antonio. I hope my. Tutorials are helping you. Thanks for watching.
Very clear and easy to follow. This is an excellent entry into Travis Picking. Nicely done Dennis.
Thanks Frank. Learning to Travis pick comes easy for some people, but difficult for most. It took me a while to master it. I believe I've come up with this method, which I believe will be the fastest way to learn. Cheers buddy.
Thank you 🙏 I have always wanted to finger pick but everyone that I know that does it basically said it was too hard for me ( that they are just gifted) and I should just strum You explained it so well I was doing it right away. Thank you again sir! Now to my practice session 🎸🎯
You’re welcome Alvin! glad the lessons are helping.
Hey, then perhaps you’re ready for this. Give it a look and let me know if it helps. Cheers.
Very nice method for beginners.
Thank you Kuan. I finally had the surgery on my hand and hope to begin rehab and start playing again.
Maybe this tutorial will explain the process even more. If you find it helpful, please share it with your musician friends who may find it helpful. Cheers buddy.
ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Merle Travis was a thumb-picker. He used his thumb and first finger to play. Doc Watson did too. Rev Gary Davis was a two finger picker also. Thus they avoided problems involving additional fingers.
If you can Travis pick with your thumb and index finger, you can Travis pick with your thumb and two fingers.
Very helpful.
Thank you.
Mike, that’s an excellent question. Singing, while accompanying yourself on guitar may look easy when in fact, it really requires a little extra effort to insure the best presentation possible and without a doubt, timing is key. Of course, it helps to have practiced the guitar part to the point of being able to play it from start to finish, as fluidly as possible. To be sure, I have always encouraged aspiring singer-songwriters to always sing the song while practicing the song. However, I will say that I review several interpretations of people covering songs just for that reason, to asses accent marks, the cadence of the lyrics with the music. Sometimes, you settle on incorporating two different styles into your final interpretation. Today, I was working on posting “I’ll Follow You into the Dark,” by death cab for cutie. I must have repeated it 15 times and still wasn’t satisfied, and my dissatisfaction revolved principally about putting the right syllable of the lyric with the most appropriate note in the music. I’ll attempt to post it again tomorrow. Anyway, I hope this helps you in someway. I guess what I’m essentially saying is practice, practice, practice. Cheers my friend.
While I haven't been able to master this due my guitars bridge coming loose and having to send it in for major repairs, I like the old videos much better. Therefore, I will be returning to them to continue top figure this out, and lick it once and for all. Thanks so much for the instructions though as you are the easiest to understand.
Johnny Baker thanks Johnny. I actually believe that even a beginner guitar player who is still limited to strumming can learn to Travis-pick right away using this technique. Good luck my friend.
Hi Johnny, Just keep plugging away, I struggled too for a while but one day you get it and then it's great. It is the best method, I've tried them all.
amazing really explained well thankyou so much Dennis
Tony C. Morgan ... You’re welcome Tony. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. This can be a tricky concept for some to pick up. This technique illusohere is, in my opt, the fastest way to get going and actually play. Good luck.
Just found your channel…subbed and thanks for the technique…I’m gonna practice it as you suggested and commit it muscle memory…two thumbs up 👍 👍
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. All it really takes is at least 15 minutes each day, almost religiously and with some dedication and within a couple weeks you’ll take off. Let me know when the epiphany occurs. 👍
Try this one. It will explain the pattern better.
ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
I can’t help thinking I’m learning Travis picking from Billy Bob Thornton in the series Fargo. Lol. Nicely presented.
Paul Flannigan ... Hey, thanks Paul. I’ll take that as a compliment. I really like Billy Bob.
Thank you, your lesson was a big help
...You’re welcome Catherine. I’m glad the lessons are helpful and I want to thank you for taking the time to to comment. Cheers my friend.
I've always understood what the travis picking is about, but I'm a visual person and hearing people say "pinch" and "inside" and "outside" was really confusing. Holy crap seeing that diagram feels like filling in the last puzzle piece in a jigsaw. Thank you so much!
Arctic IceFox .. thank you for your kind words. This last production is the culmination of 4 or 5 previous attempts. It’s been an ever-evolving culmination of re-vamping, based on input from subscribers, as well as comments from guys like you. Give it 15 minutes a day; you’ll be doing it in your sleep! Cheers buddy!
Hi Dennis , thanks for the picking lesson , I have played bass for many years and only just started to Travis pick . It is a slow process but I am determined to get it consigned to muscle memory in a week , which you say is possible
Regards
Si
You’re welcome Simon. And you’re right, it takes a while. But once it finally happens, you’ll wonder why it took that long. Be diligent and commit to daily practicing of the pattern until the epiphany is realized. Stay tuned; I’ve got a couple projects in the works that you’ll find useful. Maybe even subscribe!
Give this lesson a look. I think you’ll find it helpful. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
You are the winner
Thank you. I hope the lessons are helping you.
Thanks so much for your musical instruction. I've been trying to play guitar for years but lack the natural talent. I keep at it however. My hero was GORDON LIGHTFOOT. Could you maybe cover his picking style as it seems somewhat unique. He was a great strummer but his picking brought many of his songs to life.
You must keep at it, every day, even if it’s just 15 or 20 minutes a day. Boy, Gordon Lightfoot….where do you start? His picking style varies a lot, from arpeggiating to more complicated and varying techniques, including Travis-style pattern picking. My favorite song he performed was not even one of his own…”The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” written by Ewan McColl for Pete Seeger’s sister. To me, his baritone voice and his fingerpicking a 12-string guitar best epitomizes what best represents Gordon Lightfoot. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen. And thanks for listening and for taking the time to comment. Cheers Richard from St. Louis.
@@DennisAnthonis Believe it or not, I was reading your reply and that song was playing on my Lightfoot playlist. I starting going to Lightfoot concerts at Massey Hall close to 50 years ago. I saw him about ten times over the years. He was always so precise in his playing. I remember him saying that he practiced constantly and had unique tunings. I stood beside him once at an event in Toronto but was too shy to say hello. Anyway, thanks for getting back to me. Have a good day!
@@quintonplace wow, I only saw him once… at the Washington University Field House in St. Louis in the early 70’s. He is a wonderful strummer. I remember his show was quite memorable. Since we’ve made contact, I’ve been looking for a GL song that seems to fit my fingerpicking pattern the most is and I came across “Song for a Winter’s Night.” I must learn it,
Thanks Dennis for the breakdown! got the rhythm down and liked the small variations! are there other fingerpicking patterns like the travis pattern or variations to move forward from here? :)
... Thank you Rabin for your inquiry. The pattern I play is really the only one I know and use. I don’t doubt there are many variations. You can certainly pursue that angle for moving forward. I would focus on repetition and practice to improve accuracy and the ability to enunciate each note. At that point, you’ll be in a better position to gradually increase your speed without jeopardizing precision. One of the appeals about Travis-picking is the crispness and precise cadence it provides. I would simply grow my repertoire of learning new chord voicing, or open-chord tunings. Good luck my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis thanks Dennis!
Fab tutorial!!!!!
... Thanks very much Matthew! I hope you find all the tutorials helpful.
@@DennisAnthonis i only just recently found you on youtube and im a beginer but more drawn to finger picking as im a huge james taylor john prine and iris demente fan i also bought a strat recently and dont know why as im more attracted to accoustic your tutorial has inspred me to persist with finger picking i also fell its more forgiving in chord transition more prine please???
matthew bulloch .... Yes Matthew, if you’re a fan of John Prine, you must learn how to Travis Pick; he’s famous for it. Although there is some repetition in each lesson, at the same time each lesson offers something new. Keep this in mind...you’re only having to learn one measure. Dedicate yourself to assigning that one bar measure to muscle memory. Start out slow. Speed and improved cadence will come later. Let’s start there. Let me know how it goes. Dennis
matthew bulloch .... I have 7 guitars (all acoustic, 4 are acoustic-electric). I’m looking to get my first electric, a fender stat would be great! Anyway, I think there’s all kinds of potential for Travis picking on an electric guitar. Hey, I’m working on another John Prine song that I’ll post this weekend. Stay tuned.
@@DennisAnthonis looking forward to it dennis i always wanted to learn guitar and my daughter bought me an encore dreadnought about 20 yrs ago but found the fretting impossible then i was given a yamaha which again i found troublesome or mibbies i gave up too easy anyway retired 3 years ago and soon got bored tried tinkering then read abot seagull 6 nut with got one and love it just wish i could get 20% of its potential lol and since the lockdown and not bowling i have started craving new guitars i have a david gilmour tribute strat from thoman not expensive recently bought a boss50 amp but kinda put them to the side for now as i want to concentrate on perfecting the basic ie transition timing and feel but im now pondering an art lutherie roadhouse i think i have a problem as i also just got an vintage paul bret viator really small guitar and .ore akin to someone with more experiance but will hold on to it with the hope i can get a use from it the thomman dealer is really worth a look not expensive and very hood to deal with anyway is seeya from your newest fan looking forwaerd to you next installment stay safe!!!
Dennis - just came across your channel and already subscribed! I just picked up acoustic guitar about a month ago. Bought a cheaply acoustic over 20 years ago but never really put in the time. Well the time is now. I’ve been practicing for a solid month now - learning my basic chords and strumming. But I was interested in learning about the Travis style finger picking and your video made it quite clear and easy to learn - thank you. It’s fun to look ahead but important to stick to the learning process. Anyway - thanks again and I look forward to following your channel.
Chris Reeder ... Thanks very much for your kind words Chris. Good luck with your quest to regain your guitar knowledge and skills. Remember that 15 minutes each is better than 3 hours on the weekend. Keep in touch. Let me know how it goes.
very good lessons!
songmansinatra120 ... Thanks mike.
Hi sir Dennis!I'm from PhilippinesI found your finger picking tutorial video so helpful. I'm eager to learn a finger picking I'm very new sir learning here .if not too much for you sir I ask to have more or your chords diagram so i will practice everyday.since we are strictly home quarantine by our government due to a virus.iwant to learn a new skill.thank you very much sir Dennis
Jose romel Escobar ....Thank you Jose. My daughter just married a Filipino and they spent their honeymoon in the Philippines where Miguel’s family is from! Anyway, I’m working on another Travis picking lesson and I’ll include chord charts. Remember Jose, the most important aspect of this is PRACTICE (everyday). Good luck my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis thank you sir for your beautiful advice.i really love the pattern you show on your vlog and now that is the pattern I practice every day.
Hi Dennis, great video, thanks. Just wondered how things change up for G and E or F and D in relation to the chords you already showed us. Thanks.
Good question Martin! For the open G, open E Major or minor, and barred F Major chords, the bass note is on the 6th string (thickest), so it must be plucked on downbeat “1.” For the C Major, or the A minor, those bass notes are on the 5th string. The bass note for the D chord is the 4th string. Please check out my video “Travis Picking 2.0 Selecting alternate bass notes for each chord.” I’ll bet this will help. Get back to me, okay?!
@@DennisAnthonis thank you. Makes perfect sense now.
😎👍
@@DaveE69 … this may also help. Think of it this way; always pluck the bass note of the cord, along with the high E-string (pinch) on down beat “1.” After that, the rest of the pattern is the same for every cord. Thanks for your intelligent question.
@@DennisAnthonis thank you. Keep up the amazing work. It’s very much appreciated. 🙏
Great work Dennis, cheers my friend!
Björn Lundström aka Old Blue Wind ... Thanks my friend. I appreciate your continued support. Cheers Bjorn, from St. Louis MO USA.
Great lesson what songs can use this pattern
Any song in 4/4 time…. 1&2&3&4&, it’s a matter of repeating the pattern over and over until it’s assigned to muscle memory. Then making sure you strike the root note of the chords for each measure. The root note changes with automatically with.different chords. Sorry for not responding sooner. I’ve been sick and suffering from trigger finger for nearly two months. Got something in the works; stay tunes. I appreciate your support.
Dennis thanks for a great video series on fingerpicking. I’ve only picked up a guitar again recently in past few months after stopping my lessons over 20 years ago...( probs my biggest regret in life ) and I’m drawn to fingerpicking rather than strumming. To me and my ears it just sounds so much more beautiful. I know this particular technique is for songs in 4/4 time but do you have a technique for songs that are in waltz time as well ? I have learned B32123 from Jamie Anderson UA-cam channel and it’s great technique but variety is spice of life and knowing more than 1 way to do anything in life is greatly helpful along life’s journey. Take care of yourself in these strange times. 🏴🎸
S Keir ... Thanks for stopping by. My “go to” fingerpicking pattern for songs in waltz time is ... T (on beat 1) and then the index, middle, and ring fingers on the G, B, and high E strings on beats 2 and 3. Its pretty simple and basic. Also, you move the fingers down to strings 432 for a lower sound , much like you can do while fingerpicking. Have you heard “Waltzing Fool” by Lyle Lovett?! Check it out. Cheers my new friend from Scotland, from St. Louis Missouri USA.
Dennis Anthonis thank you. I’ll give it a try and let you know how I get on 🏴🎸
Dennis, I really like your version of the basic Travis Picking pattern. The only thing that I did not see in this video was the Tab for a 6-string chord. I have a difficult time seeing it when someone is picking it because their fingers get in my way. Can you help me out here.
Excellent question. Please refer to my tutorials “Travis Picking 2.0; Selecting Alternating Bass Notes,” which addresses exactly this, and the lesson is supplied with chord diagrams and picking patterns to explain it all. Thanks for visiting my channel and taking the time to ask this very important question. Another lesson, “How To Play ‘Just Breathe,” addresses this concept as well, with respect to the frequency with which the pattern changes and is played on 4, 5, or 6 strings, depending where the bass note is on the 1st downbeat. Check those out and let me know if they help. Cheers my friend.
Hi Dennis just subscribed you deserved 1 M soon - can I use this pattern in any song, I'm a beginner
@@jeanetteaurelio4207 … Thanks for subscribing; I appreciate your support. This pattern works for any song in 4/4 time. Most of the covers that I do that are in 4/4 time, I use this pattern. Jeanette, have you reviewed my most recent post, How to fingerpick “Just Like That?” It will help you understand more clearly what Travis picking is. Practice every day, at least the pattern. Keep me posted. ❤️🤝
I need more covers!!
I’m working on one now! I think I’m done with the tutorials for awhile. Do you have any requests?
This is outstanding. Thank you. Will this pattern work with John Prine’s Crazy as a loon? Thanks again.
Norm Noel ... Absolutely! In fact, this pattern I teach is essentially the same pattern he employed in a lot of his songs. Please listen to my cover of Mr. Prine’s song, “Hello in There.” Thanks for your inquiry. It was a great question. Cheers my friend. Any requests?!
Great. Thanks again.
Thank you Dennis for your awesome tutorial... as always, never disappointing.
Ivan Novotny ... You’re welcome Ivan. Thanks for stopping by.
@@DennisAnthonis
Most welcome Dennis.
Thank you Dennis...you're one of those teacher that appears when the student is ready...I wonder if picking the A string on the first beat while playing an E chord, is because the chord E it self is played like a 2nd inversion? You got a left handed guitar, would you be ambidextrous?
And you do can sing....well complete package...thanks again...subs😊
Fred A. ... If in fact it ever appears that I’m playing left-handed it’s only because the image was reversed in error during production; I can’t brush my teeth left- handed. Anyway, I usually pluck the E- string with the open E chord on the first downbeat and then either the A-sting (b-note) or the e-note on the 4th string for the alternating bass note with that open E-Major chord. One instance comes to mind ...in the song “First Day of My Life” the A-string (b-note) is used as the bass note for that E Major chord, at least for this song. I cover this song so you might check it out if you haven’t already. Then, if you want to take it to the next level then check out the first lesson, “Travis Picking Made Ridiculously Simple: A Tutorial.” Anyway, nice to meet you! Thanks for the sub. Keep in touch Fred. Please share my tutorials with your friends who may want to learn how to Travis pick. Cheers my friend.
Dennis, GREAT video, and I have just one question...with your index and middle fingers, are you plucking the strings with your fingernails or with the fleshy part of your fingertips? If I catch a string with my fingernail, it seems loud and in harsh contrast to the soft tones of the thumb’s bass notes. So I’m wondering, what is the correct way to pick with those two fingers...nail or flesh? Thanks!
Excellent question Larry. Personally, I use the fleshy part of my thumb and fingers. I keep my nails trimmed just to avoid just what you refer to with catching a string with a nail. Some people use fingerpicks, which I use to use but I found them to be too cumbersome and sometimes too loud. I hope this helps. Cheers my friend.
Thanks Dennis, I appreciate the reply. I’m 75, and the recent death of John Prine took me back to his music, and from there to taking up the guitar again after a 40-year lay-off. John has to be the most prolific songwriter to ever grace this planet; I feel blessed to have grown up with his music. It would be fun if you’d devote a lesson for one of his old classics, maybe an easy one like “That’s The Way The World Goes Around,” or “Speed of The Sound of Loneliness.” Kind of a memorial, if you will. Anyway, thanks again; I’m really enjoying your tutorials! 👍
Mike - just wondered if you could explain how to incorporate Travis picking while singing. I can do 3 different patterns within Travis picking, however I am having a difficult time to Travis pick and sing at the same time. I have built my speed of Travis picking to 120 bpm, yet I am having difficulty with rythm while singing. cheers......any help would be appreciated.
... Who’s Mike?
Sorry Dennis, I was identifying myself (Mike) . Would appreciate an answer to my question, however.....cheers
Thank you Dennis for this lesson. Looking forward to more of your lessons thanks again.
joseph spring ... Thank you Joseph. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I have one more lesson in the works and then I’m planning on getting back to posting a few covers. I hope these lessons help strummers enhance their musical repertoire and become proficient at this wonderful finger-picking technique. Cheers my friend.
@@DennisAnthonis I Look forward to seeing your new covers Dennis. meanwhile I will practice your lesson on Travis picking nearly have it down. Thanks again.
Very nice tuto, good explanations. It is good to watch, and we can always learn sothing. I used to learn from Chet Atkins style....40 years ago, and now I just play the way I feel . Thank you for sharing this, Dennis.
You're welcome my friend. I appreciate your continued support my friend.
stay safe Dennis
BACKWOODS STOMP, BALDERDASH & BLUES - no covers ... you too my friend.
Excellent teaching. Going slower for older adults. 🇺🇸🕊🎚🙏🥀
... Thanks for watching!
Great job Dennis my friend! Regards 👍🎼
Aura Guitar Music .... Thank you my friend.
Ótima aula mestre
I definitely found it more helpful to have the diagram!
Oh and you have a kind voice..grateful for that.
... Thanks Jennifer. I’m fortunate in that my wife is a graphic artist and provides the chord patterns and picking patterns for the tutorials. I’m glad you’re finding the lessons helpful. Keep it up. Your speed and fluidity will improve rapidly once you assign the pattern to muscle memory. ❤️
Try this lesson. The graphics and diagrams are greatly improved. ua-cam.com/video/xxDS91mF35k/v-deo.htmlsi=a3zpqEZdx-zalayE
Ótima aula vc tem o PDF por favor
Sorry, no PDFs
I think i almost have it down ! i can practice the pattern more or less smoothly withour any errors, however it takes some brain power away from switching between chords i already master, at worse i find myself stopping for half a second to check if my fingers are ready for my Am Em G D or C chords even tho i never had any problems doing them before ? is it normal ? anyway thank you somuch i never though id "have it" so quickly !
Yes Fabien, I believe that, even though you could change chords quickly with your fretting hand when just strumming, your picking hand still hasn’t completely assigned the pattern to muscle memory and so your brain is forced to focus on the fretting hand to form the chords. Here’s your assignment: take three chords...Em, Am, and B7. Strum the chords in 4/4 time, giving only 1 measure per chord. When you can change from chord to chord without looking and fairly quickly, start doing it while assigning the pattern to it. These 3 chords are the only chords in the song “Caravan of Fools” by John Prine. Watch him play it. Study it. Then get back with me. 👍
@@DennisAnthonis Em Am and B7 awesome ! Not going to lie i always avoided B7 as i always found if super awkward to do ! Thank you again for your awesome advices i will work on those ! Be well
@@DennisAnthonis Hello Dennis ! Hope you're doing well !
Sadly i didnt have as much time to practice this week but i sat down during the weekend i think i got the pattern down consitently, being able to switch between the different bass notes of each chords, but that damn B7 chord haha ! I really can't seem to be comfortable with this one, i somehow find it even harder than barre chords ! Still going to practice this B7 chord and picking pattern consistency as well as speed, because caravan of fools is such a nice tune, thank you again !
My friend have been watching and its is going well just started to finger pick with the left hand there is no problem but my chord changes are late with strumming it goes well but as soon I start to finger pick it goes wrong.
I know it is new but what can i do to improve chord change on time.
Have been playing for a while but this is driving me crazy.
So let me know what might be my problem.
Excellent question! For beginners, it’s important to start slow. A metronome will help. Set the metronome slow at first (maybe 60 beats per minute) and execute it perfectly before going to the next level (maybe 80 bpm). When I’m learning a song, I familiarize myself with the chords first. Then I practice the chords, maybe just strumming them at first, before attempting to actually finger pick it. I’ll address this for you in a future lesson. Thanks my friend.
Hi Dennis. Nice and clear, thanks. Many guitar teachers teach using the thumb on the E, A and D strings, leaving the G, B, e, to the fingers. Does your method restrict you at all?
Kevin Carey... Great question. I pretty much adhere to what you describe here, i.e., mostly using the three thickest strings for the bass, leaving the G, B, and E strings for the high notes and melody line. However, there are exceptions to everything, e.g., with the open D major chord, you’re limited in your options for bass notes because the E and A strings aren’t in the D major triad and would sound wrong (which is why they are X’d out on chord chart diagrams) .Therefore, you’re limited to only the top (thinnest) strings to execute the pattern (Unless you wrap your thumb around to fret that F# at the 2nd fret of the low E string. Also, you can play the pattern on the thickest five strings (ignoring the high E string) for a softer accompaniment for singer songwriters. John Prine uses this technique a lot. So do I. I hope this helps. Thanks for the great question Kevin.
Thank you for linking this video to me this is very helpfull ! However, speaking for myself only here, this is too much informations in one take, i paused the video at around 5 minutes when you showcase it kinda slowly, i practiced it with suprisingly better results than i expected for 15 minutes, but after finishing the whole video i cannot help but feeling frustrated, even anxious ? i think that was too much information in one go, talking for myself only of course, i'm usually a slow learner - don't really know which word to use as english is not my first language but i think you get the idea. I think that must be my brain building up new connexions as i never really payed much attention to my "strumming" hand. Anyway, i've seen that you've done some other videos about travis picking so i will save this one and those for later and hope that after enough watching and practice this will become fun rather than frustrating ! Expect me to report back when that's done haha : i'm keeping my guitar learning kind of secret to a few members of my family and friends as i want to come out with decent playing so i have no shame sharing my progress with strangers lol
With all that said i'm really admirative of you all teaching peoples, as this is a very noble skill to share knowledge. 28 years old and i always though guitar was too hard for me, but after starting to learn during the past quarantine i'm realizing you are all as cool as those guitar legends who made me want to start learning !
Gonna take time to take all that post practice stress off my nerves and come back at it ! take care good sir !
Well finally i ended up practicing 1 hour trying to be friend with that frustration ... So far i have discovered that if i take it slower, but with focusing on the touch and the sound of the pattern rather pattern itself with eyes closed and i tend to so less mistakes. While i could play the little bit you showcase around 5minutes in the video, i'm really struggling to add the second pinch witht he middle finger on the high E and all hell broke loose as you said. coming back to it tommorow hoping to see clearer in these muddy waters. As i said i'm planning on watching all your videos but i want to avoid swallowing too much information for the moment, so if you happen to see comment, what would be the one advice for me to be able to inject that second pinch into the pattern without feeling a " loss of rythm " ? Thank you for reading me and thank you a lot for your valuable lessons !
Fabian, I really appreciate your critique. When I finally hit “ send” and posted it, I wondered myself if I had overloaded the student with too much information. Here’s the thing: whatever it takes, first learn the pattern, no matter what method you apply to accomplish this. Assign it to memory, muscle memory. It’s just one measure! Learn it so you can play it without really trying. Start out slow. Fifteen minutes each day won’t give you enough time to get too frustrated. Then focus on increasing speed. Learn a slow slow songs and in 4/4 time, preferably any slow John Prine song (“I Remember Everything,” or “Caravan of Fools”). Both are easy songs with easy chords (no barre chords). Give them both a listen. Think about this, 15 minutes a day and by the end of the month you’ll be playing both of these songs just like Prine. Keep me posted. Cheers and thanks for your candor.
@@DennisAnthonis John Prine, I'm really happy and thankfull that you mentionned this name along these two tunes. they are both amazing and will have no trouble putting them in my "want to learn and play list" along 4 + 20 by Stephen Stills which is the lesson that brought me to your channel and led me to give fingerstyle a go. But i got to say that I Remember Everything really stands out .... Brings up the Onions cutting demon ! This is funny because i knew John Price's face but never heard his name nor any of these songs, thanks again for these recommendations ! I Just feel a bit ashamed and sad of learning about that man after he passed away so recently.
As for the critique you are very welcome, I had absolutelly no doubt that you would appreciate any student feedback, However, just my opinion here you please stay the master, I don't think you should adapt your "video editing / information flow " to this particular kind of feedback. While i know myself and the slow learner that i am, the magic of youtube is that i can still consume your video by little bits and rewind it as much as i need ! but i still understand the need not to turn off students who would identify the frustration of learning a new skill as an unability of learning it.
Now, do you think that watching your videos by little bit is necessarily the best way to do even if - i think- i know myself ? Or in the contrary should i give the whole lesson a go even if i dont suck and save all the information out of it ?
This is something i always wondered about youtube guitar lessons video, how to consume them.
Sometime i want to learn a song with a few different chorus and verses, but, to quote you, all hell breaks loose when i try to put them all together rather that when i go bit by bits, practicing this verse this day .. that one that day ... putting them together that day. While i'm having better results doing so i'm wondering if i'm not teaching myself some kind of bad habit on here. Maybe i'm overthinking, i started 2 Months ago after all haha. I was planning on taking a lesson with a guitar teacher to check on my playing even tho those are too expensive for me in my area, with a decent teacher at least
Oh and thank you for answering to the two hidden question that were, should i power through the frustration or go bit by bit every day and - Do you have any song recommendation that would be better for a beginner rather than 4 + 20 by Stills.
I will just inject a little bit of fingerstyle practice in my everyday routine and try not rush it too much, and listen John prine a lot i think !
I'm lucky enough to have my grandparents still running around and i wanna play this to them, tho his english sadly worse than mine i think the melody will do :)
Thank you a lot for taking the time to read my story like speaking and answering to it, i wouldn't be playing guitar if it wasn't for peoples like you !
@@DennisAnthonis Oh and i forgot to ask, since you are mentionning this beautiful song that is " I remember everything ". Would you consider doing a lesson for it, of even caravan of fools ? I have no doubt that internet has enough ressources for me to learn it with enough time but your teaching style is so speaking to me that i can't help but ask you this ! Will work on my travis picking first
Fabien Bourdier ... maybe I’ll post a cover of both songs first and then a lesson. Thanks for the request.
I noticed that you pluck the G string with the thumb. I still have a habit of using the first finger for the G string. Is that ok?
It can be played many ways. Because I tackle the inside strings first (on beats 2&) followed by the outside strings (on beats 3&) it seemed more natural to pluck the G-string with the thumb on downbeat “4.” But it could certainly be played with the index finger.
One thing I don’t understand. I thought the thumb plays E A D and the G B e respectively pointy -middle-ring. You play the G with your thumb. Why is that. Thank you...
01 s o n g s ...Thanks for tuning in and for your inquiry. Yes, the thumb focuses on the E,A, D and G-strings and, based on the chord and the bass note of that chord, the alternate bass notes are determined. For example, for the C Major open chord, the alternating bass note are the C and E notes on the 5th and 4th strings respectively. Other than the bass note of each chord, my Travis picking pattern revolves completely around the 4 top (high) strings, the D,G,B, and e strings. I rarely use the ring finger in my scheme, unless I’m adding a specific melody note (see my video “If I Needed You”). And yes, you are very observant. On downbeat “2” and “4” of each chord, the thumb plays the G-string. I suppose you could use other fingers. This scheme seems to work pretty well though, at least for me. Good question! I hope this helped. Cheers my friend.
Great video. Starting today with my daily 15’, will let you know how it goes in couple of weeks... hopefully with a video song using Travis picking 😉
I would welcome seeing that. When I bear witness to a student successfully mastering the “pattern,” I’m enthralled. Be religious about the daily practice regimen. Start out slow; focus on accuracy initially. Speed will happen almost automatically; you’ll be amazed. When that happens, you can then focus on changing chords while maintaining the pace and the pattern. When you decide on a song, pick a song with simple chords, at least in the beginning. Learn new chords as you learn new songs. You might want to check some of my posts where I Travis pick. Most of the songs have relatively easy chords. Good luck Filippo. Let me know how it goes! Maybe try “Hello in There.”