TRAVIS PICKING
Travis Picking in C (2/4)
Adding variety to your travis picking in the key of C
See the previous article on Travis Picking – which will help you master the bass skill for Travis picking – strongly recommended to read this first!
Travis Picking in C - whole notes
In this first example, we play the bass pattern and one note at the start of the bar each time.
This is a good exercise to get you started keeping that travis picking bassline – while adding to it bit by bit.
Exercise 1 Audio – Slow
Exercise 1 Audio – Fast
H2 -Travis Picking in C - varying the whole note
This example continues on from the last.
We play just one whole note on top of the Travis bassline, but this time we vary that note.
This will require a little bit more concentration and dexterity.
Exercise 2 Audio – Slow
Exercise 2 Audio – Fast
Travis Picking in C - half notes
Now we will play some half notes which means that we can fit two melody notes in each bar.
This will really test you out. As you start to play this, maybe you start to lose that bassline a bit? This is perfectly normal. The goal of these exercises are to keeping playing until it becomes automatic.
Exercise 3 Audio Slow
Exercise 3 Audio Fast
Travis Picking in C - quarter notes
Now we play quarter notes which means we can have 4 melody notes per bar.
Again take this slowly. Feel free to isolate the parts. Just practice the bassline. Just practice the melody part. Then put them together very very slowly and speed up gently.
Exercise 4 Audio Slow
Exercise 4 Audio Fast
Travis Picking in C - another quarter note example
More quarter notes again.
This example has quarter notes on different strings make it a slightly more difficult exercise.
Exercise 5 Audio Slow
Exercise 5 Audio Fast
Travis Picking in C - mixing whole, half & quarter notes
Now comes the payoff.
You can mix the whole, quarter and half notes to make something sound musical!
Exercise 6 Audio Slow
Exercise 6 Audio Fast
Travis Picking in C - sixteenth notes
This is the hardest example as it has sixteenth notes.
This means playing two melody notes per bass note.
Take this really slowly. Use the audio to guide you
Exercise 7 Audio Slow
Exercise 7 Audio Fast
summary
This lesson will get you playing some advanced travis picking styles.
Take it slowly – even if it takes some time to master this material, it’s worth it.
Once you have mastered this lesson, you can move on to lesson 3 in the series.
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