TRAVIS PICKING
TRAVIS PICKING IN G - Lesson 2
Build your travis picking skills up step by step with this interactive lessson.
INTRO
TRAVIS PICKING IN G
This lesson is the second in a series of Travis Picking in G.
Find the first lesson here
Example 1
Every time we approach a new fingerpicking piece or exercise, it is always a good idea to isolate the bassline and just play it on its own – focusing on steady, consistent rhythm.
EXAMPLE 1 - G ALTERNATE BASS
Exercise 1 Audio
Example 2
We build up the exercise slowly -always the best idea with Travis Picking in G – here we add a pinch on the first beat of the bar.
A pinch is when we play a melody note (with the fingers) at the same time as playing a bass note (with the thumb). This creates a “pinch” action.
ADD A PINCH ON FIRST BEAT
Exercise 2 Audio
Example 3
In this exercise, we take the previous example and just add one note – again this approach to stacking things note by note works really well for travis picking in G.
Here we add a note that is played “in between” bass notes. If it is your first time trying to play an in-between note, then it may fry your brain a bit, but you will soon get used to it.
ADD AN IN-BETWEEN NOTE
Exercise 3 Audio
Example 4
Now we add just one more note again! This time it is another pinch. Both pinches now are at the same time as our G bass note (the 3rd fret of the low E or thickest string).
This gives us a flurry of notes which is a very pleasurable to play with the thumb/fingers once you have mastered it.
Adding a second pinch
Exercise 4 Audio
Example 5
In example 5, we replace a note rather than adding one. We take out that second pinch and add another in-between note.
Add a second in-between note
Exercise 5 Audio
Example 6
Exercise 6 is the same as Exercise 5 with a note removed! Can you hear the difference?
12 Bar in E
Exercise 6 Audio
summary
This is the second lesson in the G Travis Picking series. This lesson is focused less on the bass part of Travis picking – and more on the melody note side, stacking notes to build a musical motif.
You can now see how you have decisions that you can make musically – adding pinch notes, in-between notes and indeed leaving spaces in the music.
Focus on a steady bass an experimenting with any new ideas that come to your mind!
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