Fingerstyle 101

[ChinoKid12]

Welcome to Fingerstyle 101!

 

Here we will explore the essence of fingerstyle guitar. From flamenco to bluegrass, classical to folk and everything in between.

 

Let's start by listening to the essentials. Let's go around the room and call out some of our favorite fingerstyle guitarists, albums, or songs.

 

I'll start with some favorites:

Artist: Joe Pass, Album: Unforgettable

Pierre Bensusan

 

Who's next?

[Cripes]

Okay. Even though he always left me feeling like needle-point might be my better calling, I'll have to green all over Leo Kottke.

[Queequeg]

Pat Donohue- "American Guitar" & "Two Hand Band"

[jd-drafter]

i'll have to second leo kottke and add in the other 3 from the early tacoma recordings...

 

john fahey- the man the myth the legend-

peter lang- just found some good youtube clips of him-

and robbie basho- not much about him out there-

 

just a small part of a long list-

[ChinoKid12]

Excellent, anyone else?

[Freeman Keller]

 

i'll have to second leo kottke and add in the other 3 from the early tacoma recordings... john fahey- the man the myth the legend- peter lang- just found some good youtube clips of him- and robbie basho- not much about him out there- just a small part of a long list-

 

 

There is an understatement. Since I've been sucked into this,

 

Blues - just about every bluesman and woman from the 20's, 30's... RJ, MJH, the Rev, BBF, Bukka, ad infinitium

 

To the American Primatives that JD lists above, I'll add Cooder, Grossman, Duck, and those others who were transitioning from the Blues to whatever it is that came next. I was also pretty impacted by two Gutheries (played a few rounds of Alice's Resturant last night), Pete Seeger, Bonnie Raitt, and some of the other folkies when I was starting out in the '60's

 

The Yardbird guys, EC, Janch, Graham, and the US guys who were playing at that time - Simon, in particular.

 

Kottke - totally changed me

 

Bob Brozman - got me hooked on resophonics

 

Doc (yeah, we think of his flatpicking, but just try to play "Tickling the Strings" like he does with your eyes closed). Merl and Chet and the folks who followed like Buster (Machine Gun) Jones.

 

I listen to Django and Klugg and Segovia a lot for mood, as well as an incredible classical player who live in a little town in Alaska (but I can't remember his name). Frank Vignola (as David Grisman said, no bedroom should be without his cd).

 

Modern players - oh my gawd - David Smith and Larry Pattis and Mark Hanson and so many talented people pushing the limits of fingerstyle guitar. The standards, of course like the Windham Hill players and Tommy. People like Kelly Joe Phelps - I can't put him in a box but he is so wonderful to listen to.

 

Since my roots are in the blues, I love the people who are keeping it alive. Rory Block, Scott Ainslie, EC's efforts (love 'em/hate 'em), Eric Erkkinen.

 

and my nemisis - Leo Kottke

 

(let me take a breath, I'm sure I can think of some more)

[Etienne Rambert]

Paul Simon & Gordon Lightfoot.

 

If you're including comping, all the Brazilian

guys, starting with Gilberto & Ben.

[jd-drafter]

i see we have more kottke votes...8^)

 

does this board have a poll feature? another one i frequent has that...

 

we could do a poll and see what the consensus is.. 8^)

[Dave W.]

I used to think these sort of posts were stupid, until I realized that I usually pick up at least a couple new players to check out. Freeman kind of swept the list that comes to mind, but I would add Lawrence Juber.

[Raj]

Marcel Dadi, too.

[Queequeg]

Agreed, Dave. And I echo FK's list.

Freeman, judging from the names on your list, do yourself a favor & check out Pat Donohue. You can't like these guys and not enjoy Pat D; 1983 National Finger Picking Guitar Champion.

[Freeman Keller]

Thanks, Queequeg, I've heard OF Donohue, but never actually heard him. When I get on a computer that can access YouTube and such I'll do a little research.

 

Re: KJP - he doesn't seem to be playing as much lap style any more. His music and singing is still wonderful, but I really liked that lap guitar. He used to do small venue gigs around my old stomping grounds in Portland OR.

[ChinoKid12]

Andy McKee for contemporary fingerstyle. Some great techniques

[Queequeg]

 

Thanks, Queequeg, I've heard OF Donohue, but never actually heard him. When I get on a computer that can access YouTube and such I'll do a little research.

 

(If you PM me an address I'll make up a little Pat D sampler for you. just enough to whet your appetite.)

 

Re: KJP - he doesn't seem to be playing as much lap style any more. His music and singing is still wonderful, but I really liked that lap guitar. He used to do small venue gigs around my old stomping grounds in Portland OR.

 

 

Last year KJP never picked up a slide even once but no one was complaining. I have a few recordings on which he is playing slide almost exclusively. The club here in town is 388 seats, which to my way of thinking is such a nice size. I have no use for arenas, stadiums.

[Freeman Keller]

 

(If you PM me an address I'll make up a little Pat D sampler for you. just enough to whet your appetite.) Last year KJP never picked up a slide even once but no one was complaining. I have a few recordings on which he is playing slide almost exclusively. The club here in town is 388 seats, which to my way of thinking is such a nice size. I have no use for arenas, stadiums.

 

 

Very much appreciated, and I may still take you up on it, but have this funny little anal habit of finding an artist and going out and buying their cd's. I personally don't copy mine for others unless it is totally in the public domain (someone's MySpace posting might be an example, but probably what I would do their is just give a link). Let me do a little searching over the weekend on my home computer - if I can't find it I'll take you up on this.

 

It's also kind of ironic that right now I'm in the process of converting a guitar for lap playing (and trying to figure out a capo like Phelps uses) in part because I've been wanting to try to play some of his songs.

 

And yes, acoustic music should be played in small venues - some of my most memorable shows I've been sitting just a few feet from Kottke or Rory or KJP. I now live in Washington wine country and lots of the regionall players do gigs where we sit on the lawn with a bottle of the winerys best and a picnic - got tickets for one in a week. Life is pretty darn good.

[JustJeff]

I'm much more in to the contempory fingerstyle than I am traditional.

 

Antoine Dufour, Andy McKee, Trace Bundie, Michael Chapdelain, and Michael Hedges, to name a few. Definately check all these guys out on Youtube.

[Bernie P.]

Jorma Kaukonen.First time I saw Hot Tuna it was just him with a Gibson acoustic and Jack on bass.They were both "on" big time and played almost 10 hours.Incredible performance!!!!

[notebene]

1. Phil Keaggy (www.philkeaggy.com). Started off as mainly a Christian electric guitar monster, but about 20 years ago, started doing acoustic fingerstyle. Amazing.

 

2. Michael Hedges. Too bad he died in 1997. He changed how I thought of the possibilities of what could be done on the acoustic guitar.

 

3. Pierre Bensusan. Plays almost exclusively in DADGAD. His brain must be wired differently then most people.

 

4. Laurence Juber. Used to play in Wings with McCartney. His playing is the most melodic with the best actual classical technique transferred to teh possibilities of the acoustic guitar.

 

I am a classically trained guitarist, but acoustic fingerstyle has become my main mode of expression. You can hear my three-guitar rendition of Classical Gas streamed on my MySPace site (link below).

 

SMF

[Sisyphus2]

Considering that we the british invented the guitar I think we need to have a few British guitarists in there: Bert jansch, John Renborn, Davy graham (but hes annoyed me recently!),Martin Simpson and one from the colonies Bruce Cockburn.

[Cripes]

 

Considering that we the british invented the guitar...

 

 

LOL. But, you're right about recognizing the UK.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar

[Sisyphus2]

What you mean we didnt!

More seriously this forum has opened me up to some great guitarists who I'd never come across before.

[Cripes]

 

What you mean we didnt! More seriously this forum has opened me up to some great guitarists who I'd never come across before.

 

 

Agreed, including some who are not known largely outside this forum.

[brahmz118]

I've heard that Jeff Healey plays some fingerstyle, but I've never seen examples of it. I feel like I read an interview years ago in which he described using his right hand to fret and pluck at the same time, but not necessarily to do two-hand tapping. Anyone know? He seems to be one of the few guitarists whose radically different (yet very effective) approach hasn't been studied / imitated / taught / transcribed to death.

[guit30]

Doyle Dykes

[stype]

Bruce Cockburn is definitely one of my favorites. Some of his songs are so technically challenging and beautiful, I love trying to play them, even if I barely can. I've probably advanced more with fingerpicking from listening to him more than anyone else.