Acoustic Guitar Fingerstyle Technique

Subject: Questions and a compliment
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 19:24:05 -0800

Dear Mr. Cochran;

Greetings David,

First the compliment. I think your demo videos are wonderful! They
definitely separate your site from all the rest! I not only learned that I
like more music styles then I thought I did, at least like how you play them, I
heard some beautifully textured music that I don't know that I've ever heard
from a guitar before ("wow, you can do that with a steel string?"). In
particular, the tune by Marcel Dadi on the BR-6S Fingerpicking #1 and RD-20
Flatpicking #4 just blew me away! (It might be the instrument or the
arrangement, but I liked the BR-6S version over the RD-20 version. If you
track web statistics, and wonder why that one got so many hits, that would
be me!) I also liked "Hummingbird Train" one a lot. (Later: while generally
wary of music with titles like "Arkansas Traveler", I really liked it! It
almost sounds like two guitars playing counterpoint the way one tune is
interwoven into another. Is that the cross-picking technique at work?)

Thanks so much for the kind words...it's inspiring to hear your take on our samplers.

The other question is, where should I begin (as a fingerstylist)?

If you can find a local fingerstyle guitar teacher, you'll bypass many hurdles; however, as you state below, it can become quite expensive...hence, the next best thing would be an instructional video that teaches basic fingerstyle guitar...after going through a video, it becomes quite a bit easier to tackle books...music in written form.

I absolutely know that I want
to play the kind of music your videos demonstrate - the whole strum strum
strum thing basically turns me off (if I have to start there though, well
then I start there). I also like Will Ackerman, CSN&Y, Seals & Croft, Cat
Stevens and James Taylor if that helps (oh yeah, a couple of recent
discoveries: Mickey Cochran and Todd Hildreth ;) ). (Yeah, I'm older then I
sound ;).) I like some jazz and classical guitar too. My intial foray into
taking lessons wasn't very successful and now they're too expensive - decent
instruction runs about $140/month around here for 1/2 hour weekly sessions!
Have you ever evaluated something called "Guitar Magic II"
(http://www.sdgsoft.com/)? Otherwise, any other books or software you would
suggest?

Funky Seagull has put out some great instructional titles for acoustic instruments.

Try: http://www.funkyseagull.com/fingerstyleguitar.html

I haven't evaluated the Guitar Magic II...

Let me know if you find anything else of interest for the aspiring fingerstylist.

Thanks again for all of the accolades...it gives me even more impetus to work harder.

At your disposal, Mickey

Subject: Advice for a Fingerstyle Guitar
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 10:55:00 -0400

I own a 1977 Guild D25M (the $230 I paid then at age 16 being all
the money I had in the world). I have recently been advised by the
folks at two very reputable shops here in the NY area (Mandolin
Brothers and Peekamoose Guitars) that the guitar needs a neck
reset and bridge replace or reglue, and really should have full
fret job and new nut. I'm also told that there are no cracks or
problems other than the guitar is 25 years old--for example, they
say the volume of each string is equal and degrades at the same
rate. I've been told that to make this guitar into the really fine
instrument it can be will run about $1200.

I know this guitar is only "worth" a few hundred, so in that sense
it's silly to spend $1200 to fix it, but it seems to me that the
question is if I need to spend $1200 on something, should I put
$1200 into this one or $1200 toward something new (I'm leaning
toward a Gibson J 100 xtra or 150 because it feels so comfortable
in my hands, has a full clear tone and will let me stay current on
my rent). I just don't know how "fine" an instrument the Guild can
be in the hands of a skilled luthier and so I'm not sure which
route will get me the better sounding, smoother to play guitar.
(I fingerpick and play rhythm, James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, Beatles
"Blackbird", Pure Prairie League's "Amie"--that kind of thing.)

I know there's no "right" answer here--I'm just looking for your
educated and experienced views.

Thanks.

Greetings,

Wow! That's a steep estimate for repair...especially on a Guild Dreadnaught. I personally would not invest that kind of money into a '77 Guild. You might want to shop around further with other luthiers for a more reasonable estimate. Or, as you've stated, consider purchasing a new acoustic guitar. I'd most definitely go with a new Gibson; they make the grade in my opinion...you might check on Ebay for potential good buys for a used Gibson. For fingerpicking, and the stylists you've listed, there are many excellent guitars in the 1200.00 price range that will exceed your playing needs. I also play fingerstyle guitar...currently, my two favorite guitars are a Breedlove and a Martin M-38. I always look for versatility in an acoustic guitar...for the stylists you've listed, I believe you'd want a well balanced guitar; most dreadnaughts I've played are too boomy in the bass end. Having a smooth bass end, that does not drown out the treble end, should be something to consider.

At your disposal, Mickey

Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 22:00:26 -0600

Mickey,

I really enjoy your Q&A. Would you please explain the style of playing known
as "slack key" guitar and how it is done.

Thank you,
Mark

--

Greetings Mark,

Glad to assist if I can...

My personal perspective on slack key follows:
Slack Key Guitar is a long established Hawaiian musical tradition originating in the last half of the 19th century...the term itself is derived from the guitar always being open tuned to a chord...hence "slack key"...this style of guitar playing is performed as fingerstyle as opposed to flatpick (even so, I'm sure there are exceptions to this).

Slack Key guitar started out as back-up for Hawaiian dancing traditions (hulas) and slowly became an accepted form of solo guitar. What parallels this approach to the guitar would be our indigenous "American Primitive Guitar"...with exponents like John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Peter Finger, Bob Hadley and Peter Lang. The approach is relative to Hawaiian slack key in that it also is approached fingerstyle and utilizes open tunings on guitar. The medium and approach is the same, yet the style sounds more bluesy instead of hawaiian.

Mickey