Subject: Instructional Videos.
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 14:54:01 -0500

Hello,

My name is Bert Rivera. I was doing a search on the Internet for instructional videos for acoustic guitars and happened to come across your website.

Let me give some of my background. I played for my church many years ago. I stopped playing guitar completely not for any particular reason and picked it up again after 15 years of not playing. I'm now playing for the youth group at my church. I've been playing an acoustic but it wasn't good enough so I purchased a Taylor 315ce (jumbo) a week ago. I mainly play contemporary/light rock christian music. I need help with rythm and picking in general. I'm looking for books or prefferably videos/dvd's that will help me with those techniques. Maybe later on I'll get into slide or other skills.

Any help you could provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
Bert

Greetings Bert,

Both Tradd (FOTW's In-House Luthier) and myself would be glad to assist you...you're on the right track: videos are far more effective in teaching rhythmic techniques than books.

We have two videos in the Wisdom of the Wood line-up that does cover rhythmic patterns for both flatpick and fingerstyle guitar:
1. Introduction to the Acoustic Guitar
2. Beginning Guitar Technique and Form

Number 1 focuses on basic flatpicking styles along with how to keep even rhythm with flatpick in both 4/4 and 3/4 waltz time...

Number 2 offers basic rhythmic technique along with fingerstyle patterns for many variations which can be applied within most any setting.

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page645.htm

Please get back with me on exactly what you feel may be your weak points; I may be better able to assist you in finding just the right video.

Mickey

Subject Thumb Position
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 16:12:29 -0500

Is it essential to be effective to have the left thumb behind the neck? I
seem to have started ( 2 mo.) with my thumb part way around the neck. This
makes it harder to get the full A chord, but it feels more natural.

Spencer Gay

Greetings Spencer,

Some of this would be dependent on which instrument you're playing:

If playing mandolin, banjo or guitar, placing your thumb behind the neck will increase your stretch and dexterity. Now, there are many players, even pros, who do ride their thumb on top of the neck...this is what they're comfortable with and usually, these players do not seem impeded by it. Although, there's no doubt that you will have a limited stretch just by placing the thumb on top of the neck.

Here's an experiment:

Try riding your thumb on top of the neck...then, try stretching your little finger upwards on the neck, towards the body, as far as it will go...now, try placing the thumb directly behind the neck...then try the same little finger stretch. How many more frets were you able to stretch beyond when placing the thumb behind the neck?

I'm not sure where you found this information about the importance of the thumb being placed behind the neck...on one of our videos or off the website, but, I'm happy to see someone, as yourself, taking the extra step to learn good habits from the beginning...for old habits, not necessarily bad habits, are next to impossible to break...

Please stay in touch and let me know how I might further assist you further in your learning efforts.

Mickey