The Acoustic Forest Fingerstyle-Flatpicking 12-String Guitar from the Acoustic Forest by Mickey Cochran Fingerpicking & Flatpicking

"12-String Guitar Drawings from the Acoustic Forest"
Fingerstyle-Flatpicking 12-String Guitar
by Mickey Cochran

This CD is a 12-String Guitar journey through a vast array of textural possibilities. In a Fingerpicking/Fingerstyle medium revealing a variety of styles and melodies...The 12-String Guitar is still largely unexplored when it comes to the medium and approach. Here's a refreshing window on the 12-String Guitar and its many intriguing textures.

Follow this wood-wise trail through the "Acoustic Forest" with the 12-String Acoustic Guitar. Listen for the many influences revealed through this fingerpicking journey.

"I owe a great debt of gratitude to my Acoustic Guitar heroes: Jorma Kaukonen, Peter Kaukonen, Dan Crary, Chet Atkins, Marcel Dadi, John Fahey, Peter Lang, Leo Kottke, Bob Hadley, Fred Gerlach, Robbie Basho and Stefan Grossman...all of whom are a major influence throughout these 12-String Guitar ramblings. I've always had an immense affinity for American Primitive Guitar...and hope that in some way I can further influence others to pursue this 'lost in the forest' art form." Mickey

Find your inspiration to play 12-String Guitar through this wide array of intriguing acoustic forays. Imagine the possibilities of what can be achieved on an instrument designed to sound like an orchestra...no other back-up is needed...even when using a flatpick the 12-String still carries itself completely.

Try a listen and you may find yourself pulling out your ancient 12-string from the back of the closet and setting the strings afire again...all of these tunes can also be effectively played on a 6-String Guitar...however, this is a dedicated 12-string guitar effort...100% acoustic (with no effects) and 100% wood-bodied, steel string12-string with all natural ingredients...no effects, no impurities, and no sound reinforcement. The guitar is recorded in its natural state and is not modified by any electronic enhancements.

Further notes from Mickey:

My 12-String Guitar Passage
Otherwise known as: "Yes, I've heard the voice of the turtle!"

The very first guitar I owned was a Decca 12-string which was given to me when I was 16 years old by my brother-in-law Bill Lee. As I wrestled with the unwieldy action, it was thrilling to beat out chords on this monster guitar ... applying what I already learned, the year before, from borrowing my Uncle Ansel's Fender electric.

At the time, in the '70s, I lived in Cloverdale, Alabama ... which is in the surrounding area of Muscle Shoals and Florence (also known as Quad Cities). The geography is musically important due to the fact that it was a recording mecca for many major players of the time. I mean you really had to be there to feel the musical ambience of the historic blues figures, such as W.C. Handy to contemporary southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. In fact, W.C. Handy is considered the Father of the Blues; he was born in Florence, Alabama. I have his autobiography in which he describes how he learned his music from tuning into the natural surroundings of Florence and Tuscumbia, AL. Well, I felt the very same way ... and so much so, that I used to drag my guitar deep into the woods by horseback. Mark Makinson, my closest friend at the time, and I would take camping trips and metal detecting trips, exclusively on horseback, purposefully getting lost in the Alabama forest. Quad Cities is the historical hub of the South ... where banjos, bloodhounds and chaingangs first amalgamated ... a better setting for "Cool Hand Luke" or "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" than any other imagined. Where, I believe Neil Young infused his lyrical "banjos playing through the broken glass ..."

We almost always let the horses take their own pace...especially on the banks of the backwaters of the untamed Tennessee River. In a place called Coffee Slew, where the Cypress tree roots rise above the dark murky waters, you can, if you truly tune in, hear the almost inaudible "voice of the turtle" (visions of John Fahey the foremost exponent of American Primitive Guitar).

Time froze its pendulum as we played and sang "This day will last a thousand years if you want it to..." (Moody Blues) from Days of Future Passed. Mark sang exceptionally well; I focused mostly on searching for the lost chord (Moody Blues pun intended).

I always had either a Hohner Marine Band (harmonica) with me or my trusty old Decca 12-string. I would even play my guitar, Gene Autry style, while my horse, Molly, would follow Mark's ahead. It always surprised me that Molly wasn't spooked by my playing.

Don Nix summed up the Quad Cities area very well in his book: "Road Stories and Recipes"... and this was only a few years before I arrived.

Sweet Home Alabama

In 1969 I discovered Muscle Shoals Sound Recording Studios in Sheffield, Alabama. Jim Steward took me down to record Sid Selvidge's second album. I cannot tell you the impact this place had on me. Everything up 'til now was preschool compared to what I found in the quad cities of Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals and Florence by the Tennessee River, which flowed serenely through this peaceful valley. It was the most laid-back place I had ever been and it immediately felt like home.

Now, remember, before Don Nix arrived in the Florence area, he was already very well traveled. Hopefully, this gives you another window to the impact Florence had on me too. This is where I first started playing guitar myself ... only it wasn't until the early '70s. I would have given anything to have been involved as a session player with some of those historic recordings that came out of Muscle Shoals Sound Recording! I was 15 years of age when my cousin Kenny and I hitchhiked our way to Muscle Shoals Sound and offered to sweep floors with the hopes of being near these underground sessions ... or even to catch a glimpse of a southern rock musician.

We didn't get to sweep any floors; they kindly declined our janitorial services ... nevertheless, it wasn't long before we did get to witness Little Feat in rehearsal ... we had no idea that they would rise to rock fame as they did!

Don Nix was a major mover in bringing together some amazing sessions, such as Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett on Stax Records along with working directly with Leon Russell. His musical legacy and associations are quite immense in themselves ... and worth a read if you ever get the chance.

Moving on with the Alabama 12-String Passage: At the time, I soon learned how to tune my guitar in open-tunings from listening to Hot Tuna, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. It was just pure fun to be at the seek-and-discover stages of learning to play acoustic guitar. I'm grateful to say, these influences are still prevalent in my playing today ... I've always had an affinity for acoustic guitar even during the heyday of heavy rock. My favorite tunes, on most rock albums of the time, were the select acoustic guitar pieces ... such as, but certainly not limited to:

1. Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home"

2. Zeppelin's "Friends", "Tangerine", "Gallows Pole" (great use of banjo), "Battle of Evermore" (great use of mandolin), "The Rain Song", and many others...

3. Ten Years After's "I'd Love to Change the World" along with many other tunes off of the lp A Space in Time.

4. Moody Blues have too many acoustic tunes to count ...

5. Dave Mason's Alone Together album ... lots of tasteful acoustic guitar on this recording.

6. The Band's Robbie Robertson was just too amazing ... he introduced off-beat leads and rhythm within a format of what I called "Americana Guitar" ... even his electric guitar pieces had an acoustic tonality to them.

7. Duane Allman's and Dickey Betts' "Little Martha."

8. Steve Miller's album Number 5 which consisted of some really cool acoustic renditions...such as: "I Love You" and "Going to the Country"... included the first melodic banjo I've ever heard (performed by Bobby Thompson) ... Steve's sparkling 12-string guitar work interweaved with a cascading resonance ... this one album brings me back to Cloverdale every time I listen to it ... even to this day!

9. Jethro Tull's Aqualung had some inventive Tolkienesque acoustic guitar work ...

10. Joe Walsh on James Gang Rides Again executed some acoustic pieces that seemed to go by unnoticed by the rockers of the time...nevertheless, this was Joe's tour de force! His acoustic guitar work, on this particular album, was as good as it gets. Interestingly, he stated in an interview, "Leo Kottke is one of my favorite guitarists."

11. Leslie West on Mountain Climbing laid down a track of solo 12-string guitar with "To My Friend." Sounds almost Raga-like in tonality. Very similar to what Robbie Basho recorded in the '60s. I just know that Leslie had to have been influenced by Robbie ... whether or not he was, it's an impressive rendering and establishes that American Primitive Guitar did take place in early '70s rock.

12. Peter Kaukonen's Black Kangaroo (released in 1972) went by mostly as an underground album ... in fact, I had the promo version that was sent out to radio stations. A solid influence on me as an aspiring guitarist ... he played open-tunings with a flatpick which was unheard of at the time! A great record that deserved far more recognition than ever actualized.

13. Jorma Kaukonen's "Embryonic Journey" and the "Water Song"...along with his many acoustic blues ramblings with Jack Casady on bass ... and don't forget acoustic Hot Tuna.

I just wasn't really attuned to the wailing electric guitars of the time; acoustic rock was my unequaled choice and the first to bring me to study the guitar in its natural state ...

As I grew musically, and researched further, it wasn't long before I discovered the dedicated acoustic movement: "American Primitive Guitar" spearheaded by John Fahey ... of which was further innovated by Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, and Stefan Grossman all of whom were at the helm of the acoustic guitar ship. And then came the bluegrass stages where I became enthralled by the flatpicking greats: Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Tony Rice and Dan Crary (I've seen Dan perform some amazing 12-string flatpicking while backing up Byron Berline's fiddling.)

Hence, in this effort, I've carried forth my love for acoustic guitar along with the many styles possible within the mediums of flatpicking and fingerpicking. The 12-string guitar is limitless; there isn't enough time within a century to master its wondrous harmonic tonal range. With this latest CD effort, 25+ years after receiving my first 12-string, I can only hope that I've moved the acoustic spirit forward through these guitar illustrations from the Acoustic Forest. Mickey

Stay Tuned ... there's more to the story ... as the 12-String Guitar Passage continues!

All my best, Mickey

Resources:
W.C. Handy "The Father of the Blues" Florence, AL Blues Festival
http://www.wchandyfest.com/

W.C. Handy Biography
http://www.biography.com/articles/W.C.-Handy-39700

Don Nix and the Mar-Keys Biography
http://www.jungleroom.com/nix.html

Muscle Shoals Sound Recording's official Website
http://www.muscleshoalssound.org/

A Dedication: I owe an immense debt of gratitude to Mark's dad Leroy Makinson...in the early '70s, he first taught me about black & white photography and also took Mark and me out on detecting expeditions. He also taught us how to use his Metrotech Metal Detector. Today, I pursue both metal detecting and photography; I made a living combining these two art forms while working as a graphic designer for Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors. I'm not sure if he knew that he would be influencing my lifelong endeavors in such a good way.

Another Dedication: To Barry Hunn of Deering Banjos. He invented the 12-String Banjo of which is just too cool! As a for an instance, I included a version of "Cripple Creek" for 12-String Banjo in the instructional video: "Introduction to the 6 & 12-String Banjo." I hope to someday complete an entire CD dedicated to 6 & 12-String Banjo...please stay tuned. Mickey

Testimonials:

Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 09:21:20 -0500
Hi Mickey,

Just got home from New York last night and recieved the CD and tape. The music on the CD ("12-String Guitar Drawings from the Acoustic Forest") is fantastic. My wife listened to the entire CD with me and it's simply incredible. That is the most relaxing music we've ever heard. It is also perfect for the DVD we're making.

I absolutely feel honored to be able to use this music on our DVD. It's adding so much class to the entire project (Antique Rifle Restoration) and inspires me to make it better.

By the way, Mary wants to buy a copy when the final touches are done.
Thanks again,
Dan

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