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June Apple (Intro)
Fingerpicking from the old song vault. Working on trying not so hard to kill kthe strings, but I obviously have a long way to go. I’m just a work in progress!
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34 Replies
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@Loraine Wow! Look at you go!👏
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Thanks @Jill_M
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Great post Loraine. I expect it is getting easier for you to memorize licks and songs. The “no-peek” technique demonstrates your bravery and confidence. Either you have a magic pick or you’ve got a real good sense of where those strings are!
I hope you don’t mind me offering one suggestion that I think will ultimately strengthen your flat-picking. Pull up the tab and notice the markings for pick direction. It has made it much easier for me to nearly always follow the convention of a down-up pattern on each pair of eighth notes and using only downstrokes on quarter and half notes. It helps my rhythm and timing, and it just feels more natural, especially as I increase tempo.
You’re well on your way to being a flat-picking star. I don’t mean to be critical, rather I’m hoping this tip will accelerate your progress and get you there sooner. This is a fine effort and your progress is admirable. Keep posting!
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Thanks for your suggestion @dr_dave , and no offense taken to your critique. I was doing alternate picking, but it probably wasn’t apparent with my heavy picking and timing being off. I’m really trying to go more smoothly and with less pressure, but I’m just a very slow and heavy handed player. I can play it much faster and it sounds smooth, but then I make even more mistakes. As for not looking at my hands, I am unable to do that, because then I screw up even more.
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It was apparent that you were using down and up picks. In most places you nailed it, steadily alternating between down picks on the downbeats and up picks on the up beats, but there are some places where the pick direction deviates from the tab, i.e. from down on all the numbered beats of the measure and up on all the “ands.” If you up-pick on a quarter note or on the first of a pair of eighths, it can make it hard to maintain steady tempo. I suggest tapping your foot in a steady rhythm, then having your pick motion mimic your foot.
You’re doing great and really progressing. Hopefully your cut finger is healing too!
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Thanks @dr_dave . I’ll revisit the tab and try to pay better care at the pick direction. Great info. I truly appreciate your critiques of my playing, and thank you for the compliment. The finger has torn open a few times. Just in a bad spot (and sore when it hits a certain way). I never realized how much I use the index finger until I cut it.
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Hi @Loraine , I thought your flat picking was great👏👏👏 And trying to do it without looking😱, I’m a little jelly👍!
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Haha, don’t be jelly @Bill_Brown . It was out of necessity that I learned that way. Found out that if I look at my hands, my brain gets jumbled and I totally screw up. Anyway, thank you kindly for the compliment. I truly appreciate it.
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👍
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An Cool Apple for a hot June is only fitting. I often wrangle with the switch from the tab to my head. And like dr_dave says, I do find getting the pick direction to flow is a key to letting my muscle memory take over. Thanks for sharing.
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Really appreciate it @albert_d
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Keep it going @Loraine you are really starting to make lots of progress. I remember the first time you played… and now YA!!! 😊👍😎
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Thanks @Marty69 . Unfortunately I remember the first time I played too. Makes me realize I have made progress 🙂
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👍
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Nice one loraine!
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Appreciate it @Fly
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Well done, Loraine. I love that you don’t have to look at the strings! I hope to be able to do that soon someday soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Appreciate it @JanC . I have no doubt that soon you won’t need to look at the strings.
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Good job Loraine!
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Thanks Forrest
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Loraine, thanks for sharing! I can feel the love you have for playing!
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That is so kind of you to say @andy_e
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good job @Loraine!
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Thanks @cadgirl
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Way to go @Loraine. You get better every time I hear you play.
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I truly appreciate you saying this @bugmeist .
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Great flatpicking! You’re keeping a good consistent tempo. Like others have commented, it’s great that you’re not looking down, that keeps your posture nice and straight. It’s a higher learning curve not to look so I often do, but I bet you’ll progress much faster because you’re building muscle memory with your pick. Do you feel a difference when doing the boom-chicka strumming and have to switch base notes? That’s where the looking backfires, in my experience.
Also, the pick direction discussion between you and @dr_dave was super helpful.
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Thank you so much for your insight @Alisa . I really have a difficult time with the boom chicka pattern. It’s something I’m working on, but I still can’t look at my hands, because I spend too much time thinking about it and it doesn’t sound fluid. I tend to hit the wrong second base note all the time when trying to do it. I’m a little more consistent with the first base note, but even there I may hit the wrong one about 60% of the time. There is a definite learning curve with that skill. @dr_dave is a wealth of information. He’s a walking robotom (word?) in my opinion. He has more skill in his little pinky that I do as a whole. I truly appreciate all his input.
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@Loraine , you’re making me blush. We’re on a journey. I just saddled up a bit earlier than you, but there are a lot of people here who got started before me. One thing you need to understand it that we all learn from each other. The information flows in all directions, and I am convinced I take away more than I am able to give. But Icertainly enjoy sharing ideas that have helped me on my journey.
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😊
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Wow–this sounded great, @Loraine! Keep up the good work. I look forward to your next installment. Your Orangewood sounds nice.
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Thank you @BrianSantos !! The Orangewood is a favorite of mine.
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Nice job! You are doing well and keep improving. Way to go!
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Really appreciate it @Philb
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