Hi everyone, nice to be here,

I've just signed up and am looking for advice on how to start Bluegrass flat picking.

I have been playing finger style guitar (Elizabeth Cotten) for a few years. My husband is a banjo player and I would like to be able to join in for once!

I love bluegrass, I am also a left handed player.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Well .... firstly ... a good solid rhythm guitar player is always welcome .. even more so when they are a harmony singer.. and all flatpicking starts with solid rhythm playing. THere are almost countless books CD's and DVD's on how to Flatpick available , and everybody has their favorites. There is also so much online material available it's almost scary. The Flatpicking style of guitar playing starts with two players and an argument for three or four more ...... Doc Watson and Clarence White. Find some recordings of these two players and listen to them, both sit down listen and passive listen until you can hum or whistle the melodies and " breaks " that they play. THis gives your ear an understanding of what the players are doing.I don't know what is available in the U.K. but here www.homespuntapes.com/ has a large number of offerings www.melbay.com/ does also. I can't stress enough how important listening to what you want to learn is. Any competent FLatpicking book / CD / DVD combination will get you started and listening and playing everyday will get you to jamming w/ your hubby faster. A good basic understanding of keys, scales and what chords go together " music theory ", the how of how music works, will get you into the bones of what you are doing and make it possible to play along when you don't really know the song. Be patient , play rhythm with recordings, pick out the melodies, buy a good capo, and if you are big enough physically to do so play a dreadnought size guitar ..... Martins are the standard, there are several acceptable other makers..... And have FUN ...... Luck... R/

VERY well put Richard.

Many thanks Richard, good advice and much appreciated.

I understand that an essential technique is the up-down-up-down [U D U D U D] etc picking [with the plectrum], is there anywhere [here perhaps] that I could find a basic starter lesson in say a G or a C chord?

I am very familiar with Doc Watsons work [just brilliant] but I will look up Clarence White, many thanks again and all the best from London.

In the Media Archive section herein  under the letter G you will find two video lessons on "G" licks that will get you started on "G". When you say G chord are you asking about the Key of G ? I also recommend YouTube " Banjo Ben" recordings good stuff. Yes up down pick alternating for scale and lick playing is an essential technique. Use it when practicing licks and scales and eventually you will no longer think about it you will just be doing it....... Enjoy.. And you are of course welcome ..... we all started sometime..... R/

Edited by - UsuallyPickin on 09/10/2012 06:17:46

A quick note from a beginning picker - I have been known to buy books, cds, etc and never use them. That being said I have found two great references for me. One is the Academy of Bluegrass - academyofbluegrass.com. I like it alot and find it worth the money. I leave that call to you though.

The other one that shocked me on how great a value - is the Essentials of Flatpicking series from Flatpicking Magazine - I committed to getting Book 1 the Rhythm book and it is incredible. Most references say how rhythm is extremely important and then simply give you a G-run or two and a boom-chuck strum - this has 100 pages plus of rhythm work. After getting this book/cd I committed to myself to follow the series at least for the next few books anyway

Scott

Richard and Scott, many thanks indeed.

Yes i have just found the media archive and will look for the lessons you mention and yes, i mean the key of G, not the chord.

Phew, there is so much to learn!

To my banjo students, I recommend the Slow Jam DVDs by Peter Wernick, which exist in three skill levels. While you have a banjoist in the house, these DVD's allow you to practice whenever, and at modest tempos. 20 plus bluegrass standard songs on each disc.  Bluegrass guitar skill moves from chords to pick-strum, to added bass lines and standard connecting "runs" before you ever get into any sort of lead playing.  Timing and rhythm are everything.

The DVDs are avaiable from Homespun Tapes and from Elderly Music.

It's like a ladder or a set of stairs. The higher you get the more you see. The more you learn the more you know there is to learn.......... But best of all ... If you have music you have a friend for life..... R/

...and a fine friend she is. The enjoyment I have gotten out of my guitar by expanding from chord strumming songs (Jimmy Buffett style, et al) to adding fiddle tunes and flatpicking has really boosted my fun and satisfaction, not to mention those insights gained. Bye bye last plateau - hello next!

In addition to Clarence and Doc I also recommend checking out Norman Blake.  He’s one of the godfathers of flatpicking and has a very approachable style.  His “Whiskey Before Breakfast” cd would be a great place to start.  You can also check out Tony Rice and Dan Crary but they’re going to be more advanced for the most part.  Definitely listen to as much bluegrass music and flatpicked guitar as you can.  You have to have the music in you before it will come out, and the only way to do that is to listen to it.

As far as playing, the first thing you need to do is learn to play good rhythm.  I don’t think you can learn rhythm from a book – you have to be able to hear it, and see it.  The best resource I’ve found for this is the Chris Jones “Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar” video (http://chrisjonesmusic.com/blog/music-dvds-2/dvd-or-vhs-bluegrass-rhythm-guitar).  Chris does a great job explaining and demonstrating all the basic rhythm techniques you need to play solid bluegrass rhythm.

There are two reasons learning rhythm is so important.  First, the primary role of the guitar in any bluegrass ensemble setting is rhythm.  In other words, if you show up to a jam with a guitar they don’t necessarily expect you to be able to burn up Tony Rice-style leads, but they will definitely expect you to play rhythm.  Second, many of the melodies you’re going to run across in bluegrass music are pulled directly out of the chord shapes.  To play lead, you need to have an instinctive understanding of the changes, and what chords you’re playing over.  This is technically true in most forms of music but moreso in bluegrass.  You’re very lucky to have a banjo player in the house.  A lot of people really struggle to find folks to play with.  Take advantage of this!

In addition to the above, I also recommend getting a subscription to Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.  It’s a fantastic resource and each issue is chock full of lessons from various flatpicking gurus like Orrin Star, Steve Kaufman, Brad Davis, Dan Crary, and more.  You can look them up on http://www.flatpick.com/ .  We’re getting ready to renew for the third straight year.

I would also recommend finding a good teacher.  Preferably a flatpicker.  Flatpicking is a very specific style with very unique constraints and someone who doesn’t do it isn’t going to be able to teach it, in my opinion.

One more thing…for lead, start off with songs like Wildwood Flower that stay almost entirely within the chord shapes.  This is called “Carter Style” lead and is the first type of lead playing you should learn.  Other suggestions – Bury Me Beneath the Willow, Home Sweet Home, Will the Circle Be Unbroken.  That should get you started.  I think the Flatpick Essentials series mentioned above has a whole book dedicated to this style.

Yeah DaddyJ if I had named three more to listen to you would have pegged them. Whiskey Before Breakfast is to this day still one of my favorite albums....... Keep on Pickin.... R/

Check out fret board roadmaps. Great tool to learn your craft and now they even put them out more specialized towards certain genre's of music. I believe there is a bluegrass guitar addition. 

Excellent information already here. For someone who's just starting in flatpicking, there are great resources available at www.taborgrass.com, including basic sound files and tab charts. I recommend starting with something simple like "Liberty," then moving on to another simple tune that catches your ear. Remember to enjoy the journey and have fun along the way.

Unless I misunderstood your 1st post you should have a BIG headstart due to your fingerstyle experiance. The advice given will get you going. The husband playing banjo will know about rhythm. You should be in great shape. Good luck and welcome.