Good wee flatpicking lesson focusing on rolls and crosspicking.

BigPaulie

This guy is a great picker!

Almost all the crosspicking lessons online focus on variations of the three note roll and the virtues of "down down up" versus "down up down".

This shows how there are other commonly, ubiquitously so, patterns that no-one talks about.

Lewy

Nice video, and yes he's an amazing picker! Two-time Winfield winner on guitar (think he won it on mando too).

Crosspicking is probably my favourite thing to do on acoustic. Thanks for sharing.

fretmeister

That was really good.

Before I got a hand injury I always played acoustic with just my fingers but I can't do that very well anymore so I've been looking at stuff like this more.

bermudianbrit

This is awesome

Lewy

fretmeister said:

That was really good.

Before I got a hand injury I always played acoustic with just my fingers but I can't do that very well anymore so I've been looking at stuff like this more.

That's why whenever I see someone talking about acoustics as sounding good 'fingerpicked or strummed' I always inwardly scream "you're missing an entire world of music!!"

I much prefer to crosspick versus fingerpick for acoustic self-accompaniment and solo playing these days because there's just so much you can do and it really gets the best out of a good acoustic guitar.

fretmeister

At the moment my "good acoustic" is a 1/2 sized £25 classical!!

It's about 40 years old and falling apart so it will need to be replaced.

I've never owned a good acoustic. If my PRS ever sells I might use the money for that though.

BigPaulie

fretmeister said:

That was really good.

Before I got a hand injury I always played acoustic with just my fingers but I can't do that very well anymore so I've been looking at stuff like this more.

I never considered flatpicking as an alternative approach for people with picking hand issues. That's a great way to look at it!

You really do need to invest in that nice acoustic. You know you deserve it .

bertie

on a quick scan  -  isnt that more "hybrid picking"  ? as he appears to be using his fingers  -  admittedly havnt properly watched / listened  -  going to have a proper watch/listen a bit later............... but nice one

Lewy

bertie said:

on a quick scan  -  isnt that more "hybrid picking"  ? as he appears to be using his fingers  -  admittedly havnt properly watched / listened  -  going to have a proper watch/listen a bit later............... but nice one

Nah he's not picking with his fingers, although at times he appears to be anchoring his spare fingers on the 1st string which makes it look a bit like he's using he's fingers.

bertie

Lewy said:

bertie said:

on a quick scan  -  isnt that more "hybrid picking"  ? as he appears to be using his fingers  -  admittedly havnt properly watched / listened  -  going to have a proper watch/listen a bit later............... but nice one

Nah he's not picking with his fingers, although at times he appears to be anchoring his spare fingers on the 1st string which makes it look a bit like he's using he's fingers.

gotcha   -   Im off to the toof doc now,  so I'll have a proper gander later

Lewy

People tend to think the only way to do something intricate on acoustic is to fingerpick. Not so! The big difference is that flatpicking by its very nature is more linear/monophonic than fingerpicking and whilst you may think that would make it less self contained, it has a fundamental pulse that carries it through and makes it work. That hails directly from it's roots in the fiddle tradition. The pulse comes from a fairly strict adherence to the principles that you play down beats with a downstroke and up beats with an upstroke....perpetual down up down up down up ... and that means the beat is always emphasised.

fretmeister

Damn that first vid is banging.

I'm really going to have to look into this more.

bertie

fretmeister said:

Damn that first vid is banging.

I'm really going to have to look into this more.

there might be a Furch OM 33 in the offing......................... just what you need............ (if I can find an Atkin at the right ££)

Lewy

fretmeister said:

Damn that first vid is banging.

I'm really going to have to look into this more.

Bryan Sutton is supernatural, as is Norman Blake who wrote that tune. Here's a more accessible version by a mortal:

Matt_McG

It's also worth checking out Molly Tuttle shredding the hell out White Freightliner using the same flat picking technique (and singing at the same time). 

Hootsmon

how is the 1st pic ex different from the 4th?

Hootsmon

Man, she' good! a hundered diferent troy gradys in there 

BigPaulie

Lewy said:

...The pulse comes from a fairly strict adherence to the principles that you play down beats with a downstroke and up beats with an upstroke....perpetual down up down up down up ... and that means the beat is always emphasised.

Do I foresee a descent into the old "down up down" Vs "down down up" argument?

When I started crosspicking I felt that ""down up down" made more sense. Norman Blake pretty much sticks religiously to "down up down" and his flow and feel are impeccable. There are many more technically proficient pickers out there, but his musicality is unsurpassed IMO.

Recently I have begun to experiment with "down down up" as I can personally get a better flow and evenness although I can't yet achieve the same speed as with "down up down". Tony Rice, whom for many is the pinnacle of acoustic guitar flatpicking, played "down down up" and made regular use of economy picking and other techniques not thought of as belonging in traditional flatpicking.

FWIW I'm currently playing "down down up" when going low to high, and "up down down" when going high to low.

As ever, there are far more than one way to skin a cat.

BigPaulie

Matt_McG said:

It's also worth checking out Molly Tuttle shredding the hell out White Freightliner using the same flat picking technique (and singing at the same time). 

She is so gifted. What a musician!

I love how she teaches; breaking the tunes down into sensible pieces and almost convincing the student that what she does is accessible. Then you watch her in full flow and put the guitar back on its stand.

BigPaulie

Hootsmon said:

how is the 1st pic ex different from the 4th?

Four across moves linearly across 4 adjacent strings from low to high, picking down up down up.

The in and out roll plays over three adjacent strings starting with a downstroke on the middle string of the trio, then playing an upstroke on the lower of the three strings, then a downstroke on the middle string followed by an upstroke on the highest of the three strings.

BigPaulie

fretmeister said:

Damn that first vid is banging.

I'm really going to have to look into this more.

If you need some more material, here is Molly giving a great lesson on the usual 3 string "banjo roll".

https://acousticguitar.com/crosspicking-101-a-private-bluegrass-lesson-with-molly-tuttle-video/