TE-310 • Melodic Percussive Fingerstyle

[justinguitar]

Questions please...

Lesson Link: http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TE-310-FKW-Fingerstyle.php

[mike067]

Justin-I have an important question, but first, I just want to say- I've never done this before- write to someone who made a video.
 I know you're probably too busy to write back, but if I COULD ask you anything, it would be for a Good Fingerstyle tab book, with James Taylor, other fingerstyle greats, blues, etc. Is there such a thing?

When I was younger, I used to think James Taylor songs were too "pretty" to be "cool", how wrong I was.

When I started playing guitar, many moons ago, I loved "Fire and rain", but I thought, "Nah, that sounds too complicated to learn"
Since then, I've learned hundreds of songs I can strum chords and sing to, so my New Challenge is fingerstyle and sing.

I just watched your "Fire and rain"-  Dude- YOU-ARE-AWESOME. You can even sing like James!
 I wish I could take Lessons from you, but I will learn as much as possible, from your site. Thank You, from all of us who appreciate what you do.

 I have ONE question (so far). Are those fingernails glue-ons?
 I've been trying to figure the best way to go. The plastic fingerpicks, I can't really get the "touch". the control of my fingers, with them.
 And flesh doesn't have the treble, the tone, of picks, or nails.  I don't think ANY fingerpicks can EVER give the touch YOU have, with your nails.
Give us the Nail Secrets!

Oh! yeah, justone more- I was reading your vibrato post, and replies, some guys mention your "videos",the Vibrato video", and 5 blues riffs", etc. Where do I find those videos, on You Tube?

Thanks, again, Justin. You are a TRUE musician of caliber.   "Full marks", I think the Brits say?

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the "Fire and rain" video.
I gotta go, so I can practice!  ........ Bravo, Bravo, Bravo.

Take a Bow, my man- If you ever make a record, I'll DEFINITELY buy it!
 
 

[misterg]

Oh! yeah, justone more- I was reading your vibrato post, and replies, some guys mention your "videos",the Vibrato video", and 5 blues riffs", etc. Where do I find those videos, on You Tube?

If you go to the main website:www.justinguitar.com/

There's a list of lesson topics down the left hand side. The vibrato videos are under 'Technique', and the blues licks ones are under 'Blues'. It's not the easiest site to navigate, but there's an awful lot of material there.

BTW: I believe Justin's RH nails are falsies, and he has made a record already - look for "Small Town Eyes"

If you don't know, he also does  a live 'U-Stream' broadcast most Fridays at 6pm UK time. The old ones are here

He is The Man.

HTH

Andy

[AleksD]

whats up with the selfmade pickguard?

I have ONE question (so far). Are those fingernails glue-ons?

he said once they are acrylic nails like the girls have, getting done once in a month or so.

[Green45]

Anyone have a good tip/explanation for Example 5 of this lesson and what technique you use to click and only get 1 string to ring out in the process? For me it's either none ring or they all ring ( referring to top 3 high notes). Any advice for this would be greatly appreciated!   

ie:

-
1
-
x
x
x

[muudzis]

When I hit the strings with my palm - almost no sound comes out on my acoustic guitars with nylon or metal strings. What could I be doing wrong?

[Cue Zephyr]

To get that first string ringing, practise your right hand coordination. Slap to get the click, then stretch all your fingers and try to get your middle finger to skim just that first string. I had trouble with this too, when learning Ebon Coast a couple of weeks ago, but practise it over and over again, and you'll dial it in.

Slap harder to get the click.

[G.Ben91]

Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbqtuFemMOE

I think he uses exactly this tech in that song, and I wanna learn it. I've been practicing the technique, but can any1 send me a good tab or a link to a good tutorial on this one?

[knuid]

Dear Forum (and Justin of course)


I haven't looked at the website for a bit and was delighted to find all the new vids Justin has put up. I've been learning with him for 18 months now and I've progressed from a complete beginner who would vanish in a cloud of bright red embarrassment at the mention of playing something in public to someone who isn't ashamed to play the odd song for a few friends! Thanks Justin!

I have a little question concerning my guitar which I have discovered whilst trying to do the "click" thing in this lesson. Sometimes I get a click, but mostly I get a horrible squeak from somewhere in my guitar! I don't think it's my technique - if I try it on my classical I don't get the squeak.. I've had close look at my guitar and there aren't any visible cracks in the body.... but it has called to mind an incident when I put my guitar on its stand wrong, walked away and the poor thing tipped forward and fell face down onto the wood floor... The horror! (Wish I wasn't so clumsy, but I'm the king of person who'll open a cupboard door, forget about it 2 seconds later and walk right into it. Bet my guitar wishes it had a more corodinated owner.)
Is that squeak possbly a sign of damage on the inside? Something loose around the bridge? Also, if I push with one or two fingers on the body of the guitar about 1inch from the bridge (if I go to the centre of the bridge and move 1inch in the direction away from the strings and soundhole, at 90 degrees to the bridge) I get a slight creaking sound.
As I said, I can't see and damage, and when restringing my guitar I had a good feel around the inside around the bridge but noticed nothing strange. I'm sure that when I bought the guitar there was no creak!

Your best guesses would be much appreciated,
Knuid


   

[misterg]

Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark

I think he uses exactly this tech in that song, and I wanna learn it. I've been practicing the technique, but can any1 send me a good tab or a link to a good tutorial on this one?

Sorry, didn't see your question 'till now:

I *think* Gibbard uses more of a 'rake' than hitting the strings (a 'chuck'??). i.e. he drags his fingernails across the string after hitting the bass note. This video describes the technique as I understand it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8SzxZJ4Rls&feature=related

There are LOADS of tabs out there for this song - I think most of them are wrong! The one I learnt was version 5 on Ultimate Guitar:

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/d/death_cab_for_cutie/i_will_follow_you_into_the_dark_ver5_crd.htm

Note: Capo on 5th.


I can't say I particularly like DCfC, but I love this song - I'm pretty much up to speed with it now, having started learning it about 6 months ago - it took a long time to bring the picking / rhythm up to speed.

HTH

Andy

[G.Ben91]

Oh damn.

Well, too late, I spent a month trying to do it with the percussive style... I wasn't  too far I guess, I did bass-hit-1st, bass-1st-hit-1st, problem was that I couldnt control my first finger to always hit the 4th string... but I saw Justin could pick out any string between the hits, so probably it just needs practice.

Anyway, gonna try this thing... as for the chords, I tried a bit different version but it's fairly close, and first I played with capo, but realized I couldn't sing along that high, so no capo for me

[misterg]

...problem was that I couldnt control my first finger to always hit the 4th string... but I saw Justin could pick out any string between the hits, so probably it just needs practice.

*Definitely* just needs practice.

The problem is that you need a relaxed, consistent right hand movement, but this is difficult to get going while you're having to hunt for the string to pluck every time. I used to play this through once every day before I went to work. It gradually went from taking 10 minutes to ~3 minutes. Also, the concentration it required was intense - I couldn't even speak while I was playing it - now I can (almost) hold a conversation whilst keeping the song going.

I still occasionally hit the 6th string, and get lost in the chord changes if I'm not concentrating, though.

Singing, now there's a real challenge

Andy

[Cue Zephyr]

Yeah, singing is a real challenge.
A couple of months ago (before this lesson was out) I tried to use this technique in More Than Words by Extreme. It adds some groove to the song if you do it like that, but then singing along is really very hard.

Or, I misunderstood your point.

[misterg]

Or, I misunderstood your point.

 

Nope, you understood perfectly 

[Cue Zephyr]

Good. It is really, really hard to sing along that, but it sounds so full if you can! As I like Andy McKee I also use this technique a lot to add that groove that I love so much in many of his songs.