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TRAVIS PICKING

TRAVIS PICKING IN G - Lesson 2

Build your travis picking skills up step by step with this interactive lessson.

INTRO

TRAVIS PICKING IN G

This lesson is the second in a series of Travis Picking in G.

Find the first lesson here

Example 1

Every time we approach a new fingerpicking piece or exercise, it is always a good idea to isolate the bassline and just play it on its own - focusing on steady, consistent rhythm.

EXAMPLE 1 - G ALTERNATE BASS

Learn travis picking | G Travis Picking lesson 2 - exercise 1

Example 2

We build up the exercise slowly -always the best idea with Travis Picking in G - here we add a pinch on the first beat of the bar.
A pinch is when we play a melody note (with the fingers) at the same time as playing a bass note (with the thumb). This creates a "pinch" action.

ADD A PINCH ON FIRST BEAT

Learn travis picking | G Travis Picking lesson 2 - exercise 2

Example 3

In this exercise, we take the previous example and just add one note - again this approach to stacking things note by note works really well for travis picking in G.
Here we add a note that is played "in between" bass notes. If it is your first time trying to play an in-between note, then it may fry your brain a bit, but you will soon get used to it.

ADD AN IN-BETWEEN NOTE

Learn travis picking | G Travis Picking lesson 2 - exercise 3

Example 4

Now we add just one more note again! This time it is another pinch. Both pinches now are at the same time as our G bass note (the 3rd fret of the low E or thickest string).
This gives us a flurry of notes which is a very pleasurable to play with the thumb/fingers once you have mastered it.

Adding a second pinch

Learn travis picking | G Travis Picking lesson 2 - exercise 4

Example 5

In example 5, we replace a note rather than adding one. We take out that second pinch and add another in-between note.

Add a second in-between note

G Travis Picking lesson 2 | exercise 5 audio | learn fingerpicking | learn fingerstyle | guitar

Example 6

Exercise 6 is the same as Exercise 5 with a note removed! Can you hear the difference?

12 Bar in E

Ex 2-6

summary

This is the second lesson in the G Travis Picking series. This lesson is focused less on the bass part of Travis picking - and more on the melody note side, stacking notes to build a musical motif.
You can now see how you have decisions that you can make musically - adding pinch notes, in-between notes and indeed leaving spaces in the music.
Focus on a steady bass an experimenting with any new ideas that come to your mind!
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