How I learn John Prine fingerpicking songs
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- John Prine's fingerpicking songs share some common threads. These next couple of videos are my attempt to respond to a number of requests for direction about how to play specific songs.
Instead of trying to "teach" (which I'm not qualified to do) any one particular song, I've instead decided to share some of the insights I've gained while teaching myself a number of his fingerpicking songs over the years. This is part one of what I intend to be a two-part video.
It's my hope that these videos will serve as a helpful introduction for others who want to figure out how to play versions of Prine's fingerpicking songs which are recognizably faithful to the original recordings.
Which is all I've ever aspired to or ever done, by the way- I've probably never played a Prine fingerpicking song precisely the same as the original. Just somewhat recognizably faithful to, and in the spirit of the original.
A good "Travis Picking" lesson with numerous video and audio examples:
www.guitarland....
On TH-cam, do a search for "travis picking' for other helpful lessons.
TH-camr Justin Sandercoe teaches the Travis Picking fingerstyle method in this video- at times he unnecessarily "shows off" in my opinion by playing it really fast, but apart from that it's a good lesson:
• Folk Fingerstyle 1 (Gu...
Tommy Emmanuel discusses and demonstrates the alternating thumb style, giving a lesson to a live audience:
• Video
It's a helpful video and lots of fun, and in it he addresses how hard it can be at first to keep your thumb going, independent of what your fingers are doing.
Also have a look at "Travis Picking Deconstructed" here:
www.howtotuneag...
A couple of G, C and D Prine songs on TH-cam-
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness:
• Video
One Red Rose (audio only:)
• Video
A fine C, F and G fingerpicking song with a capo (!) on the fourth fret, "How Lucky:"
• Video
I want to help others figure out how to deconstruct and teach themselves these (any and all) John Prine fingerpicking songs by showing the way I've been learning them over the years.
The second video is still pending, and I welcome any suggestions about what I can include in it.
The video and audio are just very slightly out of synch in this video, courtesy of TH-cam's "processing;" not enough to make a significant difference to what I'm demonstrating, just enough to piss me off.
I was about to lose my mind trying to play this style I've watched multiple videos with out much break through until tonight thanks I just got to slow down much help my friend
I am a life long John Prine fan and I will be 79 in June, I have always wanted to play the guitar or banjo, my grandson Jack is now teaching me how to play the guitar, it's coming along so so - but I won't give in, that is my aim now, all of us John Prine fans miss him since he passed away but we still have the pleasure of listening to his songs with the legacy he has left us, Calum Bunde.
Keep at it. John’s songs were maybe simple, but always deep and beautiful
Thank you for this video. I have been trying to teach my daughter how to "finger Pick" for many years, but when I slow it down enough to show her, I can't do it. My right hand just does it without me knowing how. I do it correctly for the song I am playing, but I just cannot slow it down to show her. I can't do it right when I slow it down. I can send her the links you provided. I hope this video and those will help her.
🇬🇧👍🏻
Supberb
Why No...... No it hasn't. I will ponder that remark and let you know my thoughts.
Credibility...hmmmm......I'm not really looking for any, but I will ponder the need for it on such a forum as TH-cam....
The bass-line (series of bass notes) you're playing with the thumb is traditionally referred to as an "alternating bass" theme which sets the underlying tempo of most folk songs. It's like having a built-in harmonic metronome which perfectly maintains precise timing of all the other notes played within a given song. A strong alternating bass rhythm enables you to act as your own percussive accompaniment. Each pluck of the thumb (alternating bass notes) correlates with a tap of your toes or tick of a metronome.
deltabluestips doesnt have them and he plays right handed finger picking like ringing a bell
Patiently waiting on part two man!!! don't let the music die!!
Many thanks from one Capoed Crusader to another, Donny: I'm always very glad to know that someone has found one of these semi-instructional videos of mine to be helpful.
This is easily the most helpful video I've found so far as a Prine loving, fumble fingered guitar beginner. Did you ever finish part two? I'd give my least favorite toe for a peak at the fingers in action!
Hey Ian, I keep returning to this video now and again to see where I started from. I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this video here and on my smartphone while struggling with my first fingerpicked chords. You were THE instructor who put me on the road and I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for this and the other instruction videos you made. I am a happy customer -- I can work out my own covers now :)
Hope all is well, Merry Christmas to you, my TH-cam friend.
Zsolt
Very Good lesson and well explained, you have to get that old thumb to do what its told, thank you
John Prine only uses his thumb and index finger to pick. He calls it a mistake that turned into a style. I would like to see someone teach it the way he does it. He doesn't use the traditional Travis picking method.
Polar Shaving ...great observation...noticed that myself.
I read down through the thread here, and I must concur with the overwhelming consensus that you are good at this guitar teaching thing. I like your style. I like your singing voice too. I think I'd enjoy drinking a couple of cold ones sitting around at a party where you were the voice of song! Thanks man!
Shawn
You've inspired me! I'll try it on my 12-string Gibson, but I'll bet I should get a 6-string to really master it. Great video!
Merle Travis choked the strings with the fatty part of the edge of his hand on the bridge. The thumb actually hits all three strings, AED, in the groove If you watch him you'll notice this. But these days people try to keep the thumb clean like you are but that's more Chet Atkins style and call it Travis picking encompassing every or any type of thumb use. John Prine may be different, but Merle Travis does not pick the AED string clean.
A key point I read in your notes for this lesson is the fact that you try to play the songs such that they are "recognizably faithful" to the originals. I agree. I don't see they need to try to learn a song note for note, after all most of the good fingerpickers rarely play a song the same way twice so why be a religious zealot about copying them note for note? I feel it's much more important to find your own musical "voice" by putting personal touches on a song, while at the same time still paying homage to the original. That's my opinion fwiw :)
Seeing John Prine tonight in Carmel, CA!!
Can you video yourself picking John Prine's "Day is Done" for me to learn?
You taught me on your 'How I fingerpick Hello In There by John Prine' and I play it all the time.
I am old and not a fast learner. This helps a lot. I will use this when I am at my home in the jungles of Thailand. Also I have John Prine eyes.
Very nice. I think you did a great job. I too teach and have a course I'm makin. A big course though, from beginner to advanced. I like how you teach about moving your hand to the three chords. Also how you say you can pluck at the same time or separately and that's all the options you have and starting with the bass run. Well done.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts. And should you ever upload your version of a Prine song I would certainly look forward to that also!
There can never be too many Prine songs on TH-cam, and your contribution would be most welcome.
If you're watching deltabluestips videos, I know you can play!
Regards,
Jordan The Cat.
John Prine always puts on a great show, doesn't he? And it's always a fun experience to be among a few thousand fans who know all the words!
Thanks a lot. You're a good teacher with a pleasant style.
when, in the description, you say "these next couple of videos," what other videos are you referring to? This video is a huge help for me, and if there's anything that expands on it, I'd love to see that.
I'll try to have a report on your desk by Monday morning detailing why I missed this deadline, or at least an excuse for why that report was also delayed.
Thanks for the great and pleasant way you show it how to,you are great.
Wow! I've come across a lot of "How to..." videos and plenty on guitar but that was wonderfully simple and educational. Not everyone has the ability to teach or be an instructor. I'm looking forward to checking out more of your videos. All these years and someone has finally answered some simple questions. Thanks!
Huge respect and gratitude for John Prine. The deep simple presence of that man and his music is larger than life...
You still going to make a part two of this?
Thank you.
I somehow haven't picked up my guitar in almost a year now...
What? Go dust that thing off and do some more Prine covers..I learned Travis picking from all your videos..Nothing beats visual lessons..
Please pick it up! I want to play That's the Way the World Goes Round.
Get on it dude!
@@jordanthecat
I like the thumb and index only just more relaxed don't know why ...Lightnin' Hopkins always did too.
Thanks.. that looked like a mystery for a beginner :) I now see a way to do this. If you could upload "John Prine - Day Is Done", it would be great too..
Not much of an accomplishment. I was a 40-year fan of Prine, but he was never much of a guitar player.
Warrington Williams ....Well true, he was no Carlos Montoya or Carlos Santana, and everyone knows that. He was mostly known for his simple songs with heartfelt lyrics. His 3-chord structure with a simple Travis-picking style served him well.
Prine studied guitar in his youth at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where they teach Travis Style picking to this day.
In one of your videos you say you are "not much of a teacher". You are wonderfully misinformed.
Thanks for all your help.
Travis
Keep spreading the love. I do not think that there is anybody on "the tube" doing it better. Thanks.
@Trunedk One of them was a fake nail. The rest of them are real, and come in quite handy during hand-to-hand combat.
thanks for this great instructional video. I hope I'm not too old to learn this travis picking . I would love to be able to play like this
You know your way around a guitar, John. I'm sure it won't take you very long at all.
I miss you sir; many years ago you taught me, via one of your TH-cam videos, how to play "Sabu"; for me that was the key I needed to get going! So, this is a belated "thank you very much". I hope you are doing well.
Hi, thanks for this video, it was a huge help when I was trying to get somewhere with picking his songs. I'm still picking up wee bits and pieces but have managed to get a lot closer with them because of your video, cheers
Middle and index are my compromise as well. Adding the ring finger seems just reach a confusion level for me. I single forefinger seems way too busy but John Prine was a master so who could argue. Many thanks for this.
THANK YOU! VERY INFORMATIVE...YOU TOOK IT SLOWWWWW....DIDN'T SHOWBOAT, AND I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE!
I am a multi a instrumentalist/singer, and have just begun my guitar journey. In the past, I had guitarists and fiddlers to accompany me- I play Celtic & folk...advanced on Irish flute, bodhran, Pennywhistle...and Strumstick, intermediate fiddle ..now my repotoire is so vast and the logical choice is to move into solo gigs...I'm done with band draaaaama...and honestly? I can do much better solo!
So here goes my soiree into guitar! So far I know all my major chords- F & B being sticklers...lol, and most minors- enough to lock in 20-30 4-5 chord songs....I'll augment with my other instruments.
I'll keep tuned!! Thank you again!
Very good tutorial, I already have, thumb independence, although, we never stop learning.
I don't sound in tune with you even though I used two tuners to try and make it so. Am I missing something?
Great lesson Ian. I play a bastardized version of Travis Picking myself..sometimes true to the style and sometimes just doing my own thing ..It's fairly easy to learn with basic chords and of course it's great on so many songs..Not just John Prine songs..Listen to Jordan the cat folks! he knows what he is talking about : )
Rocket
Could someone please give me the tabs for One Red Rose? I can't find them anywhere. Thank you SO much
You don't have to play it precisely the way he does. Even he doesn't play songs precisely the same from one occasion to the next. Just do the travis picking thing and it will sound fine.
I can do a nice fingerstyle, but it is soooo not John Prine's sound. Could you please be a little more specific? eg. G = 6--3-2-1-4-3-2-1 Thank so much.
I hate Bb. I found that it's much easier to use the first knuckle of the pinkie to barre the DGB strings and either mute the little E or press it really hard. Otherwise it's a three finger thing for me. Good lesson. Travis picking is wicked hard. You have to split your brain to get the two lines working. Your comments about relaxing and explanations help a lot. It's something that is almost as hard as Bb for me. Thanks.
THANK YOU FINALLY SOMEONE who actually gives a real John Prine Lesson....picken...
It's a Gibson J-100XT. It looks a bit large, being a jumbo, but it's incredibly lightweight and produces a richer sound than I or my videos can properly convey.
I'm glad to hear that. The JustinSandercoe video is very helpful also because of the time he takes showing the pattern, as well as the supportive PDF files. Just take it slow at first, and be patient with the fact that your thumb will at first forget what it's doing once your fingers start plucking their part. But once you've got it, you've got it!
@forbzee63 Look who's talking :) Hey Mark, long time no see -- I am glad to meet you here, this means you are working on some fingerstyle stuff :) This video is my Base Camp Zero -- this is where I myself started from.
Merry Christmas to you, pal!
Zsolt
This was a really well sequenced and help video, and youre a very followable and agreeable teacher.. thanks very much my friend
excuses...humf!
BTW...you do great lessons. Grasshopper eager to learn. More Prine Prease!
I've put a couple of helpful (I think) links in the text description to Travis Picking lessons. I forget how long it took me to first learn it to the point where it began to feel "easy" to do- it was a number of months I think, but you've got lots of time between now and next campfire season to get comfortable with the style!
All the best, and happy picking!
You can accomplish a lot with just seven or eight chords though, can't you! This isn't really a proper fingerpicking lesson, though- check out the link in my text to Justin Sandercoe's lesson for something more thorough.
Be sure to upload your Sam Stone once you're happy with it, and let me know!
You're quite right, slyconner- Prine's fingerpicking songs all seem to share commonalities, almost to the point that if you can learn one, you can learn them all.
Nice job you did on "Souvenirs," by the way!!!
@DougM63 Yeah, you're right. Instead of (unsuccessfully) trying to shoot my video aroung the disaster in the background, I probably should have taken a few minutes and put the dish soap to good use beforehand.
Really helpful. I am a strummer that is trying to learn some basic picking for campfire type songs like Prine. Thanks very much.
Thanks- what you may be commenting on there is a fake nail I glued in place after busting the real one off at work. Fake nails work well, but they do look a little odd.
So many fingers, so little time...
i forgot to mention, my
friend told me to slow down
the travis picking, real slow
and then try to pick up speed,
that might help beginners like me.
Enjoy your lessons very much. Thank you and keep up the great work....Please.
John Prine is playing basic chords in "Long Monday" while using a capo.
Long Monday has a G, C and Dm chord with a capo on the third fret. I've sent you a message with further details.
John Prine chord books which include elaborate barre chords are not musically incorrect, but they are nevertheless WRONG.
Oh!!! I now feel like I can do this! What great instruction...if you're not a teacher, then you've missed your calling - you should be. Thankyouthankyouthankyou so much.
If I haven't got this now, could you come & live at my house til I get it? LOL!
Seriously, you have helped immensely.
Great intro thanks. I 've got the basics. On Long Monday what trips me up is the change from Fmaj back to Bflatmaj (via Cmaj or something that looks like it). I can't quite work out what my left hand needs to do.
Thanks- I'm just hoping that these pseudo-tutorials are actually helpful. Fellow TH-camr whorwood has also been asking me about "One Red Rose." I might just have to get around to trying it once my next video is done.
Yes he does- you're quite right there.
Has it occurred to you that your comments would take on a different tone, and have greater credibility if you'd ever uploaded a video of your own?
Just take a couple or three guitar lessons and ask the teacher to show you "Travis Picking." That's what John Prine does in his fingerpicking songs. Once you learn the technique, which might take a month or two to get comfortable with, you'll suddenly realize that you can figure out and learn all of Prine's fingerpicking songs pretty easily.
I love your approach. I am rediscovering the guitar after a 35 year heiatis and your approach eases away the fear of complexity factor.
Geeze, you're absolutely right. Well spotted. Not only can't I play the chord properly, I got its name wrong.
I know what it's like to just lose interest for periods of time. Pick up that guitar of yours, put on a new set of strings, and remind it of how your favorite songs go.
@TheSpinWizard We all need to take a break from playing now and then- after 35 years you should be well rested. But you'll probably need a new set of strings.
I'll pay some attention to John's bass runs in my next vid- thanks for the suggestion. So much ground to cover- this might drag out to more than just two videos.
Yes you will. You'll come to realize that it's essentially a simple thing because it's just a repeatable pattern you are practicing.
Thanks very much! Now pick up that guitar and play us a Prine song! TH-cam always needs more Prine songs.
Awesome video. Thanks. I've been sitting around today kinda at a stalemate... wondering what new guitar stuff I could learn. This is perfect.
Yes, my nails are indeed happy.
Long fingernails on the right hand, for right-handed fingerpickers, are a requirement.
Thanks for the tips. I've loved J.P. since the early 70's. I traded some golf clubs for a Martin and tried it but could never get to catch it. I'll did it out of the closet and try again. Thanks for posting
Thanks for the kind endorsement, Rob. And hey, I really like your "bastardized" finger picking songs!!!
Have a look at some of the links I've included in the text description of this video.
Learning these fingerpicking John Prine songs is really just all about learning "Travis Picking." Once you've learned that, you'll be surprised at how many John Prine songs you can suddenly play.
And thank you also- don't be afraid to change your strings- they are probably about due.
Thanks for the excellent lesson. I love John Prine. It will take some practice, but I'll get it.
Thanks for this. Very kind and I love the sound of that Gibson. Regarding the dishes I think too much dishwashing plays havoc with your calluses ha!!
i would really like to learn the song souvenirs, i have watched his videos, but i still find them difficult, any ideas
thanks
Thanks for sharing its always helpful to pick up tips from others that I can incorporate into teaching myself to play this beautiful instrument
Changing from G to C chord:
A string open, then 2nd, then 3rd fret.
Changing from D to G chord:
Low E string open, then 2nd (held down by left thumb,) then 3rd fret.
But I just heard you play "Maybe Someday" so I'm sure you already figured it out by ear for yourself!
You did well at singing the second song..
I second the request for the "One red rose" lesson. In fact, I insist. Please post this lesson by the end of the day
John Prine learned to fingerpick from Merle Travis, who also only used his thumb and forefinger. A lot, if not most, of the old time blues players did the same.
Great editing! Your voice sounded great at the end when you started singing... I didn't want you to stop.
Hi,
it‘s at least 5 years since I‘m trying, but this thumb thing still troubles me.
Hopefully your hints will make the difference.
Thanks anyway!
So very helpful!! Really... Thank you so much. I can practice now. I have told young guitar players just starting out that they can only play... I dunno...8,000 songs or so with the G,D,C rotation. John Prine is the G,D,C rotation on steroids!! His sound is so FULL due to his sneaky picking style, you have unveiled that style for me and I can't wait to spread the joy that is a John Prine song to everyone I can. Thanks again...Ol Sarge...
Btw...John just passed this week from the Corona virus. Right now, I bet God is receiving that grateful handshake John promised Him... Wish I could be there to see it...
awesome travis picking lesson! Thanks so much.
Thanks a lot for the video. Wondering how this airy style could be applied in 3/4 time. Thanks
Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad you've found something helpful in my videos. I guess I just don't want to seem to portray myself as some kind of "expert." I'm just trying to share a couple of insights here and there, the way we do around the campfire.
this is a very john prine thing to say dog
I wrote Maybe Someday,did you like it?.Be honest with you I am having alot of trouble training my ears.I am along way from having the so called perfect pitch. Thanks again for your help
Hey! I'm in post-production on a feature-length documentary on John, and we're looking to include videos that breakdown John's fingerpicking style (exactly like the ones you've uploaded). Would love to shoot you an email with more info!
Wow! Keep me posted about the documentary!
where can i see more about the documentary? All I need in this world is a good John Prine doc
That's great, but JP only uses his index finger to pick?
I struggle so much with bar chords okay with the basic, I always loved using my thumb and why not great tuition
john picked with only his thumb and index-and thats how merle travis did too..
Hi, if you could do another video at some time and really slow down the finger picking patterns that would be greatly appreciated.