Windy and Warm

Here is a little Merle Travis style of finger picking where you play the alternating bass with the thumb and the melody with the first finger. Later players like Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed expanded on this style. 

The Fundamentals

A thorough concentration on the fundamentals is a mainstay for any venture, corporate and individual. That axiom is never more true than is how we approach a musical instrument or a specific genre of music. There are not short cuts, by the way. 

Skills development is sometimes not that most fun aspect of learning to play music, but it becomes essential if the players wishes to play the music they enjoy the most. 

Our brains capture an idea before our muscles do. This is why we practice slowly leading up the the normal tempos. If we practice too fast, our muscle memory never has the chance to play the tune or song correctly giving every note its full measure of time. 

Understanding the history behind the music helps me interpret the  composition in the era it was produced is another fundamental. More than once someone has commented that my recordings sounded old or old timey. I feel the reason is that when I play a song like The Battle Cry of Freedom, I try to put myself in the 1860's and what was happening during the Civil War. What is interesting about this song is that it was the campaign song for the  Lincoln-Johnson presidential bid for re-election, but I see a sadness and sobriety resulting from how the nation was torn apart and so many lives lost. 

In my opinion, if one wants to learn a musical instrument and to become a true musician they should consider maintaining a focus on the fundamentals as a key to success. They should look for an instructor or teacher that will provide them with the resources needed to develop and hone these skills. 

Digital Library of Appalachia

This is a extensive archive of  old time and traditional recordings.

Once you click on the link, type in the tune or song that you are interested in hearing in the top right corner and then click "go". Click on the title of the tune or song, then click where is says, "click to display item". This will bring up the music file. 

You Should Learn How to Play a Banjo

One of my favorite instruments to play is the banjo. The ones I prefer are the open-back variety that are used to play Old Time or traditional Appalachian music with. If you click on the title you will hear a recording I made using a Civil War type of banjo which has a calf hide for the top or head and no frets like a fiddle or bowed instrument. I had this banjo made by Noel Booth from near Waynesville, North Carolina. The pot or round part of this banjo has a diameter of thirteen inches which is two inches larger than most banjos. This larger pot provides a deeper tone than a smaller one. 

Old time banjo is played by picking the string downward rather than how you would pick a guitar or how Blue Grass player. There are several YouTube instructional videos available to teach yourself some basic in case you are interested. 

Open-back banjos are not expensive. You can obtain a good sounding one for less than $500 and have a lot of fun in the process. 

Banjos have gained negative notoriety because those playing them are often depicted as uneducated and backward. This is unfounded as the ability to make music that sounds pleasing is not something just anyone can accomplish. 

The song I recorded is Sweet Sunny South by the way.