| The acoustic guitar is a popular instrument amongst all | | | | thumb and pulling up with the fingers. |
| age groups and is a very rewarding instrument to learn | | | | If you want to see what you can do if you foster your |
| to play even though you do not get to fool around with | | | | devotion to the acoustic guitar, Leo Kottke is a good |
| cool electric guitar sounds. So let us take a look at the | | | | start. He is an innovative fingerstyle acoustic guitarist |
| techniques you will learn as an acoustic guitar player | | | | who is strongly influenced by folk music, jazz and |
| and some legendary guitarists whose work will need | | | | blues. Another great is Tommy Emmanuel, an |
| to become familiar with in order to hang out with other | | | | Australian acoustic and electric guitarist known for his |
| acoustic guitar players. | | | | energetic fingerpicking style. He has developed his own |
| You can think of acoustic guitar technique in two | | | | style based on the "travis picking" style of playing he |
| ways: you can be a strummer or a picker. A strummer | | | | heard played on records by Chet Atkins. |
| plays by dragging your thumb, index finger or plectrum | | | | "Travis picking" is a style of finger picking which |
| across the guitar strings. You can find a multitude of | | | | involves playing bass with the thumb, and melody with |
| strumming patterns on the internet. Start with the | | | | the first two or three fingers simultaneously. This |
| simplest you can find. Some strumming patterns simply | | | | picking style was developed by Merle Travis, an |
| show the names of the chords you are supposed to | | | | American country and western singer and songwriter |
| be strumming, and others show that you include only | | | | who composed one of the early fifties hit songs, |
| selected strings. The strings that are not included can | | | | "Sixteen Tons". While we are talking about travis |
| be damped with the little finger of the left hand or the | | | | picking, you have probably heard of Chet Atkins. He |
| heel of the right hand. | | | | was an influential Nashville guitarist and producer of |
| You can pick using a plectrum - this technique is called | | | | records for many famous recording artists. He played |
| flatpicking - or use your fingers. If you decide on | | | | mostly electric guitar and his picking technique was |
| fingerpicking you might want to use picks which fit on | | | | inspired mostly by Merle Travis with musical influences |
| the thumb and tips of your fingers. Steel strings are | | | | from Django Reinhardt and Les Paul. |
| hard on the fingernails so you might need fingerpicks to | | | | For the acoustic guitar player who elects to stay |
| stop your nails being torn to shreds. Nylon strings do | | | | with the plectrumn, "Doc" Watson is an American |
| not demand the use of picks but after you have had | | | | bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music singer |
| some experience playing guitar you can make the | | | | and guitar player. He is revered by other guitar players |
| decision based on the kind of sound you want. | | | | for his astonishing flatpicking style although he does do |
| A simple start to fingerpicking is to finger an E minor | | | | fingerpicking. |
| chord and place your fingers on the strings you intend | | | | The acoustic guitar repertoire of today owes alot to |
| to play. Do not try and do any picking, just decide | | | | the folk revival of the sixties. Here are some names |
| which strings are the ones you are playing in this chord | | | | from that era whose work you should catch up with: |
| and place your right hand fingers in a plucking "stance" | | | | John Renbourn the English guitarist and songwriter is |
| ready to play. So for the E minor chord you could | | | | best known for his work with fellow guitar player, Bert |
| place your thumb on the sixth string and your first | | | | Jansch and his career with the English folk group |
| finger on the third string, you second finger on the | | | | Pentangle. Renbourn's musical interests include early |
| second string and your first finger on the first string. | | | | music, folk, classical music and blues. |
| Now pluck each string by pressing down with the | | | | |