Travis Picking – A Guitarist’s Guide to Fingerpicking Techniques | Learn Country, Folk, and Blues Styles with Step-by-Step Lessons and Tablature | Includes Online Audio for Practice and Performance

I have been learning guitar for a little over a year and I love this book. It slowly builds and is very comprehensive, unlike other finger style guitar books I’ve purchased.

Many guitarists know the term "Travis picking," which describes a certain style of fingerpicking the guitar, but only a small percentage actually have heard the playing of the man it's named after. Nowadays, like many labels musical and otherwise, "Travis picking" refers more to a broad range of fingerstyle guitar techniques that were inspired by Merle Travis' original playing than to the playing itself.Andrew DuBrock's latest guitar tutorial book, Travis Picking (A Guitarist's Guide to Fingerpicking Techniques, Patterns and Styles) does an excellent job of giving the guitarist the best of both worlds. He not only breaks down the essential elements of Travis picking, he also provides tips and insights into the playing techniques and idiosyncrasies of this guitar legend, as well as those of Chet Atkins.Travis Picking is divided into three parts, each dissecting and discussing the three essential elements of the Travis style. First you get the foundation - the solid thumping of the alternate bass notes being played with the thumb while the fingers handle bits and pieces of the chords on the offbeat. Once you get a good grasp of the basic syncopated style involved in Travis picking, DuBrock then guides you step by step to embellish what you've learned with three-string bass patterns and pinches of melody notes on the higher strings. He also gives you instruction on incorporating walking bass lines into your picking as well as demonstrates variations on the patterns you've learned.All the time spent on the basics prepares you for the book's second section, which focuses on adding melody lines into the mix. Not simply adding the melodies, you'll also enhance them with syncopation and dynamic shifts in notes all made possible by what you've learned about Travis picking. Additionally, you get some advice about taking creative liberties with the accompanying chords.The instruction you get on either one of these two sections is already more than what most books offer you. But on top of this you get a third section that goes into the personal styles of both Merle Travis and Chet Atkins, full of helpful examples and exercises to help you understand and absorb the amazing techniques of these great guitarists.For those of you who haven't read any of the fantastic books he's already written, Andrew DuBrock's teaching and writing style is a gift to guitarists of all levels. While this book requires the reader to have more than a beginner's skill set, DuBrock patiently guides you through each step of the process of adding the Travis picking style to your personal repertoire. He is thorough and encouraging and he is also a lot of fun to read!As mentioned, this book isn't for the very beginner, but anyone who wants to learn how to create the magic that Travis picking can add to one's playing should own a copy. You won't be a beginner forever and Travis Picking will help you make great progress with your fingerstyle playing.

Was it worth what I paid? Yes...... 95% of these books are....... I love different styles. I love learning. I learn things from almost every guitar book I've gotten and I don't mean I need to be taught note for note, either.... give me some ideas.....and I'll take it from there. I've become a guitar book/CD junkie in a good way................ For this style, I also recommend 'Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar' by Arnie Berle. That's where I got fingerpicking started.. and Blues Grooves For Guitar by Rob Fletcher, Mississippi Delta Blues Fingerstyle Solos by Larry McCabe , Art of The Shuffle by Dave Rubin, Blues Rhythm Guitar by Keith Wyatt, Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar by Arnie Berle and also Blues Bass by Ed Friedland..................Also, I wish someone had told me long ago:...........change to 'Extra-Light Strings' for acoustic guitars...any brand. You'll see!........

I have been playing fingerstyle for many years. And thought I'd check out this book to see if there was something in the book I didn't know. This is a good book. It starts off with pretty easy patterns in the beginning. I think most players with beginning knowledge could learn these basic Travis picking patterns. It gets progressively more challenging, probably to the intermediate level towards the end. Just like any style you have to be patient and practice,practice, practice. This book is a good tool to help along the journey. Also the online audio will help with your timing and syncopation as you progress throughthe book.

I played the Travis Picking method quite well 30 years ago. I thought when I bought a new guitar a month or so ago it would all come back to me--like riding a bike. Well guess what? It didn't. I couldn't remember a thing. So my daughter gave me this wonderful book for Chrismas and now I am re-learning all over again with the help and guidance of Andrew DuBrock's terrific book. Not only does the book teach you the Travis Picking method, it also gives all the chords in case you have forgotten them like I had, and shows how to Travis pick any chord. The book becomes more advanced as it goes along so you can get much more challenging patterns from this same book if you want to push yourself. I think this is a great Travis Picking book and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially beginners.

This was a great book to work from. It actually was the first book that inspired me to the finger picking method of guitar playing. Finger picking has given me a whole new purpose for playing guitar. I love playing guitar licks, playing daily now, when I would only play once in awhile before. Some great books out there to learn great licks. Having a lot of fun now-a-days.

Does a fairly competent job getting you started on travis picking by teaching a few songs. Unfortunately doesn't go on much depth on how to make your own patterns or arrangements.

Very useful in helping me develop a new skill.

This is a great book! Clearly shows steps to mastering techniques of Travis fingerpicking.

step-by-step guideline, very good if you wanna learn travis picking!

The book does assume some musical knowledge but very clear to understand - music notation & the tab version included along with a CD with full breakdown of each piece - if you're new to guitar but like this style, this makes a nice starting book with short exercises which then build up to playing a complete piece - 4 pieces included.

Ottimo volume per iniziare a suonare il fingerpicking. Metodo che parte da zero per poi arrivare allae tecniche usate da i due grandi, Merle e Chet. Consigliatissimo

My favorite of the finger picking genre instruction. I lean in the country guitar direction and this book finishes with chapters on Merle Travis and Chet Atkins.