Practice Log
Travis picking finger technique (right-hand index & pinky)
Lesson #227
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Editorβs Notes
Over the past week, Iβve been practicing my Travis fingerpicking with a distinct focus on two techniques that are new to me. First, Iβve been working on anchoring my right pinky on the guitar near the sound hole - which adds stability to my picking hand (so it isnβt floating in space). Second, Iβm focusing on only using my right index finger to pick notes played on the thinnest three strings ββ this might seem like it complicates things, but in practice I find it actually frees up my mind from wondering which finger to use. In combination, these technique have made Travis picking a whole lotta fun to practice β and I want to share with you the exercises Iβve been using.
For context, I found myself in this groove while starting to practice the John Moreland song βHang Me in the Tulsa County Starsβ. Watching live video of him playing, I noticed he is using the two techniques I describe above. These are things Iβd read about before, but seeing them used made me determined to give them a whirl. The exercises to follow us the opening intro to that song, as well as the intro to βClay Pigeonsβ which is one the only other songs Iβm able to Travis pick at this time. Ultimately, Iβm noticing my confidence with this style go up β which feels great! I look forward to learning it on various other songs of this style. In the meantime, hereβs the notes from this recent practice milestone.
Hereβs the video of John Moreland playing βHang Me in the Tulsa County Stars,β which kicked off this entire exercise:
I hope this helps out if you too are looking to learn how to Travis pick! Special thanks to Barkley for the support on Patreon, as well as recommending this song β Iβve had John Moreland on repeat all week and have been loving his music. - David Potsiadlo (March 18, 2019)
Chords weβll be using
First, letβs understand the chords used in this lesson. For the G, weβll want to be fluent with these three variations:
E ββββββ E ββββββ E ββ3βββ <= Left pinky f.
B ββ0βββ B ββ3βββ <= Left pinky f. B ββ0βββ
G ββ0βββ G ββ0βββ G ββ0βββ
D ββ0βββ D ββ0βββ D ββ0βββ
A ββxβββ (muted) A ββxβββ (muted) A ββxβββ (muted)
E ββ3βββ <= Left ring f. E ββ3βββ <= Left ring f. E ββ3βββ <= Left ring f.
G G G
And for the C & D chords, weβll want to use these voicings. The C is technically a C/G, but letβs just call it a C β the important thing to note is that your left ring finger stays in the same spot that it is when playing the G. For the D (technically a D/F#), it may feel very unnatural when compared to a typical xx0232 D shape. Give this one a shot though, once you get familiar with it I believe youβll find it quite helpful when it comes to this style of playing.
E ββββββ E ββββββ
B ββ1βββ <= Left index f. B ββ1βββ <= Left index f.
G ββ0βββ G ββ2βββ <= Left ring f.
D ββ2βββ <= Left middle f. D ββ0βββ
A ββxβββ (muted) A ββxβββ (muted)
E ββ3βββ <= Left ring f. E ββ2βββ <= Left middle f.
C D
Understanding the domain of the right index finger
After we understand that the right thumb will always be alternating between the 6th (thickest) and 4th strings, we can then focus on using our right index finger on the 3 thinnest strings. Whenever a note is played on any of those strings, within this exercise, Iβll pluck the string with my right index finger.
E ββ3βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
B ββ0βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
G ββ0βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
D ββ0βββ ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ (right thumb)
A ββxβββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββ ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ (right thumb)
G 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E ββ0βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
B ββ1βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
G ββ0βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
D ββ2βββ ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ (right thumb)
A ββxβββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββ ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ (right thumb)
C 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E ββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ1βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
G ββ2βββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= right index
D ββ0βββ ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ (right thumb)
A ββxβββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ2βββ ββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ (right thumb)
D 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
John Morelandβs βHang Me in the Tulsa County Starsβ intro tab
Note, this is played capo 5 on his album.
Phrase 1 of 5
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββββββ0βββββ0h2βββββββ2βββββ0βββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββ
D ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ
G D G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 2 of 5
E ββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ1βββββββββββββββββββββ1βββββββββ3βββββββββ1βββββ0βββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ
C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 3 of 5
E ββ3βββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββββββββββββββββββ1βββββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ1βββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ
G C G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 4 of 5
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββ0h1βββββββββββββ
G ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h2βββββββ2βββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ
G D G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 5 of 5
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ
B ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h2βββββββ2βββββ0βββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ
G D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
John Prineβs βClay Pigeonsβ intro tab
Note, this is played capo 3 on his album.
Phrase 1 of 4
E ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββ1βββββββββ1h3βββ1βββββββββ|β
G ||ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ|β
A ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 2 of 4
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B β|ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|β
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββ|β
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|β
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ|β
G D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 3 of 4
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B β|ββββββββ0βββββββββ0h1βββ0βββββββββ|ββββββββ1βββββββββ1h3βββ1βββββββββ|β
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ|β
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Phrase 4 of 4
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ1βββββββββ|ββββββββ0βββ3βββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββββββββ0βββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ||
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ||
G D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Good luck!
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