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Robert Ellis – “Travis Picking”
Robert Ellis teaches how to play the Travis Picking guitar style using the song Spikedriver Blues. Named after country guitarist Merle Travis, the Travis picking guitar technique is achieved by alternating the thumb between two (and sometimes three) bass strings in steady quarter notes while the fingers pluck the higher strings, usually between the quarter notes (on the off-beats).
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Subject: Robert Ellis teaches how to play the Travis Picking guitar style using the song Spikedriver Blues. Named after country guitarist Merle Travis, the Travis picking guitar technique is achieved by alternating the thumb between two (and sometimes three) bass strings in steady quarter notes while the fingers pluck the higher strings, usually between the quarter notes (on the off-beats).
Age/Skill-Level Recommendation: Intended for intermediate to advance level guitar players, ages 14 and up. Students should have prior experience fingerpicking and a basic understanding of how to play chords on guitar.
Topics Discussed: Guitar, Travis Picking, Syncopation, Americana, Folk, Blues, Acoustic Guitar.
Recommended Use: We recommend this video be used to teach students how to play the Travis Picking guitar style. This is an advanced technique but Robert does a great job of going very slowly and breaking each part down.
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