Learn to Play Like Norman Blake | Acoustic Guitar Flatpicking Lesson

[@Gently469]

Thanks for breaking down his style in a way that makes it easier to learn. Norman is a national treasure!

[@craigdylan3953]

Norman really was one of the better flat pickers from the 70's and on. Good Travis plus pickin. No matter what he played; he made them all sound good.

[@bchunter53]

"one of the better flat pickers from the 70's"??? The consensus is a bit more than this.

[@utub333]

Wonderful instruction and playing. Alan's lessons are among the best I've seen online. Plus NB rocks. Thank you

[@jonhart-dj7fn]

I like this AG channel alot.. I been trying some Norman Blake recently and really enjoy you helping me have fun too!

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Thanks!

[@jonhart-dj7fn]

@@AcousticGuitarMag ty for sharing.. makes me happy getting better.. definitely and will watch this lesson a few more times.. I too noticed his relaxed rhythmic strum picking patterns and your lessons are helpful!

[@robertshorthill6836]

Years ago, I tried to play Under the Double Eagle Norman Blake style on my mandolin. It was recognizable and not too shabby if I do say so myself. I even taught the tune at a fiddle fest workshop. I think the folks had a good lesson and it was a lot of fun.

[@timh8490]

Nothing more satisfying than figuring out a tune on your own

[@robertshorthill6836]

@@timh8490 And my cousin in another town plays piano. She expressed an interest in wanting to try some of these old fiddle tunes on piano. She was concerned it was a chore for me to convert tabs to notation for her. I told her the real, but enjoyable chore is getting these notes from music to tabs, in my case, then into notation. Too much great music to get it all. Cheers, Bob

[@pegloughran3700]

If I had just heard this guitar work on the radio I would have thought it was Norman Blake. Thank you for enlightening me as to why!

[@FootHillFav]

Amazing and accurate lesson on the techniques of norman blake! Thank you!

[@JohnDuncanAVLFiddler]

Alan is fantastic. Wonderful guitar picker and I love his articles too!

[@maryfd536]

Thanks for introducing me to Norman Blake and his flat picking style. I absolutely love it!

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Awesome! Glad to make the introduction. Here are some more great flatpickers to check out and learn from: acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-master-class-from-doc-watson-to-molly-tuttle-learn-to-think-and-play-like-the-greats/

[@mrasmrguitar]

thank so much .. want to learn some Norman Blake like his flow picking

[@markhall7951]

Nice break down. I love playing NB songs. I'd suggest on the loose wrist thing on the strumming is to reverse the practice. Work on the strum from the elbow like Steven Kaufman and working down to NB's loose wrist and the subtle stuff. Trying to do those NB appreggios at the start would be tough to learn. They just happen. NB isn't particularly precise in strumming in any case, as you say. It's much easier to play if you don't try to be too precise.

[@cyclotherapist]

A really well done lesson. Thanks so much.

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

You are very welcome! We've got plenty more lessons on acousticguitar.com and if you'd like to support us, check out our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/acousticguitarplus.

[@neilw259]

Really decent analysis of Norman Blake’s flat picking style.

[@brianj4090]

Walking bass concept is really really really cool. I’m going to work that til it gets into the toolbox

[@hbsmit5284]

Thank you very much Alan! I appriciate your clear teaching of NB crosspicking. Greeteings from Martin, Holland

[@flatpickindan]

Alan’s lessons are the best!

[@jakecrews2511]

Sick!

[@stephenbouchelle7706]

Clear examples. Thanks.

[@gregdoran5850]

I will watch this video for a month! Or at least until I can play it. Great Tutorial. Perfectly explained and shown!! Thank you!

[@stephenk419]

Great teaching - really helpful and fun to learn...thank you!

[@jdhaole7650]

Great material! Very well presented. Thanks so much for this.

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Glad you enjoyed it, we've got plenty more on acousticguitar.com and if you'd like to support us, check out our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/acousticguitarplus.

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Great attention to detail. Thanks.

[@leifberglund941]

Thank You for this video! Very informative!!

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

If you like this video, we've got plenty more on acousticguitar.com and if you'd like to support us, check out our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/acousticguitarplus.

[@bubbler9583]

This is tremendous

[@lowellcalavera6045]

I recommend Norman’s lesson on Homespun video. He teaches it himself.

[@NexusDL12]

Yes almost bought those two videos. Just haven’t taken the bluegrass dive yet.

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Check out Alan's lesson on Doc Watson here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2fSgXiFfqpsZtk

[@lindafields8995]

Very easy to follow lessons. Who built your guitar? It makes flat picking look so easy!! Thanks

[@bobfurlani3314]

Brilliant lesson!

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Glad you dig it, Bob!

[@tommywolffordw8182]

Good,playing

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Read the full lesson, with tab and notation, here: acousticguitar.com/how-to-flatpick-like-roots-legend-norman-blake/

[@Grindstaff09]

I hear organic pick material in the pick...sounds proper!!

[@douglasrorrer7697]

What kind of guitar are you playing? Beautiful tone. Thanks

[@mandolinman2006]

I'm curious how he does some of the chord progressions where it's like he's doing walk-ups in chords. It's similar to the rhythm work of Don Reno I've heard. I think one such instance of the video on KZbin Salty.

[@SWOhioTeach]

Hi Alan. Thanks for this wonderful lesson. Any chance of finding tab for Maple on the Hill?

[@SWOhioTeach]

Hi again. I noticed the link to the tab in comments. I'm sorry I didn't listen/read more carefully. Thanks so much for this. I met Norman Blake years ago at a mutual friend's house, and he was one the kindest most sincere people I've ever met. Absolute national treasure. I had been in a fender bender on the way to see him and was late (he had already been playing for an hour and a half in my friend's living room). He was very concerned that I and my traveling companion were ok. In the course of the conversation, I asked him if he might play "Snowbird on the Ashbank" some time that night because I had been listening to and loved it so well. Everyone had stepped into the kitchen for an intermission. Anyway, even after playing for an hour and a half, Norman said, "Why don't you sit right down, and I'll play it right now?" I did, and it was wonderful. In the course of his playing, a thunderstorm was going through, and the power went out. In total darkness, Norman continued playing as if nothing happened. It is one of the most wonderful, treasured moments of my life. The car was totaled, and I COMPLETELY forgot about it. Lovely guy.

[@soaringeagle5227]

Can anyone recommend the best exercises for flat-picking accuracy and speed as a technical guitar skill not for a specific riff or song?

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Here are a few resources to check out: acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-learn-to-play-fast-by-practicing-slowly/; acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-generating-challenging-picking-exercises-from-ninth-chords/; acousticguitar.com/home-sweet-home-try-a-flatpicking-workout-inspired-by-a-banjo-classic/

[@soaringeagle5227]

@@AcousticGuitarMag thank you so much. I need to work on my picking hand because I often pluck the wrong string or miss.

[@eprohoda]

yeah,incredibe job- catch you later, broth~

[@cp1198pc]

Great lesson. Thanks. Nice guitar, too. What kind is it?

[@robertshorthill6836]

And I have noticed one professional mandolin teacher that moves his whole right arm up and down and not just his wrist. This to me is a no- no. I broke myself of this bad habit back in the days when I first had seen a Normam instruction tape, from Homespun maybe. Keep that wrist very loose.

[@billdedrick1914]

What kind of guitar is that? Year? sitka or adirondack top? strings? flat pick used and thickness?

[@alanbarnosky5566]

Hey Bill it’s a custom build from Huffman guitars in Smithfield NC, about a year old. Carpathian spruce top. I usually use elixir mediums and a blue chip TAD pick

[@regularbloke7410]

this guitar sounds beautiful and probably costs fortune