Mastering Rockabilly Fingerpicking: Beginner Lesson

[@richsackett3423]

Someone from halfway around the world is explaining my country's folk music to me. Done a killer job of seeing how it is, without prejudice, then explaining it back as a fellow musician. The internet can do amazing things when it wants.

[@oimate4201]

This is by far the best video I've seen on basic rockabilly picking. You communicate the information very clearly, efficiently and professionally. What is especially helpful is how you broke the overall lesson into smaller lessons; even giving sheet music and tablature. This makes learning and understanding far less intimidating for the beginner. Thank you for a great lesson!

[@rw4170]

Very nicely broken down into an explanation that is logical and learnable. You are a great teacher!

[@lancelindley9804]

I'm an intermediate rock player who has been trying to learn rockabilly off and on for awhile and have struggled with the fingerpicking. This video was REALLY helpful, the way you broke it down and wrote it out was like a light coming on. Also, that you are using your thumb for the "chord" is different then I have been doing instinctively because usually you are using the thumb only for the three low strings. So THANK YOU!

[@AndrewBarbacki]

Dziekuje bardzo. This is a rare example of breaking down a technique to its basic level so the viewer can immediately actually play something pleasing as he learns the method. This makes it fun and rewarding. I found the video went by really fast because I was so focused on the clear explanation

[@ifbandrew228]

some are good guitar players, some can teach guitars ... you are simply the master of both! thanks.

[@Barabyk]

+IFB Andrew thanks, you're so kind!

[@bobobogan]

Absolutely......

[@Ryoji_matsuoka_singapore]

just what i needed. Thank you master.

[@barrysmith8193]

Excellent target for we beginners to look forward to. Many thanks.

[@pafo8361]

i'm a guitar player since 25 years now. I mostly play blues and rock.but i'm interested in rockabilly for the first time and just realized that....i still have to learn few more thing on my instrument. thanks for the vids. I got the beat so the patterns are more important for me and the special chords that goes along with it. But i'm in a process of learning and looking foward to be able to groove and shoot live performance in the near future. ,,,well it's on my bucket list...

[@manu777tube]

One of the best teaching of the Travis picking, thanks! Sounds like several guitars are playing together, very nice.

[@Barabyk]

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

[@stefanschimetschke776]

Great Work! You really can teach people

[@Barabyk]

Thank you!

[@mesolithicman164]

Excellent.

[@GRBAquatics]

Awesome Instructional Video. Thankyou. Gotta Love Gretsch.

[@martyndormer]

Teaching is a marvellous skill; this is beautifully impressive; I couldn’t explain how I taught myself.👏🤳

[@compassgretsch2684]

You are a teacher with a great guitar list！ I always watch your videos and practice. There are many fans in Japan!

[@wittvonwitt4403]

Fantastic lesson! Been a thumb picker for a while and love to see Rockabilly specific stuff for thumb picking!

[@Louis-we6lh]

very nice-- like your tone- thank you

[@davecast3953]

Thank you for these great lessons. You are an excellent teacher. I'm starting to catch on. Keep making them.

[@Barabyk]

+Dave Cast thanks! I'll make some more soon!

[@maximuswedgie5149]

This video helped me so much. Explaining slowly was what I needed thank you

[@bza069]

i had that same guitar. it was a great value and fun to play.

[@jcomm120]

Super helpful♡

[@galeanband]

Great exercise ! Great teaching ! But I must stretch my hand a lot, especially for the last melody note from the phrase.

[@toony_grant]

Really helpful! Great playing and teaching, Cool to have tabs too!

[@k1dayone]

thanks, I was plucking the middle two strings with thumb and index but I'll try this way, just thumb.

[@warpighammer621]

A man could chop down a mountain with that axe awesome . Good lesson two.

[@carllodge3868]

War pig Hammer aa

[@cccccccccccccccccccccccccc8412]

Love your work, dude. Very helpful. Thanks.

[@renorodrigues647]

I am an intermediate player. This is by far the best tutorial on Travis picking i have watched. I'm ok with the alternating Base, but the difficult part is to put in the in between melody notes. But i'm trying; & hopefully after watching your other videos, i should be able to play at least some simple songs.

[@joachimihned1984]

Great lesson, thanks.

[@MrJohnsjo]

Good teacher!

[@luthomdod]

Great lesson!

[@ML-dh6ly]

A great introduction to fingerpicking

[@richardkuntinun]

thank you very much for those great lessons enjoy a good coffee

[@Barabyk]

Really appreciate! Thank you!

[@MichaelSmith-ff2bq]

Please keep this series up as you are doing a great service to a whole lot of people. Your KZbin handle is perfect for future growth. I know that it is a lot of work/effort but I think good things will come to you over time if you keep your lessons "free" as in beer. Your English is fine. Stateside folks are so ignorant of this great dance music and playing style. But build a better house and they will come. When you get more stuff posted I will certainly help promote your efforts. Man, I'm looking forward to your further endevours in Rockabilly Style guitar for beginning guitar players. Randy Richter is wonderful for more advanced players with disposable income. Most of the US guys are really broke paying for housing, utilities, and transportation and just can't afford paying for stuff that they know actually deserve it, but that's fascism for you. You are on to something please continue. Oh, did I mention that you are a really good teacher? Well, you are.

[@HunterTom3006]

finally a challenging rockabilly video, A+

[@Sunakfilth]

Sehr gut x

[@victorvetuschi3133]

good stuff -ive been trying to work the flatpick into my fingerstyle - this really helps . Nice guitar by the way!

[@midnightraiin4035]

GREAT!!!

[@PickledBadgerEggs]

Great lesson! Thank you!

[@Barabyk]

+PickledBadgerEggs thank you! More to come soon!

[@edinburghtumuran916]

Nice one!

[@TheElrondo]

Thank you for sharing! You have a new subscriber and a coffee is on its way. Best wishes from an oldtimer from Germany and dziękuję bardzo!

[@175epi]

I'm beginning to learn this style of playing, and your lesson was truly helpful. Thanks!

[@175epi]

Sorry -- I didn't get any notification of your reply, so I didn't know about it until I stopped in to watch this video again. I haven't played much at all until recently, but am able to get back into it again, and am staying the course . . . although it feels like starting over again. Looking forward to learning this so I can play all the great rockabilly tunes that use this type of picking. How's it going with you?

[@rockroll456]

always liked this music I've subscribed gunna and learn this rockabilly Guitar cheers keep up the good work

[@cockroachcolcannon7542]

Great lesson :) so we hit the two middle strings with one stroke of the thumb pick, ok.

[@paulhadfield7909]

i love a challenge, so i will master it eventually

[@nicholasgross62]

Really cool! as a Banjo player and Bluegrass guitarist this was really easy to follow... Came here wondering if the Metal Fingerpicks on the Pointer and middle finger are used in Rockabilly style

[@MnCnc74]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you from Spain for your work. I am going to follow your tutorial and to learn with you this wonderful technique. I like Chet Atkins and I hope you do more detailed tutorials like Mr. Sandaman's from him. A greeting.

[@Barabyk]

Thanks JJ! There are couple of tunes in line waiting to be filmed! Stay tuned!

[@MnCnc74]

Great. I'm starting with this style and my base is to have played some songs by Mark Knopfler. I will gradually follow your idications and hope to learn a lot. Thank you!

[@pierrevr67]

Hello I have seen that you use a thumb pick...others the normal pick...what kind of pick would you advise to a beginner?

[@Leeallicat]

Excellent lesson, is it necessary to wear a thumb pick or can you use a normal pick?

[@Barabyk]

+Leeallicat Thanks! It is absolutely possible to use normal flat pick, it will just require a little bit more effort, as the movement of the pick will be independent from the picking hand fingers - thumb and index fingers will need to move a bit more. With thumb pick there's almost no movement in the wrist at all. With flat pick we'd need to shift melody playing fingers (from index-middle to middle-ring).

[@Leeallicat]

+Ministry Of Twang - thankyou for the quick response i shall try buying one and try again i couldnt get away with one last time i tried but your lessons have inspired me to try again. Im a big admirer of Eddie Cochran, George Harrison, Scotty Moore and Brian Setzer and really want to try to learn the rockabilly style including the picking ...look forward to many more lessons and learning from you, you are a good teacher and great player :)

[@Barabyk]

+Leeallicat Thanks again! I'll upload some more next week. Also couple of lessons with some insight into technique itself. Keep rockin'!

[@Leeallicat]

+Ministry Of Twang Thanks although i am still struggling with this lesson but i will get there.....i have just ordered a gretsch 5420 are they as good as they sound?

[@Barabyk]

+Leeallicat In my view 5420 is plenty of guitar for the money. In past I had couple of Electromatics - early 5120 and 5124, both excellent guitars, but 5420 has all the 'right' features of pro line Gretsch.

[@jesserhan3851]

is that aspen green like mine?

[@Barabyk]

+Jesse Rhan this one was silver sparkle, like an old drum :)

[@jesserhan3851]

wow! What A Buite

[@MrPardaco]

I have a question. How are you mutting the bass and "chord" sound? Are you using the left or the right hand? Btw, this is an amazing master class. I was looking for hours for something like this. You have a new subscriber! :)

[@Barabyk]

It’s right hand for the bass strings (for the short sound) AND left hand to keep unwanted sounds (open ‘in-between’ strings). I think in terms of picking hand mutes ‘from the floor’ and fretting hand ‘from the ceiling’.

[@MrPardaco]

@@Barabyk Thanks so much for your answer!! :) I will put it into practice this evening. I'm taking my first steps in rockabilly style and hybrid picking, so with this video I have material for weeks (hopefully only weeks) XD

[@creosoted77]

I couldn't figure out how you're getting that muffled sound from your guitar and then it finally hit me that you are palming your right hand on the strings. Is that true?? If so, you should really mention it in all your videos that use this technique. Thanks!

[@Barabyk]

+julio mulio thanks for pointing this out! I'll make another episode on picking hand techniques!

[@btm240]

I'm betting you also employ a "pulsing" effect with the left hand in addition to the picking hand palm mute. sort of releasing the chord a bit in between beats so that the chord doesn't ring out continuously. thanks for the vid Mr Twang. ok rewatched and the left hand action is evident so you don't have to take that bet :) Cheers.

[@savanaviolenta]

So do indeed the finger pick or I could do it without it.Oh I see the finger pick just make the lower strings sound more pronounced and it's not expensive.Alright I'll get one.

[@NiekkieNick]

Nice lesson but the way you hold that A chord on the 5th position is a killer for my left index finger! I can't hold it like that. It's very uncomfortable for me! The only way for me is to hold the full A chord.

[@internationalfunnybidios9568]

i wanna play rockabilly. but it's really dificult for me. My fingers are very stupids.

[@sandrabecht4489]

👍👍🇩🇪🇩🇪

[@atomicflash1753]

Talker

[@jojolapraline]

Ah là ouais...

[@犬猫犬猫ごはん-k9v]

フィンガーピックで結構面倒くさいですね

[@Barabyk]

It is possible to do it with flat pick or even with a thumb alone, but there are certain limitations.

[@hammill444]

Good tutorial. Just too darn hard, unfortunately.

[@btm240]

keep trying, it WILL come to you.

[@hammill444]

Not necessarily, it would appear.

[@hammill444]

I'd pay thousands just to be able to play the tune at the 40 second mark.

[@pavlovsunhappydog]

Did you ever get it down or did you give up?

[@hammill444]

@@pavlovsunhappydog never could get it no matter how hard I tried. Just can't get the finger thumb independence