Travis Picking vs Mississippi John Hurt style

[@shemsuddinmillard3172]

I read somewhere that the tradition won’t die until no one is left playing it. Thank you so much for doing your part in keeping this alive and accessible to those that are drawn into to the humble and deep feeling soul of this music. My heart and guitar (it loves playing fingerstyle blues) similar with everyone of your offerings.

[@sonnypeek6418]

I also think that what helps confuse these concepts is players; especially the best ones - they move in and out of these techniques freely.

[@DMcC]

Wonderful coverage of this sometimes subtle distinction in styles which I've had to think about a lot myself actually. You present it very well.

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Thanks David!

[@sampson623]

Beautiful guitar. And a great lesson like always Peter! I remember when I figured out the independence between bass and melody. It was like a new world opened up, getting the syncopation in there.

[@chuck785]

The best video on this topic I have seen. "When it starts to click, it really clicks" is so true. Really nice picking 🔥

[@WilfClegg]

Wow! THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL! Thank you!

[@kenty2831]

Well explained and clear presentation of overall mechanics of the styles. Watched a lot of guitar instructors, and you hit on a unique aspect. Thank you so much.

[@Kylerjguitar]

Really cool video. Enjoyed the informantion

[@Gledii]

Totally agree with you. i learned some travis pattern songs and its quite simple and easy once you learn the patterns. with john Hurt songs you can hear the independent baseline. you nailed the difference

[@travisc5658]

Dude ur really helping me understand why I'm having so much issue. It's because I need to break away from that pattern style and get onto two tracks but it was so hard and u make me feel like it's just normal for me and I have to push and it is possible.

[@travisc5658]

Ur little tune reminding me of in spite of ourselfs..

[@pegreenwood]

Just rock solid insights examples and instruction. Thank you!

[@sediabayard]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer and create this tutorial. Yes, it's very helpful. I have the thumb down now,. What's a good first step to begin marrying the thumb and the other fingers? Is there a simple song we could learn? Also, if you don't mind sharing, what was your own process? What steps did you take to learn this style? Again, thank you so much for your generosity.

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Sedia Bayard hi Sedia! My pleasure - I’ll try to explore some simple songs in future videos. I enjoyed hearing your singing! I noticed you like Gillian Welch - her song “Elvis Presley Blues” is very influenced by Mississippi John Hurt - esp his song “Spike Driver Blues”. Best - Peter

[@sediabayard]

@@PeterKeaneMusic Oh, that would be great! I did see (and learn from) your other two "How to Play like Mississippi John Hurt" videos. They are great! I think I just need to practice and learn my scales (yikes!)--and really study your right hand. Yes, I love Gillian Welch. Saw her and Dave here in Seattle, and it still feels like it was a dream. Hahaha! Thanks, again. I'll look out for your videos.

[@Alonewithyoutonight]

Sedia Bayard check out Peter Keane’s railroad bill video! I’ve been following this channel for a while and that’s the video that made this style click for me! So simple and well explained in that video! Good luck!

[@sediabayard]

@@Alonewithyoutonight I will! Thank you, Jason.

[@JMStevens]

Excellent and informative! Been spending much time myself shedding on these techniques and writing accordingly, especially helpful in these times as they help cover some of the missing ground of having other musicians around.

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

JM Stevens very cool! Thanks James :-)

[@Hhenriette]

what a beautiful technique. I wanna go separate too!! great video.

[@lamper2]

What did John Sebastian play as far as describing his playing in terms of older players? or did he take a lot from Dave Van Ronk and Mississippi John equally? Lightning influenced them all right? (9:36 oh, i assumed you were playing Coffee Blues that's why i thought of the Spoonful!)

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Hi Lee - I suspect that Mississippi John Hurt was John Sebastian's biggest influence - I know he knew MJH personally and backed him up on harmonica when he came to play in New York City. His renditions of John Hurt songs are just about my favorite - he really has the style & spirit of those songs dialed it.

[@jitosytb]

Hey, this is very helpful. Thanks!

[@Yarkoo_Payne]

Danke sehr informatives und gutes Video. Grüße aus Zittau/Deutschland

[@MichelleFrets]

thanks. great explanation and demo

[@milesfromneworleans]

This is well explained. Getting the fingers to play independently of the rotating thumb-bass is a step beyond mere pattern picking. Not easy to get there. I also liked the historical excursion into Mississippi John Hurt's musical biography.

[@travisc5658]

You nailed it dude John hurt is like u need both sides of ur brain working. I can rip alternate picking.. like a Banjo alternate style comes easy to me.. This john hurt stuff its like u need two diff brains and the ONE I have hurts!

[@gibby6904]

Could you possibly do a tutorial on "Did you see John Hurt" I figured it out but I had to do it in drop D which is great but to do the double stops at the beginning I have to the thumb over and stretch for the double stops which would also be fine but requires too much concentration while trying to sing....for a dummy like me at least......my point I guess is there must be an easier way than what I'm doing......it sounds fine but causes too much anxiety😊

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Done. I hope it is helpful - it definitely is hard - similar to some other Van Ronk arrangements. I do think that w/ practice you get get your left hand to do amazing things :-).

[@gibby6904]

@@PeterKeaneMusic thank you very much my friend!.....I actually own the DVR VIDEO lesson but it's not on there....

[@ThePandaProcrastinates]

Anymore advice on how to "wake up" the second brain in your index finger doing the John Hurt style?...😅

[@manuronmartin]

Beautiful!

[@douglasdixon5780]

Merle Travis didn’t do what you call pattern picking. He played the treble strings with his index finger ONLY

[@TheScaleModelShack]

Hey Peter, I came across your channel today and I think I’ve watched every video !! I’ve been playing finger style for a good while and kind of have the thumb thing coming along. I don’t and never have used a thumb pick and would like to try, do you think it’s essential ? Or is just you have always used one ? Keep up the amazing work, sounds great here in the UK Best Steve

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Howdy Steve - I don’t think a thumbpick is essential - I’ve been using one for the last few years because I’ve been studying Merle Travis quite a lot and that sharp attack is best for that Kentucky thumbpicking style. John Hurt never used one. Most important thing is to have a good strong rhythm. Thanks for watching!!

[@chrislandry5797]

I hate to ask an off-topic question but what model/name is your guitar?

[@stringbean9521]

You kinda messed that up man.. Travis picking, real Travis picking, is alternating thumb, choking the top strings and one finger pick on index. Just watch the king himself do cannonball

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Yup - just like I say in the video - what people often call “Travis picking” is not actually the way Merle Travis played.

[@friedrichkustaa9489]

In his comparison of Merle Travis to John Hurt, he says: "his was a pretty sophisticated uh guitar playing style." Is that true that Travis was a sophisticated player than Hurt or is this just a matter of personal taste and preference for one guitar player's music?

[@PeterKeaneMusic]

Hi Friedrich - that is a great question.... The point I was making there is that what his commonly known as "Travis Picking" is actually not as sophisticated (or as complex and unusual) as Merle Travis's own style (and in this video I am comparing that common pattern-picking style to John Hurt's style). "Sophisticated" is a sort of loaded term and I don't think I'd want to argue about whether John Hurt or Merle Travis are more "sophisticated", since they both had transcendently magnificent and very personal styles (and being so unique and personal one could use that term "sophisticated" in many ways). I think John Hurt's style was in many ways simpler (note: I regard simplicity as one of most rare and valuable aesthetic traits) and of course he played solo and Merle travis played not only solo, but in ensembles AND he worked as a studio musician. Musically, Merle Travis played across a wider spectrum of musical types (country, jazz, western swing, gospel, etc.) although John Hurt is notable among country blues players in having fully-matured (and sublime) arrangement on many keys: A, C, D, E, G, open G, open D. Not sure if that answers your question! I have many "favorite" musicians but Merle Travis and Mississippi John Hurt will always be in the top few for me.

[@ramonartiles5867]

Hey

[@ramonartiles5867]

Hello

[@brotherjames4280]

Fell asleep