Travis Picking Lesson 3 - Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country

[@Kylemuaythai47-y3q]

this dude is touched but still does a better job teaching than anybody else I have seen. For some reason, all the guys with popular guitar instruction channels don't seem to think that it is important to clearly show finger placement, they all seem to slur, mumble, stutter or just talk too fast and they all must be double parked. I say double parked or maybe need to rock a number 2 but there has got to be a reason why they spend more time pluggin' their academy than explaining any technique. One of the most popular guys has this strange habit of playing the correct notes but at the same time, he places his unused fingers into specific positions on the fretboard every time so when you are trying to learn the song you get so confused and don't know which notes to press and which ones not to. Anyway, this dude mike is a much better instructor and will be great once he gets his meds sorted out

[@MikesMusicMethod]

haha, "touched". I can't say I knew the term. It was early on in the journey, and in order to make the learning curve of shooting, editing video etc...not a drag, I entertained myself with my typical absurdities. But thanks. I am certainly trying my best to bring excellent transcriptions of these songs to yall in the most digestible, approachable, fun and encouraging way that I can. I've probably put out 200 videos since this one. So dive in and lmk what ya think!

[@brentgrimsley4453]

Mike's teaching breaks everything down at a slow speed so that one can absorb the picking pattern. I enjoyed the humor too.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

thanks, man. I'll continue to try my best to bring the most accurate tabs, and slow digestible breakdowns! Appreciate it, Brent.

[@thomasmanuel9146]

Thanks so much for doing this video Mike. Having recently started to learn to fingerpick, I got up early this morning to learn this and it's already coming together! You've got a really good teaching style, I'll watch your other tutorials. All the best, Tom

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Sub, like and dive in! Join the Discord and stay in touch. Check out the Travis Picking playlist and the How to Get Better at Guitar playlist

[@mandomonica]

You are awesome! I have watched your other videos over the past few years and got a decent foundation. I just came back to this one after giving up on it due to difficulty a few years ago. Low and behold I feel like I have it really close to nailed right away. At least better than I have expected. I really appreciate your detailed explanations, and entertainment.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

thanks mando! Check out the "Travis Picking Playlist" that this video is a part of. I think if you work through the first 10 you'll have a great grasp on the stuff. If you have Qs join our weekly Zoom meetings!

[@gdevo6611]

This is exactly the instructional channel I've been looking for! All these songs are songs that I've listened to for years but never felt like I had the skill to attempt on my guitar...well the times are a'changin' and it's time to get to work and learn to play them.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

yes! Glad to hear, G. It's amazing to go public with these tunes and to find so many like minded pickers out there! Welcome!! Drop me a line at [e-mail] and I can throw you on the mailer. Also let me know what other song I could tackle for ya. Check out my "travis picking primer", and sub, like, and share! If you end up getting value from the channel please consider the value for value model via paypal or patreon so I can keep crankin em!

[@patrickmacleod2415]

I like your tutorials. Your teaching method is very effective and I enjoy your humour. I recommend anyone wanting to learn travis picking learn the Kansas song Dust In The Wind with the three finger technique first. It’s a beautiful song that isn’t too hard to learn and sounds great. The reason I recommend it is that it follows the most common TP pattern throughout the song without much if any variation. Basically you learn just one pattern to play the whole song, and once you learn that pattern, almost everything else is just a variation of that pattern, and you will have the finger dexterity to handle anything.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Thanks. But i'd say there are hundreds of picking songs that'll teach you common patterns. If Kansas is your jam, awesome. But if something else is your jam and you find Kansas cheesy or annoying, then by all means learn from a song you love! Nothing magical about one pattern or song that's gonna teach you more than another. I think a lot of young guitarists don't get into fingerpicking because they're shown "Landslide" or "dust in the wind" but perhaps if they were shown a Townes tune, or John Hurt song it might have perked their interest more. Ha, sorry to be long winded and thanks for the rec. But i just want to impart: Learn songs YOU like and don't waste time on songs you don't.

[@patrickmacleod2415]

@@MikesMusicMethod Fair enough. I agree that you should not learn songs you don’t like, and certainly not labor on something you aren’t interested in- I would never recommend that. I just find that most people like that song, and it’s simple, and I’m biased because it was one of the first finger picking songs I learned, but I’m sure there are lots of other tunes that fit into that category. Maybe that could be another video for you- good first finger picking tunes that you recommend? Obviously if you are motivated and gifted enough, you could start with anything, like this, but I’m sure there are people who would like to start with something a bit simpler (while still being something they like). Anyway- thanks for the great videos.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

@@patrickmacleod2415 we're in agreement. and not a bad idea. appreciate the thought and ideas!

[@ukestudio3002]

Good tutorial. Got it .! Will check out the other ones. Thank you !

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Glad you dug it! Lots of content. Welcome and dig in. And cool channel urself!

[@grahamewebber4038]

Great lesson, so well explained and at a realistic pace. Thanks so much for sharing.✌🏾

[@lukavmineav3489]

I really hope that the time people spend with your videos paused, practising each step counts towards you viewer engagement

[@MikesMusicMethod]

lol. i love this comment. haha, but i dont think so.

[@MarkTheBattler]

This is great mike! Helpful and most importantly, fun. Fun. FUn FuN FUN! I learned Pancho and lefty from you last week and now I’m here. Thanks ole boy. Peace and progress.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

thanks! Glad I could help. Let me know what else you'd like to see on this page. I need some motivation, between work and my two littles ones I've dropped the ball with my commitment to posting.

[@MarkTheBattler]

Mike's Music Method hey mike! Thanks for replying back. Work and being a good father are certainly worthy of your attention, so kudos to you! I’m a big Dave Van Ronk and Tom Waits fan.. if you’d be interested in Blue Skies by Tom Waits or Losers by Dave Van Ronk.. hell anything by either of them..you’d have at least one viewer! I hope you’re enjoying your summer.

[@perryriches3439]

Brilliant tutorial

[@MikesMusicMethod]

thanks, perry!

[@tubbers20]

Where the winds hit heavy on the border line-----What great lyrics. Thank you. Very helpful, though I'm not sure if I have G/C change down yet. Playing this on my Epiphone SG with RMS amp that has chorus and reverb. Not traditional, but I love the way it sounds. :-)

[@MikesMusicMethod]

dylan is a wordsmith. also a great word thief. In combo that's pretty damn good. Glad I could help! Sub, like and consider the tip jar.

[@tubbers20]

Where's the tip jar?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

​@@tubbers20 Paypal: www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=DDSNNKQVTWWS6 or patreon: www.patreon.com/MikesMusicMethod

[@tubbers20]

I'm Patreoned.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

@@tubbers20 frickin aye. Thanks, man. Already shot you over a little note.

[@philjones6723]

Dude, I’m making progress, Thnx so much!

[@MikesMusicMethod]

love it! So glad and happy for ya and that these videos are helpful! Wish these first few were better quality! haha, but we gotta start somewhere!

[@skipacuff5104]

Mike, this pattern is *exactly* the way I was taught Travis Picking many, many years ago, except to a different tune, actually an untitled chord progression in what I believe my teacher called G Modal open tuning. Try picking 4 measures open, then 2 measures using would be an Am7 in standard tuning (1st finger 1st fret 2nd string + 2nd finger 2nd fret 4th string, remaining 4 strings open)) - and of course hammer that baby on both times 🤣; then repeat the open chord for 2 measures. To complete the progression move the previous Am7 fingering up 2 frets and play for 2 measures (retaining all discord by forming a quasi-Bm7 chord, then back to the original Am7 position for 2 measures, hammered on if you please, then back to the fully open 6 string chord for 2 measures. Now you have framework for discovering all sorts of licks and patterns that are unique to guitar music ambience. Thanks again for bringing me back to Townes (and incidentally my old home town, Austin TX) 🙏🏼

[@MikesMusicMethod]

patterns and fractals! ah, i lived for 5 years in Austin. where ya at these days?

[@johnhoy7572]

This is the closest I've ever come to finger picking and been playing 15 years (badly). Cheers

[@mikemolaro4198]

thanks, john! Your comment means a lot. I made a few videos and wasnt sure about quality/content. But comments like these are inspiring! Anything else you'd like me to post on?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

how's the picking coming along?

[@williammadey5282]

Thanks Mike!

[@MikesMusicMethod]

oh yeah! You fingerpicking these days? How's the family!?

[@drunkviggo7263]

I like this song buddy.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

yeah, this one was one of my favorites for a while.

[@rbrpyt4907]

Thanks Mike. It was a great tuto. I appreciate. take care ;-)

[@MikesMusicMethod]

you're welcome. and thanks again for the awesome comment. Sub, like, share and consider monthly support! and let me know how else i can help on the guitar journey.

[@TrollArchOffice1]

I’ve never been able to finger pick properly and I’m surprised at the progress I’m making. My favorite singer/player is Stan Rogers and I hope to one day be able to play one of his songs (hopefully)

[@MikesMusicMethod]

awesome. Keep at it man! Name me some Stan tunes to check out.

[@ogs1mpson609]

Travis picking is simple at it’s core, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s definitely the right place to start from a student’s perspective. Finger style tabs always looked like Morse code to me until I learned a handful Travis picking patterns, now when I look at tabs I go “oh ok, that’s inside/out or outside/in”

[@MarkWodjykl]

Hi, this is an excellent lesson. I therefore signed up for an account on your website to obtain the tab, but unfortunately Girl From The North Country is not in your tab supply. So I cancelled the subscription, in case you were wondering why someone would come in, sign up, and then cancel without downloading anything.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Thanks for the note. And apologies, Mark. I've got over 200 tutorials but some of the earlier Lessons are tab-less. Apologies for that. But if you'd like me to write one up for ya this week I will.

[@hking1009]

Every time I try to learn some of bobs fingerpicking songs I can figure out the chords but I get the sense that his changes are sometimes random and out of time which makes it hard for me to make it sound like the original track. Or he's in time the whole time and i can't figure it out, it's one of those two

[@MikesMusicMethod]

lol. He often adds or removes a half measure of music. In other words + or - 2 beats. But sure, haha, it could also be your pickin!! Get to work!

[@TheMarkness99]

Mike - so brill as always. But can you play the D7/F# with the middle finger on F# (E string), ring on A (G string) and index on C (B string) since you don't play the high E string in that chord? As in, instead of using your thumb.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Yup. I'll occasionally do that in certain contexts. So yeah, fair game. Honestly whatever works with your fingers

[@TheMarkness99]

@@MikesMusicMethodThank you Mike!

[@tubbers20]

Can you do a video that shows where the vocals come in? It's very hard to judge/time even on slow speed. :-)

[@MikesMusicMethod]

maybe i can do a short live stream explaining some of it. If you dont see one in a few weeks shoot me an email and annoy me about it.

[@tubbers20]

@@MikesMusicMethod OK. Sounds like a plan.

[@mikeiannella5112]

how do you not have a crap ton more views and subs??

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Good question. let's go to YT headquarters together and picket their discriminatory algos! ;) I'm fairly late to the game and only started my channel a few years ago. But thanks, like sub, share, and if you're getting value please consider supporting the channel. A few excellent viewers like you giving monthly support help me crank out the videos far more than the sickly slim ad revenue. And head over to my website and download my little PDF on how to get the most from my channel. then hit me up on discord or in the zoom meets and lmk how I can help you on your guitar journey!

[@philjones6723]

Mike, great lesson. You make it so understandable. Where exactly do I find the previous Travis lessons. Do you teach one on one?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

If you click on my little troubadour icon and then go to playlists, here: kzbin.infoplaylists under the Travis Style finger picking I have a series that is numbered going back to early videos. After about the 4th lesson it was impossible to determine which songs were getting slightly more difficult than others. So it's kind of a crap shoot after the first 4. But I tell you at the top of the video if the song is really advanced. After getting the first 4 down you should be able to jump to any of the townes and MJH tunes and go through them SLOWLY. and yes! I teach lessons online! It's my livelihood. Hit me up: [e-mail]

[@philjones6723]

Mike's Music Method thanks! I’ll be in touch.What state do you live in?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

@@philjones6723 pittsburgh, PA

[@visitur4914]

Great vid. I think this (beautiful) song might fit my ability level better than some of the stuff I've been trying to learn. Also, great analogy. I don't think I'll ever forget not to train my fingers to poop all over the strings! hahahaha PS Why not post a full cover yourself?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Ah, here you are Blaze. You did indeed find some of my easier lessons. After this try some of the Townes tunes. Or the Blaze. I've posted only a handful of originals. Maybe i'll post the cover. I had the thought of doing a full cover of every song I tutorial, but with a full time job teaching guitar and piano, and 3 kids under 6 years old...haha, I dont have enough rehearsal time to get good at them. I love writing my own songs so much that it takes precedence over getting good at covers. I just sit down and can spend 30 minutes messing around with a melodic idea, to never even put it in a song. I just love the puzzle/problem solving aspect of music theory.

[@visitur4914]

@@MikesMusicMethod I can relate to valuing "creative" time over "rehearsal" time. My music goals are geared toward making original music, but I'm convinced that learning the music of those I admire (e.g., Dylan) will help get me build a foundation of skill and understanding to get me off the ground and flying more confidently in that direction of creativity; I'm still relatively new to the guitar game. One day at a time. Thanks for the response, Mike! Best wishes to you and yours.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

@@visitur4914 very cool. So have you been writing long? Or just start writing with the guitar? Happy to talk at length about this stuff...shoot me an email if you wanna continue: [e-mail]

[@louishellyer1775]

can you put this tab on your website?

[@MikesMusicMethod]

Yes. In my early videos I wasn't doing tab. But let me get to this one.

[@gjhomes]

Funny dude 😂

[@MikesMusicMethod]

ha, i try to make the most of em. what song next?

[@ianwalker9358]

I cant get my thumb to the E string.

[@MikesMusicMethod]

what kind of guitar do you play? This video might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpW7qWh4nL5kbas there's always alternate fingerings. Well, not always, ha, but usually.

[@notsure7899]

Mike you are a strange fellow, but this was a great lesson!

[@MikesMusicMethod]

haha. thanks.

[@TheSolarwaves]

Good video...BUT OMG do NOT try & be funny doing stupid eye crossing routine & silly voices if you want your views to grow X 10! It may be better m8 to start the video just playing & singing part of song - then go right on smiling & giving lesson. I bet thousands turned off by that pulling faces garbage. Otherwise lotsa potential!

[@MikesMusicMethod]

appreciate the feedback. The entire thing has been a learning experience. The newer videos start more on point. But there's still always some banter. I wouldnt be motivated to do this stuff if I didnt share a part of myself in the process.

[@bigphatty5298]

This isn't how he plays it right

[@MikesMusicMethod]

What did I botch?