Leavitt Modern Method for Guitar vol 1 enjoyment thread!

[ten left thumbs]

will move to other thread

[Kojo27]

Hello --

I learned most of what I know from volumes 1 and 2. It's the best method I know of for developing a fairly high degree of proficiency in a relatively short stretch of time.

Besides that, it's fun - and it's cool to think of all the guitarists who probably worked through the same stuff. I think I'll buy Vol. 1 w/DVD, just to drill on fundamentals, and just because I like the books so much.

About rest strokes: I don't recall Leavitt's saying we should use rest strokes throughout. However... during the past year or so I've started picking "through" the string on downstrokes AND on upstrokes. It's a great technique to have under your belt, because it's the ultimate way to pull a nice, fat tone from a string. It produces a sound that just isn't possible with "free strokes" ... imo. Listen to Django - he's using rest strokes galore. (Leavitt presents "Gypsy picking" in vol. 1, early on, but he calls it "Another way to pick" or something like that -- says it's old-fashioned, but still worth knowing. Hah! It's a GREAT way to play. IMO.)

Have fun!


kj

[ten left thumbs]

That's good to know Kojo. What is gypsy picking? there is reverse alternate picking on p52, but I've not got there yet.

One of the good things about the dvd is you get to play the duets along with him. Provided you can keep up.

[Kojo27]

Originally Posted by ten left thumbs

That's good to know Kojo. What is gypsy picking? there is reverse alternate picking on p52, but I've not got there yet.

If you want to SEE an incredible example of "Gypsy Picking," go to truefire.com and look around till you find Andreas Oberg's course - "Combustion - something" - I can't recall the exact title. These are video courses, as you may know. One of the FREEBIE clips that you can watch is one in which Oberg demonstrates this way of picking. It's worth the time! It'll convince you of just how effective this can be. Oberg is FAST.

I'm pretty sure I read (probably in Guitar Player magazine) that Joe Pass played this way most of the time.

The technique: whenever you move the pick to a different string, you play a downstroke. This is ascending and descending. When notes you want to play are along the same string, use alternating down- and upstrokes. I've found that when playing low-to-high ( a scale, for example), this technique can facilitate some pretty amazing speed. It's the same as "economy picking," when you're moving from lower-pitched to higher-pitched strings. On the way back down a scale, though, it's different.

It's on page 59, volume one.

Here's a piece of the page w/Leavitt's explanation:

Gypsy Picking_Leavitt.jpg - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage


kj -- How does the picture link work now?

[ten left thumbs]

got it - thanks, this is good to know.

Sounds like descending it would be quicker to start on an upstroke.

[Kojo27]

Originally Posted by ten left thumbs

got it - thanks, this is good to know.

Sounds like descending it would be quicker to start on an upstroke.

Yeah, it does seems so, but watch Oberg do it. I'm not a gypsy picker, but I've tinkered with this idea enough to know it's based on sound principles and really does allow you to FLY.

Try it for a week. Practice major scales, at 60 bpm, 4 notes per click (or two notes, whatever). ALWAYS play to a metronome. Then, after a week, you'll surely know.

[ten left thumbs]

I'll give it a try.