Has anyone managed to pull this off with success? Obviously fingerstyle guitar has no chance of being heard when many instruments are playing at the same time. So it's probably only possible at the start of the session when things are still relatively quiet, or when other players are willing to sit out for a quiet tune.. A whistle or flute or a gently played fiddle can sound nice along with a fingerstyle arrangement. I've tried it a couple of times but it doesn't feel very satisfying yet. Is there room for fingerstyle guitar in your session?
Don't go to sessions. (Even moderately small groups of people make Aspies nervous.)
But I do enjoy fingerpicking a tune to myself at home (and occasionally to the family). I play classical acoustic which would easily be drowned out anyway. Steel-strung jobs might hold their own better. It staggers me a bit how easy it is to pick out some tunes on an open D tuning. Recently I learnt The Butterfly and it's one of those tunes where you scarcely have to move your fingers.
We had an American guitar player join us one time for our quiet ballad session one time & he had one of those dinky travelling Taylor guitars. He played fingerstyle & it was terrific.
There should always be room good musicians at any session, whatever they play, within reason.
Reminds me, we had a Highland Piper one time, who just rambled into our pub just before closing time.
He was dressed in the full kit & had just been at a Wedding nearby.
Anyway he asked if he could play a few tunes & of course we said tear away.
After a couple of great sets the barman called for the last tune so he asked if he could finish with a few jigs & we nodded our approval so off he went, shouting for us to join him as he started - Bb, not the friendliest key!
We could have chased him but hey, you just have to go with the flow sometimes, don't you?
As it was, it was a great way to end the night & people still remember that night, when many a night's great music has been forgotten!
Makes you think, doesn't it?
I disagree Bystander. I think every session needs to slow it down every now & then, whether it's for a slow air, or a song & as long as Cammy was content to play fingerstyle only occasionally during the course of the night, then why shouldn't he take his guitar with him?
I'm assuming you play something else besides Cammy?
Don't give up Cammy - we have a couple of guitarists who are regulars at the session and occasionally do some fingerpicking.
One of them lead off 'The cliffs of Moher' a couple of weeks ago and it worked really well. Mind you, it was an unusually small session because the Aussie Rules grand final was on, but we still had flute, banjo, harmonica, fiddle and box(!). The guitar was still the lead instrument., and could be clearly heard.
Perth Session member Donough pulls it off successfully in sessions all right. And with both hands on his guitar (boom boom!).
Get in early to one of those sessions in the big old high-ceilinged West Australian pubs and the acoustics are ... interesting .., fingerpicked guitar can be heard quite prominenty.
I play occasionally with a fingerpicker in Aberdeen area who uses thumb and finger picks - can be heard pretty well until the session gets really noisy.
Bren; Not quite sure if I understood correctly just what exactly I was supposed to have pulled off
I would say that a fingerpicked tune goes down well but is quite difficult to hear unless the conditions are just right. I really would only say that it happens about one in 10 sessions that I go to. Sometimes we do a rendition of Voyage Pour Irlande me + another guitar (double fingerpicked) plus one LoD whistle. The balance on that is fine.
Cammy judging from what I've heard of your Mandolin (and ?whistle) you don't need to worry about being left out. The Session is really not the right environment for showcasing the fingerpick thing. It's better on a stage where you are hooked up and don't have to worry about trying to pull that extra volume out to be heard. The great thing about fingerpicking is that we can do it on our own and it sounds full without waking the neighbours.
The session is all about everyone joining in and that kind of makes the fingerpick out of place unless it's a small quiet session.
I know what you mean Donough, but there are different kinds of sessions. As Ptarmigan mentioned, there is also the "quiet ballad session". (Is that only ballads, or is there a mixture of tunes and songs Ptarmigan?) Usually there's not much dynamic range though at a typical session involving many players. It's a bit like someone said about the Scottish bagpipes - they're either "ON" or "OFF". A session that can move from gentle ballads to roaring dance tunes sounds great to me, but I'm not sure how often that actually happens.
Speak for yourself Donough. I'd love to hear more fingerpicking at sessions.
Which reminds me, who was that Guitar player on RTE the other night, playing with yer Banjo man Fleck? Outstanding!
Cammy, that session has a mixture of about 60/40 songs to tunes.
Oh, & we also sometimes have Scottish Smallpipes &/or Northumbrian Pipes there too.
Now, as for the latter, they are so quiet those F Pipes that I have seen Sam try to play them at a noisy session & not even he could here them. So he just has to wait for the quiet moments.
Yes -- I most certainly will do fingerstyle guitar at sessions -- when it's the right tune. Slip Jigs seem to work well for this (The Butterfly, The Foxhunter's Jig, etc.) -- but especially slow airs, too. I'll usually just feel out the atmosphere, but I'll wait until things have slowed down a bit (most of the musicians taking a break and only a few people playing, for example) before jumping in.
In some cases, I have also lead tunes on fingerstyle guitar --- and then later switching to rythm during the set.
I do fingerpick on occasion, just for a change of pace. It also works nice if you have two guitarists for them to take turns fingerpicking and struming, so they don't trip over each other (another way to keep guitarists from tripping over each other is for one to use a capo, then each approach the chords in a different section of the fretboard).
I also sometimes like to imitate old time piano players with my fingers, playing in an oom pah style, with all three fingers plucking a block chord while the thumb does the bass. I call it my "Felix Dolan" style. I especially do this on hornpipes, it fits well with their rhythm and causes them to stand out a little from the reels. I know this is an old-fashioned approach that some might sneer at, but I figure my grey beard gives me the right to be old fashioned once in a while.
I only play fingerstyle and use a thumbpick and can be heard VERY well.....some people don't like my style, but most do. I play in Dropped D for backing, DADGAD mainly for tunes.
I'd like to hear more fingerstyle personally, seems every finger player plays differently, very interesting....
iris nevins
Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Has anyone managed to pull this off with success? Obviously fingerstyle guitar has no chance of being heard when many instruments are playing at the same time. So it's probably only possible at the start of the session when things are still relatively quiet, or when other players are willing to sit out for a quiet tune.. A whistle or flute or a gently played fiddle can sound nice along with a fingerstyle arrangement. I've tried it a couple of times but it doesn't feel very satisfying yet. Is there room for fingerstyle guitar in your session?
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Cammy
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Don't go to sessions. (Even moderately small groups of people make Aspies nervous.)
But I do enjoy fingerpicking a tune to myself at home (and occasionally to the family). I play classical acoustic which would easily be drowned out anyway. Steel-strung jobs might hold their own better. It staggers me a bit how easy it is to pick out some tunes on an open D tuning. Recently I learnt The Butterfly and it's one of those tunes where you scarcely have to move your fingers.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
We had an American guitar player join us one time for our quiet ballad session one time & he had one of those dinky travelling Taylor guitars. He played fingerstyle & it was terrific.
There should always be room good musicians at any session, whatever they play, within reason.
Reminds me, we had a Highland Piper one time, who just rambled into our pub just before closing time.
He was dressed in the full kit & had just been at a Wedding nearby.
Anyway he asked if he could play a few tunes & of course we said tear away.
After a couple of great sets the barman called for the last tune so he asked if he could finish with a few jigs & we nodded our approval so off he went, shouting for us to join him as he started - Bb, not the friendliest key!
We could have chased him but hey, you just have to go with the flow sometimes, don't you?
As it was, it was a great way to end the night & people still remember that night, when many a night's great music has been forgotten!
Makes you think, doesn't it?
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I disagree Bystander. I think every session needs to slow it down every now & then, whether it's for a slow air, or a song & as long as Cammy was content to play fingerstyle only occasionally during the course of the night, then why shouldn't he take his guitar with him?
I'm assuming you play something else besides Cammy?
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Don't give up Cammy - we have a couple of guitarists who are regulars at the session and occasionally do some fingerpicking.
One of them lead off 'The cliffs of Moher' a couple of weeks ago and it worked really well. Mind you, it was an unusually small session because the Aussie Rules grand final was on, but we still had flute, banjo, harmonica, fiddle and box(!). The guitar was still the lead instrument., and could be clearly heard.
Eno
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by bc_box_player
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Perth Session member Donough pulls it off successfully in sessions all right. And with both hands on his guitar (boom boom!).
Get in early to one of those sessions in the big old high-ceilinged West Australian pubs and the acoustics are ... interesting .., fingerpicked guitar can be heard quite prominenty.
I play occasionally with a fingerpicker in Aberdeen area who uses thumb and finger picks - can be heard pretty well until the session gets really noisy.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Bren
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Bren; Not quite sure if I understood correctly just what exactly I was supposed to have pulled off
I would say that a fingerpicked tune goes down well but is quite difficult to hear unless the conditions are just right. I really would only say that it happens about one in 10 sessions that I go to. Sometimes we do a rendition of Voyage Pour Irlande me + another guitar (double fingerpicked) plus one LoD whistle. The balance on that is fine.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Donough
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I'm starting to feel my spirits rising there listening to the reports, but one in 10 sessions, that's not much Donough. Still, I'll persevere..
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Cammy
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Cammy judging from what I've heard of your Mandolin (and ?whistle) you don't need to worry about being left out. The Session is really not the right environment for showcasing the fingerpick thing. It's better on a stage where you are hooked up and don't have to worry about trying to pull that extra volume out to be heard. The great thing about fingerpicking is that we can do it on our own and it sounds full without waking the neighbours.
The session is all about everyone joining in and that kind of makes the fingerpick out of place unless it's a small quiet session.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Donough
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I know what you mean Donough, but there are different kinds of sessions. As Ptarmigan mentioned, there is also the "quiet ballad session". (Is that only ballads, or is there a mixture of tunes and songs Ptarmigan?) Usually there's not much dynamic range though at a typical session involving many players. It's a bit like someone said about the Scottish bagpipes - they're either "ON" or "OFF". A session that can move from gentle ballads to roaring dance tunes sounds great to me, but I'm not sure how often that actually happens.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Cammy
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I mostly play the flute at our sessions, but....
I like to back up with inappropriate (albeit hotter than a Georgia firecracker) chords *once* per night.
I do not let this obsession get out of hand.
I play a National ResoRocket with fingerpicks.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by bt
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Speak for yourself Donough. I'd love to hear more fingerpicking at sessions.
Which reminds me, who was that Guitar player on RTE the other night, playing with yer Banjo man Fleck? Outstanding!
Cammy, that session has a mixture of about 60/40 songs to tunes.
Oh, & we also sometimes have Scottish Smallpipes &/or Northumbrian Pipes there too.
Now, as for the latter, they are so quiet those F Pipes that I have seen Sam try to play them at a noisy session & not even he could here them. So he just has to wait for the quiet moments.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Was it this bloke with Bela Fleck: http://www.hughsfineguitars.co.za/merlefest1a.jpg
Brian Sutton.
# Posted on October 2nd 2005 by Bren
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Yes, that was the dude Bren. An absolutely fabulous player! He'd be welcome in our session, any time. He could even have my seat!
# Posted on October 3rd 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
Yes -- I most certainly will do fingerstyle guitar at sessions -- when it's the right tune. Slip Jigs seem to work well for this (The Butterfly, The Foxhunter's Jig, etc.) -- but especially slow airs, too. I'll usually just feel out the atmosphere, but I'll wait until things have slowed down a bit (most of the musicians taking a break and only a few people playing, for example) before jumping in.
In some cases, I have also lead tunes on fingerstyle guitar --- and then later switching to rythm during the set.
# Posted on October 3rd 2005 by Dan Carollo
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I do fingerpick on occasion, just for a change of pace. It also works nice if you have two guitarists for them to take turns fingerpicking and struming, so they don't trip over each other (another way to keep guitarists from tripping over each other is for one to use a capo, then each approach the chords in a different section of the fretboard).
I also sometimes like to imitate old time piano players with my fingers, playing in an oom pah style, with all three fingers plucking a block chord while the thumb does the bass. I call it my "Felix Dolan" style. I especially do this on hornpipes, it fits well with their rhythm and causes them to stand out a little from the reels. I know this is an old-fashioned approach that some might sneer at, but I figure my grey beard gives me the right to be old fashioned once in a while.
# Posted on October 3rd 2005 by AlBrown
Re: Fingerstyle guitar at a session?
I only play fingerstyle and use a thumbpick and can be heard VERY well.....some people don't like my style, but most do. I play in Dropped D for backing, DADGAD mainly for tunes.
I'd like to hear more fingerstyle personally, seems every finger player plays differently, very interesting....
iris nevins
# Posted on October 27th 2005 by irisnevins