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Archive for July 3rd, 2024

Two Of Twelve

Posted in 2024 Book Review, Book Review, Disclaimer, General Comments, Guitar, Guitar Stuff, Music, Music and Concerts, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , on July 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Book review:  “The Guitar Travis Picking Songbook: Learn 12 popular songs arranged for solo Travis picking guitar“
Today’s book review is for:  “The Guitar Travis Picking Songbook:  Learn 12 popular songs arranged for solo Travis picking guitar” (2021©), written by:  Daryl Kellie.  This is one of several dozen books I’ve picked up over the last few years as I’ve promised myself I’ll try a more disciplined approach to learning guitar.  (So far, I’ve made almost no progress through the books, and I don’t believe my approach is any more disciplined than before.  LoL!!)
For those not familiar with “Travis Picking”, it is a modified (sub-set) form of classical style which places a heavy use of the thumb on the picking hand to establish a baseline beat while using (traditionally) the index and middle finger to play a music pieces melody.  This book uses the three finger style (includes the ring finger for melody) which is much closer to (traditional) classical style.  Most “Travis” style songs are country, NOT classical music compositions.  Because there is heavy use of an independent thumb (for the bass lines), it is not “normal” to use a guitar plectrum for picking.  Instead, a “thumb-pick” is worn.  Some people also use “finger-picks”, and some use no pick and only use their fingernails.   When done well, Travis Picking can sound like more than one instrument is being played.
A “review” of this book is very premature.  I’ve read the text, listened to the songs (music) and, now, plan to try learning them.  Until I actually work through the 12 songs and practice them, I cannot judge how good the tab notation / regular scoring is.  I assume, at this point, they are accurate.
The book seems to offer a wide range of music from Americana, to classical, to popular (dated but “popular”).  I assume each song will take weeks – if not months – to get to a reasonable level of performance, if for no other reason, because I am a guitar beginner and a slow learner.  LoL!!
Having listened to the music (which is downloadable from the publisher’s site), I would state there are really only two pieces I would choose to learn if they were not in this book.  However, each song is meant to teach a particular Travis Picking skill – in increasing order of difficulty, so I will at least attempt them all.  Realistically, I doubt I’ll spend enough time on any of the other ten songs to reach any normal performance level skill.  …Only long enough to satisfy myself I more or less “know” the skill / technique being taught / offered.  (Not so) final recommendation:  moderate.  I may change this recommendation in a few months after I’ve had a chance to work through some of the pieces.
Note:  I have the physical (letter / page size, soft cover) copy and not an electronic version.
Disclaimer:  I purchased this book via Amazon and have received no compensation for this review.  The views reflected are my own and should be considered with the awareness that my music knowledge and guitar skills are very limited.
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Click here (3 July) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Rushing What Could Have Been A Work Of Art

Posted in Humor, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged , , , , , , , on July 3, 2024| 2 Comments »

Take the universe as a whole, and it is a very clever conception and quite competently carried out, but I don’t think much of this globe as a work of art.  It would have been better to take more time to it and do it right, it seems to me, than to rush it through, helter-skelter, in six days, just for reputation.
    —     Mark Twain
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Click here (3 July) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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