Acoustic Guitar Workshop

Dear Guitar Player

As an eager student of the acoustic guitar, I have always been interested
in discovering the mechanics of playing different styles. The blues and
ragtime had me reeling to work out how something so simple as a few chords
thrown together, could be so dammed difficult. I had been
through loads of normal books on fingerstyle but couldn’t find the essence
of simplicity that the playing of Muddy Waters or Big Bill Broonzy conjured
up. It was frustrating.

I found I could play all kinds of bluesy instrumentals but lacked what I
felt was real blues. As all good things come to pass, I finally had my
eureka a few years down the line. I was listening to an album by Lightening
Hopkins and was amazed that all I was hearing was a four beat boom on the
bass strings and an occasional ting on the top.

Of course, there were other things happening – a pick here and a pick there
– but the essence was there in that rhythmic, ‘boom, boom, boom, boom’.
From then on, I could hear the same in all the great players – Broonzy,
Johnson, etc. etc. I started from that four beat pattern and took it
from there. It’s all a simple thing really. The hardest part is to train
your self to be simple and be clear about the bottom line. All the other
elements in the playing will fit together easily.

So, these sessions that I share with you, are just a small part of my own
discovery, and hopefully part of yours too.

Cheers Rick Payne

Related Item:
The Finest Acoustic Guitars You Can Buy For Less Than $1,000

37 thoughts on “Acoustic Guitar Workshop”

  1. I WANNA TEACH THE CLASSICAL GUITAR TECHNIQUES.
    MEHER KALE (WARDHA--INDIA)

    DEAR SIR,
    MYSELF MEHER KALE FROM INDIA.MY HOMETOWN IS VERY SMALL SO THERE IS NO TEACHER FOR GUITAR….AND IN INDIA CLASSICAL GUITARIST ARE RERE TO BE FOUND. SO PLS SIR GINE ME SOME LESSONS SO THAT I CAN IMPROVE MYSELF. I WILL BE THAKFUL TO YOU.
    LASTLY I WANNA SAY THAT MUSIC IS MY SOUL….AND GUITAR I LIKE MOST.ANYHOW I WILL BE GOOD GUITARIST IN FUTURE.
    MEHER KALE

    1. Re: I WANNA TEACH THE CLASSICAL GUITAR TECHNIQUES.
      KIKE KALO

      KIKE KIKE
      : LASTLY I WANNA SAY THAT MUSIC IS MY SOUL….AND GUITAR I LIKE MOST.ANYHOW I WILL BE GOOD GUITARIST IN FUTURE.
      : KIKE KALI

  2. First Acoustic Starter Guitar
    Mark S.

    I was wondering what Manufacturer of Acoustic Guitar should I choose for my first one. I was looking at a J-45 Gibson or a Martin of the same Quality thanks for any Input anyone can give.

    1. Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
      isaac arthur

      : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows:Isaac Arthur
      p.o. box 128. ashaiman newtown
      : My God bless you so much and waiting for your reply.
      : Lovingly yours Isaac

    2. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
      Cebo Biyela

      : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: Cebo Biyela,P.O.Box 293;Ulundi;3838;South Africa
      : My God bless you so much and waiting for your reply.
      : Lovingly yours Ishmael

    3. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
      GEORGE

      : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: BOUKAOURI 120 – PATRA – GREECE – 26224

      1. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
        Anuradhi Perera

        : : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: Paththunupitiya, Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka.

        1. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
          samit kumar biswas

          i can’t afford gutar classes, because of two reasons a) classes is much expensive for me to afford B) it dosent match my office and College schedule. so i request you if you could send me soem material, i shall be very delighted.

          keep my request

          samit

          1. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
            anand

            i can’t afford gutar classes, because of two reasons a) classes is much expensive for me to afford, B) it dosent College schedule. so i request you if you could send me soem material, i shall be very delighted.

            anand
            011 27666741

    4. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
      muhammad zeeshan

      : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: Nzamutuma Ishmael, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, Peelamedu, India , Tamilnadu.
      : My God bless you so much and waiting for your reply.
      : Lovingly yours Ishmael

      1. Re: Requesting a free Guitar lesson CD
        Aruna E Nugera

        : : Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: Aruna E Nugera, No. 243/3, mahena Road, Mandawela, Kiridiwela, Sri Lanka.
        : : My God bless you so much and waiting for your reply.
        : : Lovingly yours Aruna

    5. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... Ishmael
      Ishmael

      Shall I get a free guitar lesson CD? I thank you so much for your offer and my address is as follows: Nzamutuma Ishmael, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, Peelamedu, India , Tamilnadu.
      My God bless you so much and waiting for your reply.
      Lovingly yours Ishmael

  3. guitar lessons
    manu

    hi steve,
    my names manu and i’ve been playing the guitar for sometime now.i’ve never been taught how to play guitar so i
    need some insight on playing guitar.i read your article and realised i’m having the same problems you had.i’d be
    really glad if you could guide me on playing lead[picking up speed,practice,approach,etc]i’m from india ,i play by ear
    i can play some led zep,scorpions etc.i’d be really grateful.

    1. Re: will u be my acoustic guitar teacher ?
      jami

      : will u be my acoustic guitar teacher?i am just a beginner.i dont know any sharps but i know gfe(first line) bcd (2nd) ag (3) fed (4) cba (5) gfe (6) that’s it and i wanna learn all of the notes

      1. Re: will u be my acoustic guitar teacher ?
        jami

        : : will u be my acoustic guitar teacher?i am just a beginner.i dont know any sharps but i know gfe(first line) dcb (2nd) ag (3) fed (4) cba (5) gfe (6) that’s it and i wanna learn all of the notes

      2. Re: will u be my acoustic guitar teacher ?
        jami

        : : will u be my acoustic guitar teacher?i am just a beginner.i dont know any sharps but i know gfe(first line) dcb (2nd) ag (3) fed (4) cba (5) gfe (6) that’s it and i wanna learn all of the notes

    2. Re: will u be my acoustic guitar teacher ?
      Charles Curtis

      I am looking for some good basic blues tab to expand my interest in blues guitar. I can play basic 12 bar but am limited in my ability to take the classic blues solo up to the next level.

  4. Would you like to be my guitar teacher
    Purba Kusuma

    I really want to learn guitar more. In jazz, blues, swing, reggae, gypsion, bip bop, and the other. May I learn it, and would you like to be my teacher. I am Purba Kusuma, 25, m, Indonesia. Thank you very much .fFor your attention.

Leave a Reply