DVD One – Demystifying Alternate Thumb Style: For many aspiring players, the ability to maintain a rock-steady rhythmic pulse with their thumb while picking out off-the-beat melody notes with their fingers represents a “holy grail” of country, folk and blues playing. Drawing on four decades of teaching experience, Happy Traum has devised this nearly foolproof method to help them get off to a great start. The simple children’s song “Skip to My Lou” helps teach the basic concepts before getting into fingerpicking standards such as: Spike Driver’s Blues • Green, Green Rocky Road • Staggerlee • Nine Pound Hammer • Hobo’s Lullaby.
100-MIN. DVD • LEVEL 2 • INCLUDES MUSIC + TAB
DVDs Two and Three: These two DVDs take the “Easy Steps” course to the next level, adding songs and techniques that will bring your playing firmly into intermediate territory. You’ll learn how to play in the versatile and useful “dropped D” tuning, with its rich, booming bass notes and easy chord shapes. Five classic songs are taught, each one rich with possibilities for creating exciting arrangements: The Colorado Trail • My Home’s Across the Smoky Mountains • Fishin’ Blues • The Blues Ain’t Nothin’ • John Henry. Back in standard tuning, you’re introduced to the songs and styles of Merle Travis, Doc Watson, John Hurt and other masters of traditional fingerpicking. You’ll learn to move freely around the fingerboard and will be playing licks, slides, hammer-ons and bass runs while maintaining the steady thumb rhythm that gives this style its ear-catching appeal. By the time you’ve completed this course you’ll be picking: I Am a Pilgrim • Deep River Blues • Louis Collins • Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out • Step It Up and Go.
2-DVD SET • INCLUDES MUSIC + TAB • LEVEL 3
