Who amongst us is a Travis picking master?

I'm working up Travis picking using a thumb pick and want to ask a couple of questions.

Anyone here is an advanced Travis picker?

Well I'm not holding my hand up to be a 'master' at anything, but I play/teach it alongside other fingerstyle styles. What is it you want to know?

Probably I'm one of several on the forum who plays Travis/Atkins/Reed style but I doubt any of us would call ourselves masters. Would you settle for anything less perhaps?    ;)

Not advanced.

I can do it. I wouldn't trust anyone calling themselves a master of it! What are your questions?

I guess we're simply not masterful enough.

Sorry, I will reply soon. I’ve been tracking an album.

merlin said:

Not advanced.

Have you tried hybrid picking? I would love to go full thumb pick for certain things but I enjoy the versatility of a regular pick. Most of the time I'm happy with three picking fingers. 

I already play hybrid, for about 30 years. 

I can do it (badly ) ......I can't give advice on technique but I have experimented a lot with different styles and brands of thubpick and where to wear it 
I find the firther towards the knuckle I wear it the more control I have and it doesn't spin round my thumb
I also find that a very short thumbpick works best for me ( I file them down ) or I get stuck between strings 

James Oliver is pretty good. Not sure if he's on here. This is him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.oliver.184

@Panama_Jack666 sometimes plays bass with him.

OK, I have a moment's peace and quiet.

Question is how people move from playing 5/6 string chords, say D7 x54530 & 5x4530 to playing something like a 4 string open D.
I'd want to keep some sort of alternating bass motion going, that isn't a problem, so the P going from 4th to 3rd to 5th to 3rd string, but without 3 strings on top a lot of the patterns I've worked out don't quite work.
Is it just a matter of dumbing it down to a simpler pattern when playing chords on the top 4 strings?
So I & A go to the top two strings?

Where before it is IMA on strings 3/2/1, not it is just IM on strings 2/1?

If this isn't clear I can notate it.

I will have more questions as I go, I am sure.
Thanks chaps.

Dominic said:

I can do it (badly ) ......I can't give advice on technique but I have experimented a lot with different styles and brands of thubpick and where to wear it 
I find the firther towards the knuckle I wear it the more control I have and it doesn't spin round my thumb
I also find that a very short thumbpick works best for me ( I file them down ) or I get stuck between strings 

I've got a few different types.

The bog standard Dunlop Large (tortoise) ones feel the best.
I file then down too, I also pop them in a jar of boiling water for 2 minutes and then put them on my thumb so they are a bit more comfy.

I've tried Blue Chip (great but too fucking expensive- also need to be shortened).

I had high hopes for these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JA4T76U
They are the right length but too tight on the thumb, the boiling water trick doesn't work and the edges are rough.

If I have correctly understood your question, the norm for open D (often open D7) is to alternate the bass (with thumb pick) between 6th string, second fret, fifth and fourth strings open. That leaves your fingers to play melody on the third, second and first strings. I would always fret the sixth string second fret with my thumb. Thumb-over is a fundamental part of Travis style and is used extensively to keep fingers free.

As regards thumb picks, I use different types depending on the music. Bumble Bees for a snappy attack on muted strings or Herco Flat Thumbpicks for a softer sounds when open bass strings are also played. There's no hard and fast rule but they must be comfortable (i.e. of the correct size) and not project too far beyond the thumb. Always moisten the thumb slightly before fitting to stop them turning.

octatonic said:

Dominic said:

I can do it (badly ) ......I can't give advice on technique but I have experimented a lot with different styles and brands of thubpick and where to wear it 
I find the firther towards the knuckle I wear it the more control I have and it doesn't spin round my thumb
I also find that a very short thumbpick works best for me ( I file them down ) or I get stuck between strings 

I've got a few different types.

The bog standard Dunlop Large (tortoise) ones feel the best.
I file then down too, I also pop them in a jar of boiling water for 2 minutes and then put them on my thumb so they are a bit more comfy.

I've tried Blue Chip (great but too fucking expensive- also need to be shortened).

I had high hopes for these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JA4T76U
They are the right length but too tight on the thumb, the boiling water trick doesn't work and the edges are rough.

The Blue chips are what Brent Mason uses

Thumb over the top to fret the F# giving you the 3rd in the bass for an open D sounds good if you're playing in G or A, less so if you're playing in D. Which is why people often gravitate to drop D for that purpose. Or just an A shape barre chord at the 5th fret (but also fretting the 6th string to give you an A in the bass)...that way your thumb can do 5 4 6 4 and you've got the full chord on top.

Just as aside, despite the name, Merle Travis didn't play like this. Strictly and cleanly alternating bass notes are more Chet Atkins, Doc Watson etc. Merle was way more thump and strum with his thumb, and he also only played upstrokes with a single finger. 

Lewy said:

Just as aside, despite the name, Merle Travis didn't play like this. Strictly and cleanly alternating bass notes are more Chet Atkins, Doc Watson etc. Merle was way more thump and strum with his thumb, and he also only played upstrokes with a single finger. 

Fair doos... yes I am probably talking more about the Atkins approach.

octatonic said:

Question is how people move from playing 5/6 string chords, say D7 x54530 & 5x4530 to playing something like a 4 string open D.
I'd want to keep some sort of alternating bass motion going, that isn't a problem, so the P going from 4th to 3rd to 5th to 3rd string, but without 3 strings on top a lot of the patterns I've worked out don't quite work.
Is it just a matter of dumbing it down to a simpler pattern when playing chords on the top 4 strings?
So I & A go to the top two strings?

I wouldn't *usually* be using P on the 3rd string, it usually covers  strings 4-6 for alternating bass. For Jerry reed type fast arpeggios then yeah, but usually not for basic rhythm. Therefore I would agree with suggestion above and thumb a F# in the bass for a basic open D shape pattern.

Also I rarely use the A finger for this stuff, I rest pinky on the guitar top for security and just use IM for the melody. Nothing wrong with using A, though especially if you are trying to develop it .

Merle just used P and I.

JonnyBgoode said:

octatonic said:

Question is how people move from playing 5/6 string chords, say D7 x54530 & 5x4530 to playing something like a 4 string open D.
I'd want to keep some sort of alternating bass motion going, that isn't a problem, so the P going from 4th to 3rd to 5th to 3rd string, but without 3 strings on top a lot of the patterns I've worked out don't quite work.
Is it just a matter of dumbing it down to a simpler pattern when playing chords on the top 4 strings?
So I & A go to the top two strings?

I wouldn't *usually* be using P on the 3rd string, it usually covers  strings 4-6 for alternating bass. For Jerry reed type fast arpeggios then yeah, but usually not for basic rhythm. Therefore I would agree with suggestion above and thumb a F# in the bass for a basic open D shape pattern.

Also I rarely use the A finger for this stuff, I rest pinky on the guitar top for security and just use IM for the melody. Nothing wrong with using A, though especially if you are trying to develop it .

Merle just used P and I.

Thanks for the info.

My hybrid technique was developed to essentially copy PIMA classical technique but using a pick so I use my middle, ring and pinky.
So it means I have quite a lot of reprogramming, using my index for anything is weird as hell.

octatonic said:

Lewy said:

Just as aside, despite the name, Merle Travis didn't play like this. Strictly and cleanly alternating bass notes are more Chet Atkins, Doc Watson etc. Merle was way more thump and strum with his thumb, and he also only played upstrokes with a single finger. 

Fair doos... yes I am probably talking more about the Atkins approach.

I think it is generally assumed that you are meaning Chet’s approach when you say ‘Travis picking’ James. Travis picking is a misnomer anyway because Merle didn’t invent the style. He learned from Mose Rager who, in turn, was influenced by Kennedy Jones. Each just added their personal interpretations. Travis picking is just a convenient label. It’s also commonly referred to as Kentucky Thumbpicking.

How you approach the D depends a little on what it is doing, i.e. root chord, IV or V, etc. You didn’t say how you are using it for the patterns you have worked out but D, or more likely D7, is mostly (but not exclusively) used in the keys of G or A in this style of playing. In which case @JonnyBgoode and I are in agreement on thumb fretting the low F#.

Like most players of this style I use P, I and M. Only occasionally using A for vamped chords with alternating bass (as accompaniment) or for particular rolling phrases, e.g. the extended ending of Oh, By Jingo.