Easy???

[Todd B]

I have to laugh when teachers say something is easy. Easy to them maybe. 🤔 It’s not just Brian, they all do it. I wish all the teachers would just give the lesson and let the player determine if it’s easy or not. EP 511, the lesson with the thumb keeping a steady bass, while the fingers play notes on the first three strings is not easy. Especially if you are just starting out playing that style. It’s a whole new skill that takes work to get used to. Just a pet peeve of mine. I’ve come across it many times with different teachers.

[Richard G]

Hi Todd,
I’m sure Brian can speak for himself but in his defence, he aims these lessons at all levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced players. He did caption this lesson with ‘Easy Thumb Technique’ and as such this monotonic bass is the easiest technique when compared with alternate bass or Travis picking style bass.
The melody, as I’m sure you would agree is also very simple, or easy. The trick here is to syncopate these two simple parts together. Brian did say in his commentary that this lesson was perfect for the fingerstyle beginner.
If you are just setting out with this style, my advice would be, stay with it Todd, the many rewards of playing this style are well worth the effort involved.

Richard

[Todd B]

Absolutely! I can’t wait to get it under my fingers. I know why he said it. It is easy compared to other more complicated styles, but it still isn’t easy, until it is 😝 Thanks for replying

[ranja]

Todd,
To my mind Brian encourages us to look at things as accessible.He says “you can do this.’
Indeed you can. He never says you won’t have to work to get there.
Bteak it down to small pieces, follow the process and you will see results.
It’s yours to claim. There will be a lot of pain.
Ron

[sunjamr]

For most people, nothing about the guitar is easy. A lot of people don’t even know how to properly pick one up and hold it. But if you just keep working away at it, by next year you’ll look back and laugh at your frustration. If you want something easier, check out some of the earlier lessons. EP065 is about as easy as any blues lesson could be.

Sunjamr Steve

[Todd B]

Thanks Steve happy to say this lesson is coming along with practice

[John H]

Nothing about this comes easily. It’s a long journey with peaks and valleys and all that comes in between. Sticking with mastering a lesson, song or technique requires time, discipline and humility. Some times putting down the guitar it the healthiest thing to do. I know I have. I still love it. Stick with whatever it is you are trying to learn. One day it will come.
JH

[Todd B]

Thanks John, it’s coming along with practice

[JoLa]

Hey Todd, you’re absolutely right but so are the other members who contributed here. “Easy” is a tricky adjective when it comes to guitar skills and I told Brian a few times already to forget that word when describing his lessons 😉😂🤓 It seems like everything we learn is hard at first until it becomes easy with practice so “easy” or “hard” really depends on where you’re at – at the time.

🎸JoLa

[Todd B]

Thanks Jo, my thoughts exactly. Brian isn’t the only teacher who does this. It kind of feel like it’s diminishing your accomplishment. Like oh I leaned this EASY lesson. This was a bear to me at first, but it’s starting to come together. It’s all about that muscle memory as you keep working at it. Thanks for your imput

[Mark H]

Take a look at the “Stages of Competence” theory. It will explain everything!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence

src=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence#/media/File:Competence_Hierarchy_adapted_from_Noel_Burch_by_Igor_Kokcharov.svg” alt=”Stages of competence triangle” />

[Todd B]

Thanks Mark! Interesting stuff

[Charlie R]

Hey Todd… I remember starting to learn fingerstyle and having to sit and repeat the very simplest of notes until my thumb and fingers could begin to grasp the syncopation. and THEN moving from one single bass note to alternating between the 6th and 5 the strings, and THEN (on and on).

I’ve learned to slow my roll and truly break a song or lesson down and learn it one measure at a time. I thought I was just really LAME at learning guitar. Back in February, I was working on a video shoot and Tommy Emmanuel was the guest artist. In my mind, he’s one of the best pickers alive today. I encourage you to watch this interview and performance and you’ll see that the best players still have to learn or create new materials in exactly this manner. Don’t be discouraged… after a while it starts to fall into place. Tommy E can say it better than I… Here’s a link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN3wZuoI_rA
Cheers!
Charlie

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