@Patriksundvik That guitar is a 1989 Martin D-16…heavily used.

@routan09 Thanks so much. I appreciate your kind comments and hopefully I can add another instructional video before too much longer.

What guitar? Martin something. Looks like a D-15 but i know it aint ^^

You are a dead ringer for Paul Reubens aka Pee Wee Herman. Incidentally Reuben by Earl Scruggs was dedicated to Pauls dad Buford. Not Reuben Kincaide from the Partridge Family as so many believe.

What a great sounding Martin D. Is that a D-18 ? Medium or light gauge strings?

Incidentally, I personally really enjoy the introduction, and would never allow it to deter me from learning from you – that is ridiculous. As you say yourself, this style of music is rare and highly under-rated, so the more of it I get to hear, the better – please keep it up!! Musicians like Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, and Doc Watson are personal heroes of mine, so the more I can learn of their styles, the better! Thanks again, and please keep making these!

Thank-you so much for this lesson – my father, brothers and I used to have a bluegrass band, and I performed with them in public from when I was about 10 until I was 19, and after a ten year hiatus, I am trying to get back into it to surprise my dad……right now I am terrible at flat picking, and I only ever played the simple down, down, down-up, down-up rhythm, even when I was pretty good. I really appreciate this lesson – you are a great instructor, and I have always wanted to learn this!!

Mrapplesos, The introduction lasts about 33-35 seconds on each video. The easiest way not to hear that part is to click the play/pause button as soon as you arrive on the page and move the play point to around 00:35. Then hit play again and you’re all set. The introduction serves 2 purposes, to explain the lesson and pay respect to Lester Flatt. I don’t know much about making videos so I based it these on every TV show I’ve seen, which all have beginnings. Sorry this annoys you.

Dude, what always stops me from watching your videos is that music that plays at the beginning of everyone of them. its not bad but after hearing it for several times it get annoying.

Another great lesson, Chris. Thanks again for breaking this stuff down.

thank you!

holy crap you have a cannon of a guitar!

Thank you for the help .. Great stuff..

When you can, would you finish showing us the rest of “Six White Horses” (the way you did at the beginning of this video) That would be very helpful.
Thanks.

SWEET!!!!! What year is your D-18? Love the enlarged soundhole. What a sound it has!!!!

Again, thank you for sharing.

You have a very Subtle and Relaxed style that most Guitar players would miss if they didn’t take the time to watch what you were doing VERY Closely. It’s very advanced playing that sounds GREAT.

Also … you really know how to teach Guitar and I sincerly appreciate you passing on this information. I’m not much of a Bluegrass Guitarist but the information you’ve shaired on the two video’s I’ve watched is excellent because it’s Soulful and Heartfelt.

David

I appreciate that very much! I’ll be trying my best to post something new each week.

Thank you for watching and your comment. Hopefully there will be some techniques that will be of some help.

Thank you for sharing … it’s always great to get a close-up look at the subtle technique that a player uses.

DDR

AWESOME vid Keep it up Can’t wait to see more vids from you

I dug out the old RCA Victor “Original Blue Grass” LP and listened to Clyde playing this. “Something” is slightly different, but hard to pick out. First, Clyde plays the “pattern” constantly in his rhythm back-up. I believe Lester used it less while singing, and more for emphasis. Also, Clyde “begins” the lick with the first “downstroke”, not the bass E note. His emphasis/syncopation is a little different as a result. He “ends” the pattern on the bass E note. Hard to describe.

Thanks for the comments and thanks Dick for responding to the question about Clyde Moody. I have the recording somewhere but during the conversion of part of the house into a recording studio some things got shuffled and I’ve been unable to locate that recording. I agree that almost certainly Lester’s idea for the solo came from Clyde’s playing though as far as the pattern goes I can’t say without hearing it.

Clyde Moody originated Six White Horses with Monroe in 40 or 41. His E chord playing was quite close to Lester’s, or maybe it should be said the other way around! One major difference is Clyde’s full break on Six White Hosses was quite a bit shorter than Lester’s, but certainly similar ideas. I’ll have to go listen to see if Lester and Clyde play the same “pattern” in rhythm.

It’s just great to see this lick broken down so slow and careful. I think it is one of the two licks that really “define” Lester’s style. ANY song he recorded out of an E position, even with a capo playing E position, he’d use this lick. In fact, he used to do this as an intro to many gospel songs that he did in E or F. Just to set the pace, then everyone would join in and sing! Great work Chris!

Nice! I was wondering what ol’ Lester was doing there. Is that the same lick Clyde Moody originally played on that song?