Do You Really Know What Travis Picking Is? (A Lot Of People Don’t)

by Simon Candy

In this video, you learn the difference between travis picking the pattern and travis picking the style. Many people confuse the two believing if you can pluck the travis picking pattern on guitar, you can travis pick.

This is not true.

Travis picking involves a whole lot more than a simple pattern.

In this lesson, you learn the travis picking pattern and examples of it being used in a song.

This fingerpicking pattern is arguably the most useful pattern you will ever learn, however, it is not travis picking per se.

By contrast, I will also show you what travis picking the style involves including melody components being played on the higher strings of the guitar, and the use of a thumb pick for the authentic travis picking sound.

I will break a tune down for you, showing you the components that makeup travis picking the style.

Watch the video below to learn more:

Travis Picking: The Pattern

The Bass

The following is a typical bass pattern you might pluck on a G chord:

The following is a typical bass pattern you might pluck on a C chord:

The Pattern

Here is a typical Travis Picking pattern applied to a G chord:

Here is a typical Travis Picking pattern applied to a C chord:

Song Examples

Below is an example of Travis Picking applied to the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver:

Below is an example of Travis Picking applied to the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac:

Travis Picking: The Style

Bass

Here is an excerpt of the bass arranged for travis picking from a tune called “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad”:

Melody

Below, the melody has been added to the bass:

Syncopation

The melody has now been syncopated to make it sound a little more musical:

Harmony

Finally, some harmony is added by playing some of the notes of the chords between the bass and melody:

Ready to take the next step with your fingerpicking? Learn how with online fingerpicking guitar lessons