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Here is a medium tempo demonstration of the quintessential flatpicking tune. This is based off Doc Watson’s original recording in the key of D (capo 2nd). Apart from Doc most people generally play the tune in the key of A.
Loch Leven Castle is an old Scottish tune in Am (Dorian) that lends itself well to floating. Although not a common tune among guitar players you’ll pick it up in no time if you’re familiar with tunes like Jerusalem Ridge or Old Dangerfield. I play through the tune twice and use an Am(add9) up the neck for effect. If you’re unfamiliar with this particular voicing it’s really easy to play since it only requires two fingers but makes use of all six strings (ring @ 7th fret D string, index @ 5th fret G string).
The Red Haired Boy is a popular Irish reel that is a staple of Bluegrass jams. As with many fiddle tunes it goes by different names such as The Red Headed Irishman and The Jolly Beggar; the latter of which is based on the title and lyrics of an 18th Century Scottish ballad with a similar melody.
The tune is in the key of A (Mixolydian) and although I play it out of the G position capoed at the 2nd fret some guitar players prefer to play it in A without a capo.
Arkansas Traveler is one of those cheesy, nursery rhyme tunes that’s instantly recognizable. Like Wildwood Flower it lends itself well to crosspicking. On guitar the tune is most commonly played out of the C position with the capo at the second fret (key of D). However Norman Blake’s classic version is in the key of C while David Grier capos it to the key of E.
Here is the Carter Family classic Wildwood Flower. A simple melody that lends itself well to crosspicking. If you’re unfamiliar with crosspicking it’s just a fancy word used to describe the process of simulating a banjo roll with a flatpick. In its simplest form the picking pattern generally starts with a downstroke and alternates from there. It gets a little more involved once you start branching out to multiple strings.
Blackberry Blossom is right up there towards the top of the heap of fiddle tunes that are way overplayed. Love it or hate it here is an example of it.
The trick to making this tune sound like a musical performance as opposed to an exercise is to give it a bit of that shoulder-shrugging fiddle bounce. Either way it’s a good exercise in alternate picking.
This video runs through the melody twice, once fast and once slow, followed up by an example of one possible chord progression that could be played behind it.
Ralph Stanley’s banjo classic arranged for guitar. The first video breaks down the melody and the second gives an example of what you might play as accompaniment.
This song is usually played in the key of A so put your capo on the second fret. Also watch out for the “backstep” or extra two beats of the B part.