How to Fingerpick ANY Song the Easy Way (Key of C) - feat. Pancho & Lefty, Graceland, and Simple Man

🎸 Get my print-friendly guide for this lesson @ songnotes.net/... ...including my fingerstyle play-along cover of Pancho and Lefty!
🎸 View all my Travis Picking lessons @ songnotes.net/...
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Audience support makes these lessons possible... thanks!
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👇 LESSONS I REFERENCE 👇
Pancho and Lefty (Willie & Merle's cover)
• Guitar lesson for "Pan...
Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Guitar lesson for "Sim...
F Major with Wrapped Thumb
• F chord with wrapped t...
Key of C Cheat Sheet
• Key of C Major Cheat S...
Travis Picking vs. Traditional Fingerstyle?
• Travis Picking vs. "No...
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Today we're looking at an audience question on the topic of Travis Picking, where I show how we can simplify any complicated picking pattern into something much easier to play. I'll be focusing on the Key of C, which is one of the most approachable keys of Travis Picking. For the chords, bass notes, and melody line I'll show you how to simplify things big time - which lets you jump into ANY song provided you know the chord progression.
At the end of my video I'll demonstrate this simplified picking approach with Pancho and Lefty (Townes Van Zandt), Graceland (Paul Simon), Don't Stop Believing (Journey), and Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd). Special thanks to Song Notes community member Marc for sending in the question that kicked off this lesson!
- 0:00 Overview
- 1:29 Simpler Chords
- 3:36 Simpler Bass Notes
- 5:30 Simpler Melody Notes
- 8:51 Song Examples!

[@jimmunro2136]

At 76 years young, I love listening to your lessons. I am relearning after 30 years and taken travis picking. I am not a subscriber yet , but I still work part-time, so I will get my act together soon. Could you consider, for this old Ausie dude, a lesson on Bonnie Raites song Not because I wanted to. This current lesson has got me of my GCDEm comfort zone, and I love the easy F. Cheers Jim.

[@St.TaklaHaymanot12]

Awesome! What separates you from most over guitar teachers on RUclips is that you actually sing as well while playing … subscribed!

[@johnj.flanagan-songsoffaith]

David, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, and I think your guitar skills are superb. I am 78, self taught, having been playing for about 13 years, probably making the same mistakes repeatedly, and need to sharpen my skills. I play a “hybrid Travis pick,’ a sort of style I need to get rid of. I like fingerstyle, but also do some thumb strumming as well. I wrote a few songs, Christian folk Gospel, and did a few hymn covers of songs in public domain. I post both on RUclips. I have to work on the Travis pick. Hope I can get it down half as well as you do it. It is a challenge, being a mediocre guitarist stuck in a rut. Thanks for sharing.

[@colinsykes6883]

Excellent lesson on how to go forward with fingerpicking

[@barryemerson3526]

Thanks David! Sometimes a simple pattern is the best way to go.

[@IrenaeusShalom]

Wow that's so cool

[@raymondbruce7175]

Townes Van Zandt is an excellent choice.

[@jefftech8497]

Thanks David! I always get tripped up trying to learn a Travis picking song when they change the pattern with every chord. Just getting these four patterns down should help.

[@fotofitstrips]

Another great lesson David. Much appreciated.

[@hillers54]

Fabulous lesson as ever David 👌👌👌

[@blueser100]

Love this thank you David.

[@alanjohnston2743]

Great lesson .Thank you .

[@oliverstieglitz]

Great lesson. 😃

[@danielmurzellotheunknownma7481]

Hey David..
Amazing and Helpful lesson as always.. so well explained made simple..
Thanks for sharing
Do keep posting
Warm regards and best wishes
The UnknownManCub 👍😎🤠

[@joannm5682]

LOVE IT wonderful! TY!

[@barryemerson3526]

Pattern will work for Stand by Me too! You had a strumming lesson for this song using the key of C.

[@maxwellnansongole8744]

Brilliant, only you should allow us to download the video 😂

[@marknthetrails7627]

Thanks, it was weird though stumbling across this video, my name is Mark 👍✌🖖🥃

[@annhovland8407]

Hi David….question, when you say you practiced that a lot, what’s a lot? I seem to practice and practice and practice, and I still have troubles. Playing about 20 months, age 71, cognitive function excellent and no arthritis in my hands..lol. Just thought I’d throw that in there.

[@grinterb]

Isn’t this the same pattern you used for Landslide?

[@yashveersingh1795]

❤❤❤

[@shakalotus]

Is a GS mini guitar? Do you use 013 strings? Thanks

[@ibew1951]

Another great lesson !!
Thank u