[laurobb]

Kirk, Just want to say I started playing fingerstyle about two years ago, but have played guitar for many years, when starting I picked up Mark Hansons products, which are great. While learning for all of us, I think there becomes a need to play the stuff thats common( Beatles, Clapton) ya know the the great pop songs. No one really does that except you, I just want to say how much I appreciate what you do. I think I speak for all on the forum. There is not alot out ther that pertains to familiar songs, so thanks again, one other question I have becasue I try and learn songs, and memorize them, I wonder what the trick to retention is. I am curious to know how long it usually takes you to learn a fingerstyle arrangement like that ones's you have on your site? and do you have to constatly play them so that you can retain them. Thanks Rob

[Kirk Lorange]

I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons, laurobb.

Remembering and retaining: I don't really see these fingerstyle tunes as a bunch of notes to remember, but rather as a structure. To me, a tune is basically a chord progression/melody line/bass line. Those three elements are the same thing to me, so that's what I remember; the details, like which chord fragments to insert, the exact shape of the bass line, the phrasing etc., are flexible, they can change and differ each time I play the tune, so long as they remain part of the structure that really is 'the tune'.

When I put these together, I first make sure the chord progression is right, then I add the melody line (which is mostly chord tones) and bass line (always chord tones) ... I fiddle around with those elements, sift through the many ways of expressing them all on a fretboard, find a good, direct, compact way of doing so (keeping in mind that I am doing this as a lesson) ... then I record and film it ... only then do I tab it out. So there's really nothing for me to remember ... if you were to ask me to play one of these tunes later, it would be a different version.

It's not easy to explain, but the more you do of these, the easier it gets and eventually you can just pull them out of thin air ... the chords, melody line, bass line all merge into one thing, and any detail takes care of itself.

[mickyboy100]

kirk im gonna be a bit cheeky here i know your busy with your xmas stuff but any chance of doing a lesson on me and bobby magee fingerstyle can strum it great realy good you dont get nowt if you dont ask thanks