Steve Kaufman’s comprehensive three-DVD course in bluegrass flatpicking takes you from “Picking 101” through advanced techniques that will enable you to hold your own in any band or jam session. On DVD #1, From the Beginning, you’ll learn a variety of essential flatpicking skills: proper pick grip, down-up strokes, rhythmic strumming and song accompaniment. Only a few minutes into the first lesson you’ll be starting to pick easy versions of well-known fiddle tunes. By DVD #2, Building Bluegrass Technique, you’ll have built a “runs vocabulary” and learned to crosspick, move up the neck, play bass runs and construct hot...

This DVD offers you something unique and powerful guitar lesson taught by CGP (Certified Guitar Player) Chet Atkins. Addressing intermediate and advanced fingerstyle guitarists, Chet performs and describes in detail, phrase by phrase, the playing of nine of his classic arrangements. Split-screen techniques allow you to carefully study both his left and right hand movements. Your teacher for this lesson is one of the foremost fingerstyle guitar masters in the history of the guitar. A detailed tab/music instructional booklet is included as a PDF file on the DVD. Song List: Maybelle Petite Waltz Happy Again Londonderry Aire When You...

This two DVD set is for beginner and intermediate guitarists who want to start fingerpicking. Rev. Gary Davis used to tell his students that playing the guitar was easy. He would say that a piano player has only two hands (the left keeps an alternating bass while the right plays a melody) but a guitarist has three hands! Our right hand thumb is one hand and plays the bass figures while our index finger is our second hand and plays the melody. Our third hand is our left hand which fingers chords. The results produce a full and orchestrated...

On this extraordinary DVD, Tony Rice shares more of the songs, instrumentals and picking techniques that have made him an iconic figure on the acoustic guitar scene for nearly four decades. Starting with Shady Grove, as played with David Grisman and Jerry Garcia on “The Pizza Tapes,” Tony brings back guitar arrangements from various phases in his long career. He explores classics such as I Don’t Want Your Mandolins Mister (“Tone Poems”), Church Street Blues (“Blake & Rice”), and More Pretty Girls Than One (“Skaggs & Rice”). Tony pays homage to the Carter Family on The Storms are on...

This 82 minute dvd is a MUST for anyone interested in bottleneck blues guitar. It is a complete survey of country blues bottleneck styles and techniques featuring rare footage of Son House, Fred McDowell, Mance Lipscomb and Bukka White. Left hand playing techniques are discussed as well as choice of bottleneck/slide. Playing in Open G (Spanish) and Open D (Vestapol) tunings are explored. Stefan Grossman has been devoted to blues guitar in every form since the early sixties and has probably delved more deeply into the form than just about anybody on the planet. As for this DVD, it...

Your guide to evaluating the condition of acoustic and resophonic guitars, and making them play their best. If your repair experience is mostly with electric guitars, these DVDs will show you how to apply your skills to flattops and resophonics. If you specialize in acoustics, this information is essential. If acoustic setup makes you nervous, this DVD will give you the information and confidence you need. The focus of this DVD is evaluating the condition of your acoustic or resophonic guitar, and getting the most out of it. Your guide to evaluating the condition of acoustic and resophonic guitars,...

“Buster B. Jones is an acoustic player, a fingerpicker, a country flavored soloist, and he’s one of the finest players we’ve heard in years… His technique is only a means to an end. His true gifts are his melodic sense, innate musicianship, unfailing human, and brilliant improvisational powers. He can drive a tune with fluid rhythmic force or stroke it with sensuous, loving touch… He’s a monster player with chops galore, great ideas and an encyclopedic reservoir of guitaristic influences.” The style of Jerry Reed is a unique blend of syncopated rhythms, banjo-style rolls and brilliant chord voicings that...

Merle Travis’ brilliant fingerpicking style inspired Chet Atkins and generations of country, folk, bluegrass and rock guitarists. Travis picking is a very complete use of the guitar: when you play steady, alternating bass notes with your thumb and pick melodies with your fingers you’re playing lead, rhythm and bass all by yourself. But how do you keep that thumb-bass independent so it doesn’t get derailed when your fingers pick the melody? Fred makes it easy for beginners or intermediate guitarists by breaking it all down and taking each song step by step. First you learn the melody, then add...

The passion and fire of flamenco, with its driving dance rhythms and spectacular melodies, has inspired guitarists for generations. This Spanish Gypsy folk music has its roots in the Middle East, and you can hear strains of Arabic, Jewish, Eastern European, Indian and other ethnicities in its powerful rhythms and harmonies. Aaron Gilmartin’s clear, concise instructions will get you started playing flamenco guitar right away. All you’ll need is a basic knowledge of the fingerboard and a nylon string guitar to learn this exciting musical tradition. Whether you now play classical, folk, blues or contemporary fingerstyle guitar, these DVDs...

Fred Sokolow is an extremely versatile musician. Although he is most often seen playing jazz guitar and singing in Los Angeles night spots, he is just as likely to turn up playing 5 string banjo at bluegrass festivals or rock guitar at studio sessions. You may even spot him playing Resonator Guitar or mandolin on various folk revivals seen on cable and public television. Besides soloing as a jazz guitarist/vocalist, Fred also has fronted his own jazz, bluegrass and rock bands. He has toured with Bobbie Gentry, Jim Stafford and The Limeliters. He has performed in such diverse settings...