Fred got me started with fingerpicking when I was a teen! I'm in my 30's now. I love him he's so laid back and non-show off. Relaxed and patient. Beautiful music.
Fred is an excellent musician and a first rate teacher. He explains clearly, understands what people need to gain skill and confidence. No baffling theory--simple, achievable, beginnings from which one can build one's own ideas. Thank you so much!
The song was written by Jimmy Cox, popularized by Bessie Smith, transformed into an acoustic blues piece by Scrapper Blackwell, and later redone by Clapton who nearly played Blackwell's version to a tee.
I so appreciate Fred's generosity of spirit, musicianship and dedication to the American folkloric and standards songbook. I have a couple of Fred's teaching DVDs. I have learned so very much from him. Great arrangement!
Thanks learned this song years ago,but your lesson brings it all together,the parts that was missing are what makes this tutorial worth watching,great lesson thanks .
How could anyone say anything negative about this video?! Fred is such a master of the blues...both as a performer and teacher. I love his DVDs...highly recommend them for guitar and uke.
Thanks Fred. It was great attending your blues uke session in Minneapolis last week. I've been practicing this tune on the uke, and I found this site to check out the melody. Now I'm motivated to learn it on the guitar too. Tom
Fred, you play hell out this one. I try finger and whenever I think I've got it I come back here and see more work to be done. Thanks for showing me how to polish.
Another all time classic I can cross off my bucket list! Thanks for not wasting my time with all this 1st finger on 3rd string 2nd fret bollocks! Subbed!
Fred, Great Job! I've been playing 55+ Years but always been a Flat Picker/Flat Picker with Fingers.. At 70 YO, I've just started doing some Total finger Picking. Normally, as soon as I hear a song, I can hear the chord progressions in my mind before I get near a guitar. Never heard this song before until last night on RU-vid. Could not "Hear" that "F" (I think it was - will go back in a minute to verify) up on about the 4th Fret. I have a good command of the Fret board, chords, etc. but you just saved me possibly a bit of time relistening to this song without seeing You play that chord. BTW, I would like to apologize for those Idiots who Post Criticisms of any of your Videos. You spend your time and graciously share your Talent, Info, Tricks, Chords, etc without pay unless someone wants to subscribe. For what it's worth, if they don't appreciate ANYTHING You're providing, they have about 10K other Posters they can go too! I suspect the Critics are Self Entitled Mellinials! Mature Musicians - Beginners or Advanced - don't criticize selfless People like You! Keep up the Great Work! God Bless! Ernie
nice guitar picking and good clearly explained lesson, thanks Fred. Any of those 32 'thumbs down ' guys want to post their own playing 'cos you must be so much better?
Thanks Fred, wonderful song and as always you played it so well. This ones going into my catalog with reference to your great approach & teaching methods.
I particularly like the D7 played on the 3rd fret, better than what I'd been using. I also really like the simple two note resolution with the G7 to C; 1st string 3rd fret 'g' , open e then full chord C, it has a pro feel without being complicated. Here's a thought for newer players if you didn't already know this, when you end a song , say in C , ending on C, for an added or double ending, mini encore , you can Hit that C chord like you're ending then pause , hit C7 strumming for a couple of beats, then Slam the C . That builds tension at the end moving the listener off balance the resolve with the C like staccato if you like. This is not particularly useful for this song, and not something you would want to over-do, maybe one song out of a set. And to be really annoying lol; C7 , C, then do the turnaround and end again, but this time, simply on C.
He's referring to a standard dim chord, thumb on 2nd fret 6th string, 1st finger 1st fret 4th string, 3rd finger second fret 3rd string, 2nd finger 1st fret 2nd string, pinkie on second fret first string.
Those metal fingerpicks really do a number on the wound strings. The plain strings are ok but with the edge of the pick scraping the wound strings it destroys the wrap and causes buzzing and poor tone. If you use those a lot you would need to change strings a lot. They're better than plastic picks cos they're thinner and you can shape them but they do trash strings.
Really nice arrangement and easy to learn (and listen to) - but need some help. Fred mentions a diminished chord (last half of measure 5) Anybody know which dim chord this is (and the fingering) ?
Fred..... have U ever try......the Cam from a different agle ????….lets say most of the time its on your left.....how about the Cam on your right & pointing your left hand....we may read U better...………………….Thnks for the Class...………………………………..Andres (NY)
Hey old gravel voiced men wish they could sing like a sweet voiced 17 year old...ive been singing since i was 10 years old and at 37 im dreading the day i cant hit the notes i used to.....use what your blessed with sincerety is more important than style ;-)
PandaManMk2000 just go out and do a hard days labor type work (honestly) till you are so tired you can hardly stand up, then come home, sit down (before eating anything). Then pick up your guitar and think about your great grand parents having to do that Dailey to try and feed the children. Let your shoulders sag, breath kinda shallow. Now you will be getting close to feeling weary. Try to name someone who would do that with you every day for a few weeks. Now you are getting the idea. NOW slowly pick up that guitar and play the song like you feel it. You will be surprised how different it will sound. After you have played it a few times (and recorded it on your phone), take a good shower, eat a meal and rest. Come back and play it again in the morning and compare the two recordings. I bet you like the first one best.
Take the advice about laboring your butt off, then find out one day you have no job and no money.. the song is not for 17 year olds, no matter your voice.
one day im gunna sit learn how to play the guitar... wen I get 5mins im gunna give yhis a try.. thankx only wen yer poor broke and lonely can u sit on that doorstep and play this like yer.....
Well, the first song Clapton learned was Crossroads, just like Page and Richards. Thank you though, a real presario, who understands guitar. Keys here. Art Tatum forever.
@@cbryandad HE TOO WHITE, YOU TOO WHITE, I TOO WHITE! AND DE LAWD KNOW HE TOO WHITE TO PLAY DE BLUES! PS - WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP EITHER! PS #2 - LMAO - YOU REALLY NEED TO GROW A SENSE OF HUMOR! PS #3 - I THOUGHT HE DID A DAMN GOOD JOB ON THAT SONG - NOW, GO AWAY AND WORK ON THAT SENSE OF HUMOR!!! PS #4 - NEITHER OF US ARE GOD, EVEN YOU FALL FAR SHORT OF THAT MARK!
The two things that make me change the video immediately are talking in the beginning especially a lot of it, and when they tune up. I clicked on the video because I want to learn the song not hear your life story and as long as you tell me you're in standard tuning or another tuning, I'm a guitar player and my guitar is tuned as soon as I pick it up.
I'm so irked by this video focusing on Fred's face. Holy moly. Who cares about his flippin' face. I'm trying to watch the fingers, especially since there's like zero help in terms of a bare bones tab/list of chords. That would've been a real step toward teaching this song. Talking about a song is one thing; I guess this "tutorial" is for folks who already play these songs and can already do 90% of what you're "teaching." I'll keep at it.
I feel your pain, but in the 2nd half of the clip it's all closeups on the hands. Plus, if you buy the video it's all written out in tab & music & chord grids, plus a bunch more songs.
