john denver picking

i like john denver, and most of his songs can be done with a basic 5-6 note picking. since i am new can any body help
dan

Hey danandteri,
I was waiting for someone else that knew a little more to answer you. I'm not an expert on John Denver, but I have played several of his songs. The first thing you want to do, is learn the chords to the songs. I've played most of his stuff with a flat pick, but I think he was more of a finger picker.

Start with something simple like "Sunshine" and then "Country Roads" would be a good one. That was actually the first song I learned on guitar, and I still remember it.

Let me know a little more about what you're hoping to accomplish, and maybe I can be more helpful.

i have found there are the same picking pattern in most of his songs. they are 5 or 6 notes which are a constant sequence and the only thing that changes are the chords. in a nut shell a want to learn the accompany not the song does that make sense?

Hey danandteri,
It makes sense, and I know what you're talking about. However I still think you should learn the songs first. You can't accompany something, if you don't know what you're accompanying. I don't know if that's the right way to put it or not. Let me try again, and maybe this will make more sense.

The patterns you refer to are not that difficult to learn, if you know the song. They're probably what's called sus chords, and other positions of the triad. He also used a capo on a lot of stuff, while another guitar played the rhythm. Knowing the song, and the rhythm will make it much easier to figure out those patterns.

I often have students that want a shortcut, but I advise them against it. They want to learn this riff, and the leads to a song. They don't understand until after they learn the rhythm, how it all fits together. I think it would be the same in your case, learning the chord progression and the rhythm will let you know how to accompany the other guitars. In some cases he just played a pattern around the basic chords of a song. If you don't know the progression, it's hard to even know where to start. You can do what you want, but I would learn the song first. I recently heard someone say, that you can't embellish something if you don't know how it goes to start with. I hope this makes sense to you, and you can always take shortcuts after you go the long road.

I just saw your reply when I got in from a performance, figured I would respond while winding down. What you want to do will be much easier if you know how a song goes. It will also be easier to apply it in other songs, once you get used to it. I know this isn't what you were hoping for, but I hope it helps you a little bit.

no it doesnt help. i am just looking for his basic 5 note picking pattern and i will apply the proper chords to go with it. i read music and am 50 yrs old. meaning i dont want to learn all the notes to the song. iwas taking lessons and i gave my teacher the cd and what i wanted to learn. instead he was showing me barr chords but not how to shift easily from 1 to another. very discouraging

Hey Danandteri,
John Played out of all kinds of positions, and used the capo quite a bit with open chords. Keep in mind that all open chords can be moved too, not just the barre chords.

I didn't mean to offend you, I just know that the way I've learned most everything is to learn the way the song goes. Once I know the basic chords, then I move the triad until I find the position that sounds the same. You will have to train your ear to hear the differences in pitch, and the difference in a wound string, and plain steel. It's not as hard as it seems, and you'll have to teach yourself to hear music this way. It is possible for someone else to show you this, but they would have to call your attention to all the details.

I'm not saying you have to learn all the songs either, just the one you first heard the pattern in. Learn that progression, and then figure out the position on the neck. Then you can pick out the pattern, and apply it to other songs. You may find that the picking patterns vary more than you think.

I recently did tutorial on crosspicking, and here's the link to it.
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1011

This may help you hear the different tones on wound strings, and plain steel strings. It will probably also help you hear the difference in a fretted note, and open strings. I wish I could do more to help, but I don't even know the name of the song(s) you heard. I know it can be frustrating, and I'll keep trying to help you.

Originally Posted by: danandterii like john denver, and most of his songs can be done with a basic 5-6 note picking. since i am new can any body help
dan

I found an instructional youtube video of a John Denver song that shows a picking pattern in detail as well as the chords and hammers in detail. It is 9 and a half minutes long. Hope it helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Juaq65yZ8