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Mel Bay Study Group

The Mel Bay Method For Guitar According To  "The Principles"

CHECKPOINT 10,  PAGE 32-34 ....
Wayfarin' Stranger 

    Checkpoints:1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16             

ULTIMATE FOLK CHECKPOINTS 1-2-3-4-5-6-7


 

 

 

Wayfarin' Stranger 30 bpm Wayfarin' Stranger 60 bpm
Wayfarin' Stranger 40 bpm Wayfarin' Stranger 70 bpm
Wayfarin' Stranger 50 bpm Wayfarin' Stranger 80 bpm

 Test yourself by making sure you can play along at the speeds given above.

Measures 1-4  Begin with the entire Aminor chord down, using 3 on the A, 2 on the E, and 1 on the C.

As you move out of the Aminor, hold the C , and keep the arm weight through it as you reach with 2, 3, and 4 for the upcoming Dminor chord. (this dminor is in 1st inversion, meaning it has the 3rd, F, in the bass). Once the fingers are down, put the arm weight through them, and keep touching the string, but light, since we go back to it in the next measure.

Measures 5-7  We stay in the Aminor chord form, and move the same way as before into the Dminor. In measure 6, play the single D note with 4, which is already on the note. 1 should still be on the C as well.
 Measures 5-7  Keep making your movements in the same manner as above, leaving fingers down when they are going to be used soon.

Continue to pay attention to the relative states of the arm, from floating to heavy, and how the arm weight is allowed to come through the fingers in varying degrees as you make your moves.

 


Notes on "Cradle Song".

Nothing much new here. Mostly, we have the same moves as before. Prepare things ahead of time, like the C chord for the first 2 measures. Have it down before starting.

Measure 3

 

Hold the E. Use 3 on the A on third beat.

Measure 4

Keep the heavy arm from 3rd beat of measure 3 by keeping the weight on the 2nd finger while 3 releases from the A and moves to the F.

Then, release 2 from the E and place it on the A. If you are relaxed throughout the arm, you will do this with smooth movements and a smooth sound. 1

Measure 5

Be careful on reaching with 3 and 4 on the 2nd beat. Keep 1 on the F, but light enough to stay relaxed in the hand. The tendency will be to tighten 1 and mash it into the F note as 3 and 4 reach. No tempo and posing here!

Measure 7-8

On the 3rd beat of measure 7 keep 3 on the F, heavy arm, while you get 2 on the E of the C chord. Then, release 3 and place, along with 1, to complete the C chord. This allows you to keep the heavy arm throughout the change.

Hold 1 on C into next measure.


 


P. 34, "Daily Scale Study in A minor"

Watch that left hand! You should have a good spread throughout. Watch 1 when 4 reaches for that F#! It will want to tense and be unprepared for the G#.

Make sure all fingers stay low and pointed to the strings. If you are doing the walking exercises in The Principles, you should not be having a problem here.

In the next to the last measure shift to 2nd position for the F#, using the 1st finger on it, and 3 on the G#, 4 on the A. Coming down, you have two choices. One, do a stretch and use 2 on the G, 1 on the F, and stay positioned for the ending note, A. Or, do the small shift to 1st position and take the G with 3, the F with 1, and shift back up for the last note, using 4. If you shift, be very careful of that floating arm staying relaxed.

Apply these same approaches to "A Visit To The Relatives"


Careless Love

 

Measure 1-6

Hold the C chord throughout. On measure 2, hold 1 down as you get the bass notes you need.

Measure 7

Focus on maintaining a completely relaxed shoulder and arm as you transition to the floating arm in order to let go of the C, and move the 1st finger to the F note. Re-establish the heavy arm once the F is down.

Measure 9

Keep the heavy arm as with the F note, as you place 2 on the E

Measure 11

Use 2 for the G#, squeezing it back with only a motion of the finger, not the hand, then move it up to the A note for the next measure.

Measure 11-12

Keep the half bar for these two measures, hanging the heavy arm on it while you get the basses.

 

 


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