Band In Your Hand/The Six String Rhythm Section - Rick Ruskin

The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate ways to use the acoustic guitar in a support role with techniques other than typical strumming and/or pattern picking. The idea is to have the guitar be not just in the ensemble but become in essence, the entire band while still allowing room for lead and other instruments.

Grooves and motifs will be established and elaborated upon by:

1. Using both familiar and unconventional fingerings to explain open and closed chord voicings and adding multiple-string hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides as part of the left hand mix.

2.Giving the right hand a more diverse role by having the thumb take on bass part and embellishment duties while fingers take on their own unique melodic & support tasks.

3. Borrowing a trick or 2 from the “Book of Telecaster.”

Stylistically, the music used to accomplish the above is drawn from Folk, Blues, Pop, R&B, & Funk. It is my hope that understanding and mastery of the concepts and maneuvers shown on this recording will help expand musical horizons and the enjoyment of fingerstyle guitar playing.

[ronj]

Great Instruction. I have a number of Guitarworkshop and Homespun's DVDs and this was very nicely explained with harmony underpinnings instead of just "This finger on this fret" kind of instruction. I bought this and looking forward to working through it.

[Broganeye]

Super cool player. Amazing and original. Rick is one of the more interesting fingerstyle players I've heard. Thanks for posting this great video.

[JackTheSkunk]

Excellent !! Diggin' those funky Jerry Reed style licks.

[jakeydoran]

excellent Rick! just purchased this! as usual so informative! thanks, Rick.

[robertbesen]

Nice stuff Rick. By the way, Lullaby and 50 Cents are two of my all time favorite fingerstyle songs. Thanks for what you do.

[felixkurternstschmelzer]

Beautiful, relaxed, and smooth, with great explanations. Thank you for this! Anybody knows what guitar he is playing?

[joelg]

Are you supposed to play the cascading part as fast as you can?

[studmuffin]

Nice. He seems to have substantial nails on his right hand. I wonder if that's required for this style of playing.

[johns]

Notice the proper playing position (the neck pointed up not down)