From Doc Watson to Carl Miner: The Power of Bluegrass Crosspicking

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[musicproductioncentral]

Carl is special not for speed, but for beauty of tone and control over dynamics. Every note is perfect.

[skyjockbill]

This film is pure genius. Never seen such perspicacious, insightful analysis of bluegrass technique anywhere. And articulated so eloquently. I am completely gobsmacked, as we say in England.

[GregsGarage]

Your relentless work on the topic of picking is amazing. Thank you!

[BanjoBen]

The best I've seen on this subject. Outstanding job, Troy!

[JPM-NM]

FYI Troy one of the first guys to really bring what bluegrassers call crosspicking into prominence was George Shuffler, who played with the Stanley Brothers. He invented the technique to imitate the banjo. He did it Down-Down-Up. His classic example is on the song "Will You Miss Me"

[jeffjsm]

The fact is...this type of pickin can actually be done if you work at it! Thank you Doc!

[wasteyelo]

Utterly captivating. Great work you doing here Troy.

[EzyoMusic]

Thank you for making this video, it was very helpful for evaluating my own technique. I did some self-reflecting and realized that the first style of music I got into that made me want to improve my picking speed is bluegrass. Now it makes a lot more sense to me why I never understood or learned how to use pick-slanting. I just wanted to get that cross-picking going!

[jeffmoore]

Your enthusiasm is perfect. Why hadn't anybody done this before?
You did something I've never seen done and analysed "cross picking" using technology and a little observation. I don't even think about it when I practice, but I work with the knowledge that my hands will do anything after years of effort. So even if a pattern takes years, I don't stop trying, in fact we're able to go for the "impossible" because it's only temporarily (often years, but maybe weeks) impossible.
Terrific vid!

[diegomonteirobatera]

This is justo soooo clean! His playing is melodic even at high tempos. Just beautiful!

[adriannasanchez]

Fantastic production quality, editing, commentary and knowledge. It flowed extremely well. Great interview. Dude you have some SERIOUS talent for video crafting!

[danted]

These videos change my playing ability literally overnight. I have some lick I'm struggling with, I check some video, try that technique... and realize now I can play something way cleaner or groovier than before.

[softailspringer]

What a great film! You see films like this breaking down an athlete's moves - a quarterback, a boxer, a jockey - but here its done for OUR sport - Flatpickin!!! Wonderful job on this!

[JustinArmstrongsite]

Honestly, this is hands down the best video you've ever done. Not only is the crosspicking technique described super powerful, but through experimentation with my hand position, my downward and upward pickslanting technique has improved as well. Jumping back and forth between scalar sweeping and cross picked arpeggios is a lot of fun.

[CowboyBobDuke]

Troy you deserve a meritorious doctorate degree in music. You have really dove into the deep end and opened our eyes. Thank you

[dontuateytu]

This is the way it's done.No muss no fuss, no thinking about picking patterns, Just let the music play.Unfortunately for most of us it takes a lot of overcoming old habits however the good news is,
it can be done.Thanks for this tutorial Troy(and Carl) it helped me KNOW it was possible and now, I can do it.

[demolitionwilliams]

This is such great material. I'm watching it for the 5th time and finally feel like I'm getting it. I watched a few times a couple months ago and practiced it as a brand new concept, and now coming back to it I'm really seeing it. This is the best video on guitar technique I've ever seen on YouTube. There is so much here. Thank you for putting in the work to educate the curious!

[stevenmeleski]

This is really awesome...thanks for putting this together. Priceless. LOVE the clips of the greatest cross-picker of Watson!

[OliviaDuncan-gy]

Richard Gulley won the Flat picking contest in 81 with a great rendition of MRS. Robinson he had a great technique also, I listen too Carl's videos a lot his ability too make guitars talk is great. This was such a wonderful insightful video on picking thank you.

[theericbeaty]

Amazing. As a Bluegrass player myself, I tend to favor a downward pick slant, especially for rest strokes on the higher strings. But this vid definitely got me thinking about analyzing my picking just a bit more. Carl is indeed a great player. I've followed him off and on over the years and wondered what he's been doing in his spare time. Session work makes sense for a guy as talented as him, especially if you would rather stick closer to home than tour across the country.