Todd - ultimate technique

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cneberg

Posts: 257
Joined: Apr. 20 2006
From: Sončno polje pri Večnosti

Todd - ultimate technique

I ran upon an interview with Leo Kottke (I'm his huge fan). He was touring with Paco de Lucia in the early eighties. And that's what he said:

ROBERT:

You play electric guitar with a pick or do you use your fingerpicking style?

LEO:

I use my fingers also. Who is it? I think Jerry Reed has claimed to have -- at least I was told that he claimed -- to give up picks for a plectrum. And Paco de Lucia told me he thought that perhaps a plectrum and the two -- the second and third finger, was the best way to play a guitar. Which is a shocking thing for a flamenco player to say. Fingers are about all I can do really.

This is the source: http://www.guitarmusic.org/kottke/gbbc2.html

It might have been mentioned before here. I don't know.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2007 10:05:29

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to cneberg)

So a pick and a plectrum are different?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2007 21:48:40

Ricardo

Posts: 14878
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to Adam)

quote:

So a pick and a plectrum are different?

No. But probably he meant finger picks, as a lot of steel string acoustic players do that since the steel strings kind of mess up your nails. Finger picks attach to your finger, where as a plectrum obviously you old between thumb and finger.

I am sure PDL would be quite impressed with ToddK's technique, if not perhaps he has already seen his vids on the net. I have met lots of flamenco players around the world that have watched Todd's vids on youtube, and all have been impressed.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2007 23:02:19

Mark2

Posts: 1881
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to cneberg)

I can play pretty well with a pick and have come to the conclusion that I will never be able to execute single lines as well with picado. Considering I never practise with a pick, that's fairly depressing.

But what trips me out about ToddK is the work his little finger does, which is a lot like most peoples "a" finger. And how on he ever developed his tremelo, I mean, it took some sand to even dream of being able to do that. At first, I thought flamenco with a pick, eh. But when he pointed out that he notched his pick to get a more picado sound, I thought that's smarter than the average bear. And then seeing the trem, well forget it. It's really special. If you read this Todd, don't get too big a head over it, but your out there all alone with
your technique and should be proud of it.

I really wonder if others will follow you in the future. There are always plenty of guys who can already play with a pick who decide to take up flamenco. You wrote the book on how to do it with a pick as far as I can tell.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2007 0:10:54

cneberg

Posts: 257
Joined: Apr. 20 2006
From: Sončno polje pri Večnosti

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to cneberg)

Kottke actually had to get rid of fingerpicks, because he got tendonitis...

It really makes sence though, with Todd's technique you can basically play any kind of guitar and always sound good.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2007 11:20:17

Filip

Posts: 417
Joined: Apr. 23 2006
From: Paris

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to cneberg)

A few days ago I saw one of Toddk's videos for the first time (alegrias) and I have to admit that I was very impressed! If someone told me that it is possible to play flamenco with a pick I wouldn't believe! Really amazing!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2007 23:44:18

Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to Filip)

Hehehe, ToddK you are quite the celebrity, no? You have whole threads devoted to you!! Well, can't deny it, your playing is **** hot.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2007 23:47:21

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Todd - ultimate technique (in reply to Ailsa)

quote:

ToddK you are quite the celebrity, no? You have whole threads devoted to you!!

Trust me, that's not always a good thing!

Or at least, it didnt used to be.

Im just finding this thread now actually. I was compelled to take a look
at the threads in the General section after reading the thread about
how there seems to be alot of off topic discusion.

This is really interesting, regarding what Paco says about pick and fingers.
My good friend Anthony Setola, a great bass player, had told me about this
quote from Paco a Long time ago. I never really knew if it was true or not.
I always thought he must have heard wrong or something.

I think it all comes down to desire. If you really want to do something, you
find a way. It doesnt matter what way. You just do it, cause you're really
driven to do it. Nothing can stop you.

Quick note on something mentioned here about the divet i cut in the pick.
Its not really to aid a better Picado sound. Its to get the click sound that
comes from the side of the thumb nail.

This was an accident. I left a pick on the side of an ash tray, and the cigarette
burned into the side of the pick. I didnt notice it, and was playing with the pick
and noticed the sound, and remarked to myself, "wow, that sounds like flamenco
thumb"
The rest is history.

Thanks for posting that quote C! Very very cool!!
TK

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 26 2007 20:03:44