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Justin Johnson Signature Thumb Picks – NOW AVAILABLE!
The Justin Johnson Signature thumb pick is based around a specially designed flat pick, so you can fully employ all of the techniques associated with flat picking, and use your pre-existing musical memory relating to flat picking methods. This pick is attached to a specially designed adjustable strap, that securely and comfortably holds the flat pick against your finger, so you can ALSO use the full range of thumb-picking and fingerpicking techniques while the pick is held securely to your thumb.
This velcro strap is easy to adjust, so that you can set the pick to naturally align with your most comfortable playing position. Most other thumb picks can’t be aligned to YOUR position, so you have to alter your technique and muscle memory to work with the pick. The Justin Johnson Signature Thumb Pick makes learning to use a thumb pick very easy, natural, and intuitive.
The Justin Johnson Signature Thumb Picks come in two thickness gauges:
HEAVY GAUGE (1.0mm): The Thick Gauge picks are more rigid, and are designed to perform better with acoustic guitars and guitars with heavier gauge string sets.
MEDIUM GAUGE (0.80mm): The Medium Gauge picks are designed to have a subtle “give” when plucked. This makes them better when used with electric guitars, guitars set up with lighter gauge strings, or if you do a lot of strumming.
The Justin Johnson Signature Thumb Pick is engineered to offer you the best qualities of both a traditional thumb pick and a traditional flat pick, so you can take full advantage of each picking style, while seamlessly and effortlessly blending between them.
Each package of Justin Johnson Signature Thumb Picks comes with (2) pre-assembled thumb pick sets (2 picks and 2 adjustable straps).
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
AT THE
JUSTIN JOHNSON OFFICIAL STORE
Check out the new “B-Side Gold” LIMITED EDITION Shovel Guitar with GOLD HARDWARE!
Check out the new “B-Side Gold” LIMITED EDITION Shovel Guitar with GOLD HARDWARE!
We’re offering a very Limited Edition run of “B-Side Gold Edition” Shovel Guitars with GOLD HARDWARE, for the first time ever, and only available through the Kickstarter fundraiser for Justin Johnson’s new album “B-Side Gold”!
Order through Kickstarter to get this Limited Edition Shovel Guitar
•AND get it in time for Christmas!
•AND get a motherload of Bonus Swag!
You’ll also get:
•Justin Johnson’s “Slide for 3-String Guitar” Instructional DVD
•a Justin Johnson Signature Guitar Slide
•a Limited Edition B-Side Gold Tote Bag
•an Autographed CD of the new “B-Side Gold” album
•a Digital Download of the new “B-Side Gold” album
•a Digital Download of the new Bonus Full-Length album “The Bootleg Series: Volume 1”
•PLUS a few other surprises!
Dialing in Blues Fingerpicking Guitar Tone
I love a screaming guitar solo as much as anyone, but some of my favorite music to listen to is that greasy, slow, electric fingerpicking blues guitar. Lightning Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, and R.L. Burnside are some of my favorites in that style.
I’ve gotten several requests to cover the song “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues,” by Skip James. It’s a perfect slow blues song to perform as a solo 6-string arrangement, since it has such a killer vocal melody and baseline.
For this recording, I chose to pick on my vintage Harmony Monterey guitar. It’s got a clean and punchy acoustic tone, which I mic’ed with a WA-47 Tube mic from Warm Audio. I also plugged the guitar into a Fender Princeton Blackface (re-issue) with the vibrato intensity cranked to 11. The old Hershey bar pickup in the Harmony is in neck position, which also contributes to the warm, full-bodied electric tone. Watch the video above, for the complete details on the gear and settings I used.
If you want to check out more of my rig-rundowns, and get a behind-the-scenes look into my recordings and videos, Subscribe to my new channel “Live form the Guitar Loft” HERE. If you have song requests or gear questions, let me know in the comments there. That channel is devoted to answering questions and requests.
Make sure you click the “FOLLOW” button to the right of this, to get more of my articles. …and of course, check out my music, downloads, lessons, and signature guitars at www.JustinJohnsonStore.com
Keep Rockin’,
Justin Johnson
Brand New Guitar Bundles to Save you Money and Get you Extras!
Justin Johnson has created a huge new inventory of awesome instructional material for 6-string guitar & more, so while we’re restocking the shelves with all of this awesomeness, we took the opportunity to create some killer new DISCOUNT BUNDLES to reward you with discounts & extras for showing your support! The more you buy, the more you save & the more Freebies you get, so DIVE IN, see what’s new, fill out your wish list, & come get it!
Fingerpicking Tips To Save Years of Guitar Practice
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the techniques I used to help develop my fingerpicking style over the years. When I was just starting to learn guitar, and through each stage of development, I would often hit walls and feel like my progress was dragging along too slowly. Each time I progressed past one of those frustrating plateaus, it was because I learned a new technique that helped guide me in the right direction. In the following video lesson, I will share some of those plateau-busting techniques that allowed me to develop quicker and more freely.
As you work through the exercises in this video lesson, don’t forget that practice is key. You will only be able to easily master these techniques through repetition. Also, make sure you follow the tips on anchoring and hand position, as they will save you hours of frustration once you incorporate them into your playing style.
Keep Pickin’!
Justin Johnson
•Don’t forget to click the FOLLOW button on the right-hand column of this page to stay informed about my future lessons and articles•
Official Justin Johnson Music Store at: www.justinjohnsonlive.com/music.html
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Go-To Tunings for Blues Slide Guitar
The vocal timbre and mournful wail of the slide guitar has become inseparable from the concept of Blues Guitar. However, in order to master the classic Blues guitar styles associated with the finger slide, you must first familiarize yourself with the different tunings that are key to those styles. Below is a list of my favorite, and most used, tunings for Blues Slide Guitar. With each tuning I’ve included a video, demonstrating how that tuning can be used to create a stylistic mood, which differs with each tuning. Remember, the more tunings you become familiar with, the more versatile you will be as a musician.
OPEN D & OPEN E TUNING
Open E: (E-B-E-G#-B-E) – tuned to E major chord
Open D: (D-A-D-F#-A-D) – tuned to D major chord
These two tunings are basically the same tuning… the only difference is that Open D is tuned one whole step lower than Open E. The tighter string tension of Open E makes it easier to play with low action, but the lower pitch of Open D produces more low-end body, and can give you a swampier vibe. That swampy vibe is all over this following video clip, which is is Open D tuning…
OPEN G & OPEN A TUNING
Open G: (D-G-D-G-B-D) – tuned to G major chord
Open A: (E-A-E-A-C#-E) – tuned to A major chord
These two tunings are also, in essence, the same tuning. The difference is that Open G is tuned a whole step lower than Open A. Delta blues guitarists like Robert Johnson made this tuning style famous. The sound of this tuning is great for solo guitar Blues playing, and allows the player to construct elaborate bass lines, since the root note is on the 5th string, as opposed to the 6th (bass) string, thereby allowing the player two bass strings for the thumb to play bass lines and 4 strings for the fingers to pluck melody notes.
Listen to how the bass lines play an important role in this following video, which is in Open G tuning…
STANDARD TUNING
Standard Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E) – not tuned to a chord
Standard Tuning is the most widely-used and standardized tuning for conventional 6-string guitar playing. It’s great for fretted (non-slide) playing because it makes many chord shapes and scale patterns comfortable for the fingers to reach. While it presents certain challenges for slide guitarists, Standard Tuning is actually a very versatile tuning for slide playing, offering many convenient chord fragments, both major and minor, up and down the fretboard. The key to understanding how to play slide guitar in Standard Tuning comes with learning how to mute the unnecessary strings, to prevent them from sounding. I have created an entire instructional DVD for playing in Standard Tuning, which you can check out.. just CLICK HERE for more info. The following video is an example of slide guitar in Standard Tuning…
OPEN Dm & Em TUNING
Open Dm (D-A-D-F-A-D) – tuned to D minor chord
Open Em (E-B-E-G-B-E) – tuned to E minor chord
While these tunings are not very well-known historically, they are some of my personal favorite, and most-used, slide guitar tunings. They are particularly great for playing in minor keys, but also work very well for Blues styles, even if the underlying harmonies are major. Again, these two tunings are essentially the same tuning, but Open Em is tuned one whole step higher than Open Dm. The following video shows how this tuning can be used in both fretted and slide styles. The acoustic rhythm guitar is tuned to Open Dm, and the 6-string lap steel is also tuned to Open Dm…
Thanks for keeping the Roots alive! Click “FOLLOW” on the right-hand side of this page to stay up-to-date with new lessons and articles.
~Justin Johnson
VISIT STORE for CDs, DVDs, Books, & More!: www.JustinJohnsonLive.com/store.html
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Over Two Continuous Hours of Cigar Box Guitar and Roots Music!
Of all possible ways to learn a musical instrument, I’ve found that the best method, by far, is to listen to (and watch) as much music as possible. You can learn so much by watching how a player holds the instrument; the posture, the picking and anchoring techniques, etc… So much can be gleaned by observing a musician as they are performing.
The best way to do this is in person, where you have a 3-dimensional view of the performance. But we live in an age where the internet allows you to access a 2-dimensional live concert experience just about anytime and place you choose! So sit back, relax, and learn from the music as it’s rolling by your screen… or just enjoy the show!
Thanks for keeping the Roots alive! Click “FOLLOW” on the right-hand side of this page to stay up-to-date with new lessons and articles.
~Justin Johnson
VISIT STORE for CDs, DVDs, Books, & More!: www.JustinJohnsonLive.com/store.html
SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL: www.YouTube.com/justinjohnsonlive
Below is a playlist that will continue to play through over 40 Roots Music perfomances by Justin Johnson. If you would like to browse through the videos, click on the menu icon in the top left corner of the video screen.
The 12-String Guitar ~ The Heavy-Hitter of Acoustic Blues Instruments
Today, the 12-string guitar is often associated more with folk music and simple open-chord strumming than with intricate lead guitar, ragtime, or traditional blues. But some of the most influential blues musicians of all time forged timeless classics wielding their 12-strings. In the following video, I’ll demonstrate many of the classic Blues styles and techniques that have proven the 12-string to be the heavy-hitter of acoustic stringed instruments.
LIVE STREAM LESSON: Blues Pickin’ & Sliding on the 12-String Guitar
Early Blues greats like Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell played the 12-string guitar almost exclusively. These artists took advantage of the full-bodied tone and assertive dynamic presence of the 12-String, to accompany their powerful and expressive singing voices. Back in the early days of audio recording, it was difficult for microphones to pick up the intricate details of a 6-string acoustic, especially when it was competing with a full-volume Blues singer belting out a vocal melody. The 12-string’s acoustic volume is almost double that of a 6-string, providing a much fatter bed for the vocals to lay over, in the mix.
Blind Willie McTell “Travelin’ Blues”
Even Blues artists that are known for their 6-string electric guitar playing have been know to cut some of their most distinct tracks on solo acoustic 12-string. Two great examples of this are Jimi Hendrix’s “Hear My Train A Coming” and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Life By The Drop.” The intricate and sensitive single-note lead lines in these two tracks are fattened up by the doubled strings of the 12-string guitar.
Jimi Hendrix “Hear My Train A Coming”
Stevie Ray Vaughan MTV Unplugged
Stevie Ray Vaughan “Life By The Drop”
Thanks for keeping the Roots alive! Click “FOLLOW” on the right-hand side of this page to stay up-to-date with new lessons and articles.
~Justin Johnson
VISIT STORE for CDs, DVDs, Books, & More!: www.JustinJohnsonLive.com/store.html
SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL: www.YouTube.com/justinjohnsonlive
How To Play Any Song on the 3-String Guitar with One Finger
This lesson is an excerpt from Justin Johnson’s Instructional Video Series
“Roots Music According to Justin Johnson: 3-String Guitar”
The Full-Length Instructional Video Series comes complete with Guitar Tablature and is available as DVD or Digital Download at:
http://www.JustinJohnsonLive.com/store.html
3-String or 4-String? How to Decide Which is Right for You!
When you are in the market for a Roots Instrument like a 3-string or 4-string guitar, one of the most common questions is, “Which one is right for me?” I get this question on a daily basis, and it all depends on the goals, tastes, and experience level of the player.
Advice for Beginners:
If you are a total beginner, or planning on purchasing a 3- or 4-string guitar for a beginner, you really can’t go wrong. Both 3-string and 4-string are much easier to learn than conventional 6-string guitar… mainly because less strings require less muscle strength in your hands and less multi-tasking. Most 3-string and 4-string guitars are tuned to “open tunings,” meaning that the open strings are tuned to a chord, so it’s easy to play many chord changes with just one finger on your fretting hand, as opposed to learning and practicing complicated chords shapes on the 6-string for hours before playing your first song.
The main difference between the 3-string and 4-string when it comes to beginners is that the 3-string is just plain easier than the 4-string. The 3-string is really the perfect beginner instrument for anyone wanting to learn a stringed instrument, but wants to play music right away. It’s simple, easy to pick up and play, and still teaches you all of the fundamental techniques such as fretting, building muscle memory, strumming, fingerpicking, and more. It’s also perfect for children who have smaller hands with less muscle strength.
If you know that you will want more complex harmonies, tuning options, and a larger range between your lowest and highest notes on the guitar, then the 4-string will be a slightly better and more versatile option, as long as you don’t mind the challenge of an extra string. You can enjoy the best of both worlds by beginning with a 4-string, but only stringing it up with three strings at first.. once you get the hang of it, you can add the extra string and take your playing to the next level.
Advice for Players with Some Experience:
If you are already playing a stringed instrument, the 4-string might be a better option. It has more tuning options, a larger range, and can be tuned to mimic other stringed instruments like the ukulele, tenor guitar, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, etc. It’s also great for players who are already familiar with stringed instruments, but want to add the look, tone, and feel of a roots instrument to their palette.
If you are experienced, and just want a simple instrument that is easy to play, and will inspire you to “do more with less,” the 3-String is a perfectly simple, rugged & rocking’ roots instrument. Just tune it up, crank it up, and have fun!
Check out the Videos Below:
Below are two videos that will give introductions to the 3-string and 4-string guitar.
Thanks for keeping the Roots alive, and don’t forget to click “FOLLOW” on the right-hand side of this page to stay up-to-date with new lessons and articles!
~Justin Johnson
VISIT STORE for CDs, DVDs, Books, & More!: www.JustinJohnsonLive.com/store.html SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL: www.YouTube.com/justinjohnsonlive
This Video Features a Guitar by Algoma Acoustics: http://www.AlgomaAcoustics.com
This Video Features a Guitar by Algoma Acoustics: http://www.AlgomaAcoustics.com
