Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 1

from: Intermediate Flatpicking Guitar with Scott Nygaard

This lesson is part of the course Intermediate Flatpicking Guitar with Scott Nygaard.

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About This Course

Learn to play fiddle tunes and other bluegrass and roots melodies, with an emphasis on alternate picking, simple scales, and developing good picking- and fretting-hand technique. Designed for guitarists just starting to play melodies as well as intermediate players who want to work on their flatpicking technique.

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Sally Gooden

The B part of “Sally Gooden” starts with a simple scale fragment, starting on the open G, that may be familiar from the Alternating Picking video. Scott walks you through the melody of the B part phrase by phrase, and gives you advice on keeping your fretting-hand fingers in position above the notes, as well as “planting” them: keeping them down on the fret until after you play the next note in the phrase.These are very important things to work on, as they give your playing a lot of fluidity and make your fingering more efficient.

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The Intermediate Flatpicking Guitar Subscription Includes:

A step-by-step approach to mastering flatpicking technique
More than 40 extensive video lessons
34 complete tunes and songs to play, with variations
Detailed tab/notation for all lessons
In-depth lessons on flatpicking and fretting-hand technique
High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see closeups of both hands in action
Play-Along Tracks so you can practice what you’ve learned

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Down in the Valley to Pray

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 1

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 2

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 3: Melody Play-Along Track

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 4: Rhythm Play-Along Track

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 1

The melody to the gospel song “Down in the Valley to Pray” (familiar to some people as “Down in the River to Pray,” its title on the O, Brother Where Thou? soundtrack) can easily be turned into an instrumental, and either played by itself or as solos to a sung version. Scott recorded a version on his album with Chris and Cassie Webster, 10,000 Miles. The melody has few holes and few of its phrases repeat, making it easy to fill out and turn into an instrumental on its own. Scott walks you through his version of “Down in the Valley to Pray” in this lesson, starting with the first part.

"Down in the Valley to Pray" (Available to subscribers)

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← Long Journey Home, Part 4: Rhythm Play-Along Track

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Previous Lesson

← Long Journey Home, Part 4: Rhythm Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Long Journey Home, Part 4: Rhythm Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 2 →

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Down in the Valley to Pray, Part 1

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