Version 1
Andrew Aycoth
The Fingerstyle Library

A slow shelf, kept honestly.

A small, growing collection of the pieces, ideas, and habits that make up a life spent with six strings.

Shelf

Original compositions

  • The Long Way Home
  • Cedar & Ash
  • November Field
  • Small Hours
  • For Chet
Shelf

Favorite arrangements

  • Blackbird — Lennon/McCartney
  • Vincent — Don McLean
  • Danny Boy — Traditional
  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow — Arlen
  • Ashokan Farewell — Ungar
Shelf

Technique breakdowns

  • Right hand independence
  • The Travis picking wrist
  • Alternating bass without stiffness
  • Harmonics without pinching
  • Making a thumb sound warm
Shelf

Practice ideas

  • The 20-minute room
  • Slow-motion Tuesdays
  • One chord, one hour
  • Recording yourself weekly
  • Playing softer than you think
Shelf

Influences

  • Chet Atkins
  • Tommy Emmanuel
  • Jerry Reed
  • Merle Travis
  • Doc Watson
  • Michael Hedges
Shelf

Equipment notes

  • Why cedar tops age well
  • Choosing a capo you won't hear
  • Living with old strings
  • Two microphones, done
  • The room is the pedal