21 thoughts on “Bryan Sutton's Secrets for Successful Flatpicking”

  1. well i would not go as far as to make such a bold statement as to sa he is the best alive today. but he is one of them on a list that is about 20 deep. lets not forget the mark o conners, tony rice, roland white,norman blake ect ect ect great vid.

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  2. Don't feel embarassed 🙂 Bluegrass is quite complicated! Especially stuff like that! I can't play like that 😛 It requires a very steady rhythm and a great picking hand.

    But hey, practice makes perfect 😉 Just keep that dream alive!

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  3. Agree, flatpicked bluegrass guitar is the most difficult I've pursued – no distortion, little sustain, heavier higher action, bigger instrument, and most of it very fast and clean. There's nowhere to hide if your chops aren't up to it. But woodshedding the basics and lots of listening have yielded results for me. As far as Bryan vs Tony, Bryan's great but I'll always love Tony's soulfullness

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  4. Here's the secret for successful flat picking on the professional level like Bryan Sutton: start at a young age and have encouraging parents. Practice with total religious devotion. Own a really great guitar and not a cheap one. Get out and play with lots of different musicians at festivals and in your own bands. Record yourself a lot and make music performance your life and your career. This is the only way you can achieve extreme flat picking mastery. The dedication required is no different than being a serious classical musician. If you're an amateur or older player who hasn't followed this career path, do NOT get sucked in by Bryan Sutton videos that will make you think like you can play like him.

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