Can I download and save your performance/lesson video's to my computer?
I advise you to do that as all my video's are YouTube video's and who knows what the future may bring. Download the video's on your computer and they will be yours forever.
I use "4kdownload" https://www.4kdownload.com/ It's free for a limited number of downloads but I
bought it, it's not that expensive. There are free downloaders
but they are chockfull of virusses, popups etc, so beware.
If you do a youtube search for "4kdownload", you'll find video's on how to use it (really simple).
The easiest thing to do afterwards is to make a 'daddystovepipe' playlist on your youtube channel. Put all the video's you want to keep in that playlist. Then you can copy and paste the url of that list into ''4kdownload" and it will automatically download all the video's in the playlist (saves you copy and pasting every video separately). 4kdownload will automatically store all the video's in a folder named
If you do a youtube search for "4kdownload", you'll find video's on how to use it (really simple).
The easiest thing to do afterwards is to make a 'daddystovepipe' playlist on your youtube channel. Put all the video's you want to keep in that playlist. Then you can copy and paste the url of that list into ''4kdownload" and it will automatically download all the video's in the playlist (saves you copy and pasting every video separately). 4kdownload will automatically store all the video's in a folder named
"4k video downloader". Eventually you can drag the video's to other folders of your choosing.
"4kdownload" has also a very useful conversion tool to make mp3's of any
youtube video. Put the mp3's on a memory stick and listen to the songs in your
car (listening is half the battle when learning music).
Sometimes I add new songs to an existing lesson pack. If you bought that pack in the past you are entitled to the additional songs free of charge (hey, who provides that service!).
Additions to previously purchased lesson packs.
Sometimes I add new songs to an existing lesson pack. If you bought that pack in the past you are entitled to the additional songs free of charge (hey, who provides that service!).
Since
I don't keep sales records I wil not contact you. So you will have to
find out yourself. Check the website or my YT channel.
Contact me with proof of purchase and I'll send the addition(s).
As proof of purchase I'll accept :
1- the email with which you received your order
2- a screenshot of your Paypal payment
If
you received your tabs with a dropbox link, then check the dropbox,
additions are put in there automatically and the lesson video will be (sometimes) on
YouTube and the Lesson Pack page.
I did not receive my order within 24 hours of my payment?
Please check your spamfolder first. Sometimes your order, sent with an email , ends up there.If it's not there, contact me through the contact form on this website or use my Paypal emailaddress. I'll get back to you very fast and will sort it out immediately.
Please do not open a Paypal dispute, it will hold up things and is not a civil way to interact.
I ordered the wrong pack...can I get the right one
Nope, sorry the information on each page is crystalclear. If you want the pack with "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" then that song is listed on the correct page, the lesson pack volume 6. So if you want that song you should not order lesson pack volume 3 and say afterwards you wanted volume 6.
Is my emailaddress safe with you?
Yes, absolutely. I will only use it to send out your order. After that you will never hear of me again. So, if you want to be informed of new tabs/lessons, you'll have to consult the website or subscribe to my youtube channel.
I never send out any marketing emails etc.
I'm new to fingerpicking, what lessons do you recommend?
This question pops up regularly.
It's essential that you have mastered the monotonic and alternating bass to be able to play any of the songs on this website.
So please, check out following free lessons for beginners to get acquainted with the style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnEsEZS9020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-QSE6Azg7w
You'll find links to the free tab for these lessons in the videodescription of above video's.
If you can play these songs you can play most of the things I do, with some (daily) practice of course.
All the lesson packs have easy and difficult songs. So there's no way to say start with this or that.
However, I assembled a "Easy Lesson Pack" with, in my opinion, easy songs from all the other packs. See navigation bar for more info.
Take some time to check out the performances and judge for yourself if they are within your reach. Playing/practicing what you like is always easier and will motivate you to carry on.
Can I order single tabs listed in lesson packs?
Yes, you can, but single tabs are more expensive as it is more work for me to retrieve the lesson video and add the tab separately. They cost €9.90 a piece. Go to the "Individual Tabs and Lessons" page for more info.
Do you give discounts?
Yes, check two pages on top of the navigation bar,
1- "buy two get one free"
2- "Individual tabs and lessons".
Payment methods
Paypal is the only method I accept. It's fast, free and safe. You can even use it without opening an account (google it if you don't know how).
Do you do requests of songs/transcriptions?
I can guide you to professional transcribers though.
Do you gig?
Almost never. I'm a livingroom picker and I prefer spending my free time on producing new material instead of practicing (booooring) for performances.
Sometimes I get an email saying : "I got a computer crash and lost the links to the lessons and the tabs I bought...!"
I do not keep any sales records (why, see privacy chapter) but no problem, I will resend the tabs and videolinks free of charge, but only if you send me
proof of purchase : a screenshot of your Paypal payment, or, you received your order with an email, send me that email as proof of purchase. Beware : I will do this only once!!
The symbols I use in the tablature :
- h = hammer-on.
- p = pull-off.
- for a "bend" I use an arrow pointing up or down
- / = slide up.
- \ = slide down.
- ~~~ = vibrato.
- x = muted hit or percussive slap
- ^ = to indicate a note that is played staccato (a note sharply detached or separated from the others)
The template that I use to handwrite my tabs has 7 lines and 6 spaces between those lines. Every space represents a string. The top space is the thin E string and the bottom space is the thick E string.
I grew up with this system as it was used by Stefan Grossman in his first books.
Handwritten numbers are impossible to place all at the same level on a line and give them all the same size. This is easely done when you place them between the lines. All numbers will have the same size and be at the same level, hence a much better readable manuscript.
Handwritten manuscripts are much shorter than computer written scores (their spacing is awful, way too large). You will learn a song much faster with a manuscript that takes only two or three pages. This way you will understand the construction of a song better.
Please check the section with "Free Guitar Tablature" to see some examples.
The size of the numbers on the tab are larger than usual, I can read them without reading glasses.
Why handwritten : I love to write by hand, it's kinda "Zen", yes, I'm old fashioned. Did I tell you that I don't like computers and learning new software....
What kind of strings do you use?
D'Addario custom light EJ26 for most of my steel string guitars. Sometimes standard light but not heavier. I used heavier strings for slide but stopped with that.
D'Addario Pro Arte extra high tension for the nylon string guitar.
I can't find much difference between brands and I sure don't like those greasy coated ones.
For the ukulele I mostly use D'Addario J71 or Aquila nylguts, both for tenor ukulele.
When did you start playing the guitar?
I heard Big Bill Broonzy play "St Louis Blues" on the radio and was hooked on acoustic blues since then. That was in 1969 when I was 14 years old. I had a friend who played a bit of guitar and he learned me a few chords and how to tune it. That's all the teaching I got.
I went to London to buy records (I'm Belgian) and also found a few Stefan Grossman blues books. It got me fingerpicking soon and I'm still at it...
How do you record your YouTube video's?
For the HD video's I use a Canon Legria HFG10 camcorder with a Canon DM100 microphone mounted on top.
I edit the beginning and ending with the Canon provided software (very easy to use). The sound is in no way enhanced; it's the natural recorded sound what you hear.
The older not HD video's were recorded with a JVC camcorder using its internal mic.