Essential Riffs for Acoustic Guitar
HOMESPUN
Taught By Artie Traum.
Level 2
One 55 minute DVD or VHS, includes music and tab

Here's a lesson that's packed with dozens of important licks, each one a time-tested musical phrase that will help you become a strong lead guitarist. Artie starts so simply that even beginners can learn to play these riffs over a variety of chord changes and blues progressions. As the phrases get more advanced, you'll see how to use slides, bends and other techniques, and increase your speed and dexterity with the use of hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Every lick is played slowly, so you can see the exact fingering, and then at tempo so you can understand how to play it at speed. This video will be of value to beginners who want to get a jump on lead guitar, as well as intermediate players who want to increase their knowledge of the fingerboard. Jeff Pevar (currently playing guitar with David Crosby) joins Artie to demonstrate how two players jamming together can use these riffs in the context of blues progressions.

Once you've got the basics down, Artie shows how to put several riffs together to create a complete blues solo. A discussion and demonstration of minor key jazz-blues phrases will round out your repertoire of riffs and will allow you to create hot solos or jam with your friends using the terrific techniques Artie teaches.

About Artie Traum
Artie Traum is an award-winning guitarist who has been featured on over 30 albums. His latest release, "South of Lafayette," is a "hip fusion of folk and jazz esthetics," writes Sing Out! Magazine. "Letters From Joubee" (1994) spent six weeks at #1 on the smooth jazz radio charts. "Meetings With Remarkable Friends," with The Band, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Tony Levin, Laurence Juber, John Sebastian and other top musicians, was awarded Best Acoustic Instrumental Album of 1999 (NAV Award) and voted Best CD of 2000 by Hudson Valley Magazine. In 2001, Artie released "The Last Romantic," which was placed "on this year's list of best releases" by Jazz Times.
Performing since the 1960's, Artie Traum has worked with his brother Happy Traum, songwriter Pat Alger and The Woodstock Mountains Revue. Artie's songs have been recorded by The Band, David Grisman and Tony Rice, among others. He has produced CDs for Tony Levin, Laurence Juber, Livingston Taylor, Diane Ziegler and many other top artists. Artie has performed at dozens of festivals, including the Catalina Jazz Trax Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Newport Folk Festival, and has composed music for film and TV shows.

Artie Traum is a popular clinician for Taylor Guitars, performing guitar workshops around the world, and his instructional materials continue to be best-sellers for Homespun Tapes. "Artie Traum has the natural, soulful touch that other guitarists only dream about," says Donald Fagen of Steely Dan.