Percussive Fingerstyle Practice Plan

Skill Building Guitar Course from Mark Kroos

Guitarists are always looking to add to their musical toolbox! One of the most sought-after tools is definitely the percussive acoustic style. In this fun series, Mark Kroos gives us four grooves to work with and all of the tips and tricks needed to ease our frustrations when tackling these techniques. After completing this course we'll be mastering these percussive grooves in no time!

25 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

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Tabs & Info

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Included

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Full Course Breakdown

Mark will provide four unique grooves that he will break by incorporating various concepts such as fretting, harp harmonics, and body percussion. With each groove, Mark will break it up into three easily digestible lessons so we can get the concepts under our fingers. Then we'll follow up each skill with a practice session to help get the skills committed to muscle memory!

1

Introduction

Mark Kroos introduces us to the 'Percussive Fingerstyle Practice Plan'!

3:50 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

2

Groove 1: Bassline and Backbeat

Let's grab our guitars as Mark starts us off with our first groove in this series, where he breaks down DADGAD tuning and the bassline and backbeat of this groove.

5:23 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

3

Groove 1: Bassline and Backbeat Practice Session

Alright, now that we have the bassline and backbeat of this groove under our fingers, let's practice with some repetitions!

9:38 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

4

Groove 1: Melody

Time to get the melody of this groove under our fingertips!

7:54 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

5

Groove 1: Melody - Practice Session

For this practice session, we are going to stick with just focusing on the melody as we practice this part of the groove at multiple tempos!

9:07 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

6

Groove 1: Putting it All Together

Mark gives us some tips and tricks as we put all the pieces of this groove together!

5:36 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

7

Groove 1: Putting it All Together - Practice Session

Now that we have the complete groove under our fingers, let's practice it at multiple tempos!

11:19 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

8

Groove 2: Bassline and Backbeat

Moving on, Mark breaks down the open D tuning we will be playing in and then takes us slowly through the bassline and backbeat of this groove.

4:19 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

9

Groove 2: Bassline and Backbeat - Practice Session

Let's get that bassline and backbeat ingrained in our muscle memory by practicing it at various tempos!

10:57 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

10

Groove 2: Melody

Mark helps guide us with some tips and tricks on how to tackle the natural harmonics found in this melody of this groove.

6:40 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

11

Groove 2: Melody - Practice Session

Let's practice the melody we just learned at three different tempos.

10:57 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

12

Groove 2: Putting it All Together

Now that we have both parts under our fingers, let's line them up to see how they flow together.

6:14 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

13

Groove 2: Putting it All Together - Practice Session

Time to get that full groove down by practicing it with some practice repetitions!

12:42 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

14

Groove 3: Left Hand Part

In this lesson, Mark focuses on playing solely with the left hand for this groove, as we will be keeping a drum-like beat on the guitar with our right hand.

8:31 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

View this Lesson
15

Groove 3: Left Hand Part - Practice Session

Let's commit these skills to muscle memory by practicing this melody at various tempos.

9:21 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

16

Groove 3: Right Hand Body Percussion

Here, we focus on our right hand by playing the body percussion on the guitar for this groove as Mark gives us some insight on what kind of percussive sounds we can generate on different parts of the guitar.

2:51 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

17

Groove 3: Right Hand Body Percussion - Practice Session

Now let's practice with just that right hand while keeping our percussive beat at various tempos.

9:18 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

18

Groove 3: Putting it All Together

Now that we have those two parts under our fingers let's put them together to complete this groove.

5:38 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

19

Groove 3: Putting it All Together - Practice Session

Let's practice this complete groove at different tempos!

9:26 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

20

Groove 4: Bass and Harmonics

Mark incorporates some harp harmonics along with fretting for the final groove of the series!

10:35 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

21

Groove 4: Bass and Harmonics - Practice Session

For this practice, we focus on getting the backbeat, the bass notes, and the harp harmonics under our fingers by playing them at different tempos.

13:36 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

22

Groove 4: The Left Hand

Here, we'll incorporate a left-hand 16th-note figure with some hammer-ons and pull-offs.

3:55 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

23

Groove 4: The Left Hand - Practice Session

Time to practice our left-hand exercise to get it burned into our muscle memory for this groove!

7:38 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

24

Groove 4: Putting it All Together

Now we'll combine the left-hand and right-hand parts of this groove. Here, Mark breaks it down for us slowly so we can see how these two parts work together.

8:55 Runtime

4.5 Difficulty

25

Groove 4: Putting it All Together - Practice Session

Now let's close out the series and practice this final groove at different tempos!

10:59 Runtime

4.5 Difficulty

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Mark Kroos

  • Williamsburg, Virginia
  • Playing since 1998
  • 132 lessons at JamPlay
Mark Kroos plays 2 guitar necks at the same time. Originally from Lansing, MI but currently based in Williamsburg, VA he is one of the only people in the world touring his trade.

Mark Kroos plays 2 guitar necks at the same time. Originally from Lansing, MI but currently based in Williamsburg, VA he is one of the only people in the world touring his trade. His primarily instrumental style is characterized by open harmonies, polyphonic textures, incredible tapping technique, and is as entertaining to watch as it is to listen to. Live performances burst with energy and magnetism not typical of solo guitar music. Drawing influence from folk, Celtic, indie, and even punk rock artists as well as other great guitarists such as Michael Hedges, Phil Keaggy, Tommy Emmanuel and Leo Kottke, Mark Kroos has developed his own edge to the acoustic guitar.