Nine Pound Hammer Guitar Lesson
Nine Pound Hammer
Nick applies fundamental guitar techniques from previous lessons to the song "Nine Pound Hammer."
Taught by Nick Amodeo in Bluegrass with Nick Amodeo seriesLength: 31:39Difficulty: 3.5 of 5
Supplemental Learning Material
Bluegrass with Nick Amodeo
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsA sub-genre of country music which blends improvising with folk-like melodies. Pioneered by Bill Monroe in the 1930s in the "bluegrass" state. Nick will present flatpick techniques.
Lesson 1
Series Introduction
Nick Amodeo introduces the Bluegrass Series and explains what to expect in the following lessons.
Length: 2:27 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
History and Influence of Bluegrass
Nick discusses the history of bluegrass and the influence it has had on other styles of music.
Length: 27:44 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Bluegrass Instruments and Influence
Nick explains the musical role that each instrument plays in a bluegrass band.
Length: 17:01 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 4
Bluegrass Chords
Nick explains how to play some of the most commonly used chords in the bluegrass genre.
Length: 19:42 Difficulty: 2.5 FREE
Right Hand Techniques
Welcome to a right hand "boot camp" with Nick Amodeo! In this lesson, Nick demonstrates several picking and strumming exercises that will whip your right hand into shape.
Length: 24:48 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Right Hand Boot Camp
Nick Amodeo continues his discussion of picking technique in this installment of right hand "boot camp."
Length: 24:33 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Crosspicking Techniques
Nick presents several exercises that develop string skipping and crosspicking technique.
Length: 23:35 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Common Bluegrass Scale Exercise
Nick covers some exercises and scales that develop left hand technique.
Length: 33:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Bluegrass Ornaments
Nick explains how to play various slurs such as slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. Also included are some common bluegrass licks that utilize these techniques.
Length: 30:54 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Bluegrass Right Hand Rhythm
Nick covers some basic bluegrass strumming patterns.
Length: 12:23 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Left Hand Boot Camp
Nick covers some of the most commonly used scale patterns in bluegrass.
Length: 31:45 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Nine Pound Hammer
Nick applies fundamental guitar techniques from previous lessons to the song "Nine Pound Hammer."
Length: 31:39 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Texas Gales
Nick demonstrates his interpretation of "Texas Gales." You might say this one will blow you away!
Length: 38:30 Difficulty: 4.0 Members Only
Cross Picking: Home Sweet Home
Nick teaches the song "Home Sweet Home" and uses it to demonstrate cross picking techniques. Nick also covers the chords, and a chord with melody version to correspond with a picked version he has created.
Length: 57:24 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
About Nick Amodeo
View Full Biography
Nick Amodeo is a multi-instrumentalist based out of Denver, Colorado. A self taught musician, he took up guitar at age 12 before moving on to mandolin and electric bass. He is the 2005 Colorado state mandolin champion, and was featured on the 2007 Downbeat magazine Blues Album of the Year, Otis Taylor’s “Definition of a Circle.”
Nick has shared the stage with such artists as Buddy Guy, Chuck Campbell, Mollie O’Brien, Nick Forster and Pete Wernick of Hot Rize, and many others. Nick currently is the mandolin department at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and has over 10 years teaching experience.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.I take it that the tabbed out version of your fast run isn't exactly the same as what you played...but using both the tab and listening to your run together I think I can get it together...thanks
I mean not exactly the same as the really fast example you played at the start...but you did say '...goes something like this...' I suppose. I find the 5th, 6th and 7th measures the hardest for some reason.
Nick can I recommend you play the full lead melody at a moderate or slow pace at some point? It would be very helpful.
skip to 23:00 in scene 5 and i play both versions slowly.
Hi Nick. I've been playing for about 9 months using different instructors and songs. Just joined Jamplay recently. I've watched all of your videos and started doing the exercises realizing that I have not learned rhythm correctly or correct technique. You are what I've been looking for. Back to the beginning. Thanks so much. Pls consider doing a full theory video.
thanks mgunn. it took me about 8 full years of playing to realize what i was doing was all wrong. i intentionally put all of the technique stuff first to hopefully help others from getting too far down the wrong path. thanks for watching.
Great lesson Nick. Thanks for going over it slowly. Keep these lessons coming!
This is a great lesson Nick! I am going to make it a goal to get this song down cleanly and at least ALMOST as fast as you do! Should be a nice challenge for sure. Thanks for doing a lesson on this song. I hope Jamplay keeps more Nick Amodeo lessons coming!
Hi Nick, I've started JamPlay a few years ago and followed Steve Eulberg's bluegrass lessons and others instructors of various styles. I have enjoyed and have been able to keep up with your lessons until this lead melody of Nine Pound Hammer. I guess it's the fast tempo of bluegrass that is overwhelming to this intermediate player. Merl Travis on Will The Circle be Unbroken is a lot more doable. Any suggestions on speed besides practice - practice - practice??? Sincerely, Slow Hands Ron
hi ron, i recommend practicing it slowly at first. make sure you are playing all of the notes and fingerings properly. once you get all that down, then push yourself to play it a little faster and faster. playing it with a metronome at a slow tempo and gradually speeding up a few beats per minute is a good game plan. (once you get it memorized) but its most important to play it cleanly and in time, whatever the tempo may be..... good luck!
also, really make sure you have the proper technique, that is why i spent so much time emphasizing it, because ultimately, poor technique only slows you down....