Adrian Freed: Fueling imaginations

Originally recorded on his "Ship of Fools" album, this song illustrates John's arranging approach where he combines three ideas: double stop harmonization on the center strings, melodic motion along the strings (instead of across), and the outer strings as pattern picked rhythmic drones. This synthesis of British Isles source material, American pattern picking, European harmony and North Indian chordophone technique is a distinctive feature of his guitar style.

Here is the original song he is teaching.

Watch the beginning of this arrangement of "You got to walk that lonesome valley" to see how the picking pattern is modified to match the left hand

The left hand is building up and breaking down parts of the G Chord.

This continues throughout the arrangement as the  first position G Chord shape is slid up and down the neck.

The only fretted chords in this classic Son House bottleneck blues are barres with a 7th added on the high string.