Make the Melody Sing in Solo Flatpicking

Many guitar players focus on playing the correct notes.

But in solo flatpicking, that’s not the real challenge.

When you combine melody notes with the notes of the chord underneath, something subtle happens. If every note has the same volume, the melody disappears. The music becomes flat.

The melody must sing above the accompaniment.

This is not about speed. It’s not about complexity. It’s about control.

I recently shared a short study focused exactly on this kind of dynamic balance. You can watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/URK9Fhg-jZs

In this study, the notes themselves are simple. The real difficulty lies in how you play them. Can you clearly hear what should sing? Or do all notes compete for attention?

To bring out the melody, your right hand must learn to give more weight to certain notes and let the others stay in the background. The supporting notes are important — but they are not the voice. The melody is the voice.

This kind of balance does not happen automatically. It requires slow practice, careful listening, and awareness of tone.

Inside Flatpicking Experience, we work step by step on this kind of melodic control and right-hand balance. The goal is not just to play cleanly, but to make the music breathe.

If you’d like to explore the full path, you can learn more about Flatpicking Experience here:
https://www.truefire.com/h2343

If you prefer to work on this specific study only, it’s also available separately — including tab, performance video, detailed breakdown, and play-along track — in my shop:
https://shop.robertodallavecchia.com/products/right-hand-study-12

But before anything else, try this:

The next time you play a solo arrangement, ask yourself one simple question:

Can I clearly hear the melody?
Or are all the notes fighting for space?

That question alone can change your sound.

Right-Hand Study #10 – Flatpicking Arpeggio Exercise for Tone and Fluency

This Right-Hand Study #10 is part of my Right-Hand Study series — short, musical etudes that focus on one key aspect of flatpicking technique.

In this study, the goal is to develop tone and fluency when playing arpeggiated chords.
Rather than rushing through the notes, you’ll work on keeping your right hand relaxed, maintaining even tone, and letting the music flow naturally.

It’s a great piece for daily warm-up or focused practice — musical, not mechanical — and it helps you connect your picking and fretting hands smoothly.

🎸 What You’ll Improve:

• Tone consistency across all strings

• Smooth, connected picking motion

• Relaxed right-hand fluency

👉 Watch the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/dZIsdJ0FLOQ?si=XJHYbEzvpP-cEFJP
👉 Get the full lesson and tabs here: https://shop.robertodallavecchia.com/products/right-hand-study-10

If you enjoy musical technique studies like this, explore my channel and store for hundreds of flatpicking lessons, tabs, and play-alongs that make practice both effective and inspiring.

A Sweet Chord Variation on Wildwood Flower (Flatpicking Guitar Idea)

If you're like me, you’ve played Wildwood Flower more times than you can count. It’s one of those timeless flatpicking guitar tunes that never gets old — but it also leaves space for personal touches.

In this short post, I want to share a simple but expressive chord variation you can use in the B part of Wildwood Flower. It’s an idea that gives the melody a new emotional feel while staying true to the traditional structure.

🎵 The Idea: C → E7 → Am

Traditionally, the B part of Wildwood Flower sits on a C chord for two bars. Instead of staying on C, I move through:

C → E7 → Am

It’s a small change — but it creates a lift, a little tension, and a sweeter resolution. The E7 adds brightness, and the Am brings a warm, reflective sound that fits beautifully behind the melody.

🎸 Watch the Example

I recorded a short video where I play just the main section of the B part with this variation.
It’s filmed at home, on the stairway, to capture some nice natural reverb.

🎥 Watch it here:
👉 https://youtu.be/lJcIK_7mzKI

I kept it short — just enough to demonstrate the idea and let the sound speak for itself.

💡 Why Try Variations on Traditional Tunes?

One of the beautiful things about flatpicking guitar is that we’re not just repeating old songs — we’re in conversation with them. These tunes are living music, and part of the tradition is adding your own voice.

Changing just a few chords can open up a whole new feeling in a tune you thought you already knew.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you enjoyed this idea, I’ve got a free Flatpicking 101 crash course that covers tone, pick direction, and phrasing — all the fundamentals that help variations like this shine.

📥 Download it here:
👉 https://bit.ly/4isGBmG

And if you’re looking for a deeper experience, come join us at my Guitar Camp in the Italian Alps. It’s the perfect place to learn, play, and connect with other musicians.
🏕️ More info here: https://bit.ly/4lCyw1j

Thanks for reading — and for keeping this music alive in your own way.
Let me know if you try this variation or create your own. I'd love to hear it.

—Roberto