Additional information
by David Gardner (Illustrator), David Corcoran (Author)
Downforce Guitar: The Easy Way to Play the Guitar Volume 1: Major and Minor Triads and 100 Finger Picking patterns for the Downforce Guitar. This method is different from the traditional style of playing the guitar. The guitar is instead held on the lap facing up towards the player, increasing their view of the body and fretboard of the guitar.This method allows for all five fingers of the left, or top hand to be used as well as increases the distance the player may stretch their fingers. This alone allows for notes and progressions to be played much easier than the standard method. If you have seen the late great blues guitarist, Jeff Healey as well as Thumbs Carllile, you can see the ease at which these greats performed. Downforce Guitar author David Corcoran of Syracuse, NY, being a trained Pianist thought this was the more natural and easier way to hold the guitar as well and this is how he has always played. Never being able to find a book on the method and wanting to share his knowledge with others, opening the world of music as well to others who may not be able to hold the guitar in the normal position, David Corcoran, also known as the "boogie man" to some because of his flair on the piano and guitar, sat down and put his first volume of Downforce Guitar books to paper to start spreading the word.His work focused on the major and minor triads. You will be able to find all the locations that these chords can be played throughout the neck of the guitar as well as a series of finger picking patters to compliment them in his first volume. Using older computer software and a local copy machine, the black and white folded booklet drew attention of some locals, including the Syracuse Post Standard's Mark Bialczak who wrote an article on David Corcoran's style in the summer of 2009. It was then he was approached by a local marketer, David Gardner, who helped turn his book into a colorful display that had each chord pop out for the viewer. He also set up the Downforce Guitar website to compliment the book which includes videos and tips on the method.David Corcoran continues to play today in and around the Syracuse, NY area and is available for shows and lessons.
Author Biography
David Corcoran travelled the United States playing from Coast to Coast. Currently residing in Syracuse, NY he writes the book on the Downforce Guitar method. As a trained pianist he picked up the guitar and put it on his lap and never looked back. As the years went by, his talents developed and he never saw any methods book written on how to play this way, so he took the knowledge he gained over his life and put them into the first volume of the Downforce Guitar series. One of the highlights of his life is being able to hang with Les Paul and chat with him on the Joey Reynolds Radio Show in the past.
