The Boxer (A record of ear training, finger picking and persistence!)

Hello,

I will be sharing my progress of learning and performing The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel here.

I have looked at a few different online lessons and live videos of Paul Simon playing the song, which have helped to shape the way in which I intend to play the song, which hopefully is a faithful rendition of how it has been played live in the last 20 or so years (with the end goal of being able to play it live myself in some format). The one that has helped the most can be found below, as it has allowed me to hear the guitar without any other instruments.

Simon does vary it up when he plays it on other live performances, but the above video is a good example of how he pretty much plays the song most of the time, as well as how he changes the picking pattern ever so slightly during different parts of the song, which doesn't often get mentioned in online lessons or tabs.

I will post videos of my progress and update what I have managed to learn as I go along. I don't have a video at the moment, as playing the "inside-outside" pattern while experimenting on this song over and over has done a number on my right thumb! But I hope this introduction gives you a good idea of what I am looking to achieve.

See you on the next post!

- Rory