| In the late nineteen thirties a cowboy | | | | It is a little hard to describe in writing |
| musician called Bob Willis introduced the | | | | but you can see plenty of examples on |
| electric guitar to his audiences. Nobody | | | | YouTube, but to get the general idea, try |
| knows whether they noticed this historic | | | | this experiment: hold your right hand over |
| innovation but ten years later a whole | | | | the guitar strings, then mute your E (sixth) |
| generation sat up and took notice when Arthur | | | | string by resting your index finger on it |
| Smith released his recording of "Guitar | | | | down towards the bridge. Next, pluck the |
| Boogie". This hit instrumental established | | | | string with your thumb. This will give you a |
| the electric guitar as a musical force to be | | | | "thuck" sound. To complete the chicken pickin |
| reckoned with. While the world of rock and | | | | move, pluck the open string with the nail of |
| roll moved to the music of Stratocasters it | | | | your index finger. This move is repeated |
| took a while for country musicians to move | | | | until it comes naturally. |
| from the more restrained tones of the Gretsch | | | | |
| archtop to the more "biting" Fender sound. | | | | Country solo playing can easily begin in the |
| | | | first position on the guitar. When you begin |
| Many guitarists play their country solos on | | | | to play country guitar solos just play over |
| the Fender Telecaster with a Fender tube | | | | the chords. Do not go looking for a "country |
| "Twin", Super Reverb or Deluxe Reverb | | | | scale", although the blues scale is quite |
| amplifier. On the other hand, if they are on | | | | handy in country guitar playing. The trick is |
| a tight budget they have been known to settle | | | | to practice with whatever chord shapes you |
| for a Peavey tube amp. One piece of equipment | | | | have at your stage of playing and see what |
| you will not need is the whammy bar. It is | | | | kind of riffs, licks and tricks you can get |
| not used in playing country music. | | | | out of each of them. It is a very interesting |
| | | | way to learn because every chord has its |
| In contrast to other musical genres that use | | | | unique character. Start with your basic |
| the electric guitar, country music does not | | | | chords like C, D, E, G, and A. |
| employ a wide variety of electronic effects | | | | |
| in guitar solos. Alot of country guitar | | | | So if you want to learn to play country |
| players use a strictly clean sound, maybe | | | | guitar solos which guitar players do you |
| sprucing the music up with a little | | | | listen to? Listening to Chet Atkins will |
| reverberation. The only effect consistently | | | | teach alot to a guitarist in any genre. He is |
| utilized by country guitar soloists is | | | | largely responsible for the smooth Nashville |
| compression which enforces limits on the | | | | sound which is so attractive to many music |
| sound waves produced by the guitar. This | | | | lovers. Chet owes his style to Merle Travis, |
| effect enhances the volume of the softer | | | | using his thumb to pick bass notes and other |
| notes, and slightly mutes the louder notes. | | | | fingers to play the melody and fills. And do |
| This makes the overall volume seem more even. | | | | not forget to look for music recorded by |
| | | | Merle Travis himself. Another guitar great is |
| When it comes to technique you can start off | | | | Jerry Reed. A guitarist with boundless energy |
| as a flatpicker but many country guitar | | | | and enthusiasm, he played on the Elvis |
| players will use a thumbpick in combination | | | | Presley single of his own compositions |
| with the index and ring finger. This | | | | "Guitar Man" and "US Male". This list could |
| naturally increases your level of versatility | | | | go on and on, so let us finish by mentioning |
| more than somewhat. There is a technique | | | | Albert Lee, a British guitar player admired |
| called "chicken pickin" which involves | | | | by many other famous guitarists. |
| popping the guitar strings with your fingers. | | | | |