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Infroducflon The Hlsfory ol fhe Flelplcklng GvlTet $tyle lcornlng to Flotplcks A Hlslodcol Approoch
I 7
Secllon One Technlgues,Exomples, eind Exerclses t2 t3
fhe Role ol the Rhyftm Gullan Ployer Slmple G Chord Rhyflrm G, C, D Rhyffrm wllh R.epecflng Bcss l{ofes AJrtetncrllng Boss Llne Wolk-ups, Wolk-downs, ond lcodlng Tones Chromerllc Wclk-Ups cnd Wolk-Downs Boss R.uns-Old-fime StVle Half Nole Boss R.uns The Resf Slroke Nletnate Plck Dlrecllon and E?gtrlr Noles Elghth l{ofe Runs and Flll Licks Borrowlng From Boss Plcycrs G-R.uns,Hcmmer-Ons, Pull-Offs, cnd Slldes Crcctlng tovemenl on One Chord Syncoperflon The Bfuegrass G Chord cnd Nlernale Slnrms "lonesome R.ood Bluestt Exomple
l4 t5 t8 24 25 26 2A 29 32 34 36 44 50 53 55
Secllon Thro: Exeimples ltom the FOm Archfues "R.offlng in tly Sweet Bcby's Arms" 7n lhe StVlc of Chadle f,lonroe "Bfue Eyestt ?n lhe $fle of Roy Horvey Rhytlrm ln llre Sfle of Edd toyfteld I Key of G Rhytlrm ln l|ne Sfle of Jlmmy torlln "Nlne Pound Hnmmer" ln lfte $fle of Brad Dervls (Key of G) "Nlne Pound Hcmrner" 7a lhe Sfle of Brad Dervls (Key of C) Key of C Rhylhm ln t|ne Sfle oi Eqrt Scruggs 'Tennegsee Wcg onet'' in llrc $fle of Chodes Selwlelle Key of C Rhytlrm ln lhe StVle of Tom Poley "Soldler's Joy" Rhyflrm ln llre $fle of Rlley Puckett "Herve A Fecsf Here Tfonigffi" ln llre Sfle of Doc Wofson 'rMolly Pvl the Ketlle On" In Jlre Sfle of Rlley Puckefl Rhytfrm ln tfre Sfy'e ot Edd tlcyfleld 2 (KeV of G) Rhyllrm 7n lhe Style of Edd ftfcyfield 3 (Key of A) Rhytlrm ln fhe Sfiy'e ol Petet Rowon (Key of A) Rhylfrm 7a lhe Sfiy'e of Chcdes Serwfelle (Key of E) gfle of Davld GrTet "Rogflme AnnleD 7n ftie The R.ood Ahead
58 60 6l 62 63 64 65 66 67 69 72 73 74 75 76 T7 79 8l
Appendlx | : Readlngtablclwe AppendTx 2z Wor{rlng Wlft A tletronorne Appendlx 3: tlclor 9coles, Chords, ond Arpegglos
82 87 89
Flatpicking Essentials Volurne 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
lnfuoductTon Welcometo thefirstbook in theFlatpickingEssentials series! The Flatpicking Essentialsinstructionalseries is designed to teach you the art of flatpicking the acousticguitarin a sequential, methodthat step-by-step will graduallybuild your flatpicking skill in a way that leavesno "gaps"or "holes." While this methodwill be extremelybeneficialto beginners,this serieswill also be of greatvalueto thoseguitarplayerswho havebeen working to learn how to flatpick for quite some time, yet can't seemto get beyonda certainplateau. If you are having trouble moving beyond memorrzedsolos, adding interest and variety to your rhythm playing, learninghow to playup-the-neck.learning horvto come up with your own arrangements how to songs,learnin-e to play by ear,or learninghow to improvise,then this seriesis for you! Too many flatpickersare learninghor,vto play by simply memorizingtranscribedfiddle tune solosfrom tabbooksandvideotapes.In doingthattheyarelearning ineffectivelyand inefficiently. They are skippingover many vital elementsin the learning processand thus they havea weakfoundation.In this seriesmy goal is to help you build a strong foundationso that you can easily maintain consistentforward progressin your studyof flatpicking. Each volume of this seriespresentsmaterial that providesthe foundationfor the next volume. In this first volume- Rln,tlmt,BassRuns,and Fill Licks-yoll will learnhow to developall of the basicskillsyou will need in order to becomea solid rhythm player. This book is designedto teachyou rhythm skills in a way that will thoroughlyprepareyou for Volume 2, which is titled, Learning Hov, To Solo: Carter Sryleand Beyoncl. As you will learn in the first sectionof this book, the flatpicking guitar style developedchronologically along a very clear line of sequentialtechnicalskills. In order to learn how to flatpick fiddle tunes like Doc Watson,the studentneedsto build a foundation similar to the foundationDoc built for himself before he startedpicking lead soloson fiddle tunes. The first two volumesof this coursepresentthe techniquesand skillsthat weredevelopedon the acousticguitarduring the 30s',40s, and50s-the pre-DocWatsonskills-the skillsDoc acquiredaspart of buildinghis own musical foundation.
This book, and the entire series,is full of practice suggestionsand homework problems. I highly recommendthat you take the time to go through all of the suggestedpracticedrills and homeworkproblems. Your learning experiencewill be far richer and more fruitful as a result. If you have any trouble with any of the homework problems,pleasefeel free to email me (
[email protected]).Put "FlatpickingEssentials" in the subjectline and I will do my bestto help you out with any questionsyou may have. I have included a three-sectionappendixin this book. If you are new to guitartablature,or run across a symbol in the tablature or music notation that is presentedin this book that you are unfamiliar with, pleaserefer to the appendixon "Reading Tablature." If you have neverworked r,vitha metronome,or have trouble working with a metronome,please see the appendixon "Working with a Metronome." Similariy. if you are unfamiliarwith major scales,major chords, pleasereferto theappendixthatdiscusses or arpesgios. theseconcepts. I wish you the bestof luck with this book, and the subsequent volumesin this series. I think that if you work through all of the materialthat is presentedhere you will gain a lot more confidencein your ability to provide solid and interestingrhythm and you will be well preparedto learn how to start playing the guitar solos that are presentedin Volume 2. Again, if you haveany questions,pleasefeel free to contactme. I wish you the best of luck in your study and practice. Dan Miller Publisherand Editor FlatpickingGuitar Magazrne
In additionto the booklCD series.we alsomaintain a Flatpicking Essentialswebsite that includes extra examples, songs, scales, answers to homework problems,and answersto frequentlyaskedquestions. You can checkit out at:
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rh.vthm, Bcss Runs, and Fill Licks
http :II www.fl atpick .com/essentials
iii
The ll?stoty ol lhe Flalp?cklng @vllqt $fle By DanMiller
What is "Flatpicking"? As the editor of Flatpicking Guitar Magaz.ine,one of the questionsthat I'm frequentlyaskedby non-guitarplaying music fans is "What is flatpicking?" Ansrveringthis question rvould seem to be the logical place to start this chapterthat discusses flatpicking history. Providing a seneral definition of flatpicking right up front rvill not only give you an opportunityto knorv what is meant rvhen I use the term, but it will also give me a startin_q placefrom rvhich your understandingof flatpickin_u will gror,v. Over the past fifty years the art of flatpickin_e has steadily changeddue to the additionof new techniquesand an expansion of the style beyond its traditional roots and boundaries.As flatpickerscontinueto "push the envelope"of the style by adding new techniquesand explorinsnervmusicalgenres.the definition of flatpickinghaschan_qed and evolved.and rvill continueto do so in the future. In order to adequatelystudy the chan_ees we must first havea startingdefinition. Plectrum versus Fingers The simplest,broadest.and most general,rvay to define "flatpicking" is to say that it is the techniqueof playin_u a guitar rvith a flat pick (or plectrum).sometimescalleda "straightpick." versusthe use of barefin_uers. fin_eerpicks, or a thumbpick.When askedaboutwhy a -quitarist lvould want to usea singleflat plectrum versusmultiplefingerpicks,a thumbpick,or barefin-{ers,Dan Crary put it best in an article rvritten for Frets Maga:ine (June 1985) "The answcrseemsto be that the plectrum-a simple by sayin-u. piece of plastic. or nylon. or torloiseshell.or r.vhatever material a player holds dear enoughto hold in his fin,eers-is capableof bringin-esomethingout of a steel-strin-u guitar that nothing else can." Indeed.the tone and volume one can _qetfrom usin_ea pick to play a _euitarare qualitiesof the style that make the technique very attractiveto guitar players.
at incredibly high tempos.It takes a stron-qright hand and an incredibleamount of dexterity and enduranceto keep pace rvith a group of mandolins,banjos,and fiddlesplayin_e a fast bluegrass breakdown.Driving the rhythm is difficult enough;taking a solo in this musicalenvironmentremainschallengingfor playerseven after years of practiceand experience.The strength.endurance, and speedrequiredof the flatpickerinspiredone rvriterto describe flatpickingas a "full contactspoft." So, flatpicking the acoustic guitar does indeed require a different set o1' skills than those requiredto play an amplilied electric guitar rvith a thin pick and light--uau-re strings.Due to the divergentright-handskill sets inherentto the acousticand electric_ruitar,rve will only apply the "flatpicking" term to the steel-strin_e acoustic-euitar.
Nlusical Genre The third elementthat rve need to add to our basic flatpicking definitionis that of musicalgenre.The term flatpickingoriginated rvith early lead acoustic-quitarplayersin traditionalcountry and blue-crass musicrvhouseda plectrum.They devisedthe "flatpick" term in order to distinguish their techniquefrom "fingerstyle" players rvho used fin_eer-picks, thumb-picks.or bare fingers to pick the strin-es;Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Maybelle Carler, LesterFlatt. Carter Stanley.Edd Mayfield, and others.r.vereearly country/bluegrass playersrvho used a fingerstyle.or thumb-pick styletechnique. Acoustic versus Electric Becausethe origins of the term "flatpickin_e"_srewout of Anotherelementto add to our basicdefinitionof flatpickin_e. traditionalcountry.old-time.early folk. and blue-erass for the purposesof this book. r,vouldbe to limit its applicationto music-and the acousticsteel-stringflat-topguitar.While most electricguitar the term is most ,eenerally used in thesecircles-our most basic players do indeed use a plectrum rvhile performing. the term delinition of flatpicking rvill be limited to genres of American "flatpickins"is not -eenerally appliedto their technique.Because roots music that rvere traditionally played on an acousticsteelthe acoustic guitar does not rely on pickups and amplifiers string guitar.In regardto genre.flatpicking is typically definedin lor volume. and becausethe stringson the acousticguitar are termsof the musicoriginallyplayedby the style'sfive "founding generallyheavier.the porverrequiredin the ri-ehthand technique fathers": Doc Watson. Clarence White, Norman Blake. Dan Crary, and Tony Rice. Holvever, as we rvill discusslater in the of a "flatpicker" is differentthan that of an electricplayer.Rightguitaristsdid hand techniquesemployedon the electric_euitar cannotahvaysbe "pioneers"sectionof thischapter,thesedestiguished cffectivcly appliedto the acousticguitar.This rvasespeciallytrue not necessarily"invent" the style, and the standardsthat they set backin the 60s,70s.and 80s.arecontinuallybeingredefined back in the early days when little or no soundreinforcementwas dor,vn generations by of nervplayers. availableto the -suitarist. Thus, the varietiesof -suitartechniques purposes that come under the flatpickin-edefinition.for the of our rudimentarydefinition. are thosethat are typically applied to the Other Factors As rve pro-qresschronologically throu_shthe history of acousticsteel-stringguitar. flatpickin-e our definitionis going to expanddue to variousfactors One of the true challen,ees all flatpickersface.especiallyin fast, such as guitar design.technolo_eical advancesin amplification hi-uh-energy styleslike blue_erass, is learnin_e horv to push a thick piece of plastic throu_shheavy steel strings in rapid succession and sound re-enforcement.the srorvth of the radio broadcasting Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
and recording industries,the accessibilityof teachingmaterials, and the introduction of new senres of music to the flatpicking repertoire.In addition, various technical advancesand creative nuancesintroducedby key flatpickingartistsover the last five decadeswill also serveto broadenour definition.As flatpickin,u's founding fathers and their followers began expanding their reperloire,flatpickinggrew far beyondits traditionalroots. Basic Definition As Dan Crary has said."With flatpicking,it isn't just what it originally rvas;it's also rvhatit's becoming." With that said.for the time being.let us defineflatpickingas a techniqueof playing American roots music on the acousticsteel-strin_e guitar using a flatpick. From this startingpoint, let's nor.vbegin to explore how historyhas broadenedthat definitionby dividin-ethe development of flatpicking into four separateeras.
The Pioneer Era (Pre-Doc Watson) Historically,r,vecan breakdor.vnthe developmentof flatpicking into four distinct eras. While the term flatpickin_qand its a p p l i cat ionon t he ac ou s ti cg u i ta ro ri g i n a l l yc a m eto p romi nence in the mid-to-latc1960srvhenArlhel "Doc" Watsonbe_uan picking fiddletuneson his acoustic_uuitar. Watsondid not inventthis style of ,cuitarplayin-ein a vacuum.Therewere influences that leadhim to develophis techniqueand thus rve rvill rcf'erto the first era in the history of flatpicking.rvhich pre-datedDoc Watson,as the "Pioneer"Era. While the guitaritself hasa very long history,and the steel-stringguitardatesbackto around1900.we are going to confineour discussion of the PioneerEra to the time betrveen1920 and the early 1960s. Guitarists of this era rvho influenced future generationsof flatpickers include old-time players such as Riley Puckett. Tom Paley, Frank Hutchison and Roy Harvey; traditional country performers such as Maybelle Cafier, Jimmie Rodgers, Doc Addington. the Delmore Brcthers, the Blue Sky Boys, Charlie Monroe, Joe Maphis, and Hank Snorv; bluegrassplayers such as Lester Flatt, Edd Mayfield. Jimmy Martin. George Shuffler. Bill Napier, and Don Reno: early jazz players such as Django Reinhardt, Nick Lucas, Eddie Lang, and Charlie Christian; and early western swing guitarists such as Sleepy Johnson,Herman Arnspiger-, and DerrvoodBrorvn. The earliest plectrum players in old-time and country music typically combineda heavy useofbass runs rvith rhythmic strums. Occasionallythey would throw in short runs (mostly on the bass stdngs) used as an embellishmentto a bass line or as a fill at the end of a vocal line. Many old-time players such as Riley Puckett (lvith Gid Tanner ard the Skillet Lickers) and Roy Harvey (with Charlie Poole and the Nonh Carolina Ramblers)made heavy use of basslines in their guitar playing, especiallywhen the bandsthey performed with did not have a bassplayer.Other early string band players, such as Sleepy Johnson,Derwood Brown, and Herman Arnspiger adopted a similar style. While this style of guitar playing is not prevalenttoday among modern bluegrassplayers, due mostly to the inclusion of a string bass player in bluegrass bands. this style is wonhy of study for any player who wishes to improve their understanding,knowledge. and skill in playin-r acousticrhythm guitar. In this book we will focusa lot oftime and effort on studyingthe style of the early flatpickingpioneers. A significant event in the evolution of early guitar playing,
Guitar Pioneer Rilev Puckett and traditional roots music in general, occurred in August of 1927 rvhen Ralph peer of the Victor Talking Machine Company came to Bristol. Tennesseeto audition and record musicians in that region. Jimmic Rodgersand the Carter Family where among those selectedfor peer's recordings.which subsequentlyhelped propagatethe guitar styles of Rod-sersand the Carter Family's Maybelle Carter. Rodgers' plectrum style consistedof rhythmic strums punctuatedby bass notes. bass runs and shon lead lines. Although Maybelle Caner used a thumbpick and fingers, her chord-melody style (picking the melody rvith her thumb while insening chordal strums with her fingers) is easily adaptedto the flatpickingstyle and has beenusedextensivelyby all flatpicking -suitarists.Both Jimmie Rodgers and Maybelle Carter's guitar styles influenced many early countly and bluegrassplayers. and that influence continuesto this day. The next group of influential guitar players came to popularity in country music shortly after Jimmie Rodgesand the Caners and included guitadst from the ,,brother,'groupslike Charlie Monroe, Doc Addington. the Delmore Brothers. the Blue Sky Boys. Edd Mayfleld, and others. Although their techniqueswere rudimentary by today's standards.theseguitarists were among the first to play lead guitar in the flatpick style and thus their contribution is of great value to the chonological developmentofflatpicking. During the 1950'sbluegrassmusic's lead guitar pioneers included Don Reno and George Shuffler. Although Reno was primarily knorvn as a banjo player, his guitar work is significant because,in a tune called .,CountryBoy Rock and Roll". he was the first to record a bluegrasslead guitar solo. As Dan Crary likes to say."The first recordedflatpickingblue_urass solo was by a banjo player playing a rock and roll tune!"
Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bo,ssRuns, and Fill Lichs
Reno'sguitarstyleincorporateda strongmelodic sensecombined rvith flashy runs, the use of harmonizedscales,and variousother effectssuch as a quick descendingglissando,i.e., sliding dorvn the fretboardfrom a high note to a low note. GeorgeShuffler's introductionof the crosspickingtechniquein his work with the Stanley Brothers in the late 1950s and early 1960sprovided a rvay for flatpick guitar playersto "fill up the spacebetlveenvocal pauses"with arpeggiatedrolls, similar to roll patternsused by banjo players. The crosspickingroll could also be intertrvined rvith melodicbassnote leads.as in the Carterstyle, by substituting Maybelle Carter'sstrumsrvith Shuffler'scrosspickingrolls. This techniqueaddedmore textureand interestto the flatpickingstyle. The most si,snificantcontributionsto flatpicking from the jazz r,vorldcame from Django Reinhardt and Nick Lucas. Django Reinhardt'sguitarwizardryhasinfluencedevery guitarplayerrvho hashad the opportunityto hearhis recordings.Doc Watsonheard DjangoReinhardt'srecordsas a boy r,vhenhe attendeda schoolfor the blind in Ralei-eh, North Carolina.It is saidthat ClarenceWhite carrieda box of Reinhardtrecordingson cassettetapesin his car. Direct quotesfrom Reinhardtrecordscan be heard in a numberof flatpickin-esolosby a variety of prominentflatpickin_e -euitarists. Nick Lucas had a lon_qand distinguishedcareeras a jazz in 1922.and rvasa major -euitariststartingrvith his first recordin_es influenceon lar_qenumbersof jazz _quitarists r,vholvould follorv him. His mostdirectinfluenceon flatpickers,however.camefrom one of his instructionalbooks.Doc Watsonhas said,"I ordereda -cuitarfrom Searsand Roebuckand therecamea book r,vithit rvith differentlittle songsin therethat you could flatpick. It showedthe old-timejazz gurtaristNick Lucas:it shor,ved hor,vhe heldhis pick. My youngestbrother.David, shorvedme hor,vLucas heldhis pick,
andthat'shorvI learnedto hold mine." Although you may not hear a lot of Nick Lucas licks in today's flatpicking,his instructional book surelyhad an influenceon the young Doc Watson. During the pioneerera of flatpickinghistory,developmentsin radio and recordingtechnologyallowed regional music to reach wide-rangingaudiences.For the first time, the pioneersof musical stylesand genresfrom variousregionsof the country were able to hearand be influencedby guitaristsfrom other areasof the United Statesandaroundthe globe.Old-timemountainmusiciansfrom the Appalachianregion and traditionalcountry musiciansperformin-{ in the southernstatesrvereableto hear rvesternswing from Texas and Oklahoma.blues performersfrom the MississippiDelta, and jazz musiciansfrom the northem statesand New Orleans.Thus. the playin-estylesof acousticguitaristsfrom many genresof roots musicbeganto havean influenceon thedevelopmentof flatpicking as it began to take shape in the early 1960s.The influence of mainstreamjazz, Gypsy jazz, Celtic music, Westernsrving,rock and roll. blues. and various other forms of American and world music has continuallybroadenedthe flatpickingguitar style.
The Heroes Era Arthel "Doc" Watson is the man who is typically vier.vedas "father" the of the flatpickin_e style. While he 'uvasplaying in a dance band. Jack Williams and the Country Gentlemen,in the mid-to-late1950s,Doc was calledupon to play fiddle tuneson the -suitar.Williams' banddid not havea fiddle player about90o/o of the time. however.the dancehalls that hired the band rvould usuallyrvantthem to do a squaredanceset. Williams, who had heard Doc fooling around rvith a ferv fiddle tunes on the guitar. su_e-eested that Doc learn horv to play lead on some fiddle tunes.
Flatpicking vs. Fingerstyle In America, ftom the 1800sthrough the 1930s,the guitar rvasprimarily usedas a rhythm instrumentin an ensemblesettingor as an instrumentthat a solo vocalist usedto accompanyhis or her singing. Typically the ensembleguitadst would strum rhythm rvith a pick as this techniqueproduceda louder volume. and the full "punchy" chordal sound of the strum of the pick across the -suitar'sstringsprovided a nice rhythmic backdropfor the rest of the band. One of the reasonsthat the guitar player did not usually take solos in the ensemblesettingwas that the small-bodiedacousticguitars of this era simply did not possessufficient volume to be heard as a lead instrument. By comparison,mandolins. banjos, fiddles, and homs are much louder ensemble lnslruments. On the other hand, when the guitar was being played by a solo vocalist such as a traditional Delta blues guitar player, the fingerstyletechniquewas more effective than playing with a pick. A fingerstylist can play a melody line with his or her nngers while conlinuing to thump a steadybassline rhythm with the thumb. Using fingerstyletechnique.the player is able to provide both lead and rhythm simultaneously.This is much more difficult to accomplishwhen utilizing the flatpicking techniquebecause rvhenlead lines are being played with the flatpick, the rhythm strum drops out by necessity. Early-on we can seea trend startingto develop which continuesto this day in the world of acousticsteet-stringguitar playing. Fingerstyleplayers tend to be either solo instrumentalistsor vocalists who accompanytheir singing with the acoustic guitar, while flatpickerscan mainly be found performing with ensembles.The intricacies of the fingerstyletechniquecan somerimes clashwith other instrumentsin an ensemblesetting.while the fingerstylecombinationofmelody and rhythm make this technique ideal for solo pedormance.Conversely,the sparsesingle-string lead lines of traditional flatpicking don't typically provide a very full sound when this technique is used solo. but fits pedectly in an ensemblesetting with the other instrumentsholding the rhythm. The flatpicking techniquealso brings more volume out of the acousticguitar and thus is ideal for strong and full rhythmic accompanimentfor other instruments. With time the world of flatpicking hasevolved technique-wiseto the point where super-chargedstylesofCarter-style picking combined with intdcate crosspickinghave allowed performers such as Norman Blake, David Grier, Steve Kaufman. ard Dan Crary to perform solo rvith the flatpick style. In the early days of the style, however,flatpicking techniquewas mainly reserved for use with an ensemble.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
The Flatpicker's Guitar During the flatpickingPioneerEra, the guitar underrventmany designchan_ees and technologicaladvances.Most of the modificationsthat rvheremade to the guitar's materialsand physical design after 1900 r,verefor the purposeof making it louder. Steel-strin-qs hadbeenintroducedaroundI 900.A strengthening of the X-bracepattern, rvhichguitarbuildersbeganusing around1850,not only allowedthe guitar'stop to supportthe tensionof steelstringswhen they rvereintroduced,but also allowed for rviderbody styles,r,vhichgavethe guitar the increasedvolume and resonanceplayers rvereseekin-e. It was during the PioneerEra that the coveted"every flatpickerhas to have one" style -tuitarwas invented.Due to its volume, tone, and unique voice, the Martin Dreadnou-eht guitar becamethe perfect flatpicker's tool. Doc had one, Clarence had one, Tony had one, Norman had one. and in the early days of flatpicking.nearly every other flatpickerhad to have one too. The Martin D-18 (mahogany)and D-28 (roservood)Dreadnoughtguitars made durin_sthe Martin Company's"Golden Era" (1934 through 1945)have ahvaysbeen the standardby rvhich all flatpicking guitars are measured. Since most of the early PioneerEra flatpickersrverenot playing Dreadnou_eht guitars,we can't say that the Dreadnoughtstyle guitar helped define flatpickin_e until we reachedthe next era in the evolutionof flatpicking.The Dreadnoughtstylc, horvever.rvas invented.improvedupon and came into high re,eard-especiallyin bluegrass circles-durin-cthe PioneerEra. Martin originallymanufactured the Dreadnought-size body styleunderthe Ditson name from l9l6 throughthe late 1920s.The first Dreadnoughtguitarsthat carried the Martin namewere introducedin l93l and designated as stylesD-l and D-2. The "Dreadnought"namervasadaptedafter the British Dreadnoughtrvarships,which had a similar rvide shape.Thesemodels featuredtwelve-fretnecks (12 frets clear of the body) and slottedheadstocks. The D-1 had mahoganyback and sides'nvhile the D-2 had roservoodback and sides.ln 1934 the D-l and D-2 models r,verediscontinued. The D-l rvasmodifiedto includea fourteen-fretneck and renamedthe D-18. The fourteen-fretversionof the D-2 becamethe D-28. As Flatpicking Changes, so Does the Flatpicker's Guitar of Choice Although the Martin Dreadnoughtis still prominent today-and thoseMaftins that were built during the "Golden Era" are still the most coveted-many playershave moved on to Dreadnoughfstyle guitars that are madeby other builders.The bassresponse of the Manin D-28 made it a great rhythm guitar, especially in the bluegrasssetting. Early bluegrassplayers who primarily filled the rhythm roll in the band, whose bands played around one microphone,and who kept their lead work in the areaof the first four or five frets loved the D-28. As sound re-enforcementtechnology improved and players beganto play into individual microphones,the D-28 could soundtoo "boomy" to some playem and they opted for the soundof the D- l8 which had a stronger treble presenceand cut through the soundof the other instrumentsbetter when they took solos. As flatpicking solos became more intricate and flatpickers explored areasup-the-neck more frequently, especially when playing music outside of the bluegrassgenre. flatpickers began to seek Dreadnoughtstyle guitars that could provide a more "modem" sound.They soughtDreadnoughtdesignsthat provided a better mid-rangeand treble responsethan the standardD-18 or D-28 Manin provided. especially in those up-the-neckareas.Builders such as Taylor, Collings and SantaCruz beganto filI this void in the 1980s. With the improvementsmade in soundreinforcementover the years,volume is no longer such a big issue.For decades,sound re-enforcementfor the acousticguitar consistedof pick-up systemsthat made the acousticguitar sound very brittle or "nasal." Early pickups removed the rvarm woody tones that made players fall in love with the sound of the acousticguitar. In order to achieve an adequateacousticsound when played through a PA system,the only solution was to use a high-quality microphone and hope that you had a good soundman.Today the situation has changedand many players are not only finding bener external microphones.but are also taking advantageof blended systemswhich help maidtain the walm tone of the asousticguitar when it is amplified. With volume less of a concem, some flatpickersare norv using smaller body styles rvhich are generally more comfortable to play than the large Dreadnoughts. Just as our definition offlatpicking techniquechangesover time, the tools that flatpickersuse to practicetheir craft have also changed.
Flatpicleing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
During the "folk boom" of the early 1960s,Doc beganperforming as a solo act on the acousticguitar and by the mid-sixties r,vas travelingas a duo with his son Merle. Doc adaptedhis fiddle tune were picking styleto the acousticguitarand folk musicenthusiasts amazedat Watson'sability to play fluid lead lines at fast tempos on the acousticguitar. About the same time that Doc Watson began tourin-ethe countrywith his son Merle, severalother prominentplayersin the bluegrassand folk music worlds also beganfeaturinglead -suitar rvork using the flatpickingstyle.While Doc Watson'splaying had an influenceon all of theseplayers to some degree,we cannot say that any of them were simply copying what Doc Watsonrvas doing.We can't even say that they all beganto developtheir style after first hearin-qDoc. Most of the great guitaristswho rve point to as our heroeswere developingtheir own stylesof lead acoustic guitar playing usin_qa flatpick at the sametime Doc Watsonrvas touring the country and introducingthis style to his audience. To whatever degreeeach of our flatpicking heroeshas been influencedby Doc Watson'splaying. they each also made their own significantcontributionsto the stylein its formativeyearsand that is rvhy r,velist them here. Theseprominentplayersincluded: ClarenceWhite, NormanBlake.Dan Crary.andTony Rice as the main "heroes"of flatpickinglvith additionalplayerssuchas Larry Sparks,Russ Barenberg,David Bromberg.Pat Flynn, Charles Sarvtelle.Mark O'Connor. John Carlini. Phil Rosenthal.Eric Thompson,Joe Carr. and SteveKaufman also playing imporlant roles. This era of flatpicking history ran from the mid-1960s throughthe early 1980s.We rvill call it the "HeroesEra." The HeroesEra rvasnot only the time rvhenthe guitar stepped out of the rhythm sectionand began to be recognizedas a lead its own voice and unique contribution to a instrument "vith band'ssound;it rvasalso an era of explorationbeyond traditional boundaries.While Doc Watsoncontinuedto add tunes from the blues,old-time. jazz.and folk genresto the standardflatpicking fiddle tune repertoire.ClitrenceWhite's syncopatedrhythms and extensive use of crosspickin-talso pushed flatpicking in ner'v the Carter chord-melody directions.Norman Blake superchar-eed style by rveaving intricate lead lines around rhythmic chordal strums. and Datr Crary brought por.verfuland expressivelead melodiesrvith his 1970 guitarnvork to fiddle tune and blue-crass releaseBluegrassGuitar. Tony Rice and RussBarenbergr,veretrvo influentialflatpickers rvho picked up rvhat Doc Watsonand ClarenceWhite had done and mixed it rvith jtrzz influencesto becomefoundin,cmembersof the "nerv acoustic"music -qenre.Pat Flynn and David Bromberg brought in rock and roll influences;Larry Sparks and Charles guitar solos that rvere bluesy and Sarvtelleintroducedblue-qrass sparse.and Mark O'Connor and SteveKaufman helpeddefinethe conteststyle of hot and flashyflatpickedliddle tunes.It was a time andexploration.Norv that of tremendousgrowth,experimentation. the acousticguitar had an acceptedlead voice. flatpickin,eheroes werediscoveringnelv possibilitiesand avenuesof expressionand thus expandingthe conceptof flatpicking itself. As flatpickers embracedsongs fi'om standardjazz. Gypsy jazz, rock and roll, blues. Western srving. and Celtic repertoires.flatpickin,ervas no longer restrictedto traditional old-time. folk, and bluegrass mu si c. It rvas during the HeroesEra that flatpicking techniquealso beganto change.While this changewas ultimately broughton by the creativity of the style's main proponents,guital design
and technologyalso had somethingto do rvith it. Due to player demands,guitar builders began making instrumentsthat were easier to play up-the-neckand provided a balanced"modern" sound. Sound reinforcementtechnologyalso contributedto the changein techniqueas players did not have to hit the ,quitarso hard in orderto be heard.Flatpickerscould now play rvith a lighter touch, which allowed for betterendurance,speedand fluidity'
The SecondGeneration The next era of flatpicking runs from the early-to-mid 1980s through the first ferv years of the nerv millennium. During this era flatpicking continued to blossom and grow, buiiding on the foundation laid down by the pioneersand heroes,and then expanding in nerv directions. We will call this the "Second sinceall of the heroescontinuedto Generation"era. Interestin-ely. recordand performduring this era (rvith the exceptionof Clarence White who died tragicallyin 1973),they all continuedto play a role in flatpicking gror,vthand developmentas they themselves evolved as players ancl perfolmers. The key flatpickersof the second generation include players such as: David Grier, Tim Stafford. Jack Larvrence.Kenny Smith. Brad Davis. Bryan Sutton,Wyatt Rice. JamesAlan Shelton.Robin Kessinger,Mark Cosgrove. Scott Ny-taard.Beppe Gambetta,John Moore, Orin Star.Jim Hurst, Chris Jones,Tim May. Jim Nunally,Dix Bruce. PeterMcl-au,chlin.SeanWatkins.and others. During the early par-to1'thisera nlany of the young flatpickers sirnply copied the solos,licks, and overall stylesof the heroes rvho came before them, rvith Tony Rice beine the one rvho rvas most frequently"cloned."As flatpickingapproachedthe 1990s. horvever.the majority of the players who rose to prominencein the SecondGenerationhad their own signaturesoundand unique style. David Grier developeda solo style that was basedon an techniqueanda streamof incrediblysmoothandfluid crosspicking endlessmusicalideas;Tim Staffordintroducedsolosthattastefully and creatively supporledthe song and overall band sound. He also becamervell knorvn for his "floatinq" technique.Brad Davis introduceda "speedpickirrg"techniquehe called"double-downup." which spit notesout like a chainsawotr overdrive.Jim Hurst combineclhis talentsas a country fingerpickerrvith his flatpicking techniqueto developyet anotherunique flatpickin-uvoice' Bryan that it was indeedpossiblefor a guitar player Suttondemonstrated bluegrassband to play fast and clean r.vith-eood in a high-ener_sy power,volumeand tone. In addition, Grier. Davis and Sutton also frequently used a "hybrid" fingerpickingand flatpicking technique,rvhich rvas first introducedto the flatpicking world by ClarenceWhite and also employedby Tony Rice. With this techniquethe player usesthe flatpick.held betweenthe thumb and index finger,in combination of the middleand ring fingers.This technique with the fin-cemails thatnot only broughtthe fingerpickingandflatpicking is somethin-e worlds closertogether,but it alsobrou-shtthe acousticand electric rvorlds closer together since this techniqueis prominently used by country electric players. Each new prominent player of this era had somethingunique to offer and each has helpedthe ar1of flourishand change. flatpickingto -eror,v. video,CD. and DVD technologies in Developments cassette. easierfbr flatpickingstudentsto made it much also during this era performersand recording favorite of their leam the licks and solos coursesfrom flatpicking cassette arlists.By the early ei-ehties.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
heroesTony Rice. RussBarenberg,and Dan Crary were available, followed later by video tapes lessonsfrom Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Additionally, Russ Barenberg rvrote a book of ClarenceWhite transcriptions.SteveKaufman and Joe Carr also began to release,through both HomespunTapes and Mel Bay Publications,a continuousstreamof quality instructionalmaterial. As time progressedtranscriptionbooks of nearlyeveryprominent flatpickerbecameavailable.Additionally,videolessons by second generationpickers such as David Grier, Tim Stafford, Kenny Smith,JamesAlan Shelton,BeppeGambetta,Wyatt Rice.Bryan Sutton,Orrin Star.Brad Davis, Dix Bruce. and otherswere also madeavailable. In additionto quality instructionalbooks,CDs, andvideosmany instructional workshops, clinics,andseminars beganpoppingup all over the country.Most notably,SteveKaufman'sAcousticKamps in Tennessee. Camp Bluegrassin Texas,RockygrassAcademy in Colorado,RoanokeBluegrassWeekendin Vir_einia, Bluegrassat the Beachin Oregon,and many othersmadeit easyfor flatpicking enthusiaststo spend time learning from their heroes. In 1996 High View Publicationsalsobe-panpublishin,eFlatpickingGuitar Maga:ine, a bi-monthly publication that exploresall aspectsof flatpickin-qthe acousticguitar.Prior to the SecondGenerationera. anyonelvho wanted to learn horv to flatpick had to spendhours in front of a turntable slorvin-edorvn recordingsmade by their heroesin order to learnthis challengingguitar style.By the year 2000. anyonervho had an interestin learnin_s how to flatpick had opportunitiesto learnfrom any of their favorite flatpickers.either in personat a r.vorkshopor through their rvrittenand videotaped material. Due to the varietyof instructionalmaterialavailableduring this cra. the art of flatpickingthe acousticguitar becamemuch more accessibleto the averageamateurflatpicker.Whereasduring the heroesera it was rare to seea local hometownbandrvith a skilled lead guitar player.by the year 2000 there was a lead guitar player in nearlyevery bluegrassband.from the local hometownbandsto tourin_cprofessionalbands. As the ranks of both the flatpickingprofessionalsand hobbyists have risen over the years. the standard flatpicking reperloire has also swelled far beyond its ori_einalfiddle tune banks and borders.As flatpickersbecomemore experiencedthey seeksonss and genres of music that present challen_ees beyond those of simple fiddle tunes.Durin_ethe SecondGenerationera far more Westernswing. Gypsy jazz, Cehic, and standardjazz tunes (and the techniquesthat accompanythem) have enteredthe avera-qe flatpicker'srepertoire.Today the definition of flatpickin_rhas to extendbeyondthe genresof American roots musicto includejust aboutanythinga playercan performusing a pick and a steel-string acousticguitar.
flatpicking have no boundariesin terms of genre,or the melding of various musical influencesand ideas,or the mixing of electric and acousticguitartechniques. The Next Generationincludesplayers such as: Cody Kilby, John Chapman,Josh Williams. Chris Eldridge, Andy Falco, Edward O'Day, Adam Wright, Tyler Grant, Matt Arcara, Dillon Hodges,Justin Carbone,Matt Wingate,Jake Stargel,Tony Watt, MeganMcCormick. and Mo Canada.Theseyoung playersarenot only including influencesfrom the flatpickersrvho came before them, they are also incorporatinginfluencesfrom various other musical styles to great effect; furthermore.they are doing so in positionsof prominence.Cody Kilby performswith Ricky Skaggs, JoshWilliams toured rvith RhondaVincent; Chris Eldrid-sewith the Infamous Stringdustersand the Punch Brothers;Andy Falco rvith Alecia Nugentand the InfamousStringdusters; Matt Wingate with the Lovell Sistersand the Greencards;JakeStargelr,viththe Greencardsand the Lovell Sisters;EdrvardO'Day with Adrienne Young,and Tyler Grant'with Drew Emmitt. In additionto being more musicallyopen-mindedand versatile than the averageflatpickerof the past, many players in the Next Generationera are also more musicallyeducated.In an interview with Flatpic:kingGuitar Mogazine, Chris Eldridge, r,vhohas a collegedegreein musicsaid."The nervstandardis to be educated. Threegenerationback.-euyslike Clarence.Doc, and Normanlvere all intuitiveplayers.Guys like Tony and David Grisman,knerva little more abouttheory.Todaythe youngermusiciansare getting more educatedandtaking it further. Chris Thile thorou-ehlyknorvs his theory and he is settingthe standardfor the next -qeneration. The approachis changing." The art of flatpickingthe acousticguitar has come a long rvay sincethe day the first guitar player pusheda flatpick througha set of steelstrin-rs.While this chapterhasbriefly discussedthe various stagesof developmentthe stylehasunder_eone during its continual grorvth.the chaptersrvhich follorv in this instructionalseriesrvill provide far sreaterinsightsthrough more detaileddiscussionsof the most prominent and influential players and their milestone recordin-es. as well as examplesof their techniques. This Instructional Series This is the first book in an instructionalseriesthat aims to teachyou flatpickingsequentially. along the chronologicallines rvhich by it developed.My feelingis thatthis is the mostcomplete methodto study any musical style or techniquebecauseit allorvs the studentto leam in a step-by-stepprogressivefashionin a rvay that developsskill througha completeand systematicmethod. In the next chapterI rvill outline this approach.
The Next Generation We will call the fburth era of flatpicking guitar playin_ethe "Next Generation". This new _qeneration of youngplayersconsists of those rvho have reapedthe benefitsof the creativity of those rvho havecome beforethem and have be_eun to makeinnovations of their own. Theseare playerslvho, due to their age,neverknerv that flatpicking rvasonce confinedto playing fiddle tunes. They have -eroln up hearingTony Rice playrngjazz and nerv acoustic music rvith the David Grisman Quintet and are using Rice and Grismanas their startingpoint. For the most part,their ideasabout 6 Fhtpicking EssentialsVolume 1: Rhvthm. Bass Runs. and Fill Licks
Iceirning ro Flcrpick A Hisroriccl Approeich By DanMiller
Introduction As you may realizefrom readingthe lastchapter.the history and developmentof flatpickingis not an easyor concisetopic. But I feel like it is very importantto understandthe historyof flatpicking when you are starlin-eto learnthe style becauservhatthe history can tell us aboutthe chronologicaldevelopmentof the stylecangive us -qreatinsi-ehtsregardin,ehow rve can proceedto developour own skills and talents. Most of the guitar playerswho have a desireto learn the flatpicking style r,villdo so becausethey are inspiredby one of the contemporaryperformersthat they have heardat a shorv or on a CD. Hearinga talentedperformercan providetremendous motivation.andlistenin_q to their arrangements and soloscaneasily fuel your desireto learn. Horvever.the mistakethat manybeginners make is that they rvill go out and buy an instructionalbook or DVD that featurestheir currentguitar hero and try to learn horv to play thosearrangements and solosrvithoutfirst developinga solid foundation. I feel that the bestrvay to learn how to play like Doc Watsonis not to staft',vithDoc Watsonsolos,but first startlearnin_e from the performersr.vhoinspiredDoc. You needto first studythe style and techniqueof the playersof the PioneerEra. What the PioneerEra playersdid providesa very important foundation for rvhat all of the professionalplayers are doin_c today.Listeningto their musicrvill make you a betterguitar player and learning their techniquer,vill provide you rvith a very solid foundationfor learnin_e what Doc Watson,Tony Rice. and Bryan Sutton are doing today. In this chapterI'm not _coin_s to talk too much about the back_crounds of the pioneers,there simply isn't room to do that adequately.I rvill mentiontheirnamesandthenyou can explore biographieson your own as that kind of information is easyto find on the Intemet. This chapterrvill primarilydiscuss r.vhylearnin-qabouttheseearly playersand their guitar stylesrvill help you becomea betterguitar player.
Maybelle Carter with A.P. and Sara Carter
day flatpickers,and we all emulatervhatthey do, the pioneersrvho came before them. and the techniquesthey employed,are also certainlyrvorthyof study. Most flatpickers, rvill usually in theearlystagesof development, havesomeexposerto the chord-melodystyle of Mother Maybelle Carter,the crosspickingstyle of GeorgeShuffler.and the rhythm stylesof bluegrassplayerslike Lester Flatt and Jimmy Martin, horvever.thereareotherearlyplayerswho alsodeserverecognition and emulation. Guitar playersrvho rvantto add more bassruns to their rhythm rvork needto take a look at the rhythm stylesof early playerslike Riley Puckett.Jimmie Rodgers,Roy Harvey,Charlie Monroe. SleepyJohnson,and Edd Mayfield. Flatpickersrvho are looking for harddriving energeticrunsto addto their reperloireneed to examinethe stylesof early countryplayerslike Doc Addington. Edd Mayfield.the DelmoreBrothers.Don Reno,and Hank Snow. Those who want to move tor,vardsplaying acousticjazz certarnly Learning How to Flatpick by needto studyDjangoReinhardt.but alsoneedto exploretheplaying of guitaristssuchas Nick Lucas.Eddie Lang, Geor-ue Going Back to the Roots Bames,and Charlie Christian. For any techniqueor style that lve might rvant While Doc Watsonis the musicianrvho is usuallyvie'wedasthe to learnon the guitar,it is ahvaysa good ideato tracethe technique "father"of modernflatpicking.thereweremanyguitaristsrvhocame back to its sourceand use its chronologicaldevelopmentas a beforeDoc rvhoapplieda flatpickto the steelstrin_es of the acoustic roadmapto move forr.vardin our study. Althou,eh Doc, and his White. As discussedin the lastchapter,flatpickingas an art hascertainly contemporaries-Clarence -quitar. NormanBlake,Dan Crary.and.a little later,Tony Rice-cerlainly gone throu,ehnumerousevolutionarysta_qes.In learnin-ehorv to expandedthe techniqueand took it to a whole ncw level, there flatpick,anddevelopinga styleof one'sown, it would makesense were many guitar players before them who laid dorvn a strong to startrvith an examinationof the earliestplayersand performers. foundationfor them to build upon. Every one of our flatpicking Each generationhas built upon the techniqueof thoservho have heroeshadheroesof their own r,vhoinspiredthem. Could they have come before. Today many beginningstudentsbring a Tony Rice. developedthe techniquesand skills that they madefamousr,vithout Bryan Sutton,Kenny Smith, David Grier. or SteveKaufman solo first learnin-efrom the early pioneers?Probablynot. So it is rvell into their teacherand say,"I want to learn to play this." Or they worth spendin-e sometime developingthe basicskills that guyslike buy a instructionalbook or video that teachesone of theseplayers' Doc learnedbeforethey developedtheir styleof flatpicking. While anangementsand they try to move their study forrvardfrom there. Doc and the playerslistedaboveare cefiainlyheroesto all modern Unfortunately,most studentswho start rvith Tony Rice or Steve Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Kaufman, or Doc Watson don't knorv ',vhereto turn after they have memorizedDoc. Tony or Steve'sarrangements.They are missingthefoundationthat Doc. Tony,and Stevebuilt upon when they createdthose affangements.Without a strongfoundation,the buildingis alwaysgoingto be weak. So let'stakea look at horvrve might go back and build up a strongfoundationfor flatpicking.
4) You will have a difficult time coming up with your orvn solo arrangements, especiallyon vocal numbers. 5) Finally,you will havea hard time playing songsat a jam that you have neverheardbefore.
All this rvill lead to you reachinga plateauin your prosress. You rvill not feel like startingover again.so you will continueto memorizemore fiddletunesandnoodlearoundon theonesthat you Building a Foundation alreadyknorv. Then you will reachanotherplateau. Eventually In almostevery featurearticlethathasbeenprintedrnFlatpicking you rvill reahzethat there is a lot missin,qfrom your flatpicking 'uvillnot know rvhatto do about it. In order to Gttitar Magaz.ine,all of the professionalplayersthat have been educationand you avoid thesepitfalls,I recommendyou journey back to the roots of interviervedhave statedthat the bestplaceto staftlearningis with flatpickingto begin your study. you rvhen that rhythm. They also will tell they learnedhorvto play After interviewinghundredsof flatpickers.studyingdozensof was so learned it there no tablature, they all by ear. This is not how instructional booksand videos.listenin-e to hundredsof flatpicking most flatpickerslearn today.I have observedtr,vothingsthat most rvi th and tal ki ng of fl atpi cki n g st udent sand C D s, thousands rvho haveleamedhorv to flatpickin the past flatpickinghobbyists. have to the that thebestrvayto study enthusiasts,I come conclusion years, fifteen have in common. First. not enou-qhtime is spent flatpicking is line that it developed. directly along the evolutionary (and focusingon rhythm timin_e)and. second.not enoughtime is years publishing and Flatpicking It took me over ten of editin-e spenton ear training. I knorv this is a true statementfor myself chronological Mago:ine realize importance of the Guitar to the and. from the feedbackI have reccivedfrom Flatpic'kini4Gttitar Maga:irte readers,I rvould say it is true for a good portion of the developmentof flatpickingto modern day students. Nor.vI'm rvhohavestartedlearningsincetablature. flatpickers transcriptions convincedof its importance. So nor.vthat I've boldly statedthatI havediscoveredthe method and videoshave becomeabundant. rvhich all flatpickersshould learn and developtheir craft. I by If all of our heroesare telling us to spendmore tinie fbcusin_e suppose thatI shouldlay out this methodfor all to read.The rvayI on rhythmand trainin_s our ear.rvhy aren'trve doing it? If I were wish present it is to firsttalk abouttheevolutionof theflatpicking to to guessat an answerI'd haveto say that. first. fbr niost people. here technique in this chapterand su-sgest that a solid learning learnin-s to play lead -euitaris more excitingand interestingthan will I method might follorv a similar then presentsome course. playin-erhythm. Secondly,learningfrom tablatureis easierthan fundamental in this book. and in of these methods and techniques learningby ear. Ear trainins is hard rvork. In this book I have you rvill follorv to developa those that in this series. that begin so done my bestto presentthesetrvo importantfoundationalaspects very fl foundation. stron-e atpickin_q of leamin_show to play the guitar in a rvay that I think r,vill be is absolutely While I don't feelthat strictchronolo-eical adherence interestinsand excitinsto vou. I do feel like spendingsometime studyingeach of the necessary, most important players in the chronologicaldevelopmentof the of style rvill serveto _qivethe studenta completeunderstanding the flatpickin-u styleand fill in any holesin one'sknorvledgeandi or skill. For instance.in order to developyour ability to play rhythm in a blue_qrass band it is fine to study LesterFlatt, Jimmy Marlin. or ReclSmiley beforestudyin-uthe stylesof Riley Puckett or Roy Harvey. Horvever.if you ever wanl to improveyour bass run repertoire. or if you are goingto play in a smallensemblethat playerslike Riley Puckett. doesnot includea stringbass.studyin-e JimmieRod-uers. CharlieMonroe.Edd Mayfield.Tom Paley.or Roy Harvey is highly recommended.However.in generalI feel that The problenrrvith ther.vaynervstudentsarelearningthesedaysis chronolo_qical is the bestway to proceed.For instance.l adherence you rvould your not recommend that someonestudyDoc Watson,Tony Rice, thattheyaremissin-qsomeimpor-tant fundamentals. If staft Norman Blake flatpickin_rdevelopmentby learningfiddle tunesfrom tablature,I or beforetheystudyMaybelleCafier'schord-melody Geor-ee predict that you are going to run into some problems. After you style or Shuffler's crosspickingtechnique. You have to learn fifteento trventyfiddle tunesfrom tablature,you may indeed learn to add and subtractbeforeyou learn algebra,and algebrais necessary beforeyou try to tacklecalculus. Learningto play the be ableto executethe memorizedarrangements of thosetunesin a jam sessionat a moderatespeed.But one or more of the fbllorving -euitarshouldfollor,va similarstep-by-step development. difficultieswill fall uponyou: I ) You may have trouble rememberingthe chords rvhen you Rhythm and Ear Tlaining sran to play rhythm (becauseyou never practicerhythm). 2 ) Onceyou do know the chords.you will eventuallyget tired As statedpreviously,the large majority of professionalplayers ofplaying the sameold rhythm lick (becausethereis not much and guitar instructorsthar I have talked with over the years agree tablatureavailable for rhythm). that rhythm is the most important placeto startwhen leaming horv 3) You will have a very difficult time learning hov to to flatpick. Most will alsoagreethat studentsdo not generallyspend improvise. You rvill "crash and bum" when you are in the enoughtime studying rhythm beforethey trytomove on toplaying middle ofa memorizedsolo and you will get lost. lead. In the early yeal.Softhe steel-stringflat-top flatpick playing,
Advice From the Pros:
The Two MostImportant Aspecfs of Learning to PIay the Guitar: 1) Rhythm & Timing 2) Ear Training
8
ftatpiching EssentialsVolum.e1: Rhythm, Bass Runs,and.Fitl Lichs
the guitar rvasused as a rhythm instrumentalmostexclusively. So if our learning method is going to follow the chronological developmentof the style,a solid focuson rhythm is lvherewe need to start. And that is rvherewe will start in this book. Typically a beginningflatpickerrvill start learningbasic first positionchordsrvith the left handand the simple alternatingbassnote strum"or "boom-chick", 'with the right hand. Once that has beenaccomplished, thenmany studentswill learna coupleof G-run variations,a handfulof simplebassruns,andthenmaybea couple of alternateright handstrummingpatterns,all the while chomping at the bit to move on to learnin-show to play lead. Overthe yearsthatI've publishedFlatpickingGuitar Maga:ine I havefrequentlyrun into frustratedflatpickerswho are "'stuck"in their developmentas a rhythm player becausethey feel as though they only know a ferv things and they play thosesamethings over and over. One questionthat they will typicallyask is "How can I learn more about bassruns?" My answerto that is to go back to recordingsby someof the earliestflatpickerslike Riley Puckettwith Gid Tanner.Roy Harvey with CharliePoole.or Edd Mayfield rvith the Mayfield Brothers.Also take a listento any of the musicians rvho played rvith the Light Crust Dou-ehboys(HermanArnspi-eer. SleepyJohnson,or DerrvoodBror.vn)or any of the -euitarplayersin the brotherduetsgroupsof earlycountrymusic(MonroeBrothers. Bl u c Sk y B oy s . Delm o reBro th e rs e. tc ). Wh y ? B e c ausethese guysplayedin bandsthat did not havea bassplayerso their style of rhythm rvasfilled rvith bassruns. They playedthe part of both the guitar and the bassin the band and so their rhythm rvork rvas full of creativeand interestin_e licks and runs. Many players rvho are accustomedto leaming from tablature are -eoingto say."Where can I find transcriptionsof theseplayers so that I can learn some of those -qreatbassruns?" Well. there havebeensometranscriptionsover the yearsin FlatpickingGuitar Magozine,and I havepresenteda good numberof them herein this book. However,anotherrvay to learn this stuff is to buy thc CDs and listenI You rvill not only hear some ,sreatmusic and -euitar picking. but you will alsobeginto leam horv to train your ear. Ear training is a vital pan of learnin-ehorv to play the guitar and. like anythingelse.if you don't spendtime rvith it everyday.you rvill not -qetvery far.
then trying to transcribeeighth-notesolos. There are fewer notes to rvorry about. So I hi-ehlyrecommendthat you dorvnloada ferv Gid Tannerfiddle tunesand try to figure out Riley Puckett'sbass runs. Work with the transcriptionsand tabsthat I haveprovidedin this book to build someconfidencein the style and technique.but thenlistento someCDs and try to pick out somerunson your own. You might be a little frustratedat first, but you rvill find that it gets easierlvith practiceand it is well rvorththe effort. In workin-eto transcribetheserhythm runsyourself.you aregoing to beginyour eartrainingdevelopmentat a placethat is appropriate for your skill level. Plus,in transcribingall of thesebassruns by yourself.you are going to learn to internalizethem in a rvay that is not possibleif you do it by using tab. You are going to really hearhow and wherethey are employedand thus you are going to instinctivelyknow horvto do it rvhenyou go out and play in a jam. You are going to hear it in your head and you are -eoingto be able to find it on your guitar in real time. That is the -ereatvalue of ear training. This skill is harderto achievelvhen learningfrom tab. So. my suggestionto thoservhorvantto either learnhorvto spice up their bluegrassrhythm, or rvho want to learn a diffbrentrvay to accompanya fiddle,mandolin,or banjoin a smallensemble-that doesnot includea bass-is to go back and listen to someof the earlypioneers of flatpickingandtry to transcribetheirrhythmwork by ear. If doingthat -qivesyou someconfidence, thenlnoveon up to the bluegrassera and listen to. and study,early rhythm masters like LesterFlatt, Jimrny Martin. and Red Smiley. Havin-qspent you may havean easiertime hearing time rviththeir predecessors. rvhatthesegreatblue,erass rhythm playersare doin-e.Spendsome time studyinghorv they shapedthe -euitar'srole in the bluegrass band settingand your ability to play rhythm guitar rvill improve greatly.In this book I lvill ,eiveyou someexamplesto practicethat rvill help you hearuvhatthe pioneersrveredoing.
Learning How to Play Lead
Once you have spent time studyingthe rhythm stylesof the earlyold-timeplayerslike Riley Puckettand Roy Harveyandthen examined playerslike LesterFlatt.Jimmy Martin. blr"re-srass "vhat and Red Smiley were doing.you are readyto stepinto the realm of playing leadguitar. During your rhythm study you shouldhave Ear Training them becomevery familiar rvith playingbassrunsrvhileintegratin-e 11'youtry to stafiyour ear trainin_u by listenin-rto Doc Watson with a steadyrhythm strum. The natur"alprogressionfor moving or Tony Rice CDs, you are -eoingto becomefrustrated. lt is too from rhythm to lead is to norv tum those basslines into melody hard for a beginner! Guys that have a very good ear and have lines. A studyof Mother MaybelleCarter'sguitar styleis just the to transcribesome thing to help you do that. beentranscribin_e for yearsfind it challen-einq you Tony Doc's expect to starttrainin-uyour and so can't of stuff, Althou-shMaybelleplayedrvith a thumb pick in combination players. Going by listening to any the modern back to some rvith her index finger,her style is easilyadaptedto the flatpicking ear of of the early playersand picking out bassruns is not nearly as technique.Becauseof the smallensemblesituationsheplayedin and thus you rvill beginto developyour ear and gain rvhenshebeganperformingrvith her brother-in-lar,v challengin-e A.P.Carterand confidencein usingyour ear if you startrvith transcribin-rbassruns her sisterSaraCarter.Maybelle had to find a way to play the lead and rhythm. lines rvithoutallowing the rhythm to drop out. She accomplished Startingyour ear training by picking out bassruns on old thi s by pl ayi ng the mel ody on her bassstri ngsr vhile placing for severalreasons.First.theensembles rhythmic strumsin-betweenmelody notes.In Volume 2 of this recordingsis advanta-geous are small and since there is not a bass in the band the bassruns seriesI rvill give you many examplesof the Carler style. Then, as on the guitar are easierto hear. Secondly.becausebassruns are homervork.you will be askedto developsome Carler style leads mostly playedon the lorvestthreeor four strings,and sincethey of your orvn. areusuallyplayedon the first threeor four frets,you havea limited In orderto leam how to play Carterstyle,on your own rvithout areaof the fretboardto rvork rvith in trying to find the notesthat you tab, simply rvork out the melody to a songon the bassstringsand hear. Lastly. the notesin most bassnote runs are usuallyat leasta then strunrthe appropriatechord rvhenthereis a melody note that quarternote in duration.so trying to transcribebassrunsis far easier hasmorethana quarternoteduration.If you havespenta sufficient Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
amount of time training your ear to identify chord changesand bassruns while working on your rhythm technique,it should not be too difficult for you to pick out melody lines and mix them with your ftythm technique. In Volume 2. we will also study a number of other helpful techniquesthat you can use to fi1l in betweenthe melody notes. Ifyou aresuccessfulin developingthis skill, you can teach yourself the Cafter style and how to develp your own solos to vocal tunes without relying on videos or tab books. Horvever, it is always helpful to go back to the source. Listen to some old Carter Family recotdings to help you better learn the style and inspire new ideas. There have been plenty of examplesof Carter style solos pdnted in Flatpicking Guitnr Magaline over the years ifyou need some help. and there are plenty of examples,tips and guidelinesin Volume 2. Early
Flatpicking
Guitar
Solos
Most flatpickinginstructors,andflatpicking instructionalmaterial written for beginners. will introduce the student to flatpicking lead solos by flrst teachinga Carter style tune such as "Wildwood Flower." After introducingtwo orthree morc Carterstyletunes,they rvill usually move right on to flatpicking fiddle tunes. My feeling is that in moving directly from Carter style to fiddle tune picking the instructionalmethodis missing key techniquesthat developed historically prior to Doc Watson popularizing the flatpick fiddle tune style. The first is a style of lead playing that was prominent inthe l930sand 1940s. GeorgeShuffler called it the "quick wrist mandolin style" and indeedit was a style of leadguitar playing that rvasprobablybroughtover to the guitarby mandolinplayersbecause it involves filling in the gaps between melody notes by simply repeatingthe melody note in an eighth-notetremolo fashion. While this styleofplaying is looked upon as"old-fashion" today, given the advancesthat have been made in flatpicking technique that have been introducedover the past 45 years, I am becoming more and more convincedthat any studentof flatpicking shouldat least spend some time learning how to craft solos to vocal tunes by studying musicianslike Edd Mayfield, Doc Addington, Alton Delmore, Hank Snorv.and Don Reno in order to help transition from Carter style picking to instrumentalflatpicking fiddle tunes. This is the way it developedhistorically, and it makes senseas a
rea'ringprogressio"
problem. Theseare the techniquesand ideasthat we will address in Volume 2 ofthis series. For ear training purposesvocal songsare much easierto learn how lo play than fiddle tunes. Vocal tune melodiesare more sparse than fiddle tunes and it is usually easier to pick out the melody becauseyou can hum the words. However, ir is a challenge to learn how to fill in the gapsbetweenthe melody notesifyou don't have experiencewith it, Learning how Doc WatsonorTony Rice does it is not an easytask for a beginning player. Going back and studyinghow the pioneer'sdid it providesa steppingblock between playing rhythrn and playing Doc Watson style leads. We know that Doc \vasa fan of Riley Puckett,Jimmie Rodgers,the Delmore Brothers, and other early pioneers. If you go back and listen ro theseartists, you can hear, in their playing, many of the runs that Doc later incorporatedinto his style. Doc did not invent what he did without having first been influencedby theseplayers. In Volume 2 ofthis series,Iwill provide you with a few examples of the "tremolo style," and the other techniquesmentionedabove, and I'll explain how they work so that you can get a feel for the techniquesand begin to develop your orvn ideas.your own solos. and be well on your rvay to learning horv to improvise. Let's Boogie During the late 1940sand into the 1950sthe techniquesofearly flatpicking took anotherevolutionary stepforward as the "boogiervoogie" rhythm gained popularity and served as a link between the Western srving of the I940s. popularized by Milton Brown and Bob Wills, and the rockabilly of the 1950s. Perhapsthe most well-known of the early boogie songs was the Delmore Brothers "FreightTrain Boogie." which reachednumbertwo on the Billboard charts in 1946as performed by the Delmores and number five on the charts in 1947as performedby Red Foley. This songwas later recordedby Reno & Smiley, The Maddox Brothers and Rose,Bill Harrell, John Denver. and many othen. (For a transcription of Ronnie Reno's guitar solo to "Freight Train Boogie," See FGM Volume 6, Number 4). By 1946 the Delmore Brothers had moved from two-piece arrangementsto a full band sound that included bass.mandolin. steel guitar. fiddle, and harmonica. By the end of the next year they were alsoincluding electricguitarsand drums. The Delmore's
il1::*,::Tr'j#:H:rlllft\-lJ,:f ;ffi$Jffiljlj.oo':
bluesy influcnce,thumping backbeats,and hard-driving boogiesas Solos on Vocal Songs A study of this early flatpicking sryle on vocal tunes is helpful evidencedin tuneslike "Hillbilly Boogie," "SteamboatBill Boogie." for severalreasons. First. the solos are simple. straight-fonvard, "Barnyard Boogie," "MobileBoogie," "FreightTrain Boo-tie," and and melody-based.The repeatingofthe melody notesin a tremolo others. The long guitar brealisand extendedsolos on some tunes certainly helpedusherin the rock androll era. Unfortunately,Alton fashion introduces the student to the altemating pick stroke techniquethat they will need to learn when they begin flatpicking Delmore died in 1952 ard one of the most influential groups in country. rockabilly. and rock and roll history ended. fiddle tunes. The introduction of alternatingpick direction while Arthur Smith's "Guitar Boogie" (see Joe Carr's column in playing an eighth note tremolo makes sensebecauseyour left FGM Vol. I I , Number 2), recorded in October of 1948, is often handdoesn't move and the pick stayson the samestdng. So it is a cited as being the first rock & roll song ever recorded. Hank simplerway to leam. Secondly,tbisstyleteachesthe studentavery Snow's "Rhumba Boogie," recorded in 1951. was also another simple way to fill in the spacesbetween melody notes on a vocal popular country boogie tune that featured an example of early song. When flatpickers,who staned their leaming processwith fiddle tunes. are at a jam sessionand are required to take a break flatpicking. (SeeHarold Streeter'scolumn in Volume I I , Number 4 of Flatpickirtg Guitar Maga:ine for a transcription of "Rumba on a vocal tune they have a difficult time becausethey don't know how to fill in the spacebetweenthe melody notes. Had they spent Boogie" and alsorefer to Kathy Banvick's anicle in that sameissue lbr more aboutHank Snow). Don Reno's "Country Boy Rock and sufficient time leaming the simple methodsof the Cater style.the use of double stops,the tremolo style, leading tones,neighboring Roll," recordedin I 956, is cited by many as the first songrecorded band that highlighted lead guitar work asthe song's notes and crosspicking.I don't think this would be such a tough by a blue-erass 10 Fhtpiching EssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs,and Fitl Lichs
centralfocus (for a transcriptionof that tune, seeAdam Granger's columnin Volume I I , Number4 of Flatpicking Gttitar Maga:.ine). lncidentally,in 1955Arthur Smith and Don Reno collaboratedon what was to becomeone of the most well-known bluegrassstyle songsin history."Feudin' Banjos". The song r'vaslater renamed "Duelin' Banjos" and featuredin the film Deliverance. While the countryboogie-rvoogieguitar style of the late 1940s andearly 1950shad a greaterinfluenceon rockabillyandearlyrock and roll than it did bluegrass,it is still a style worthy of study for bluegrassandflatpickingguitarplayers.Not only aretherelicks and phrasesfrom theseboogietunesthat can be usedrvhenflatpicking bluegrass.but thesesongsarejust plain furt to play' The next time you are at a jam sessionpull out "Freight Train Boogie" and see rvhatkind of reactionyou get. Peopleusually love it. In Volume 2,I'17alsoprovideboogiervoogieexamples.
Crosspicking One other flatpicking techniquethat was brought forward by a bluegrassguitar pioneer,prior to the time of Doc Watson.is GeorgeShuffler'scrosspicking.Like Carlerstyle.this is oneof the techniquesthat all beginnirtglevelflatpickerswill usuallylearnhor,v to executeand it is a techniquethat is usedto somedegreeby all modernday flatpickers.GeorgeShufflersaysthat he inventedthis techniqueon the guitarout of necessity.During the "lean yearsof bluegrass"back in the l9-50sGeorgervasplayinerviththe Stanley Brothersand the group rvastravelin-{as a trio. just Carter.Ralph. saidhe neededto comeup r,vitha techniqueon andGeor-ee.Geor-ee the guitar that would fill in the gapsbetweenvocal lines on "those slorvmournfulnumbers."While all flatpickershaveemployedthe technique.guitaristslike ClarenceWhite and David crosspickin_e Crier havemadeextensiveuseof crosspickingand havetakenits applicationfar beyond Shuffler'semploymentof the technique. Crosspickingis a techniquethat has beencoveredextensivelyin FlotpickingGuitar Magazineandin variousinstructionalbooksand guitarplayersneedto DVDs andit is a techniquethatall blue,erass study.I rvill introducethis techniqueto you in Volume2 also.and to practice. -eiveyou severalexampleson-qs
Doc Watson
I hope that this chapterhas given you an appreciationfor those rvho came before Doc. My approachto or-qanizingthe teachin-g methodin this instructionalserieswill run alongthe lines of the of the flatpickin-estyle. I rvill first clevelopnlent chronolo-sical presentyou rvith this book on rhythm. rvhich focusesprimarily on the studyof bassruns. We r,villthen.in Volume2, examinehorv you can turn thosebassruns. combinedrvith rhythmic strums. Conclusion From thererve rvill examine into Carterstyle lead arran-sements. a ferv other ideas-such as tremolo.crosspicking,leadingtolles. Doc Watsonhas said that he first beganlearninghorv to play neighboringnotes.and double-stops-thatwill help you develop the guitarrvith the "thumb leadstyle" of MaybelleCarter. Later he startedlistenin-sto JimmieRodgersrecordingsand says."I fi-sured, the ability to createyour own soloson vocal tunes. 'Hey.he must be doing that rvith one of them straightpicks" So In Volume3, we rvill move on to studyfiddletunesand help you build a solid fiddle tune repeftoire. In Volume4 rve rvill study the I got me one and beganto rvork at it. Then I beganto leam thc fingerboardand get you familiar rvith playing up the neck' After Jimmie Rodgerslicks on the guitar. Then all at once I beganto 'Hey,I could play that Carterstuff a lot betterrvith a flat that.in Volume5"my friendTim May and I rvill introduceyou to fi_qure out pick."' Doc starledteachinghimselfhow to flatpickfiddle tunes the stylesand contributionsof the heroes:Doc Watson.Clarence in the 1950swhen he rvas playing the electricguitar rvith Jack White, Tony Rice, Dan Crary, and Norman Blake. Following Williams'danceband. Doc hassaidthat the first personhe heard that, in Volume 6. Tim rvill provide you rvith anotherrepertoire flatpickfiddle tunesrvasDon Reno. He alsosaidthat afterhearing book. this time r,vithintermediateand advancedlevel solosto both Grady Martin and Hank Garlandplay vocal and instrumentaltunes. SubsequentVolumesrvill explore Nashvillesession-euitarists andstylethatincludeCeltic,AcousticJazz.GypsyJazz, somefiddle tuneson the electricguitar rvith Red Foley he figured, techniqucs "if they could do it, he could do it." Later Doc rventback to the andWestemSrvine. andlearnedhorvto flatpickthosefiddletuneson his acoustic_uuitar Martin D- 18. The restis history. While it r,vasDoc Watson'slead acousticguitar soloson fiddle of modernday flatpickin,{. tunesthat is often seenasthe be-einnin-s Flatpiching Essentials Volum,e 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
11
Psrt One: Technlques, ExclmplGsreind Exerclses
The Role of the Rhvthm Guitar Plaver The threeprimary rolesof the rhythm guitarplayerin any musical settingare going to be, first and foremost: provide timing, outline the chords, and add texture. When the vocalistor lead instrumentalistis centerstage they are relying on the rhythm sectionto provide solid timing anddo so in a way that outlinesthe chordchanges and createsan interestingbackdrop for their vocal or soloexpression.The techniquethe rhythmguitarplayer choosesto utilizesin orderto fill this role r,vill always dependupon the configurationof the ensembleand the contributionof eachinstrumentto the ensemble.If each ensemblememberis aware of his or her role, listens to each of the other band members,and works to fill his role suchthat it makesa positivecontributionto the soundas a whole. then the overall ensemblesoundis going to be pleasingto the musiciansandthe audience. The examplesgiven in this book are not intendedto provide you with an all encompassing explorationof rhythm guitar. Although we will cover a lot of ground here, all of the techniques,subtleties,and intricacies required to develop your skill as a complete rhythm guitarist will not be presentedin depth. InsteadI r,vill focus on presentingconceptsrelatedto applyingbass runs andfill licks to your rhythm playingin orderto use that skill as a springboardto creating interestinglead breaksto vocal songsin the Carter style, and beyond. Advancedrhythm conceptsand skills, such as chord inversions,passingchords,chordsubstitutions, etc.will be examinedin a futurevolume.
To thatend,we will startat squareonewith the simplest rhythmic expressionand graduallymove forward.
Bass versus No Bass If you are performing in an ensemblethat has a bassplayer,manyof the examplesthat areshownin this book will be too bassrun heavy to apply in that band configuration. If you, as a guitar player,are utilizing too many bassruns in a band that has a bassplayer. you are going to undoubtedlyget in each other's way. However,much of what is presentedhere in this book was usedin the earlydaysof stringbandmusicby guitar
Timing and Simple Rhythm Most commonrootsmusicin Americais playedrn 414 time. This meansthat therearefour beatsper measure of musicandeachof thosebeats'notevalueis a quarter note. ln 414time a whole note is four beatsin duration, a half noteis getstwo beats',a quarternotegetsonebeat, andtwo eighthnotesget onebeat. Dividing a measure into quarternotes-four beatsof equal duration-we can count the four beat rhythm simply as " l - 2 - 3 -
t2
playerswho were in two or three member ensembles that did not include a bassplayer. In many of those cases,the guitar was the primary rhythm instrument and thus the guitar player was also filling the role of the bassplayer. If you find yourselfin an ensemblethat doesnot includea bassplayer,taking over the bassplayer'sjob meansthat you will want to includetechniquesin your guitararrangement that will help leadthe listener'sear to eachnew chordchange.You will be ableto fill this role very effectivelywith bassruns. The more varied your knowledge of bass runs, the more varied and interestingyour rhythm will be. Therefore,in this book my goal is to presentto you materialthat rvill help you achievethe followins: l) Keepbettertime. 2) Outline and define the chords and chord changes. 3) With the useof bassruns,leadthe listener'sear through the chord progressionin a way that helps provide forward movementand momentumto the music,and 4) Providea texture,dynamics,and interestto the rhythm accompaniment in waysthat positivelyand tastefullyimprovethe overallbandsound.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Quarler Nofes ?n 4/,4 Tlme G
Count
tl
t
downbeat
ll
i
i ? downbeat backbeat backbeat
ll = downstroke
4". Using this count,beatsI and 3 are usuallydefine as the "down beats" and beats2 and 4 are definedas the "off beats" or "back beats" (seeexampleabove). When providing a simple and straight-forwardrhythm, the guitarplayerr,villusuallyplay a singlebassnoteon the down beatsand a rhythmic chord strum on the back beats.The notethat is selectedfor the bassnoteshould be the note,or notes,rvhichbestdefinethe chord that is beingplayed.Most prominently,that r,villbe the root noteof the chord at the lowestpitch (theroot note is the first noteof the scale).For instance,if you areplaying a G-chord.the root note is a G note and the lowest pitched G note in a standardG major chord shapeon the guitar is at the third fret on the low E string (see the Example I below). For more information about pleaserefer to the Major Scales,Chords major scales,, & Aryeggiosappendix.
Practice: Before you move on from here, take some time to play through Example 1. You should be able play pattern over and over with repeating to this fluidity, accuracy,confidence,and, eventually, speed.And, most importantly,you haveto be able to do it in time. Your ability to play in time is vital to every thing you do in music. And, although beginningmusicianshate it, that meansthat you need to get yourself a metronomeand work with it on a regularbasis. What I recommendis that wheneveryou are practicing any of the examples in this book, you ALWAYS have a metronome in front of you clicking away. If you are having trouble learninghow to use a metronome,please refer to the MetronomePracticeappendix.
Homework: After you have practiced Example I with the G-chord, now work on other chords that you know using this same pattern. Hold the chord shapethat you know, figure out where the root note of the lowestpitch is located,and then play the same pattern while holding that chord. In preparationfor working with the next sectionof this book, practiceExample I over and over with the G chord.then practicewith the C chord,then r,viththe D chord. If you do not knorv the first position shapesof basic major chords,refer to the Major Scales,Chords& Arpeggiosappendix.
Excmple l: Simple G-Chord Rhytlrm wlflr Repectlng Bass Nofe G
ttll Flatpicleing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Play this Exampleusing all Downstrokes
Adding More Chords We can easilyextendthis repeatingbassnote at the rootof thechordideato a simple8-barchordprogression in the key of G (seeExample 2 at.the bottom of this page).You canseethatin this progression we havetwo measuresof G, followed by two measuresof C, two measures of D, andback to two measures of G. This is "one(spoken progression often referredto as a I-IV-V four-five) becausein the key of G the G note is the first note of the G scale(the "one"), the C note is the fourth note of the G scale(the "four") and the D note is the fifth note of the G scale,or the "five." Therefore, musicianswill referto a G, C, D progression in the key of G as a I, IV, V progression. Looking at Example2, you can seethat with each chordchangethe root noteof the chord (first noteof the chord's scale - C note for C chord, etc.) is repeated on every dor,vnbeat and that is followed by a chordal strum on the offbeat. You may have noticed that in the chordalstrum,the entirechord (all six strings)are not strummed. While you can strum all six strings, you r,villfind that just strummingthe top three or four stringsprovides a better sound. The strum should be executedwith a relativelylight, short,andquick snapof the wrist,asif you wereshakingwateroff of your hand. Don't "dig in" too much or the soundwill be too loud and harsh. Work to achievea smoothand percussive
effect. The strumshouldnot soundlike you areplaying threeor four separatestrings. The notesshouldall ring out at the sametime.
Practice: Before you move on to the next section,take some time to play throughExample2. Again, you should be able to play this repeatingpatternover and over with fluidity, accuracy,and confidence. Don't woffy about speedright now. Use your metronomeat a comfortabletempo and practice clear and distinct bass notes with "punchy" strums.
Homework: After you havepracticedExample2 with theprogression show(I-N-V in the key of G), now work on playing the same I-IV-V progressionin at leastone other key. The key of C, or the key of D, perhaps.Theseare commonkeys in all styles of music. Rememberthat a I-IV-V progression in the key of C will use the chordsC, F, and G. The I-IV-V progressionin the key of D will use the D, G and A chords. Try to play in the style of Example2 in eitheror both of thesekeys.
Excrmple2z G, C, D Rhyfhm wlfh Repeoting Bass Nofes G
t4
C
tl Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
Adding A Little Texture The Alternating BassLine
chords,the 5th note of the scalethat you will usually play is going to be the one found on a lower pitched string. Examples4 and 5 on the next pagedemonstrate If you were to alwaysplay the root note of the chord this for the C andD chords,respectively.Sincewe want on the downbeatfollowed by a chordalstrum on the off a basssoundin our bassruns,you are usuallygoing to beat,as outlinedin the last two examples,you would want to choosethe notewith the lowestpitch r,vhenyou be filling your rhythm roles of outlining the chords are choosingnotesfor the bassruns. Sometimesthose and keepingtime. However,with this simplerhythm noteswill be higher in pitch than the root note, as was technique the texture you would be providing in the casein our G-chord example,and sometimesthat supportof the other instrumentsand/orvocalist would note will be lower in pitch than the root note,as it is in be very dull and monotonous. In order to provide a tiny bit more textureand interest,we aregoing to notch Practice: it up just a little and play the root bass note on beat Practicethe G-chord alternating I and then play the fifth note of the scale on beat 3 bass rhythm that is shown in (seeExample 3 at the bottom of this page). This is Example3,theC-chordrhythmof calledan "alternatingbass"stylebecausethe bassline Example4, andthe D-chordrhythm of Example5. is alternatingbetweenthe two most prominentnotesin Onceagain,playalongwith a metronomein order the chord,the root note and the "dominant" note.or 5th to work on your timing. Focus on timing, tone, note, of the scale (for more information about chord noteclarity, and confidence.The more familiarity constructionpleaserefer to the Major Scales,Chords and comfort you gain with the alternatingbass & Arpeggiosappendix). rhythm style, the better your rhythm foundation In our examplewe are playing the root note of the will be. chord(in thiscasethelow G note)on the I stbeatof each measureand then playing the fifth note of the G scale Homework: (the D note) on the 3rd beat of the measure.The backAfter you have practicedExamples beat strumsremain the same. If you are not familiar 3,4, and5, try andexperimentwith with alternatingbassrhythm, play through Example 3 the alternating bass line rhythm for a while using your metronomeuntil you can play while holding other chords that you may know. cleanly'accurately,fluidly, and in time. The alternating At a minimum, try this style of rhythm with the bassrhythm will be a fundamentalbuilding block for F-chordand the A-chord. It may alsohelp you a everythingelsethat will follow in this course. little later on if you try to also play an alternating One thing that you will notice when you move on bassrhythm with the E-chord.Always work to hit to playing the alternatingbassstyle rhythm with other that bassnote with accuracyand strength. Other chordsis that you are not alwaysgoing to usethe 5th musicianswho you are playing with will usually note of the scale that is located on a higher pitched like to hearthat strong.cleardownbeat. string,as we did with the G-chord. For example,when you play the alternatingbass style with the C and D
Excmple 3: G-Chord Rhytlrm Wlth Alternatilng BeissLlne G
tl Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Exeimple 4: C-Chord R.hythm Wlth AJlternallng Boss Llne
Excrmple 5: D-Chord Rhytltm Wlflr Nlernating
our C and D chordexampleson this page. Now that you are familiar with the alternatingbass rhythm while holding one chord, look at Example 6 and try to play the alternatingbassrhythm for a I-IV-V progressionin the key of G. This is somethingthat everyonewho has played the flatpicking style on the acousticguitar is most likely familiar with, as this is the most commonstyle of rhythm playing. This is the foundationfrom which all variationswill develop,so it is very importantthat you learnhorv to play this rhythm technique. Unfortunately,many flatpickersrely on this techniquea bit too heavily andthustheir rhythm playing can becomestaleandmonotonous. If you don't havea handleon this technique,you needto spendsome _eood time with it until it becomessecondnatureto you. Once you can play the alternatingbassmethod,however,it is recommended that you learn more techniquesto put "bag into your rhythm of tricks." We'll beginto explore someof thosealternativetechniqueson the next page. Thus far we havehad you only practicea downstroke strum.Anothervarietyof thestrumaddsa quick upstroke afler the downstrokeas shown in Example 7. While this exampleshowsthe upstrumon every measure,for practicepurposes,most rhythm playerswill not usethe down-upstrumevery time. It soundsbest if the down strumand the down-upstrumaremixed. 16
Boss Llne
Practice: Practice the G-C-D alternating bassrhythms that are shown in Examples6 and J . Practicewith a metronome in order to work on your timing. Once again. focus on timing, tone, note clarity, andconfidence.The morefamiliarity and comfort you gain with the alternatingbassrhythm style, the betteryour rhythmfoundationwill be.
Homework: After you havepracticedExamples 6 and J, try and experiment with the alternating bass line rhythm techniquewhile playing a I-IV-V progressionin a differentkey. At a minimum, try this methodin the keysof C and D. After you have becomecomfortablewith this rhythm technique using both the down stroke strum and the up-down strum, try mixing the two strummingmethods. Use one or the other randomlyand developa feel for how they sound.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rltythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Exomple 6z G, C, D Rhyflrm wlllr AJ.,lernatingBoss Llne
Excmple 7z G, C, D Rhyfhm wltlr Altetnatilng Bclss Llne and Addlng lhe Upsfroke Sfrum
ll =downstroke
V =upstroke
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and FilI Licks
I7
Guiding the Listener's Ear: Adding Leading TonesoWalk-Ups and Walk-Downs Thus far, we have talked aboutthe rhythm player's roles of defining the chordsand providing timing and texture. Another role that the rhythm player can play in executinghis or her bassruns is to help lead the listener'sear to the next chord change. In doing this the rhythm player can provide a senseof motion and anticipationin the music that helps propel or drive it along. We have demonstratedhow playing the root note on the first beatof eachmeasure,or at leaston the first beatof eachchord change,helpsdefinethe chordsand chord changesin the songin a strongway. We have also practicedadding the dominantnote of the scale (the 5th) in order to form an alternatingbassline and makethe bassline more interesting.Nor,vwe aregoing to add anotherbassnote to our "bag of tricks," this noteis calledthe "leadingtone"of the scale. If you will replacethe last strum before a chord changein any chordprogressionwith a bassnote,and choosethat note to be a half step below the root note of the next chord.then this will providea simplebass line that helpsleadthe listener'searto thatchord. This "leading tone" is the seventhtone in the scaleof the chord to which your are moving. The chart below the notesthat arein the G, C. andD scales.The shor,vs notesunderthe"J" columnarethe leadingtones. If we were to nor,varrangeour I, IV. V progression in the key of G to be the same as Example 6, but substitutethe last strumbeforeeachchordchangewith
Nofes 7n the G, C, ernd D 9coles
Practice: Play through Example 8 many timesin a row with a metronome. Be sure to stav risht with the click when you are playingthe threebassnotesin a row. Sometimesbeginnershave a tendencyto rush throughbassruns. Keep the time even. Do you notice a difference betweenExample 6 and Example8? You may noticethat it soundsmore interestingand it helps your ear anticipatethe chordchange.
Homework: After you have practiced Example 8, and becomefamiliar with how the leadingtonessound,try to figureout usingleadingtones, the samestyleof progression, for a I, IV, V progressionin the key of C andin the key of D. The changefrom F to G in the key of C might be tricky! Seeif you can figure something out for that change.If you havetrouble,shootme an email:
[email protected].
2
3
4
5
6
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8
I
G Scale
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
G
C Scale
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D Scale
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C#
D
i ROOT 18
the leading tone of the scale for the chord to which we are moving, the resultwould look like Example8,, shownon the next page. Looking at Example8, you will seethatjust before we changeto the C chord, rve play the leadingtone of the C scale,which is a B note. Then just before we move to the D chord we play the leadingtone of the D scale,which is a C# note. Thenjust beforewe move from the D chord to the G chord, we play the leadin-e toneof the G scale.which is the F# note.
t
Dominant
t
Leading Tone
Fl atpic king E ss entials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Exomple 8: G, C, D Rhyflrm Uslng Lecdlng lones G
Adding More Notes from the Scale While the progressionin Example8 doeshelp lead the listener'searto the next chordby includingleading tones before the chord changes,we can improve on this quality. Examiningthe progressionin Example8, you'll seethat we are moving from the 5th note of the G scaleto the 7th note of the C scale,(in measure2), and we are moving from the 5th note of the D chord to the 7th note of the G chord (in measure6). We can smoothout the soundof the walk in to the C chord of measure3 and the G chord of measureJ tf we change that fifth scalenoteof the old chord to the 6th scalenote of the new chord. This providesa lonserbasswalk-up along the scaleof the new chord and thus strengthens the soundof movementtowardsthat new chord. Walking Up Takea look at Example9 on the next pageand play through the progressionto get a feel for this bassline walk-up in measures2 and 6. If you take a closelook at the notesthat we are using to changebetweenthe G andC chords,you will seethatwe arewalkingup theG scaleusins all of the notesbetweenG to C. We hit the G note on the first beat of the measure,then we strum, then we hit the A note,the B note,thenthe C note. So
in that measureour bassnotesare G. A. B-then we play the C note on the first note of the next measure, which is wherethe chord progressionchangesto the C chord. So what we have done is simply walk straight up the scalefrom G to C usingeverynoteof the G scale that lie betweenthosetwo notes.This type of bassline reallyhelpstie thosetwo root notestogetherandmoves the listenersear from one chord to the next. If you will look at the bass notes in measure6, you'll noticethatwe havedonethe samething. We are moving from the D chord to the G chord,so we played the D note on the first beat.executeda strum,and then we playedthe E,F#,and thenG note. We havewalked up the D scaleplaying eachnote betweenthe D note and the G note. If we look at measure1, the measurethat transitions from C to D, you rvill noticethat this measurehas not changedfrom Example 6. Becausethe C note and the D note are right next to eachother on the C scale, we don't have any more room to expandthe "walk" betweenthosetwo notes,so we simplyplay the leading tone of the D scale. In orderto "walk" betweenC and D chords,we are going to havego down the scaleand then reversedirection and move back up in order to providea walking movement.We will work with that concept short\.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fitt Licles
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Exomple 9t 9, C, D Rhylfim Walklng Up lfte Scale Belween Ghord Ghongcs G
C
Practice: Play through Example 9 many timesin a row with a metronome. Be sure to stay rieht with the click rvhen you are playing the three bass notes in a row. Although I have shown only the dor,vn strokestrum in this example,feel free to substitute any of the down stroke strums with down-up strums. Get a feel for varying that componentof the progression. \ia:ia''
Homework: After you have practiced Example 9, and become familiar with how the leadingtonessound.try to figure out the same style of progression, using similar scale r,valkup tones, for a I, IV, V progressionin the key of C and in the key of D. If that is easyfor you, and you are feeling adventurous, move on and seeif you can't figure out this scalewalk up progressionin the keys of E and A as well. I'll be providing someE and A exampleslaterand so you'll be aheadof the game if experimentwith thosekeys now.
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Walking Down If walking up the scaleto the root note of the next rvorksto leadthelistener's chordin a chordprogression ear to the new chord, then logic would tell us that moving down the scaleto the root note could do the samething. Let's checkit out. Play throughExample l0 shownat the top of the next page. If you analyzethis progression,ref-erencing the G, C, and D scales,you will noticethat the notesthat are being playedjust beforethe changeto the C chord are the E andD notes.So we arewalkingdown the C scale herefrom E, to D. to C. Similarly,when changingto D lve walk from F#. to E, to D. Theseare the 3rd, 2nd,and I st notesof the D scale,respectively.Finally, when moving to G, we are walking from B, to A, to G. While the walking down bassrun does lead the listenersear to the next chord, it does not do that job quite as strongly as walking up becausewhen you are walking up that leadingtone (7th note of the scale) has a strongerpull back to the root in the listener's ear. However,if you were to walk up every time you changedto a new chord,the listenerwould tire of that soundand welcomean occasionalwalk down, or other variation. Providinga variety addsa degreeor interest and texturethat is desirablein your rhythm playing. When to add variety,and how much to add, falls into the categoryof tasteand style and is very subjective.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Excmple lo: G, G,D Rhylftm chonglng chords by wolffag Down the Scole G
C
Practice: Play through Example l0 many timesin a row rvitha metronome. The changebetweenthe C and D chords,whereyou haveto reachdown andget that F'#note,might feel a little awkr,vardat first. Make sureyou can play that smoothlywithout rushing. studentshavea tendencyto rush throughdifficult or ar,vkwardruns, so focus on keeping right with that metronomeclick.
Homework: After you have practiced Example 10, and becomefamiliar rvith how the scale walk down tones sound, try to figure out the same style of progression, usingsimilarscalewalk up tones,for a I, IV, V progression in the key of C andin the key of D. As you try the variousbasswalk methods in different keys,you will find somethat are more awkward than others and some that sound better than others. Run through them all and get a feel for them under your fingersand in your ear. you will gravitatetowardsthe onesthat feel and sound bestto you,but it is worthtryingthem all.
Longer Bass Walks and Mixing Things Up As mentionedbefore,if you are providingrhythm accompaniment andyou alwaysdo thesametypeor style of bassrun, or strum,or combination,thenyour rhythm will startto sounddull and stale. you never wanr ro be so busy that you take away from the lead performer or get in the way of the othermusicians,however,you also do not want to sound so repetitive that you put the audienceto sleep or annoy them with the same soundoverandover. Ideally,youwantto haveenough techniquesto draw from, and the ability to know just rvhento apply them,that you will complimentwhat the othermembersof the ensembleareplaying. you do not simply wantto providegoodtiming,outlinethe chords, and leadingthe listener'sear to the next chordchange. On top of that,you want the runs,strums,rhythms,and fills that you use to make the band,as a whole, sound better. You want to make it fit jusr right. The ability to do that comeswith having a lot of differenttechniques to draw from, having an ingrainedfamiliarity of those techniques,and having an intuitive feel for just where to apply thosetechniques.This all comeswith a lot of practiceand experience. I've said all of that in order to also say that as we progressalongin this course,Iwill give a few examples of how you might combine the various elementsthat you have learnedand suggestyou come up with more on your own in your homework. So now we aregoing
Flatpicking Essentialsvolume l: Rhythm.,Boss Runs, and Fitt Licks
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to work lvith a few examplesthat add to what we've alreadyworked with and alsomix thingsup a little. we aregoing to work with bassruns that are a little longer (a whole measurelong) and we are going to combine the walk-upsand walk-downsin variousways. Mixing Things Up I Takea look at ExampleI I . our bassrun measures are measures 2,4, and6. we aredoingsomethingslightly differentin each. Measuretwo is a walk up, similarto measure2 of example9. The differencehereis that we havereplacedthe strumthat was on beat2 with a bass note. The bassnote we picked is a repeatof the root note (G) that we played on beat I . Rememberwhen we saidthat a walk up the scalewill leadthe listener's ear to the next chord changeand we playedG, strum, A, B then C? Taking out the strum and replacingit with anotherG notehelpsemphasize thatwalk up since you hear the walk on threeconsecutivebeats,instead of havinga strumseparate the G andthe A notes.This is a very commontechniquethat you'll hearbeginnine blue-{rass bassplayersutilize. This is one of the first bassrvalksthat they rvill learn. In measure4 we areagaintaking awaythe strumand repeatingthe root note of the chord (C), but then we are walking back a note, then r,valkingback up a note beforewe changeto the D note. We are playingC. C,
B, C, then D. Notice that we didn't play the leading tone (C#) this time beforechangingto D. you can try to play thatC# note afterplaying the B note,but I don't think it soundsquiteasgoodasstickingwith the c note in this particularrun. Shortly,after we talk about the chromaticscale,r,vewill take a look a very simirarrun that does include the leading tone (c#) when moving to D. Measure6 of exampleI I showsa walk-downthat is similar to measure6 of example10. The only thing that we havedonedifferenthereis replacethe strumon beat two with a c note so that we have extendedour walk-down. Insteadof the walk down being B, A, to G, we havenow createda 4-notewalk-downthat goes from D, to C, to B, to A, then G. This longer walk_ down is really going to help guide the listenersear to the chord changeto G. Play throughthis progression andyou'll seewhat I mean. Mixing Things IJp 2 Before we talk aboutPracticeand Homework,let's look at Example 12. Here is anothervariationon the lon,gerbassrun and mixing things up theme. Again, our bass run measuresare measures2, 4, and 6. In measure2 ourrun movesfrom G, to D, to E, backto D. and then to C. This bassmovementprovidesan ..upand-back"or "toggling" motion to the bassline. The
Excmple ll: G, c, D Rhytfun - fhixing Things up I G
C
I Flatpicking
I E ss en tials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Filt Licks
Example l2z G, C, D Rhytfurr - tlixlng ThlngsUp 2 G
movementfrom D to E leadsthe ear in one direction, but then it comesback in the other directionand walks to the C note for the chord change. You have that r,valk-dorvnfrom E to D before moving to C, but that is precededby that one stepwalk-up from D to E. The up-and-backeffectprovidesa nice little surpriseto the listener'sear. In measure4, the changebetr,veen the C and the D chords,we have a little bit of bouncingfrom one side of the root note to the other,so again it is a technique that movesin one directionand then back in another. Playing the E note on beatthree (the note abovethe D note on the scale)leadsthe ear in one direction. Then we follow that with the C# note,the leadingtoneof the D scale,rvhichis the notebeforethe D note in the scale. So, insteadof leadingprogressivelyup to the D note, asin a walk-up,orprogressively down to the D note,as in a walk-down,herewe arebouncingon eithersideof the D note. Anotherway to look at it is that sincethe E note is part of the C chord, you are simply using an alternatebassnote in your C chord and then moving to D throughthe C# leadingtone. Either w&], it is a nice techniqueto learn and experimentwith. Finally,in measure6 we move from a D note,to an E, back to a D, then to B, before landing on G with the chord change. This is another variation of that togglingeffectthat we usedin measure2. In fact, we
C
are toggling on the samenoteshere (D, E, D), but in different chords and in a slightly different place in the measure. Notice that after you have played the D note on beat one and the E note on beat two, you are then playing the noteSD,, then B, then moving to G. You may note that theseare not notesthat are next to eachother in the D or G scales.However,thesethree notesarethe notesthat make up the G chord (for more information major chord construction,see the Major Scales.Chords & Arpeggiosappendix). So our bass walk this time is basedon the G arpeggio.An arpeggio is a group of notesthat all belongto one chord,in this casethe G chord. Bassline movementstypicallymove alongthe scaleof the chord,the chromaticscale,or the chord's arpeggio. We will talk about all threeof these movementsin this course. One other interesting thing to note about this progressionis that in all three of the measuresthat involvebassrunswe usethatE noteasthe pivotalnote of the run. Play throughthe progressionseveraltimes. Do you hear that E note pop out on eachof the bass runs? If you want, play that note with a little more emphasisevery time it comesup in the run. Listen to the soundof the entire progressionand notice that by using the E note each time we are leading to the next chord rve sort of tie things togetherand, once again, give the listener'sear a que that the chord is aboutto
Flatpicking EssentialsVolurne1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
change. The listenercatchesit the first time and the secondtime and by the third time their mind has kind of latchedon to the fact that the soundof that E note in this progression is signalingsomething.Of coursethey are not necessarilyconsciousof it, but it doesgive a familiarity to the progressionthat leadstheir ear along. You'd probably r,vantto abandonthe use of that note after the third or fourth time thoueh.so that vou avoid becomingmonotonous. Thereis a fine line betrveenfamiliarity and annoying repetition.Wheneveryou usea technique.only repeat it a few times, then go away from it. The change doesn'thave to be drastic.and you can come back to it later. You want to provide comfort and familiarity, but you also want to avoid being repetitious. If you ever listen closely to Earl Scruggsbanjo playing, he was a masterof givin-ethe listenera certainfamiliarity, then changingever so sli-qhtly,so that there was still familiarity. but also somethingdifferent. You can approachyour bassruns and rhythm playing the same way. You can provide variationwithout going to far left or right of a familiar pattern.
Practice: Play through Examples 1l and 12 many times in a rorv with a metronome.The focus herer,vill be on playingthroughtheseexamplesenoughtimes to becometamiliarwith thesoundof thetechniques and they will eventuallybecomesecondnatureto you and you can apply them in otherkeys and in a variety of situationswithout having to 'think' aboutthem.They will just pop-outof your finsers whenyou leastexpectit!
Homework: After you have practicedExamples ll and 72.andbecomefamiliar with their mechanicsand their sound.trv to play the exact sameruns in other keys. See if you can do it by ear, rvithouthaving to mentally figure out the notesof the scale. This will help you developyour ear. After you have done that, go back to the key of G progressionand seeif you can come up with someother examplesof mixing walk-upsand walk-downs. Those runs that you createon your own will be the onesthat will end up beingyour favorites! 24
Chromql?cWeilk Ups & Wolk Downs So far we have only been working with the notes of the major scales. We walked up and we rvalked down using those notes as our pathway to lead from one chord to another,and then we mixed things up a bit using thosesamenotes. However,the notesof the major scale are not the only ones that will work in a bassrun. Thosenotesthat are positionedin-between thenotesof themajorscalewill alsowork. Thesenotes, tones."arefound in the sometimescalled"neighborin-e chromaticscale. While the major scalecontainsseven uniquepitches(do, re, me, fa. so, la. ti), the chromatic scalecontainsl2 pitchesand consistsentirelyof halfstep intervals (for more information about half-steps and r,vhole-steps as they relateto scales,, seethe Major Arpeggios The chromatic Scales,Chords& appendix). scale,startingwith the G note,is as follows: GrG#rArA#rB,
C rC#rDrD#rE,
F, F#
Let's apply the notesof this scaleto our bassruns. Takea look at Examplel3 on the top of the next page. In this example we are applying chromatic runs in measures2 and4. In measure2 we are startingon the root note of the chord (G), then we are moving to the next note in the G scale(theA note) and from therewe walk up the chromaticscaleto C by playingA,A#,8, thenC. In measure4 rve startwith the root note of the chord, then we stepback a half stepso that we can makeroom for a chromaticrun betweenthe C and D chords. Once r,vestepback from C to that B note,we then r,valkup the chromaticscalefrom B, to C, to C#. thento D. In measure6I threwin another"mix it up" variation. Here we hit the root note of the chord (D) on the first beat. Then we startto walk down the scaleby playing the C note on beat two, and the B note on beatthree. With these notes we are leading the listener's ear down the scaleand headingfor G. So the listener's ear is ready to hear the A note next, followed by the G. However,we are going to threw the D note at them insteadin orderto providea little variety. The D note works becauseit is the root note of the D chord and it is the 5th tone of the G scale,so it fits very nicely with bothchords.This is an exampleof hor,vyou canchange a run ever so sli-ghtlyin orderto give the listener'sear a little surpriseand make it perk up.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
Exomple 13: G, C, D Rhyfhm wilh Chromati,cWalk-Ups G
C
BassRuns-Old-Time Stvle Practice: Play throughExample l3 many times. Make sure that you are working with you metronometo play thosechromaticrunsright on thebeat,rvithout speedingup. Startat a slowtempo,getcomfortable r,viththe speed,thengraduallyincreasethe tempo. It might alsobe a good ideato go back to our first exampleand review all of the progressionsthat have been presentedso far. From here on things will startto get a little morecomplicated.and also you needto havea solid foundation.
Homework: By now you know what's coming for homework! After havepracticed Example 13, and become familiar with the mechanicsand sound.trv to play the exact samechromaticruns in other keys. Once again!,seeif you can do it by ear, without having to mentally figure out the notes of the scale.
Norv thatyou havesomestandardbassrun examples under your fingersand in year ears,let's try a G, C, D progressionin the style of someof the the old-time guitar playerslike Roy Harvey,Tom Paley,and Riley Puckett.This progression, Example14-which makes veryheavyuseof bassruns-can be heardin theplaying of many of the old-timeplayers.As mentionedbefore. theseperformerstypically playedin an ensemblethat did not include a bass player, so their rhythm guitar to, stylemadeheavyuseof bassruns. I love listenin-e and playing,this type of progression.If you ever find yourselfjamming, or performingin a small ensemble with a mandolin, banjo, andior fiddle-but no bass or secondguitar-this type of guitar accompaniment soundsgreat. Later in this book, when you play throughsomeof the songexamplesprovided,you will find this stylerun in the transcriptionof Roy Harvey's accompaniment to the song"Blue Eyes." You will also find a similar run used by CharlesSawtellein the key of C for his Wagoner." accompaniment to thefiddletune"Tennessee Althou-ehCharlesperformedin a full bluegrassband (Hot Rize), he was also a fan of the old-time style rhythm andusedthis styleon a recordingsessionwhere he was playingin a duo with a mandolinplayer.
Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and FilI Licks
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Example l4z G, C, D Rhyflrm Old-Tlme Style
SpreadingOut BassRuns: Using Half Notes Practice: Play throughExample 14 many times with a metronome. This one is a little trickier than those progressions we've lookedat thus far. Work with it over and over until you can play it without lookingat the tab. Onceagain,the longerthe bass runs,the easierit is to speedup and get off timewise. So focus on your timing. Start at a slow tempo and then gradually increasethe tempo on the metronome.This is a fun prosressionto play.
Homework: For the time being,I'm not going to ask you to find this progressionin other keys. Later, you will see an exampleof similar runs in the key of C, and I'll point that out when it comesup. What I would like you to do herefor homework is try to analyze what is going on here. Takea look at eachrun and figure out what notes are being used,what scales theyarefrom, if they arewalk-ups,or walk-downs, etc. When you analyzewhat is going on with runs, it helpsyou seewhat is happening,and it can also help inspireyour own ideas. 26
The sequenceof notesthat have definedall of the bass runs that we have examined this far, in terms of walking up or dor,vna scale,have been spaceda quarter note apart in time. We can also spacethose and placea strum notesa half note apartin sequence, in-betweenthem. The result,time-wise,is similar to the alternatingbasstechniqueexceptthe bassdoesn't sequentially up or down a scale. alternate,it progresses Takea look at Example15. In measuresI and2 we are walking a bassline up the chromaticscalejust like rve did in measure2 of Examples13 and 14, however,I andplaced havespreadthe walk out overtwo measures strumsin-betweenthe bassnotes(exceptfor the last beat of measure2 rvherewe play anotherbass note. however,a strum could have been usedthere-more aboutthat shortly). Similarly, in measures3 and 4 we have repeated the bassline that you learnedin example I 3, but we spacedthe notesout a half-noteapartandput strumsinbetweenthem. You will noticethat sincewe are using our middle finger to play the B note on the 3rd beatof measure3, we areonly strummingthe top threestrings on the strum that follows that beat. In measures5 and 6 we arewalking down the same line that we usedin measure6 of Examplell. Again,
Flatpicleing Essentials Volume 1: Rhyth,m, Bass Runs, and Fill Licles
Excmple 15: G, C, D Rhyfhm Uslng Hclf-Nofe BcrssR.uns G
we spreadthe bassrun acrosstwo measuresinsteadof one. Notice that on beat 4 of measure5 and beat 2 of measure6 we are not playing the high E string so that we can free up fingersto play the run, yet still hold part of the chord at the sametime. In measures2,4 and 6 we are not strummingon the beatjust beforethe chord change.As mentionedbefore,we could strumon that beat,however,by playinga singlebassnotethere,, with a little extraemphasis,it bettersignalsthe movementto the next chord. I recommendthat you try it both ways, seeif you notice a difference,and then usethe one that you like best. When you are executingthis style of bassrun, the strum can be executedlightly so that it has more of a percussivesound.When you strumlightly andquickly, you don't have to be so exactwith your fingeringand you can also get away with strummingall of the strings eventhough all of the notesof the chord are not being fingered. When you are working out thesehalf-note style bassruns, experimentwith the strumsand what notescan be played,and soundOK, and which ones cannot. Many times you can still executea full strum even if you've moved a finger off of the full chord in order to play the bass run. Experimentand see what soundsgood to you.
Flatpiclzing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Practice: Play throughExample 15 many times with a metronome.At first it may feel awkward for you to continueto hold the chord at the sametime you are executingthe bass run. Take your time and work out the fingerings that will feel the most comfortable to you. Also experiment with the soundto see if you have to limit the number of strings that you are strumming. Sometimesit soundsOK to executea full strum.sometimesit doesn'tsoundgoodat all.
Homework: The first thing to do for homework this time is to see if you can work out somehalf-notebassruns in the keys of C and D. After you do that look back at some of the quarter note walk-ups and walkdownsthat you haveplayedpreviouslyand seeif you can spreadout the run and play it in the halfnotestyle. 27
The R.esfSfoke You may havenoticedthatin Example15 insteadof simply using an alternatingbasspatternin the last tr,vo measuresI did somethingdifferent. What I provided herewas a very simpleversionof the famous"G-Run." We will rvorkwith theG-run,andmanyof its variations, a little lateron in this book,but I'm goingto talk about one aspectof the G-run herebefore we move forward in order to introduceyou to the conceptof the "rest stroke." The term "rest stroke" is borrowed from the terminology of the classicalguitar style. Classical guitarhastwo basictechniques for pluckin_e the strings: apoyando(Spanishfor "resting") and tirando (Spanish for "pulling," alsoknown asthe"free stroke").The rest strokeis the easiestand usuallythe first one learnedby classicalguitarists.For flatpickersit is the other rvay around. We usually learn the "free stroke" or "sr,ving stroke" first and then later addthe rest stroketo our set of skills. If you will take a look at the diagramat the top of the of the next column I have useda cross-section guitar stringsand vectorlinesto show the differencein attackbetweenthe swing strokeand the rest stroke. In the swing strokethe pick comesdown at an angle,hits through the string and then sr,vingsback out again so thatthepick only hits onestringand avoidsthe adjacent strings.In the executionof a reststrokethepick pushes through the string at a dor,vnwardangle and literally comesto reston the next string(without pluckingit). The "rest" stroke is a very important flatpicking technique.especiallyif you'reafter moreof a Clarence White/TonyRice/Charles Sawtellesound.StevePottier's rest stroke article in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine suggested the ideaof usingpicks to play tiddly-r,vinks. Placethe pick on a coin and snap it dorvn-that's the motion you're looking for. On the guitar,you need a quick, snappymotion to drive through the string and thenyou immediatelystopsolidlywhenthepick comes to reston the next string. The an-eleof the pick stroke is about45 degrees dor,vnthrough the string and towards the guitar's top. The noteyou just pickedis verystrongandsolid,which is the purposeof this technique.A rest strokeprovides greatpowerand volumeandis used for emphasis.You can modify it with a hammer-on,pull-off, slide,or just let it ring (we will rvork with those embellishments shortlv).
oMoo Swing Stroke
o\oo Rest Stroke
Try this techniquewith the exampleshownabove. I've indicatedtwo rest strokesin a row here-the last note of measureI and the first note of measure2. Executea solid rest strokeon the first note. When the next note comes up. repeatanothersolid rest stroke. It's entirelypossibleto play an entiresolo,with plenty of notes,using only rest strokes.You'll get a distinctly White/Rice/Sawtelle sound,and using the rest stroke gives you on G-runs thatsolidpoppingG-run statement that really provides your rhythm playing with great dynamics. In order to becomea great acousticguitar player, you'll needto becomevery familiar and skilled with both swing strokesand rest strokes. Knowing when andhow to useeachof thesetechniqueswill add a great rangeof dynamicsto your guitar playing. Work with the simpleG-run shorvnin theexampleaboveusingthe rest stroke. Then play throughExample 15 many times usingthe reststrokein thoselasttwo measures.Notice that when you get it right, thosenoteswill really pop. Work with a metronometo make surethat your timing duringthe executionof the reststokesremainssolid.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Altetnal?ng Plck DilseclZonand Elghtlr NolePssctilce Before we move onto more bassrun examples,I needto takeanothershortdiversionandgive you a little bit of practice with eighth notes. Up until this point in this book we primarily worked with quarter note timing. You worked a little bit with eighth note timing when I introducedthe up-strumearlier,but otherwise everything that you have practiced so far has been executedin quarternotetiming usingdownstrokeswith your pick. In this sectionI need to introduceeighth note timing and the alternatepick direction right hand techniquethat goes along with it so that you will be readyto handleeighthnoteruns andrhythm fill licks in the examplesthat we will examinein the remainderof this book. Eighthnoterunsnot only help spiceup bass lines,but they alsoserveas great"filler licks" that can be insertedbetrveenvocal linesin songs.In a full band the fill licks are usually given to the banjo or fiddle player,however,if you find yourself in an ensemble that doesnot includethoseinstruments,you can take over that role. Doc Watsonis famousfor his ability to providetastefulandexcitingfill runsduringthe pauses in his vocal delivery.
time) and upstrokesareplayedon the "and" counts.As a beginnerthis is a very importantconceptto graspand a vital skill to obtain with the right hand. Thereareadvancedtechniquesthatmanyprofessional players use that will go againstthis rule of thumb, however,asa beginneryou will wantto solidlypractice this conventionuntil it becomessecondnatureto you. In flatpicking the right hand is the keeperof time, the produceroftone, and the sourceof speedand accuracy. If you don't have a solid alternatingpick direction technique,it will be difficult for your right hand to develop the necessarytechnique to reach advanced levels of skill. So, it will do you a world of good to practice the alternatingpick techniquewhen playing eighth notes-playing them slowly at first and then working to increaseyour speedwith a metronomebeforewe introducethem into our bassrun sequences.
Alternating Pick Direction At the beginningof this book I presentedquater note timing tn 414time and suggestedthat you count | - 2 - 3 - 4 , w i t h e a c h n u m b e r r e p r e s e n t ianqgu a r t e r notein time. I alsosuggested thateachtime you played a note on the quarternote count that you play it with a downstrokeof the pick. When we introduceeighth notes into a measure,we can count the measurein eight equal segmentsin time as "l-and-2-and-3-and4-and-". Conventionally,downstrokesare played on the numberedcounts (ust as they were in quaternote
Alternating Pick Direction Exercises Starting with Exercises I and 2 below, and then continuing on the next two pages with Exercises 3 through 8, practice your alternating pick stroke technique. Exercises1 and 2 may seemvery simple, however,they are well worth your time. Set your metronomeat a relatively slow tempo and, using the "swing stroke," practice Exercise I over and over. Focuson economyof motion with your right hand and try to get your downstrokeand upstroketo be equal in volume. During this exercise,you can also work on your tone and timing. Work with your metronometo improve timing and listen carefully to your tone. Vary your angleof attack,your distancefrom the bridge',hor,v hardyou hit the string,andhow firmly you aregrabbing the pick in order to try and get the best possibletone.
AJlernatilng Pick Exercise I
Alternating Plck Exerclse 2
1
Count
tl = downstroke
V = uPstroke
Flatpich,ing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
29
Use the exercisesin this sectionto do more than create alternatingpick muscle memory. Use them to make advancesin timing, tone and note clarity by being awareof thosecritical elementsof your guitar skill. As you move on to Exercise2, you shouldalso be awareof your left hand'scontributionto tone and note clarity. Experimentwith the amount of pressurethat you use r,vhenfretting the string and how quickly you lift the finger off of the string. Simple exerciseslike this are greatvehiclesto use in order to work on all of your fundamentalskills. If you listen carefully,and remain keenly awareof the fundamentals,your skill level will greatlyimprove.
AltesnatTng Pick Exerclse 3
After working with Exercises I and 2, work sequentiallythrough Exercises 3 through 6 using alternatingpick strokes. The notes are basically the samein thesefour exercises,but we are changingthe right handpatterns. After you feel comfortablewith Exercises3 to 6, then work with Exercises7 and 8. Exercise7 is an ascending anddescending G scale.Exercise8 takesthe G scaleand "folds" it on to itself in a repetitivepattern. With all of theseexercises,work with a metronome, start at a slow tempo, and then graduallyincreasethe tempo.
Play Examples3 through I using AlternatingPick Strokes
1
NletnatTng Plck Exercise 4
NletnatTng Plck Exercise 5
Altetnotilng Pick Ex. 6
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
NlernatTng Pick Exeecise7
Count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & FtV IIV
NV FV
1&2&3&4&
1&2&3&4&1&2&
I.IV FV
IIV ltV trV llV
FV FV
fl = downstroke
3&4& trV llV
Fl
V = upstroke
Altetnat?ng Pick Exercise 8
LJI Flatpicking EssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
3i
UsingEighth Notesfor Runsand Fill Licks
thentry changingthe quarternoterun of Example 16 to an eighth note run and fit it into measure6 of Example Now, back to bassruns! In the last bassrun segment 1 2 . we took quarternotebassrunsand spreadthemout a bit so that they wereexecuteda half note apart. Similarly, Practice: we can take our quarter note runs and executethem Play throughExample l6 many more quickly usingeighthnotes. Thesekind of quick times with a metronome. If runs can be employedvery effectively,particularly if you've neverplayedeighthnote you want to placea quick fill run during a vocal tune. runs before, start out slor,vand get a feel for the Takea look at ExampleI 6. In measures2 and4 we've timing and pick direction. Make surethat you are takenthe bassruns from measures2 and 4 of Example not rushingthroughthe run and startslow enough l3 and compressed them down to be executedin just that you areplaying eachnotecleanly. Work your trvo beatsinsteadof four. In measure6 I've provided way up to fast tempos,but do not lose the note you with anotherone of thosemixed runs. This one clarity in this run asthe tempoincreases. beginson anA note,whichwouldbe the noteyou would play if you weregoing to continuethe alternatingbass line pattern on the D chord that you played on beats Homework: I and 3 of measure5 and beat I of measure6. From Like the homework assignment there,this run simply outlinesa G major arpeggioby on the previouspage,try to apply playingthe B, D, B, thenG notes.I introducedtheidea rvhatyou havelearnedhereto other of moving in one directionalong a chord arpeggioin keys. Seeif vou canr,vorkout some measure6 of Example 12. That run was a quarternote eighth-notebassrunsin thekeysof C andD. After bass run that startedon the D note at beat one, then you do that, look back at someof the quarternote movedto an E note,back to D, then to B and G. You walk-upsand walk-downsthat you have played could also try that samerun hereby startingwith the D previouslyand seeif you can condensethe runs noteon beatthreeandplayingD, E, D, B, thenG. Just and play them in the ei_ehth-note style. for fun, try the Example 12 run as a quarternote run,
Excrmple 16zG, C, D Rhyflrm wllft Eighl|n Nole Runs G
C
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
3 with the last two beats of measure 1 and first tr'vo beatsof measure2). At the startof measure 4,Riley thenthrowsin aneighth one of my favorite guitarist to listen to for bass note run. Notice that the first five notesof measure4 run inspiration is Riley Puckett. In one of the very are the samenotesas the first five quarternotesof this early issuesof Flatpicking Guitar Magazine Joe Carr arrangement,but played in reverseand sped up from transcribeda Riley Puckettrhythm arrangementfrom quarter notes to eighth notes. Pretty cool trick! But a recordingof the song"Molly Put The Kettle On." In he's not done playing r,viththe timing of this bassrun that arrangement(which we will look at a little later), yet. Check out measures5 and 6. He takesthe same Riley combinesquarter,half, andeighth-notebassruns run asmeasureI and makesit a half-noterun with each in an interestingand effective manner. Riley played by a strum. Measures7 and 8 then notebeingseparated that arrangementin the key of C',but I've transposedan simply repeatrvhatwas played in measures3 and 4. I eight-barsectionto the key of G for Example 17' how you this arrangementbecauseit demonstrates You'll noticethat.like Example14,this is a very bass love can take a simple sequenceof bass notes,play them run heavy progression.In the first four bars,there are forwards,playthembackwards,and changethe timing only two strums.The bassline in thefirst two measures around so that you have a variety of bass run sounds is basically a G major arpeggiobassrun, thror,vingin that fit togetherin a cohesiveway' and sequences the 6th note of the scalein two placesfor a little added Before we move onto the practice and homework flavor. [This is a very typical line for bass players, throughExamplel7 a few times andthen which we will work with more in the exampleon the section,play takea look at ExampleI B (underthe "Borrowing from next pagetitled "Borrolvingfrom BassPlayers"'] Bass Players"title on the next page)' Once you've Riley rvalksup this bassline andthenbeginsto walk playedthroughExamplel8 you may noticethatyou've back down the samebassline, but insteadof walking heard this bass line before. It is a very popular line all the way back down to the low G note,he throws in for bassplayersto play when they are playing a l2-bar a strum after the D note (on the last beat of measure blues. two). In measurethreehe plays four quarternotesthat outline a part of the samesequence(comparemeasure
Mixing Up the BassRun Timing
Exomple lrzG, G, D Rhyrhm iltixlng up lhe Bass R.unTlmlng
Ftatpiclting EssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, BassRuns, and Fill Licks
Excmple 18: Borrow?ng From BeissPloyers - The l2-Bsr Blues in G G
The first two bars in this bassline rvalk up the G arpeggio(rviththe sixthnoteof the scaleaddedfor extra "spice"- so technicallyit would be a G6 arpeggio).We r,valkfrom the G noteon the low E stringto the openG note on the G string,and then walk back down to end on the lorv G note againon the first beat of measure3. Recognizethis sequenceof notes? Our friend Riley Puckettdesignedthe entireS-barsof the progressionin ExampleI 7 aroundthisbassline! He playedit forward, played it backward,changedthe timing, and threw in some strums.but it is exactly the same sequenceof notes. And you can do the samething with this and many othersbasslines. If you know any bassplayers, askthem to show you a few of their favorite basslines, then pick them apart,changethe timing, and throw in some strums in order to createvour own interesting bassruns. 34
In Example I 8, the bassline that is playedagainst the G chord is the samein measuresI and 2, 3 and4, and7 and 8. The C chordbassline is very similar,but does not add in the 6th note of the scale. This bass line simply outlines the three notes that make up the C major chord-C, E, and A. This C major arpeggio can be usedin many differentways againsta C chord, just like Riley Puckettusedthe G major aqpeggioin Example17. Keep this sequence in mind for a variety of bassline applicationsthat can be played againstthe C chord. In measures9 and l0 I am providingyou two runs that r,valkup the A string and the D string,respectively, in a chromaticstyle. Then in measures1l and 12 we arewalkingback down the G arpeggioagainto end on a low G note. This 12-barbassline sequence is one of many that bassplayerswill use r,vhenaccompanying a
Flatpiclzing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
songthat is in the standardl2-bar form. Variationson Alletnsle tleeisures lor Exomple this themeaboundand so I've providedsomesubstitute of G measures on this pagein the right handcolumn. These Alt 1: Substitutefor anv2 measures 1G are alternatemeasuresthat you can plug in to the progressionshown in Example 18. Alternate#l is the samebassline as shownin Example 18, however, we have replacedthe G note on the first beat of the secondmeasurewith an F note (the flatted7th note of the G scale). Adding this note gives the bassline a distinctbluesfeel. Alternate#2 is a simpleG arpeggio repeatedtwice. You'll notice that it is the sameline thatyou playedin measures 5 and6 of ExampleI 8, but Alt 2: Substitute for anv 2 measuresof G transposedto G. Alternate#3 is the sameas Alternate 3 G #1,,but played in C. Alternates#4 and#5 go together andreplacemeasures 9 through12 tn Example18. The sequencethat is played againstthe D chord is, once again,a simplearpeggio.
18:
Practice: Play throughExample l8 many times with a metronome. This is not a sequencethat you will play as a guitar player, but going through it r,vill help you get ideas and give you familiarity with arpeggiosand how to use them. After you are familiar with Example I B, try to plug in someof the alternatemeasuresthat are shown in the right handcolumnon this page. Mix andmatchandsee what soundsgoodto vou.
Homework: Now that you have practiceda few bass lines in the context of what a bassplayermight use,seeif you can break a few of theselines apartand play them with strumsintermingledwith the bass notesasRiley Puckettdid in Example17. Also try changingthe timing to half-notesand eighthnotes on someof theseand seewhat you can create. To get you started,simply play throughExample l8 in its entirety,but thrervin a strumbetlveenevery bassnote. You'11noticethat it soundsprettygood. The next time you are in a jam session,instead of continually playing an alternatingbasspattern betweenyour rhythm strums,try an arpeggiobass line betweenyour strums. We'll talk more about thosekind of basslinesa little later.
Alt 3: Substitute for anv 2 measuresof C 5C
Alt 4: Substitute for measures9 & 10 7DC
Alt 5: Substitutefor measures11& 12
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythrn, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
9G ,l
T
35
9-R.uilsr HamrnGr-Ons, Pull-Offs, ond Slldes In this sectionwe are going to startworking with fill saysthat all downstrokesoccuron the numberedcounts licks and the "Granddaddy"of them all is the G-run. and the upstrokesoccur on the "and" counts-when As you will see,therearemany variationsof the G-run, we start measure3, we are going to play a downstroke and a good numberof them employ embellishments, (seethe count and compareit with the pick direction or slurs,known as hammer-ons,pull-offs, and slides. symbolsandtab below). So beforevvetalk aboutthe G-run,letsfirst discussthe In measure4,I introducethe "slide." To execute just in caseyou are this technique,play the C note at the third fret with hammer,pull, and slidetechniques not familiar with them. your ring finger,then play the B note with your middle Take a look at Example 19. You will find that it is finger. After that noterings, keeppressureon the string very similar to Example 16, however,thereare a few and slide the middle finger up along that string until new symbolsand lettersaddedin measures2,4, and you hearthe soundof the C note at the third fret again. 6. [n measure2 | have addeda hammer-on.For this Then play the C# note at the forth fret by fretting that techniqueyou will simply fret the A# note on the first note at the fourth fret'uvithyour ring finger andpicking fret of the A string with your index finger and pick the an upstroke. Again, in keeping with our alternating stringas before,however.insteadof picking the string pick strokeconvention,we are not picking the C note a-eainto play the B note on the secondfret, you simply that is playedon the 3rd beat-so we havean upstroke "hammer"your middle finger dorvnon that note. The to initiate the slide and then we play anotherupstroke importantthing to noticehereis that becauseit is your after executingthe slide. Working out pick direction left hand making the sound on the B note, you will rvhenplaying embellishments and slurs is one of the not play the upstrokepick directionat the end of the most difficult right hand challenges.Focuson it now measure, andin keepingwith ourruleof thumb-which and it will not causeproblemslater.
Exomple 19: Adding Hcmrner-Oisr Pull-Offs, and glldes # |
ount
1 &2 & 3&4 & tl It ll !'1
1& 2& |l tl
3 &4& t |l
1&2 -ll
&3& ft
4&
n
1&2 nll
&3& FI
4& F
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lich,s
The next slurs occur in measure6. The first one is anotherhammer-ontechnique. Play the open A note and then "hammer" down onto the B note. On the fourth beat of that measureyou will executea "pulloff' technique.In orderto accomplishthis, play the B note with your middle finger on the secondfret of the A string. Then slightly pull on the string while lifting up your middle finger. This causesthe string to snap off the end of your finger and allows the A note to ring out. Notice that althoughnotesarebeing playedon the "and" after beat 2 andbeat 4, you are playing with all downstrokesin this measure.The hammerand pull are taking care of those notesthat you hear on the "and" beats,so no up strokeis required. Next take a look at Example 20 below. This progression is very similarto Example8,,however,I've addedhammer-ons, pull-offs,and slides. Interestingly enough,all of theseembellishments are executedon a downstroke. So, even though you have some eighth note timing here,you can play this entire progression with all downstrokes.Also notice that I've not just addedthe slurs to measures2 , 4, and 6. I startedoff with a slide on beat I of measurel. This is a nice accentthat you can use anytime that you play that G note on the low E,string.
Practice: Play through Examples 19 and 20 many times with a metronome while focusins on pick correct direction and timing. Pay special attentionto measure4 of Example 19. You may feel like you want to play the last note in that measurewith a downstroke,but it needsto be played r,vithan upstroke. At this point in time it may feel awkward to play two upstrokesin a row. Take your time and play that measureover and over to get a good feel for the technique.
Homework: Now that you have a little experiencewith hammer-ons, pulloffs, and slides,go backthroughall of the Examplesthat you have worked with thus far and see where you may be able to add these embellishments.Adding slursreally helps spice up your rhythm runs,however,don't get too over zealouswith them. Too much can be distractins to the listener.
Excmple 2Oz Addlng Hcm.ner-Oilsr Pull-Offs, ernd Slildes #2 G
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Rlrns, and Fill Licks
C
G-Runs On the two pagesthat follow I have laid out 20 variationsof the G-run. I have given you plenty of examplesto work with so that you can get accustomed to this importantelementof rhythm guitar and so you can also have plenty of opportunitiesto practiceyour hammer-ons,pull-offs, slides, and rest strokes. As always, timing is the most important componentto work on, especiallyif you arenew to playingslurs. Regardingthe use of G-runs,the greatbluegrass guitar player CharlesSawtellethoughtof G-runs like "punctuation."Below I havereprintedan interviewthat I conductedwith Charlesaboutthe useof the G-run:
I play anotherone that just startswith an upstrokeon the 5th string(seeexample13). That gives a different soundto it. The differencesare subtle,but the art lies beyond the obvious.I also use this chromaticG-run (seeexamplel8), or I will also go forwardsand then backwardswith the G-run (seeexample 20). Another one I sometimesplay _qoes like this (seeexamplel4).
Do you also play a G-run type of lick out of the C position? Not too often.Somehowendingthe G-run lick on an unwoundstring(first fret on the B string)doesn'tsound right to me, so in C I usuallywon't play that run. I think of the G-run as punctuation.When you are Tim O'Brien told me that I should ask you about an playing it within a tune,it is a good way to get people analogy you have made between punctuation of the to pay attention.The G-run is what really setspeople written word and playing rhythm guitar. (Charleslaughs)Well. I sometimesthink of the back.When you play the G-run.no matterhow out of G-runlike punctuation-theperiod,,the questionmark, whackthebandgets,whenyou hit theG-runeverything the exclamationpoint, and the comma.For instance, falls back into focus.It is prettyimportantto havethat in "Roll in my Sr,veet Baby'sArms" (Charlespicks up in the song. his -quitarand startsto play and sing). (Sings).,"Roll in my sweetbaby's arms." At the end of singingthe So if you didn't have it, it might be like trying to rvord "arms." Charleshits a short trvo note G-run on read a paragraph that had no punctuation marks? Yeah,that is r,vhatI think. the guitar (E noteon the D string and then openG) and says,"There's your comma." He continuessinging, "Roll in my sweet baby's arms," then he throws in Do you have any comment about when you would another"comma run" by playing the D chord trvo note play thosedifferent type of G-runs, or do you strictly G-run (B noteon the A stringfollorvedby an openD). vary the G-run just to have a variety? I fill them in for varietybecauseI think that you can He continuessinging,"Lay aroundthe shacktill the mail train comesback,roll in my sweetbaby'sarms." really overdothe G-run.But it has to be there,so if it At theendof the"arms"Charlesthrowsin a full. strons. is there in severaldifferent forms, you can get away with playingit more.Waltztime on a Bill Monroetune G-runand says,"Thereis your period." would be a time whenI mightusethatrealheavyG-run. But othertimes it might not work out. You haveto be Can you give us some thoughts on the G-run? A lot of peopletry to get away with only havingone sensitiveto the mood of the sons. G-run,but I think you shouldhave severalin your bag of things that you do and you shouldnot alwaysplay If you are playing a really fast song are there times when you can'tfrt the whole G-run in? the sameG-run all the time. I can usuallyfit the G-run in, but just the last two Can you give us an example of some of the G-runs notesof it sometimesworks really good. In a fast song my strumis really light and quick. So in that kind of a you use? The first generationbluegrassguys,especiallythe tune I r,villjust lay back and do the punctuationand if onesthat playedwith a thumb pick, did one that was you do that,you can play rhythm really fast.If you try all straight dorvn with down strokes (rest strokes) to play the whole chord,you can get in a lot of trouble on the four strings(seeexamplesl0 and ll). That is and you can drown out everyoneelsein the band. like a really heavy G-run. I think of that one like an Practicethe 20 G-runs on the next two pages. exclamationpoint or a questionmark. (Sings)"Will you be loving anotherman?"(playsreststrokeG-run). Descriptionsanddetailsfollorv. 38
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
ftrenty G-Run Veideiflons
I 1 3 /;\
@
\7
I 17
6 s./
I
nttRest Strokes
I A \-7
AllRestStrokes Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
ftrenfy G-R.unVariaflons (contf) 21@
alternating .) rest stroke *
33
a\
I
@
I
m,l \-7
#JJ Fl tt
VFI
|IVII V V
l'l F
FI
E|lIIVFI
l--l Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
G-R.unAnolysis Number L - This first G-run is the most basic of all the G-runs. The G-run soundis executedon just two notes-the E note on the D string, follorved by the strong open G note on the G string. Sometimesthis one is referredto as the "Lester Flatt" G-run because Lesterwas found of playingthis two-noteG-run. Note that Lesterplayed with a thumb pick, so all of his runs were executedusing downstrokes. This run (and the next three basic variationsof it) are nice to use when the tempo is fast. Make surethat you use rest strokes so that theseG-runsreally pop.
time value. This gracenote hammer-onis played very quickly. Number 10 - This G-run is similar to number 6, however,we have addedthe hammer-onsand changed the time values. This one is tricky time-wise. This measureusesa dottedquarternote. We will work with that time value shortly. If you are having trouble with this one. come back to it after I introducethe dotted quarternote. Use a metronometo get the timing right. Numbers 11 through 14 - These four G-runs are variationson numberB. We are simply changingsome timing elementsand someof the slurs.
Numbers 2 through 4 - These three G-runs are the sameasnumber1 on beat4 of the first measureandbeat 1 of the secondmeasure(thesearethe most critical two notesto have in the G run). The differencebetweenall of theseis the way you leadinto beat4 of measureone. Thesethreeall lead in with different strum patterns.
Numbers 15 through 18 - In these G-runs we take more liberty to change around some of the notes in measure1. Theseruns providesomespiceand flavor to the G-run. You might want to use one of theseif you feel like you keep relying on the sameold G-run all the time. Adding one of thesewill give a different Number 5 This is againsimilar to number l, except soundto your G-run. Try 15 usingbothreststrokesand we areaddinga pull-off. Again executethis G-run with alternatepicking,as indicated. reststrokes. Numbers 19 and 20 - Thesetwo G-runsare "forwards Number 6 - This G run is leadingup to the G note on and backwardsruns." They starton the low G note on beat one of measure2 with four eighth notes. Some the low E string,move to the openG string,thenmove peoplewill play all four of thesenoteswith reststrokes, back down to the originallow G. Thesearenice to use but it requiresa very fast right hand. You can try with at the end of a verseor chorus.or at the end of a solo. rest strokes,but if that is hard for you to execute,then use the alternatingpick technique. You can also vary There are many more G-run variationsthat you this G-run by executinga hammer-onon both beats3 might comeup with, and you'll seeseveralmore as we and4 of measure1. If you do that, then it r,villbe easy go throughthe remainderof this book. If you are able to executerest strokeson thosebeats.and on beatone to work throughall of the G-runs that I have provided of measure2. here, you will not only becomemore proficient at the rest stroke and playing slurs, you rvill also improve Number 7 - This G-run is similarto the last.however, your senseof timing when playing quarternotes and we've changedthe first note in beat 3 of measureI and eighth notes in variouscombinations.You will also addedthe hammer-ontechnique. As indicated,use all havebuilt up quite a few nice G-run licks to addto your reststrokes. musical"vocabulary." As you work throughthe variousG-runs,makenote Number 8 - This is the "classic" G-run that many of how they differ. How doesthe timing change?Hor,v playersuse as their standardG-run lick. Again, you doesthe note selectionand sequencechange?How do can try it with all rest strokes,,but that can be a little the embellishmentschange? If you study thesethings tricky. At a minimum the lastbeatof measureI andthe you will begin to get some ideas about how you can first beat of measure2 shouldbe rest strokes. createyour own variationsof the G-run,andotherlicks and runs that you may alreadyknow. If you take what Number 9 - This is a variationof number5. The first you alreadyknow and changethe timing a little bit, or note of beat 3 in measureI is called a "grace note." add a slur, or changethe note selectionslightly,then A gracenote is executedvery rapidly and is given no you arecreatingyour own musicandyour own musical Flotpiching EssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
47
identity. It is neverto early to startcreatingmusic that is all your own! Don't be afraidto experiment!
Practice: Play through all of the G-runs that have been presentedusing a metronome. Start at a slow tempo so that you can work through the timing and the pick direction carefully. Make sure that you practiceeachG-run enoughtimesso thatthey begin to becomesecondnatureto you, especially the first three or four. In a fast bluegrasstune you aren't going to have time to think aboutthat G-run,you haveto have it built in to your muscle memorv.
Homework: After studying 20 vartationsof the G-run try to come up with at least tr,voor three of your own. They don't have to vary much from the ones you've alreadypracticed. Experimentand come up with somethingdifferent. Also, see if you can transposea few of theselicks to the key of C and the key of D. By doing that you will not only createa few new runs that you can use, you will alsoget somemore greattiming and slur practice.
lntegsatlng
Wherf Youtve lceirned
Now that you've spenta little bit of time practicing G-runs,eighthnoteruns,reststrokes,and slurs,letsput those things togetherwith a fer,vmore I, IV, V chord progression Examplesin the key of G. Example2l presentsseveraleighthnote runs. Play through this progressiona few times and take note of any commonthreadshere. Do the eighth note runs tie into eachotherin somervay? Checkit out and seewhat you think. The first thing that you may have noticed is that the eighthnoteruns in measures2 ,4, and6 are similar to each other. They all have a similar descending movement.Again,this is oneof thoserepeatedthemes that is going to key a listener'sear into recognizing that a chord changeis coming. Take note that the run in measure2 andthe run in measure6 are exactlythe same,exceptmoved over one string. You may have also noticedthat the run played on beats3 and 4 of measure6 is the exactrun, but in reverse,of the piece of the endingG-runthatis playedin measure7 on beats 2 and3. I designedthis progressionin this mannerto
G, C, D Rhylhrrr - Example 2l G
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
show you how you can createcommon themesfrom one basic idea. If you createone lick and then learn how to move it to other stringsand play it againstother chords, and then play it going forwards and moving backwards,you can come up with a lot of great ideas on your own. You may alsonoticethat I didn't put any slursinto this progression.The G-run is just like G-run number8, but rvithoutthe hammer-ons or pull-offs. So thereyou haveanotherG-run variation. Before we move on to Practiceand Homework for this section,lets take a look at the next two examples. Play throughExample22. The first thing that you may notice here is that we start off the progressionwith a G-run. The G-run is not just for endings. It makes a greatstatementright from the beginningsometimes. your attentionwas The next thing that may havecau_eht the very cool D lick in measure5. This onecomesto us from Jimmy Martin. Jimmy played this one with rest 5 strokes,so give thata try. Playeverynotein measures and6 usingreststrokes.You canalsopracticemeasure 5 with alternatingstrokesas indicated. We end with a simple G-run, rvhich should also be played with rest strokes. Next take a look at Example23. This one also starts and endswith G-runs. The first G-run is like number 9, but doesn'tbegin with a gracenote. If you usethe
rest strokefor the G-run and then walk down to the C chord as show,you get a real nice classicbassline. In measure4 we have a nice variation of the chromatic walk up to D. This one is borrowedfrom the playing of Del McCoury. This is a cool lick! In measure6 and 7 of Example 23, you'll notice that I've taken the forward and backwards G-run (number l9) and placedthe backwardspart in front of the forrvardspart. Notice that the first note of measure 6 is a half note,so don't rushby playing a quarternote there. That is the last of our I, IV. V progressions in the key of G. Hopefully by working with the23 examplesthat I you now feel confidentwith usingbass havepresented, runs and fill licks in a chord progressionthat moves from G to C to D. And if you've doneyour homework, you will also have practicedthe same,or similar,runs and licks for I, IV, V progressions in at leastthe keys of C and D. Also, I hope that by going throughall of theseexamplesyou have seenhow easy it is to start rvith a few principles(walking up and walking down, useof timing, useof slurs.useof reststrokes)and with the addedknowledgeof a few scalesandarpeggiosyou can createnearly an infinite number of bassruns and fill licks. Once you have a fer,vexamplesunderyour belt. the skv is the limit!
Gr C, D Rhyffurr - Exomple 22
a lt e rn t i n g
F
rests
F||l
+ll ke + l l
V
VII flt
Flatpiclzing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
G, C, D Rhyffurr - Exeimple23
Practice: Play through Exercises 21, 22, and 23 r,vith a metronome focusing on timing and correct pick strokes. Practiceat a slow tempo first and makesurethatall of your notesareclean,especially when executinga slur.
Homework: Now that you have worked with 23 examples,get togetherwith one of your picking buddiesand try to put what you have learnedto use. If you have worked through these examples,and done your homework,you should find that you can easily mix and match different runs and licks to come up with somethingnew. Rememberthat in all of the exampleshere I've overloadedthem with runs and fill licks just for the purposeof you being able to learn as many things aspossible.You rvill not necessarily usethis many runs in just eight bars of music. Sometimesyou will just want to strumand play it simple. It will all dependon the size and instrumentationof the ensemble. 44
Creqtlng fhovernenf Whlte StayTng wiflr Only One Chord Earlier I statedthat one of the goals of a rhythm player was to createmovementin a song by leading the listener'sear to the next chord change. All of the examplesthat we have worked with to this point in the book have been progressionswhere the chord changedevery two measures.However,in many of the songsthat you are going to play the chordsdo not changethat often. Therefore,in this sectionI am going to give you someexamplesof how you can createan interestingrhythm accompaniment, and createa sense of movementthat propelsthe songforward, when you are stayingwith the samechord for more than a couple of measures.The old-timeplayerswho playedbehind banjosor fiddles,wheremastersof this technique. Play through both of the G rhythm exampleson the next page many times in a row. Basically we are usingthe alternatingbasstiming,but insteadof always alternatingbetweenthe root and the 5th note of the scale,we are moving{he bassnote aroundby using other scalenotes. More times than not we will use notesin the scalethat are also in the chord, but as we have seenin other examples,using the 6th note of the scale(theE notein the key of G) alsoworks well. This
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Liclzs
G Rhylhrn - Example I G
G Rhyfhtn - Excrmple 2 G
createsa senseof forward movementin the songeven though you are not changingthe chord. The quarter notebassrun at the end simply addsa bit of spiceand extrainterestto the mix. After you have become familiar with the G chord rhythm examplesabove,try G Rhythm Example 3 on thenextpage.All I've donehereis takenwhat is r,vritten aboveas a basisand addedsomeeighthnoteruns to the mix. There are dozensof different variationsthat you could derive from what you have learned already in this course.This is just one of many that you can use. For example,take the first two measuresof Example 18 and expandthe quarternote bassline to half notes by throwing a strumbetweeneachnote. As always,I encourageyou to experimentand come up with new waysof playing a G Rhythm. The bestway to do this is just sit with your guitarand work up new ideas. Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Practice: Play through G Rhythm Examples I through 3 with a metronome.
Homework: Play each of the G chord rhythms presentedhereand seewhat kind of embellishmentsyou can add. For instance,play G RhythmExample2 andhammer-onthe third beatof measureI andthe first beatof measure2. Experimentwith different variationsbasedon someof the G measurebass runs you alreadyknow. 45
G Rhythrn - Exomple 3 G
Onceyou havea feel for the G Rhythm Examples, move on and try the threeC Rhythm Examplesshown at the bottom of this pageand the next page. The first two are similar to the first tr,voG Rhythm Examples. Then in the third exampleI add in a bunch of eighth note runs. While eighth note runs can soundbusyand thus you shouldonly use them when you are not competing with anotherinstrumentalistthat is trying to play fill licks-they are nice to use when you are the only instrumentin the ensemblewho is providing fill licks. I have also providedtheseeighth note fill licks becauseoneof our goalsin this book is to provide you with the basicskills that will help you developthe
ability to play lead guitar. If you becomecomfortable with eighth note runs while playing rhythm, you can easily use thesesameruns to fill in betweenmelody notes when you start to learn how to play lead guitar. So practicetheseruns over andover so that you gain an intuitive familiarity rvith them. When you are playing C Rhythm Exercise3, make surethat you practicemoving from measureB back to measureI while playingthroughthis exerciseover and over. That way you will learn how to use the lick in measure8 to full effect.
C R.hyflurr - Exomple I
tl Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
C R.hytfun - Exomple 2
C Rhyfhrn - Excmple 3
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Practice: Play through C Rhythm Examples I through 3 with a metronome.
Homework: Play each of the C chord rhythms presentedhere and see 'whatkind of embellishmentsyou can add. Also work to find somevariations.A good idea is to try and mix and match different licks from each of the examplesto see how they might fit tosetherin differentwavs.
D Rhyfhfrr - Excmple I
Now let's look at somebasslines and fill licks that you might play againsta D chord. Again,the first two examplesaresimilar to the first two that werepresented for G and C, just transposed to D. The third example here has six measuresof D and then movesinto G for the lasttr,vomeasures.I havealsoprovidedsomeextra measuresthat you could use in placeof the chromatic run in measure2. I r,vanted to add the first lick because this is the typical D chord versionof the G-run. You canplay this as written,or you can usehammer-onson both the 3rd and 4th beats and combine the hammeronswith reststrokeson thosebeats.A lot of the earlier bluegrassplayers,like Jimmy Martin, usedthis type of lick when playing againsta D chord and looking for that G-run feel. The secondlick is a variationof the first and I've addedthis in orderto introduceyou to the dottedquarter note. We will rvorkwith this timins moreasthis course
D Rhythrn - Example 2
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
D Rhythm - Exeimple 3
Substitutesfor Measure 2
SecondSubstituteWith RestStokes: 1t)
First Substitute:
SecondSubstituteWith AlternatingPick Technique: D
Count
progresses,so it is appropriateto take a look at it here. A dotted quarter note gets the sametjme duration as three eighth notes. If you look at the count on the measureshown on the left you will seethat whereasa quarternote would receivethe time duration"1 &", the dottedquarternote receivesthe time duration" l & 2" . This timing can be tricky if you've neverworked with it. So get out your metronome,setit out a slow tempo and work with this lick. I've given you two picking options. The first (left) is using alternatepicking and the second (above) is executedwith all downstrokesin the rest stroke style. Eachis a challengewith this lick, so practiceuntil you get it right.
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9yncopeillon
Practice: Play through D Rhythm Examples 1 through 3 with a metronome. PracticeExample 3 over and over using the alternatemeasures. Work with the second alternatemeasureusing both alternatingpick directionand the rest stroke until you feel comfortable with both styles of picking and you feel comfortablewith the timing of the dottedquarternote.
Homework: Play each of the D chord rhythms presentedhere and see what kind of embellishmentsyou can add. Also work to find somevariations. Again, a good idea is to try and mix and match different licks from eachof the examplesto see how they might fit together. Also, you've now been introducedto over 20 variationsof the G-run. Seeif you can't find somemore alternateD licks that aresimilarto the first measure2 alternate.I'm surethat you can find two or threeothersthat you mieht like.
In the last sectionI introducedyou to the conceptof the dottedquarternote. In this section,on syncopation, you are going to get the opportunity to practice the dottedquarternotetiming quitea bit sothatyou solidify this conceptin your mind and on your guitar. Syncopatedrhythms are those that are, in some way, unexpectedin that they deviatefrom the common senseof strongbeatsand weak beats. In other words, beatsare stressedin placesthat they normally are not stressed.So far in this coursethe down beats(beats1 and 2) have been stressedthe most prominently,with beats3 and 4 being the weakerbeats. When playing eighthnote rhythm,beats1,2,3, and 4 arestressed morethanthe "&" beats.When we syncopatea rhythm we stressthose6'&'! beats,and using a dottedquarter note is an excellentway to make those65&"beatspop out and get noticed. Example I belor,vshowsa chromaticrun that we haveworkedwith in severalof our previousexamples. It is shownin straightquarternotetiming. Playthrough this progression, which startswith the G chord,moves to D, and then back to G. Get comfortablewith the timing. Example2 showsthe samerun, but I've alteredthe timing. I slid the secondnote forward in tirne by an
Example 1 - Straight Quarter Note Time GD 1 I
I
Example 2 - Syncopation #1
I 50
FlatpicleingEssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, BassRuns, and Fill Licks
Example 3 - Syncopation#2
Example 4 - Syncopation #3 G
Example 5 - Eighth Note Run
Example 6 - Half Note Bass Run G
eighth note and I made it a dotted quarter note. Play all rest strokeson this measurewith a specialemphasis on that secondnote. Examples3 and 4 aboveshow the samenote sequence,but I've moved the notes around in time again using the dotted quarter note in different places. In example 3 it moves to the third note and in example 4 it moves to the 4th note. When working with these examples,play all rest strokes with more
emphasis on the dotted quarter note than the other notes. Practicewith your metronometo help you with the timing. Example 5 shows the same run, but compressed to eighth note time, and then Example 6 spreadsthe run out over two measuresusing the half note bassrun timing. Measures2 and 3 in example six can be a little tricky. Make surethat you notice and play the half note
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Taking lnventory
Practice: Play through all of the syncopation examples paying special attention to the timing. The first syncopatedexample (Example 2) is probably the most common as far as usage, however, I'd like you to practice all of them in order to get a feel for working with the dotted quarternote timing. Work with the metronomeat a varietyof tempos.
Homework: After you have worked through all of the examplesin the syncopation section,look at the tab shownat the bottom of his page. The example showsa chromaticrun that we have workedwith previously.Seeif you can takethis run and insert dotted quarternotes as you did on the last two pages.Playthe exampleas is, with quarternotes. Then chansethe first note to an eighth note and the secondnote to a dotted quarternote and work rvith that variation. Then changethe timing as we did in examples3,4, and 5 on the previouspage. After you've worked to changethe run shown below by adding a dotted quarternote timing in variousplaces,go back throughsomeof the I, IV, V progressionin thekey of G thatyou haveworked with previouslyin this book and see where you might insertsomesyncopated timing. Experiment and seeif you can come up with somenew runs that soundgood to your ear. Anywhere you see two quarternotes in a row, changethe first to an eighthnoteand the secondto a dottedquarternote and seehow it sounds.
Thus far in this book you've been introducedto a variety of bassruns and fill licks that utilize eighth notes, quarter notes, dotted quarter notes, and half notes. You've been shown how to build those runs using scalesand arpeggiosas road maps and you've learnedhor,vto embellishand ornamentthoseruns with the use of slursand rest strokes. If you've done your homework,you've learnedhow to play thoseruns and licks in a varietyof keys. Havingpracticedeverythingthatthis book hasshown you so far, you should feel comfortableand confident with taking all of these elements and mixing and matchingthem in a variety of ways in orderto comeup with your own bassruns and filI licks. The variations that you can createare literally endless.All you have to do is take what you've beenshownand thenchange aroundthe note duration,or the note selection,or the slur,and you havesomethingthat is all your own. From here,in order to learn how to use what you havelearnedit is simply goingto takea lot of practice. In orderto implementwhat you've learnedin a jam. all of these variationsand various elementsare going to haveto becomesecondnatureto you. If you practice them enough,thesevariousruns and licks will come out of your subconsciousas you are jamming with other people. A good idea is to get togetherwith some friends who love to play lead on their instrument,or sing, and back them up. As you are backingthem up, don't be afraid to experimentand try different things. Take note of what soundsgood to you and get some feedbackfrom your picking partner. If you don't have a picking buddy,thenput on someCDs andplay along with them. Find a songthat you know that is on a CD and play along with the band over and over again and try new thingseverytime.
Example to work wlfh lor Syncopafion Homewor{r
ll Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
The BluegreissG Chord & Atlenqte$trums Thus far in all of our examplesI have focusedthe instructionon basslines and fill licks. My purposefor this is rooted in preparingyou for the next volume of the coursewhere we will be looking at moving from rhythm to playing lead. My feeling is that if you have a lot of experiencewith bassruns and rhythm fill licks, it is very easyfor you to move on to playing leadguitar using the Carter style as a stepping stone. The one variable on playing rhythm that I have not addressed much at all is how to vary the strum. Before I provide you with examples of rhythm styles from some of the famous players in old time and bluegrassmusic,I will first briefly introduceyou to some alternate strumming possibilities. While there are dozensof different strummingcombinations and variationsthat you might come up with, I have presented nine popularstrumsthatyou could chooseto use in additionto the two that you've alreadyworked with in this book.
G Chord Variations Before we get to the strum variationsthough,I want to also show you a differentway to play your G chord. Take a look at the diagramson the right. The first is the standardG chord that you havebeen r,vorkingwith in this course. The secondis sometimesreferred to as the "bluegrassG chord" becauseit has a mellower or "lonely" sound and is popular amoung bluegrass players. Strum eachof the two chordsand seeif you can recognrzea difference.The X at the bottom of the A string in the seconddiagramindicatesthat you mute that string with the meatypart of your middle finger so that it doesnot makea sound. Technicallythe differenceis that in the "bluegrassG" we have eliminatedall of the B notes. A major chord is made up of the root. 3rd, and 5th notesof the scale. In the standardG chord all of thosenotes are present. In the "bluegrassG", we've eliminatedthe 3rd (B note) and thus the chord is only madeup of the root note (G) and the 5th note (D). This gives a mellower soundto the chord, which is desirablein some songs. If you are playing a happy song,you'd want to choosethe standardG chord,however,a lonely,mellow songmay soundbetter with the "bluegrassG." Experimentand seewhich one you like bestin a given situation.In the examplesthat follow in this book you will find both of theseG chordshapesbeingused.
G B D G BG
G X DG DG
Steinderrd G
3'Bluegrers O')
Alletnqle Sfrums Number 1 - You've seenboth of thesestrumsbefore, however,whatI did herethat is differentwasto combine the low G note (root) and the D note (5th) in an eighth notetiming patternon beat3 of measure1. Adding this patternhelps give a fuller and more complex soundto the rhythm. Number 2 - This oneis similarto NumberI , but instead of playing low G then D on beat 3 of measure1, you play the openstring D notefollowed by the openstring G note. Number 3 - This variationcombinesthe elementsof Number I and Number 2 in the samemeasure.This providesan evenfuller soundto the rhythm. You might chooseto threw in this kind of rhythm to fill the space rvhen there is a vocal pause at the end of a singing line. Number 4 - Here we have a syncopatedrhythm using the dottedquarternote. This is a greatstrumpatternto usewhen you want to emphasizethe secondbeatof the measure.Play the dottedquarternote strum with extra emphasis. This one also fits r,vellrvhenthe vocalist addsemphasisto a word on the samebeat. Number 5 - Here I've addeda strum acrossthe lor,v notesof the chord insteadof just playinga singlebass note (which you can do at any time for effect) andthen I've alteredthe timing of the strumsthat follor,v. Pay attentionto your strum direction here (see direction notation).
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
53
Alternste Sfrum Pstlerns
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54
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Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Number 6 - AlternateStrum PatternNumber 6 is very similar to Number 3, however,we begin the measure with a grace note slide into the G note on the low E string, and I have not included the eighth note figure on the third beat. You could add it in there,or not, as you desire.
dynamics in your playing is to "lay back" or have a softer volume when the singer is singing or when anotherinstrumentis soloing. Then when there is gap,or a hole to filI, in the vocal line or the soloist's you "punch it," and increaseyour volume. expression, Outside of that generalrule of thumb, the use of dynamicsis very subjectiveand is a matterof feel that Numbers 7 through 9 - These three patterns are is basedon your experiencelevel and the messageyou indicative of a rhythm style that rvas introduced to aretrying to communicatewith your music. You want the bluegrassworld by Jimmy Martin. BeforeJimmy to learn when it is appropriateto really accenta bass joined Bill Monroe's band, many of Monroe's guitar line, or alternatively,when it might be more effective playersplayed r,vitha thumb pick (LesterFlatt, Carter to lower the bassnotesin volume and really punchthe Stanley,Edd Mayfield to name a few) and so their strumsin a percussivemanner.The bestthing to do is rhythm stylehad heavydownstrokebassruns. Jimmy be ar,vare of your dynamicsand listen to other players. Martin's addeda differentdynamic. Banjo playerBill The worst thing to do is be that guy at the jam session EmersonexplainedMartin's style by saying,"Jimmy that plays at the samevolume all the time and doesn't was a whole different style of guitar player than know how to lay back and allow the otherplayers,or LesterFlatt who was a thumb pick finger pick type of singers', to be heard. Tim Stafford is knorvn as one of the most tasteful a player.Jimmy was a flatpick player.Jimmy Martin had a drive and a tone on his guitar that no other guitar playersin bluegrassand Tim alwaysrecommendsthat playerhasgot...absolutely canpushyou andmakeyou you "play to the song." What that meansis that you go wherehe wantsyou to go with his guitar."Jimmy useall of the tools in your rhythmic bagsof tricks in a Martin referredto his styleof playingrhythm guitaras way that helpssupportthe singerand othermusicians "rumble rhythm." It consistsof very full down stroke communicatethe messageand meaningof the song. andupstrokestrumsas shownin Examples7,8, and9. Skillful use of dynamics helps communicatethe Jimmy masterfully interspersedthese full strumming meaningand emotionof a songin a big way. measureswith bass notes and runs, and provided a soundthat helped"put the gravelin everychug hole," LonesomeRoad Blues Example as he usedto say.His masterfulplacementof runs and the dynamicshe used to appropriatelyprovide power On the next page I have put togetheran example and drive when neededearnedhim the respectof all rhythm progressionthat might be usedto supportthe greatbluegrassguitarplayers. song"LonesomeRoadBlues."This examplemakesuse bluegrass of a few of the alternatestrum patternsthat are shown I've intervieweda numberof contemporary r,vho rhythm guitar players utilize this type of rhythm on the previouspage. Play through this progression techniqueand they say that they like to use this style severaltimes until you feel comfortablewith all of the rhythmin a full bluegrassbandsettingbecausewith the techniquesthat are used. Try to get a feel for where bassplaying the bassline and the mandolinproviding you might soften the volume and r,vhereit might be a solid off beat "chunk", this style rhythm fills in the appropriate to increasethe volume. It might be helpful "wall gapsand helpsto providea nice of sound"when to get togetherwith a picking partnerand have he or it is needed. shesing the tune and play it on their instrumentso that you can practiceyour dynamicsand fit the increases A Word About Dvnamics and decreasesin emphasisand volume in accordance r,viththe vocalist'sdeliveryof the lyrics. Also try to use In order to make your rhythm playing have more someof the other strum alternatives. textureand interest,one otherelementthat you should learnto takeadvantage of is the useof variablevolume, or dynamics. I've discussedplaying the rest stroke and the dotted quarternoteswith emphasis,meaning playing thosenotes,or strums,with more pop, punch, and volume. The seneralrule of thumb when using Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
55
"lonesotne Rood Bluestt uslng Alternstegfrum p,,lerns 1G
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56 Flatpickin'g Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fitt Licles
Peirt llro: Exclmples lsom the Flortplckl ng Gu Ttsr Mei golzlne Archlves Working with the Examples
Learning How to Learn
Thus far in this book I have introducedyou to the majority of rhythm techniquesthat are required to fulfill all of the basicrhythm guitaristroles in a variety of settings. There are certainlymany other techniques that rhythm guitaristsemploy,however,if you can get a graspof what hasbeenprovidedhere in this book so f-ar,you will certainlybe able to provide effectiveand interestingrhythm accompaniment. In order to gain more experiencewith the techniques that you have alreadylearned,and to add more runs and licks to your rhythm repertoire,the remainderof this book will presenta numberof examplesthat I've taken from the Flatpicking Guitar Magazinearchives. Theseexamplescome directlyfrom the playing styles of many of the famous players that I mentionedin the first sectionof this book. Work through all of the examplesmany,many timeswhile usinga metronome. You will seesomeof the exactruns, licks, and strums that you've alreadypracticed. You will also seeruns and licks that are new to you, and you will definitely seenew waysto combineall of the licks andruns,both nervand old. I will not analyze manyof thesetranscriptionsfor you . I will make a specificcommenthere or there about a lick or run thatI like, or mentionr,vhyI choseto include a certainexample.Beyondthat,I rvill leaveit up to you to take a good look at eachmeasurein order to figure out why each run and lick works in the place where the arlist used it. Analysis leadsto understanding. I rccommend that after you've played through each example,you take sometime to look at eachfill lick or bassrun. As you've seenin our previousexamples, you cantakeonebassrun or lick thatyou like, isolateit., practiceit, thenmove it to anotherkey,play it forwards andbackwards,or combineit with otherlicks or runsin variousways in order to come up with somethingthat is all your own. I have organizedtheseexamplesin sucha way that the easiest,or mostapproachable examplesappearfirst and then they get progressivelymore difficult. If you can play through David Grier's fiddle back up at the endof this chapter,thenconsideryourselfa "graduate" of this book!
The greatflatpicking guitar player Dan Crary likes to say that the best way to understandanything is to learn how to teachit to yourself. And he is right! If you can absorbthe rudimentsof any discipline,look at examplesof how othershave utilized thoseelements, and then move forward to createnew ways to employ those elementsbased on your o\,vnexperimentation and ideas,you havediscoveredthe processof teaching yourself.The key to this processis takingwhat you've learnedfrom others and then vary it, change it, and expandit beyond what you have been taught so that you cancreateyour uniquestyle. Studieshave shown that one of the common characteristics of all peoplewith "talent" is that they all are driven to continuouslychallengethemselvesto explore,experiment,and grow beyondwhat they have beentaughtor shown. They havean inherentcuriosity that compelsthem to take what they havebeentaught and think aboutit in new and creativeways. They are alwaysasking,"What if I did this?" and then they try to do it! That kind of curiosityand explorationis what is meantby "teachingyourself." So I encourageyou to analyzeeverythingthat you are shown in this book andthentakeit all "to the nextlevel" throuehvour own creativityand exploration. In the firstpartof this book I havegivenyou all of the rudiments. In the next part you will work with many examples.Although I do not mentionanythingabout "homelvork" in the next section,I do encourageyou to continuewith your "homework"by thinking of new ways to play all of the progressions that are presented in the next section. After you have played through what is written, experimentand substitutesome of the measuresas they are rvritten r.vithother ideasyou have learned,or ideas that you have discoveredon your own. The more you work to developnew ideas, the more comfortableyou will becomewith all of the rhythm concepts.You will alr,vays havean easiertime rememberingand executing runs and licks that you havecreatedthan you will rememberingand executing thosethat you havememorizedfrom someoneelse. Good luck and havefun with all of theseexamples!
Flatpicki,ng Essentials Volu.me 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
57
"Rolllng In lty Sweef Bcbyts Armstt ln tlteSfyle of Gha tl?elUlonroe Intro mandolinsolcr
Transcribed
by-Dix Bruce
C h o ru s : G
hy's
Lay around
Flatpiching Esserttials Volume 1: Rh3,thm, Bass Runs, and Filt Liclts
eRofflng In ty 9weef Bcbyts Arms" ln dre $tyle of Ghodle tonroe (con'l) 26cD
2nd mandol i nsol o: G
Flatpiclting Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
'.Blue Eyestt Rhyfhm ln the style of R,oy Honrey Transcribed by Dix Bruce
I'vebeenthink
ing
to-daya
2 bout my
blue eyes,
2 That'sbeen
Notes: Do you recognizethe bassrun sequencethat you practicedback in Example 14 of the I, IV, V progressions? 60
Flatpickirzg Essentials volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, ancl Fitt Licks
Rhytlrm in the StVle of Edd lheryfleld I Transcribed by Joe Carr
To Solo
Notes: In order to play the F# note on the lorv E string on the third beat of measure3 (the D chord), you can wrap your left thumb aroundthe top of the neck to fret that note. I love the quarternote bassrun motion that Edd uses startingin measure4 andendinsat measure6.
Ftatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
61
Key of G Rhyfhm ln the Style of Jlmmy ftleirfln Transcribed bv Joe Carr
Notes: This one can be a challenge.Take it slow and work throughthe variousstrumpatterns.Therearea lot of G-runshereand a coupleof the D chord"G-runs." Also, you just gotta love that eighth note lick in measurel2 !
62
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhyth.m, Bass Runs, and Fill Li.cks
"Nlne Pound Hclmmer," 7n the Style of Brad Delvls (Key of G) Arranged by Brad Davis
L.J G
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tt ll
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Notes: I like that walk to D in measure5. And check out that great G-run in measureJ ! Also' pay close attention to the timing of the chromatic r,valkup in measure13.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
63
'3Nlne Pound Homm er)' ?n the Style of Brcrd Dovls (Key of C) Arranged by Brad Davis
Notes: This is the first opportunityto seea few licks In measure15 you may noticethat this is the "G-run" for the F chord,otherthanwhat you've comeup with in lick transposed to C. homework. Thereis someintricatepicking in measure 5, take your time with that. I like the move from G to C in measure6 and the move from F to C in measure 12. Thesewill be nice additionsto your baq of tricks! 64
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Key of C Rhyflrm ln the Style ol Eolil Scruggs Transcribed bv Dix Bruce
Note: This wasa backup affangement thatEarl Scruggs played to the song "Jimmie Brown the Ner,vsboy."I addedthe transcriptionto this book mainly due to the verycool bassline that Earl usedin measures 7 through 10.
Flatpicking EssentialsVolume 1: Rlrythm, BassRuns, and Fitt Li.cks
65
'oJennesseeWcAonerrt Rhythm In lhe $fle of Ghcdes Sawtclle Tbanscribed
by Joe Carr
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Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Rhytlrm ln the Style of Tom Pcley
Transcribed bv Dix Bruce
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts; p l e a d- e d , Frankie she begged and
Johnny vowed Now, oh, my honey,
leave her; doneyou
he but
they had a quarrel one "My love Johnny, please
said he was going please don't go
Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and Fill Licks
Rhythm ln the Sfyle of Tom Pcley (con'l)
winterwindsbe-ginto blow,the groundis covered up, And whenyou
thinkof the way you're gonna
wish
me
back, your
to solo or next verse
Notes: This one is full of "classic"bassruns. Here you alsohaveanotheropportunityto pick up someF chordruns.The movefrom the D to E note on beats 3 and4 of measure4 followed by that low F note in measure5 is a nice surprisingmove. You expectthe runto continueto moveup thescale(aswasthepattern in thepick up notesandtherun in measure2), but then 68
it dropsan octavedownfrom thehigherF note(on the D string)thatyou expectto hear.Verycool! Also, in this transcriptionyou will encounter214 timing for the first time (measures 20 and29). ln 214 time you have2 quarternotesper measure.Listento theCD to get a feel for thetiming.
Fhtpiching EssentialsVolum.e1: Rhythm, Bass Runs,and Fill Lichs
33Sold7er'sJoy" R.hyflrm in the Style of Rlley Puckel4 (Key of C) Arranged by Brad Davis G
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Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
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7l
"lfqye cr Feastllece Tonlghltt in lhe Sfyle of Doc Werfson Transcribed bv Joe Carr
Joe Carr's Notes: In 1993, SmithsonianFolkways releaseda CD of live duetsfeaturingDoc andbluegrass innovator Bill Monroe. The recordingswere made between1963and 1980 and show off both musicians in an informal duet settingthat really showcasestheir unique talents.We also get a senseof the incredible audienceresponseDoc's flatpickedsolos receivedin the early days of this style. The duet setting allows eachmusiciana freedomand spontaneitythat is really magic. "Have a FeastHereTonight"("Rabbitin a Log") was recordedin 1964in Boston.Both Bill and Doc seem to be having a good time with this Monroe Brothers favorite.Behindthe first mandolinsolo, Doc plays an activebassline which servesas a countermelody to 72
Monroe'slead.This techniquewould be too busy in a full band,but it works greatin the duet format. Notice the useof the secondfret F# note on the sixth string of the D chord (measurel2). Thumb-wrappersknor,vthis chordwell, althoughit canbe played"over the top."
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
"Molly Put the l(ettle On" R.hythm ln the Etyle of Riley Pvckett Tbanscribed
by Joe Carr
Notes: You will recognizethe last eight measures the samerunstransposedto C. The first threemeasures of this arrangementfrom Example lJ rn the I, IV, V (theguitarintro) outlinethe basicmelodyto the song. progressions in G example. Theseeight measuresare Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fitt Licks
-70 t at
Rhyfhm ln the Stvle of Edd frfaytield 2 (Kev of G)
//
= Strum
Notes: This affangementprovidesa lot of sreateighth note filler licks. Note the timins in measure14. The 74
strum on beat2 getsa dottedquarternote time value.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Rhyfhm ln the StVle of Edd fhcryfleld 3 (Key of A)
Notes:Right offthe bat,in measure 2, you aregoingto Pay closeattentionto that one. Also work to get the encountera run with tricky dottedquarternotetiming. timing right with the strumsin measures 4,8 and 16. Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, BassRuns, and Fill Lichs
75
Rhyfhm ln the Style ol Peter Rowan (Key of A) Transcribed
by Joe Car
Notes: This arrangementincludes a lot of chromatic runs on both the lorv E string and the A strin,v. Note how thoseruns-combined with the runs in measures 8 , 14, and 15 - help tie everything together.
76
Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
Rhylhm ln lhe SlVle of Cha lles Sawlelle (Key of E) Transcribed bv Joe Carr
I Verse
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Notes:I like this one from CharlesSar,vtelle becauseit includessomegreatbluesyandrock androll stylelicks in the key of E. Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and FiIl Licks
77
Rhyflrm ln lhe EtVle of CherdesSerwlelle (co n'tl 26 .?
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Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rh3tthm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
"Rogflrne Annlett Rhylhm ln the Stvle of Deivild Gfiet
Notes by Joe Carr: OK. I'll admit it. I'm a big fan of David Grier's album Hootenanrr_r,. This self-produced album featuresGrier on _{uitarrvith g u e st mus ic iansT im O ' Bri e n o n v o c a l s and mandolin and Dirk Powell on fiddle. banjo.andbass.The album hasan intimate homey feel that I find very attractive.Also. lvith only three instrumentsplaying most of the time, the guitar is easyto hear. The song selectionand format is probablybest describedas "new old-timey." I can only aqreervith Norman Blake's opinion from the liner notes: "From rvhat I have seen and heardover the last fervyears.I believe David to be one of the most important,quitaristson the acousticmusicscenetoday." Before this article startsto sound like a
record revierv,let's go to the transcription for "RagtimeAnnie." The tunebeeinsrvith fiddle leadwith guitar backup. While way too busy for a bluegrassbandsetting.the bass-runfrlled_uuitar rhythm is perfectfor the duo setting.David playsthis backupslightlymuted.usingthe heelof his right handsli-ehtlycontactingthe just at the point rvherethey leavethe strin-es bridge. This nice percussiveeffect would likely be lost in a bandsettin_s. In measures I -3. the"C" noteis playedon the "and" after beatfour and rin-usthrough beatone of the nextmeasure.The tie indicatesthatthenote is allowedto ring and is not pickedagain. Continuepicking as normal on the "and" after the " l ." This anticipationcreatesan
Ragtime
Annie
interestingsyncopated feel. In measures 5-7,David usestheopen4th string "D" note as a "spacer"betweenthe melodynotesof the licks. Placeemphasis on the frettednotesand play the open "D" rvith less volume. The lick coveringthe "F" chord in measure20 showshorv supple David's right handreally is. Use the third finger to slide from "G" to "A" in measure 28 and keep the first finser at the third fret until it hasplayedthe "G" at the be_einning of measure30. Use the open "A" strin-[to shift backto openposition.so that the third finger plays the third note of the measure. "C." The last two measuresplay quickly throughDm7. G7. and C arpegg_eios.
(Fiddte Back-up)
Flatpicking Essentialsvolume 1: Rhythm, BassRuns, and Fitt Lichs
Arranged by David Grier Transcribed by Joe Carr
79
Ragtime Annie
(Fiddle Back-up-con,t)
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Ehythm., BassRuns, anct Filt Licks
The Roed Ahecrd I hopethat you haveenjoyedworking throughall of the examplesin this sectionof the book. If you work to combine what is presentedin this sectionwith the knowledgeand skill that you achievedin working with theexamplesin thefirst sectionof thisbook,you should have a very good understandingof how to build and apply bassruns and fill licks to your rhythmplaying. By now you shouldhave the knowledgeand skill requiredto createyour own bassruns and rhythm fill licks. If you utilize the techniquesof changingthe timing,changingtheembellishments, changingthescale or arpeggionotes,varying the strum patterns,varying the G-runs,and utilizing dynamics,you can createan endlessnumber of your own rhythm arrangements. Work with it, practiceit, experimentwith it. and you can becomethe person that everyoneloves to pick with! As statedpreviously,helpingto make you a better rhythm player was only one goal of this book. The secondgoal was to prepareyou to begin playing lead guitar in the style of Maybelle Carter,and beyond. In the secondvolume of this series,you rvill learn to turn your knowledgeof bassruns into the formationof melody lines on the bassstrings. If you have worked diligentlywith the materialin this book,you shouldbe
able to easily transitionto playing and arrangingyour own lead solosto vocal sonssas outlinedin the next volume. In addition to teachingyou how to play solos in the Carter Style, the next volume lvill also give you practicehearinga melody and finding it on your guitar and then embellishingthat melody with a numberof techniques,including: chordal strums,double stops, fi11licks, neighboringnotes,crosspicking, scale-based tremolo,andmore. By the end of the next volumeyou will be able to take any melody that you can hum, find that melody on your guitar, and then createmore than one interestingsolo to that song. If you have any questionsabout any of the material in this book, pleasefeel free to contactme and I will do my bestto answeryour question.If I don't know that answer,I'll find someonewho doesand get back with you. You can email me here:
[email protected]. in the subjectline. Pleaseput "FlatpickingE,ssentials" When you feel like you have a good graspof the materialthat I've presentedin this book, thengive us a call at 800-413-8296to orderVolume2. Or download I'll see you Volume 2 at rvr,vw.flatpickdigital.com. there!
Flatpiclzing Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
81
Appendlx l: R.eeidlngTefilslrultse book Zfte This appendixon ReadingTablaturewaswrittenby BryanKimseyfor the High View Publications BluegrassGuitarStyleof CharlesSawtelle.
ReadingTablature by Bryan Kimsey If you play a bluegrassinstrument you will sooneror later run acrosstablature (tab for short). Tab is an extremely usefultool that complements,while drawing some important featuresfrom, standardmusic notation. Tab isn't difficult to use,although there is a bit of a learning curve (aswith most things!),and onceyou havethe basics down it can open up a whole world of learningtools. Tab has one great feature over standard music notation and that is that it can show you where to put your fingers. Standardnotation onlv showsthe note and the fingering is pretty much left up to you. This can be fine for flddle tunes becauseit lets you developyour own voicingsand positions,but if you're trying to learn a CharlesSawtelle solo note-for-note,it helps tremendously- and may even be vital - to know where Charlesputs his fingers. The easiestway to learn tab is to dive right in, so let's tear apartan exampleof CharlesSawtelle's"SugarfootRag." As with many things,learningmusicis a caseof "you can't learn it until you know it," meaning that sometimesone thing doesn'tmake senseuntil vou know a secondthing, but that secondthing doesn'tmake senseuntil you know about the first thing, and then...well,you get the picture. I'r'e indicated points of interest on the tab with small circlednumbersand theseare explainedbelow: 1. Capo position. Tellsyou where to slapyour capo if you want to play with the record.You'll still play the chord shapesindicatedin (11),but the actual pitch will be differ ent( s ee( 6) f or m o re o n th i s ).
2. This is a measurenumber. This is the flrst measure,so it getsnumber 1- look at the line below and you'll see"6." Measurenumbers are great for referencingsections. If I askyou to look at measure16, you can find it quickly and accurately.Measuresare discussedin (13). 3. Standardmusicalnotation. The top 5 linesarestandard musical notation that can be read by anyone who reads the stuff. For pure tab reading,you can mostly ignore the standardmusic, although the more you know about it, the better off you'll be. 4. Tab. The bottom 6 lines are the guitar tablature. Tab tells you where and when to put your fingers, but mav not giveyou asclearan idea of the musicasdoesstandard notation, one reasonwh.vboth are usuallvincluded. 5. Clef. This tells vou that the standardmusic notation usesthe G-clef,which is standardfor most of the music you'll be dealingwith. Other instrumentssuchasa doublebass("doghouse"to bluegrassfans!)use a different clef. Technically, the notes shown here are actually written an octaveup from their actual pitch. This is a standard practicewith guitar notes and shouldn't affectyou unless you and a violin playerget into an argumentabout which 'A' note to play. 6. Key signature.More standardnotation stuff that doesn't affect the tab, but does help your understandingof the
Sugarfoot Kag
Capo2<.4
Arrangement Charles Sawtelle Transcribed by Adam Cranger
"^'@
82
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythrn, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
piece. The single # says that this tune is in the key of G (more on this later!) since the G-scale has only a single sharped note and all the others are natural. (The G scale goes:G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G). Any good music theorybook will have a list of key signatures if you're interested in pursuing this. The easiestway to identify the key of 99o/o of bluegrasstunes is to look at the last note - the tune will nearly always end on the key of the song. Now, about that "more later;" in this example, the song is written as if it were in the key of G. When actually playing the tune, you put a capo on the second fret, thus raising the pitch and the key to A. This presents a dilemma to peopie who write out tab: do you put the standard music in the actual pitch, or do you put it in the relative pitch? In other words, do you write it out in A, which is where the actual notes are, or do you write it out of G which is what the guitarist plays it out of? A mandolin or fiddle playing sans capo would play in A, but a capo-ed guitarist would play out of G-position. Most of the time, you will seeit as it is here, with the notes representing the relative position. Again, none of this affects the tab itself, but be aware that if you hand the tab for "Sugarfoot Rag" to your flddle player, thev're going to play it in 'G.' You'll either have to ask them to transposeit to 'A'or you'll have to take your capo off. Since other fiddle players will likely play it in 'A', you'd better ask your fiddler to transpose. 7. This indicates the amount of time each note gets. The bottom number tells you which note gets 1 beat, and the top number tells you how many beats per measure there are. '414'says a quarter note gets l beat and there's 4 beats per measure. If you count the number of groups of notes in the Znd measure,you'll seethat, indeed, there are 4 groups of notes. Each group is made up of eighth notes; two eighth notes = 1 quarter note, and 4 quarter notes = 1 whole measure. The vast majoritv of bluegrassmusic is in either 414or 3/4 time. Other music, particularly lrish, u se so t her t im es s uc h a s 6 l B ,9 l B , o r 5 1 4 . One point of confusion is between 214 and 414. in practice, these two are the same. The only difference is how they're written. You can say " 1-2-3-4" or you can say " 7-and-2-and" and as long as they take the same amount of time to say,they mean the same thing. Bluegrassrhythm guitar typically usesa bassnote-strum, with the bassnote corresponding with the bass fiddle's note and the strum corresponding with the mandoiin chop. A measure of 414 time would call the 1st bassnote beat 1, the 1st strum beat 2, the Znd bassnote beat 3, and the 2nd strum beat 4. A measure of 214 time would call the 1st bassnote beat 1, th e 1s t s t r um ' and' , th e 2 n d b a s sn o te b e a t2 , a n d the 2nd strum 'and.' Instead of seeing 4 groups of 2 eighth notes in measure 2, you'd see2 groups of 4 eight notes. There's stiil 8 notes total in each group, they're just grouped differently. Don't let it confuse you! It doesn't make any difference in how you play the tune, but vou just don't want to be playing rhythm twice as fast (or half as slow) as you're supposed to be doing.
8. These are rests - places where no notes are played and where silence reigns. The flrst one is a half note rest and the second is a quarter note rest. The two pickup eight notes take up a quarter's worth of time, so now we've got a half, and a quarter, and another quarter for a whole measure. You DO know that music and mathematics are closely related, don't you? 9. Pickup notes. Otherwise known as lead-in notes, kickoff, or intro. These notes get the tune started. Take a look at the end of measure 5 and you'll see these same notes leading back to a repeat of the tune. 10. Coda. The double bar with 2 dots means "repeat between the two areas." You will notice another double bar with 2 dots at the end of measure 5; play the 4 measures between these two areas twice and then go to the next section. This first section is usually called an " A" part in fiddle tune terminology while the second section is called the "B" part. Hence, when you hear a fiddle tune referred to a being of AABB format, it means that vou repeat the A part twice, then the B part twice. Some tunes have an AABA structure. Don't get hung up on this, just keep it in mind. Categorizing your tunes may help you memorrze them. 11. Chords. The letters on top of the standard notation indicate which chords shouid be played over the tune. As we discussedearlier,414 time counts the guitar's bassnote as 1 beat and the strum as another, so a single measure here will have 2 bassnote-strum sequences. 1.2. And flnally, we have TAB! The top line of the tab represents the high E string while the lower line is the low E (easy'to remember: high = high and low = low). The numbers simply tell you where to put your fingers - in this case,the first note is open ("0"), so you don't have to put your finger anywhere. The second note calls for the 2nd fret to be fretted. The third note asksfor the 3rd fret (it's not alwaysthis easy...),and so on. Pretty soon you're going to have to stretch for the Sth fret and this may cause you problems. If you started the serieswith, say,your middle finger you're going to have to jump to grab that 5th fret. This leads to the question "How do I know which finger to use?". In most cases,a little trial and error will point out the most useful fingerings. In some cases,you'll see small numbers above the tab - these indicate which finger you should use for the passage.Most of the time, though, the fingerings are obvious enough that additional guides would just clutter up the page. Eventually, you'll learn to look ahead and seewhat the high note is and experience will help you decide the fingerings. In any case,remember, you've got 4 useful flngers- use them all! 13. A measurel i ne. A l so cal l ed a' bar.' Indicat est he end of a measure. Sometimes the two terms are interchanged "Play 4 bars of 'Sugarfoot', Sam" means the same thing as "Play 4 measuresof 'Sugarfoot', Sam," except that the former might sound more sophisticated. Maybe?
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14. Natural. In the key of G, the F should be a F#. Sugarfoot Rag, however, calls for a "flat 7th" and thus the F in this case is an F-natural, not an F-sharp. This is fairly typical in bluegrass tunes and is responsible for much of their bluesy sound. 15. Slide. The symbol 'S'indicates a slide, 'H' a hammeron, 'P' a pull-off, and 'B' a bend. In this case,you would fret and pick the 2nd string at the 1st fret and then slide the note up to the same string, 3rd fret. These techniques are called "slurs" and also give a bluesy sound. They can be fairly readily interchanged, too. If you're more comfortable doing a hammer-on instead of a slide, then by all means, do that. 16. This is a casewhere tabiature can indicate a fingering. The standard notation shows an 'E'note, and the open E string is shown in the tab at this point. However, the Znd string fretted at the 5th fret would also produce an E note and might be easier to flnger, although it will produce a slightly different sound. Fingering the E note down-board of and succeedingthe D note effectively kills the D note, whereasif you played the E on an open string, the D could continue ringing. You'll have to listen to the song and seewhich you prefer. If you didn't have tab, though, this fingering might not be apparent to you.
We will now address some tablature symbology that is not as common as those we have discussed above. However, you will seeall of these symbols in this book, so they are worth knowing. 1. Sixteenth notes: these receive half the time value of eighth notes.
2. Whole note: This gets twice the time of a half note. In 4 l 4 time, count "one-two-three-four".
1 7 . Fir s t ending. T h i s s m a l l ' 1 .' i n d i c a te s th a t y o u shoul d play this measure the first time through, and the measure under the'2.'the second time through. The second version will typically lead you to the B-part of the tune, whereas the first version typically echoes the pickup notes. 18. Another rest. In this case,it indicates that you should kill the previous notes and not let them ring. 19. Two eighth notes. These get the same time value as (1 6 ). I n 414 s ay " on e -a n d ." 20. A quarter note. This gets the same time value as (15). In 414, say "one", or say "one-and" and hold the note for both words.
3. Triplet: Eighth note triplets receive the same time value as two eighth notes. Where the latter might be said "oneand", the triplet fits the phrase "one-da-and". Another way is to think "tri-pu-let" in the same time as "one-and". In either case,you have to sneak the extra note in. An easy way to play triplets is to keep the same down-up, downup pick direction you'd use for eighth notes and either hammer-on or pull-off the second note of the triplet. This may help you keep a consistent pick direction.
2I. A half note. This note gets twice the time value as (20). In 414 say "one-two" and hold the note for both words. SpecialSymbols
F ,4l\z+.
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x = false harmonic
4. Dotted note: increasesthe timing of the dotted note by half. If the dotted note is a quarter note, for instance, and a quarter note gets 1 beat, then a dotted quarter note gets one and a half beats. This could also have been written with a tied note from the quarter note to the 1st eighth note in the next phrase, but tied notes are more difficult to read.
9. Muted strings: these are strings that are picked, but without an audible note. Think of them as percussive effects. You can mute with either the right hand or left hand, depending on the effect desired.
5. Grace note: a grace note is a very fast note just before the main note, usually played with a slur (slide, hammeron, or pull-off). It doesn't really have a time value - just play it as fast as you can without disrupting the timing of the main note. 6. Tied notes: these simply indicate that you hoid the 1st phrase of notes until the time value of the Znd phrase is reached. If a quarter note is tied to another quarter note, you are effectively holding the note for the value of a half note. Tied notes are generally used when a phrase is heid from one measure to the next; using a longer time value would violate the structure of the measure (3 quarter notes and a half note would equal 5 beats, whereas tying the last quarter note in the measure to the first quarter note in the next measure is perfectly legal). 7 . Bend: play a bend by fretting the note which appears just prior to the bend symbol, picking that note, and then pushing the string up or down so that the pitch changes. You'11generally bend to a specific pitch, although sometimes bends are used for effect and the ending pitch isn't all that precise. B. False harmonic: played by the right hand instead of the left hand. This is a common electric guitar technique that can work well on acoustic, too. To do it, pick the note and simultaneously use the tip of your thumb (or middle finger, whichever works best) to play a harmonic just in front of the pick. The resulting harmonic will be extremely high-pitched. You will have to move your right hand closer to, and even in front of the soundhole, to find the harmonics.
X = mutedstrino 10. Dampened notes: similar to muted notes, but the sound of the note can be heard. To dampen a note, the hand which is producing the dampening effect lightly touches the string so that the note can still be heard, but it is not allowed to ring. The damped note falls somewhere between muted notes and implied notes in the dynamic scale. Damped notes appear in two songs in this book, the first is "BluegrassPart Three" and the second is "The Old Rounder." We have not used a special symbol to annotate the damped strings other than to place a written comment that says "damp notes" near the notes in the tablature.
11. Impl i ed note: a note that i s " j ust sort of t her e". Also called a ghost note. You can either skip it altogether if it's in an awkward place or play it by fretting the note and picking it very, very softly. Implied notes are almost inaudible. D
12. Strums: representedin tab by severalnotes stacked on the sametime value. In reality, you can't play these notes on exactly the sametime value, unlessyou're a fingerpicker,but it is easierto show them this way than as Flatpicking Essentials Volume1: Rhythm, BassRuns,and,Fill Lichs
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128th notes! Strums can also be shown by a single black slash mark. Individual notes are good for showing unique voicings while slashesare easier to read when a standard chord is being used.
13. Simultaneous notes: sometimes you will find placesin the tab where you're required to play the same notes on different strings or two different notes at the same time. This is where tab really wins over standard musical notation, since the latter would simply show a single note. Playing the same note on two different strings produces different dynamics, tones, and keepsthe notes ringing against each other. In this book, when simultaneous notes are show, Charles is picking one with his pick and the other with his middle finger.
Tips for ReadingTab As we've seen, tab is fairly straightforward to read. The music itself may not be, though. It might be full of off-beat notes, slurs, grace notes and so on. Following are some ideas that may help you: . Turn everything into eighth notes to get the feel for the piece. If the tune uses a lot of syncopation, triplets, or other timing tricks it may be difflcult to 'hear' how it sounds. If so, try dropping the middle note of the triplets, playing syncopated notes as standard timing, and so on, until you get the feel for the solo. Then you can put the tricky stuff back in gradually. o Likewise, you can increase or decreasethe slurs. Sometimes, it's easier if you pick the slurs and sometimes it's easier to add more slurs, depending on whether you have too many flngers to control or wish you had 'just one more finger'. Slurs can also easethe burden on the right hand, since it has fewer notes to pick. Just be sure you don't change the timing of the piece when you add slurs. In fact, if you are playing an eighth note slide a bit too fast, this might be a good reason to reduce the slurs and pick both notes. o Get a metronome and use it. You might find it easierto set the 'nome to click on both the bass and the mandolin's rhythm space, or you might find it easier to have it click on just the bass'sspace. Clicking on both, it's easy to drop a beat and think you're on, although most newer metronomes can accent beats. o Certain computer programs are also great tools. Encore, Finale, Muse, ABC, TabRite, and Bucket o'Tab, and NoteWorthy all let you enter tab or standard notation for playback. You can easily change the tempo of the piece with these programs, letting you start with it playing extremely slow and then bring it up to speed. Another great program is CoolEdit which will record from a CD and play the actual recording at slowed down speeds.Non-computer tools include the Marantz and Ibanez 2-speed tape recorders, Riff-O-Matic, and similar digital deviceswhich you can use to record the original music for slow-down.
Other Symbols: l.l - downstroke V = upstroke // - chordal strum
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Appendlx2: Wotfk?ngwlt]r ei Melronome Metronomes...you eitherlove them,or you hatethem. I was rushing." He told the engineerto go back to the For a beginnerthe metronomecan be one of the most beginningof the solo. He got out his metronomeand frustrating devices that you have ever encountered. clocked the time. He then askedthe engineerto fast The first time I tried to play along with a metronomeI forward to the end of the song. David clockedthe time was convincedthat the thing was broken. It wouldn't again. Sure enoughthe tempo that he endedthe song keepcorrecttime! Of courseI was the one not playing with was slightly fasterthan the tempo that he started in time and the metronomemadethat very clear to me. with. It wasimperceptibleto my hear,but David picked So I was frustratedevery time I turnedthe dang thing it up. Again, I vowed to usea metronomemore often. Somedayspracticingwith the metronomefeelsgreat on, and thusit was not a fun experience. Later, when I startedto improve I made my next andI feel right on, otherdaysit doesn'tfeel asgoodand wrong assumption.I thought,"I'm gettingbetter,so I have to work a little harder. What I do know now is I don't needthat metronomeanymore!" Wrong. No that I needto usea metronomeevery day and I always matterhow "good" you get, you will always need to r,vill. When I first madethat discoveryI sat down with use a metronome. About the time that I was thinking thatcontraptionand wasdeterminedto becomefriendly that I was good enoughto not need the metronomeI with this thing. Insteadof trying to play a fiddle tuneor read an interview with Bela Fleck. Bela was talking whole songI startedfrom squareone with the simplest about his own use of the metronomeand told a story thingthat I could imagine-playing onerepetitivenote aboutbeing on stageone night and thinking all night per click over and over until I got a goodfeel for it. On that Victor Wooten(Bela'sbassplayer)was dragging. thosedayswhen I just don't feel like I can get in sync, Bela said that when he got home that night he got out I go back to this. I startvery simply andmove forward his metronome and reahzedthat Victor hadn't been slowly. So,if youarehavingtroubleworkingwith a metronome, dragging,he had been rushing. I thought to myself then and there,"If Bela Fleck still needsa metronome, I'd like you to play throu-ehwhat is written on the next page. Startrvith the first line until you feel that you are I guessI do too!" I'll haveto admitthatI still don't usethe metronome playingright on the click. I've set this exerciseup so asmuch asI should.Thatpoint wasdrivenhometo me that each click of the metronomerepresentsa quarter a short r.vhileago when I was talking with Flatpicking note in 414time. I recommendthat you also tap your Guitar Magazirzecolumnist John Carlini. John has foot along with eachclick. The arrowsat the bottom of been playing music professionallysince the 1960s eachline indicatewhen you shouldhearthe click. The and has a very impressiveresume. We were talking pick directionis also shown. The trickiesttiming will about the metronomeand John told me that unlesshe be the dottedquarternotesusedin the bottom line. Try going througheachline at a very slow tempoand is on stageperforminghe never plays a note of music without the metronome.He usesit everydaywhen he then graduallyincreasethe tempo. Note that in terms is practicingandhe usesit durin,eeverybandrehearsal. of keepinggood time the moderatetemposwill, many times, feel easierthan very slow tempos. You need OK...I guessI needto usethe metronomemore. As if that conversationwith John wasn't enou_eh, to work with all of them. John Carlini observedthat I was talking with David Grier once and he said, "I manyof his studentshavethreespeeds-fast,medium, wish I hadmoretime to practice."More practice!This and slow. He recommendsthat they work with a far guy is one of the best guitar playerson the planet! I greatervariety. Don't work at 80, then 120,then 180. said,"David, if you had the time to practice,what is When you are increasingthe tempo, increaseby small it that you would practice?" He said,"I'd get out the incrementsso you don't fall into the fast,medium,and slowruts. metronomeand practicemy timing." The exercisesshown here are very basic,but they Anothertime I wasin the studiowith David. He was playing solo and recordeda 3 to 4 minuteversionof a should help you begin to becomecomfortablewith a fiddle tune. When he had run through it severaltimes metronomefor the purposeof playing the material in he came into the control booth to listen. We listened thisbook. In futurevolumeof this courseI will provide to the first take and David said, "I was rushing at the somemore challengingmetronomeexercises. end." I said,"It soundedgood to me!" He said,"No, Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
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1
Quarter Notes
Half Notes
Mixing Half and Quarter Notes
Eighth Notes
Clicks:
14
Mixing Eighth and Quarter Notes
IIV
Clicks: t 18
-V
IIVEVE
ftv
tl
-\/||
I \ /t vI T tttY
ttt Dotted Quarter Notes
V-
ft
|l
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Appendh 3: tlcior 9coles, Chords, snd Arpegglos Moior Sccrles eind the FTngelboard Many guitar playersthink that scalescan be boring, but they can also be exciting if you let them do what they are meant to do-which is help you find your way around the fingerboardin the context of the music you are playing. Although scalepracticecanbe beneficial,I'm not going to ask you to mindlessly practicescales. In this appendixwe are going to take a look at the G major scale(somethingthat you may alreadyfamiliar with). Once that groundwork has been laid, I will ask you to apply the principles that you have learnedin looking at the G major scale and apply it to the other major scalesthat you are exposedto in this book-most notably the C and D scales. Half and Whole Step Intervals Ifyou have studiedany music theory you will know that the majority of westernmusic is basedon a sequence of twelve notes, or tones. The interval betweeneach note in the sequenceis called a semi-toneor half-step.A scalebasedon all twelve semi-tonesis called "chromatic." The guitar fretboard (seediagram below) is laid out suchthat playing each successivefret along any given string will raisethe tone one half-stepand thus walk up or down the chromatic scale. When two half-stepintervals are combined,the new interval is called a "whole step." What this meansis that if you play a note on any given fret and then play the next note two frets higher, the interval you've createdis a whole-stepinterval. Notes on the Guitar
F#tcs
Fingerboard D
D#rES
G
A
A#tBb
A
B
D
E
G
A#tB;
c
c#tDs
D
D#tFis
F#IG;
G
G#t+
A
A#tB;s
c#tDb
D
D#t$s
A o
A#tB;
D
F
A E
F#IG,
G
o
A#IB;
C
G
E
B F#IC},
B o
F
G#tAb
c
D#nb oo
Practice Starton the G string of your guitar. Play the open G note,then pressyour fingerjust behind the first fret and play that note (G#), then the secondfret (A), then the third (A#), thenthe fourth (B), all the way up to the twelfth fret. You've just playedthe chromaticscalein the key of G. Eachnoteyou playedwas a half-stephigherthanthe previousnote. Now play the open G string again, next pressyour finger just behind the secondfret (A) and play that note. You've just played a whole-stepinterval. Yes,this is simple, but we have to start somewhere!
The Major Scale The major scaleconsistsof eight musical notes (scaledegrees)played in the following sequenceof intervals: whole-step,whole-step,half-step,whole-step,whole-step,whole-step,half-step. If we start this sequenceon the G note, we form a G major scale(seethe circled noteson the diagram at the top of the next page). Flatpicking EssentialsVolume 1: Rhythm, BassRuns, and Fill Licks
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Whole step
whole step
Half Step
1@,ry4qeqq,,ud|l|lflllll{,J,lllllllll,|8il'fl1il,fl,lll-
HaIf step
whole step
whole Step
Whole Step
@ru0rub
A#/Bbu11@ @ c+nr@ D#/Eb@ F @"r@ @ c#/Abu(D G Major Scale Linear Note Map (low octave)
G o
A o
that the pattern The importanceof knowing whole-stepand half-stepintervalsand scaledegreeslies in the fact figure out the scalein of whole-stepand half-stepintervals in any given scaleis the formula that you will use to any key. For instance,the formula for any major scaleis: whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step, whole-step, half-step to do it: using this formula you can figure out the scaledegreesfor any major scale. Here is how working with For l) Write down the chromatic scalestarting with the letter designationfor the key you are instance,if you would like to figureout the scale I degreesfor the D major scale,you would write 6 D 4 3 2 I KEY letter the with down the chromaticscalebeginning B A G F E D C C D as follows: F# E D C B A G G D - D# - E - F' - F# - G - G# -A-A# - B - C - C# - D C# B A G F# E D D 2) Start rvith the first note and circle the notesas designatedby the formula (as we have done for the key of G at the toP of the Page).
A
A
B
C#
D
E
F#
G#
E
E
F#
G#
A
B
C#
D#
B
B
C#
D#
E
F#
G#
A#
3) Now write down the notesthat you havecircled' They shouldbe:
F#
F#
G#
L#
B
C#
D#
E#
C#
C#
D#
E#
F#
G#
A#
B#
F
F
G
A
Bt
C
D
E
Bp
Bb
C
D
Eb
F
G
A
Et
Eb
F
G
Ab
Bt
C
D
At
Ab
Bt
C
Dt
Eb
F
G
Db
Db
El,
F
Gt
Ab
Bt
C
Gt
Gl,
At
Bb
cb
Db
Et
F
C;
Gb
At
Bt
cb
Dl,
Eb
Fb
D-E -F#-G-A-B
-C#
You havenow figuredout the D major scale! Your ability to usethe whole-stepand half-step formulasto definescaleswill comein handywhen you want to figureout any given scale. A:' long as you knorvthe formula,you can figure out the scale' The chart at right showsthe major scaledegreesin variouskeys.. 90
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Homework-Find the Scales Cover up the major scalechart on the previouspage and see if you can figure out the scale degreesof the major C, A, E, B , & F scales.Checkyour answerswith the chart. The morefamiliar you becomewith building various scalesusing the chromaticscaleand whole-stepand half-step intervals,the easierit is going to be for you to learnyour fretboardandto transposefrom one key to
another.This ability will comein handywhenyou startto jam with otherplayers,especiallyif therearesingers or harmonicaplayersin the group. The G Scalein the Open Position,Lower Octave: phrase,riff, or wholetuneon the guitaris referredto asusingthe "openposition" A run, lick, scale,passage, whenopenstringsareusedin conjunctionwith fingerpositionson thefirst threeor four frets. Theopenposition fingeringsareasfollows (lst positionfingeringsarethe same,however,thereareno opennotes): I) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Openstringsareplayed,asthe definitionimplies,with no fingerspressingon thefingerboard. The indexfingerplaysthenoteson the first fret. The middlefingerplaysthenoteson the secondfret. Thering fingerplaysthe noteson thethird fret. The pinky fingerplaysthenoteson thefourthfret.
After the "open position," fingerboardpositions are definedby the fret played by the index finger, i.e. in the "first position" the index finger is playing the notes on the first fret, middle on the second,ring on the third, and pinky on the fourth. In the secondposition, the index finger plays noteson the secondfret, middle on tbe third, ring on the fourth, and pinky on the flfth, etc. In the last exampleI showedthe G Major scaleplayed only on the low E string. Playing the G scalethis way, for the most part, is impractical. I initially presentedit in this fashionbecauseit is very easyto seethe whole-step and half-step interval distanceswhen a scale is presentedon one string. However, here is how the samescale would be laid out and played in the open position (low octave):
G Major
Scale, Open Position,
Low Octave Note Map
C G o
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The G Scalein the Open Position,Upper Octave: Below you will find the upper octave G maior scale laid out linearly and then in the open Dosition. G Major
G
Seale Linear
.A
Note Map (higher
B
C-
octave)
.D
E
F#
G
G Major Scale, Open Position, Higher Octave Note Map
Play It!-The
G Major Scale
Play through the G major scaleseveraltimes forward and backward in the lower octave, the high octave,and then both the lower and upper octavescombined (as shown on the next page). You may alreadybe familiar with the G major scaleas shown here. If so, that is great, but I would still like you to take a few minutesand play through this scalea numberof times. Familiarizing yourself with the sound of this scalehere and now will help you work with some of the bassruns and fill licks that you will practice in this book. Practiceplaying thesescalessmoothly,fluidly, evenly, and in with good solid timing and tone.
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The G Scalein the Open Position, Lower and Upper Octaves: Here I haveput both the upperand lower octaveG major scalestogetherin one illustration. G Major
Scale, Open Position,
Two Octave Note Map
E B G D A
C G o
The G Scalein the 2nd Position (Closed),Lower and Upper Octaves: Here we havethe exactsamescaleshownin the closedposition(no openstringnotes). Closedpositionsare importantbecausethey are "moveable." More aboutthat in later volumesof this series! G Major Scale, Second Position, Two Octave Note Map
F#-
G E C G C
D
G o
A o
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Chords: tlalor, gevenflr, cnd Mlnor In the last sectionon scalesyou saw that eachscale hasa formula that you can usein orderto find the notes of the scale. We only addressedmajor scalesin the last section,however,the samegeneralprincipleis true for any scale-minor scales., seventhscales,pentatonic scales,whole tone scales,etc. Eachtype of scalehas its own half-stephvhole-step formula. If you know the half-step/whole-step formula for the scale, you can flgure out the tonesof any scalein any key. The same is true r,vithchords. If you know the formula, you can find the notesthat makeup the chord. If you'd like to figureout which notesarein a major chords,youstartwith the major scalein that key. The notesthat appearin a major chord are the first (root), third, and fifth tonesof the scalefNote: In the parlance of music theory,thesenotesare referredto as the root. major third, and perfectfifthl . Below I have written the notesof the G major scale: 4 Degree:12 3 5 ,/--. ,,^. Notes:(G) A (B) C (D) \-/ \_/ \_/
6
7
8
E
F#
c
You r.villnoticethat I've circledthe 1st,3rd,and 5th scaledegrees,andthusI've foundthe 3 notesthatmake up the G major chord G, B, and D. Thesenotesform what is referredto as a "major triad." If you look at the diagramof the G chordbelow,you will seethat when you strum a full G chord,every note that you play on all six stringsis eithera G, B, or D note.
G
a
?
(
G DG G Therearemany waysto makea G major chordon the fretboardof the guitar,however.no matter rvhatchord shapeyou useor whereyou are on the fretboard,every note that you play is going to either be a G, B, or D note. This formula (major chord = lst, 3rd. and 5th degreeof the major scale)holds true for every major chord. So,with theknowledgeof thatformula,you can figure out what notesare in eachmajor chord and then find those notes on the fretboardto createthat chord. 94
On the next pageI haveprovidedchordchartsfor all of the major chordsthat you will encounterin this book. The lettersat the lorver part of the chart indicatewhat notesyou are playing on that string. SeventhChords In parttrvoof thisbook (Examplesfrom theFlatpicking Guitar MagazineArchives)you will also encountera few Seventhchordsand a few minor chords,so let's takea look at their formulasas well. There are a number of different types of seventh chords,horvever,when not otherwisespecified-and for the purposesof the examplesshownin this book- a "seventhchord" is a chord consistingof the notesof the major triad plus a flat seventhnote (also called a "dominant seventhchord"). So our formula for the seventhchordswhich you will encounterin this book is: first (root),third, fifth. and flat seventh. If you'll look at the G scaleshownin the previous column,you canthenseethataG7 chordwill be made up of the notes:G, B, D, and F. You r,villfind the chart for the G7 chord shapethat is usedin the examplesin this book on the next page. Additionallyyou will find the chartsfor the D7 chord and the 87 chord that are usedin this book. Minor Chords While playingthroughthe examplesin this book you will also encountera couple of minor chords,so let's look at the formula for a minor chord as well. A minor chord differs from a major chord by having a minor third abovethe root. So the formula is: root, minor third, perfectfifth-or in terms of scaledegreesit is the 1st,flat 3rd, and 5th. This formulaforms a "minor triad." The minor chord that is usedin an examplein this book is the Em chord. So let'sfigureout what notesare in that chord. The notesof the E scaleare: Degree: 1 Notes: E
2
345678
F#
G#
AB
C#D#
E
Therefore,the notesof the Em chord are going to be the E, G, and B notes(lst, flat 3rd, and 5th). The t,uvo most commonminor chordsthat you will encounterin acousticroots music are the Em and Am chords. The most common shapesfor thosetwo chordsare shown on the next page.
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fil.l Licks
Chord Shcpes Used ln This Book: Major Chords
G
G
p ?
J
GBDGBG
?
C
SrC
GXDGDG
? p EC
e XA DA D F#
GC
A
E
D
a@c
2)(
E AC#E
B E G # BE
Seventh Chords
D7
G7 (
D
-l I
q
87 (
)
p
BDG
XA DA C F#
X B D # AB F #
Minor Chords Em
t t(t EBEGBE
Am
D
pa
EAEACE
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Licks
The numbers used on the chord chartsindicatesuggested fingerings. The fingersin the chartsconespond rvith the hand diagramabove. 95
Arpegglos: An arpeggiois a groupof noteswhich all belongto the samechord and are played in sequence,either moving up or down in pitch. The chordmay,for example,be a simplemajor triad chordr,viththe 1st,3rdand5th notes of the scale in it. An arpeggioin the key of G major going up two octaveswould be the notes(G, B, D, G, B, D) as shownin the first examplebelow. An arpeggiois a typeof "broken"or "melted" chord. Other types of broken chordsplay chord notesout of sequence, or more than one note but lessthan the full chord, simultaneously. Arpeggioscan rise or fall for morethan one octave. An "arpeggiatedchord" meansa chord rvhich is "spread"in time.,i.e., the notesare not playedexactly at the sametime-as in a chord strum-but are spread out. In the guitar world the techniquefor playing an arpeggiated chordis sometimescalleda'"rake."
There are many different arpeggioexercisesthat guitar playerscan practiceto improvetheir knowledge of the fingerboard. However,for the purposesof this book, you only need familiarize yourself with the simpletwo octavearpeggiosshownbelow for G andC. For homework,you can figure out the arpeggiofor D, or any otherchord. The G. C, and D examplesat the bottomof the page show the chord tones from thosechordsthat you will usemost frequentlyin the constructionof bassruns in this book.
G Arpeggio
'r A
\-,
\J
FI
9
tl Flatpiching Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Boss Runs, and FiIl Licks
CD Track List: 0l ExamplesI to 5.mp3 02 Examples6 to l0.mp3 03 ExamplesI I to 15.mp3 04 AlternatingExercises.mp3 05 Examples16 to 20.mp3 06 G Runs I to 10.mp3 0 T G R u n sl l t o 2 0 . m p 3 08 Examples2I to 23.mp3 09 G Rhythm.mp3 l0 C Rhythm.mp3 11 D Rhythm.mp3 I 2 Syncopation.mp3 I 3 AlternateStrums.mp3 14 LonesomeRoadBlues.mp3 15 CharlieMonroe I .mp3 16 CharlieMonroe2.mp3 l7 Roy Harvey I .mp3 18 Roy Harvey2.mp3 19 Edd Mayfield I .mp3 20 Jimmy Martin.mp3 2l Brad Davis I .mp3 22 Brad Davis 2.mp3 23 Earl Scruggs.mp3 24 CharlesSawtelleI .mp3 25 Tom Paley.mp3 26 Riley Puckett1.mp3 27 Doc Watson.mp3 28 Riley Puckett2.mp3 29 Edd Mayfield 2.mp3 30 Edd Mayfield 3.mp3 31 PeterRowanin A.mp3 32 Sawtelle2 (Key of E).mp3 33 RagtimeAnnie.mp3
Flatpicking Essentials Volume 1: Rhythm, Bass Runs, and Fill Lichs
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