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