Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

[kasketkrusher666]

I recently started getting into guitarist like Chet Atkins and would really like to play in his style. I tried learning a couple songs but can only really play a couple parts but mothing entirely comprehesive.

His technique is very advanced so I thought I'd take a step back but need recommendations on songs and artists I could learn a couple songs on to get my finger picking chops up.

Thanks im advance for you recommendations and happy new year!

[kasketkrusher666]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Wow, please excuse my typos. My phone keyboard kind of sukks.

[Clint 55]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

I friggin need this too.

[vinnie1971]

Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Very few of us mere mortals will achieve the greatness of Chet Atkins. But the best place to start is first learn independent finger control (clsssical or travis or any technical method will do)

Then once you have some control and you can thumb basses, do arpeggios and rest stroke have a go at Chet Atkins pieces starting with his version of Mr Bojangles which is actually pretty simple and straight forward and sounds way more than the sum of its parts when you play it up to speed. It’s simple standard fingerstyle.

The main thing is being able to do arpeggios, alternate picking (in the sense of fingerstyle not shredding where you alternate bass and trebles to create bass line with chords) aroeggiated chords and top line melody often accented with a rest stroke.

And sometimes the chord are comped with the fingers and the melody is thumbed on the bass.

Here you go, if you already can do some fingerstyle try this.

When you watch Chet play or listen analytically to his technique it’s very classical - so while his backgrounds Country his techniques very classical. So classical lessons would help a lot.



























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[vinnie1971]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Handy hint- play on a classical guitar to start with. It will massively improve your accuracy.


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[PierceOkken]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Classical really helps with that fingerstyle stuff

[Chickenwings]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

classical guitar is the absolute best grounding for fingerstyle.
Dont be intimidated by this. It is easier than it looks at first glance. The whole thing is a series of right hand patterns over only two chords: C and G7 ....what could be more country than that?
Just work through all the excercises over a course of weeks (or months) and your right hand will become a whole new machine. It will work so well and so smoothly you can pretty much forget about it, then start working on whatever melodies and harmonies you want.
http://imslp.org/wiki/Studio_per_la_...uliani,_Mauro)
Mauro Guiliani wrote this i believe when he was 17. It is not rocket science. It just takes a little time and application to work through all the excercises so you can play them at a steady tempo. Start slow. Only do one or two each day and make sure you are nailing them before you move on. You will learn and play more of them with increased speed and efficiency as you move through over time. ALways start at the first one when you practice each day and progress through when you can do each one smoothly. Once you have got to the point where you can do them all, it should take about 20 minutes to roll through them.
It is also amazing for clawhammer, solo slide and even banjo if you decide to try that down the track.
Id be prepared to bet money that chet did this when he was learning too.
There are some "all tab" versions floating around somewhere if the black dots put you off too much.
Enjoy!

[vinnie1971]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

classical guitar is the absolute best grounding for fingerstyle.
Dont be intimidated by this. It is easier than it looks at first glance. The whole thing is a series of right hand patterns over only two chords: C and G7 ....what could be more country than that?
Just work through all the excercises over a course of weeks (or months) and your right hand will become a whole new machine. It will work so well and so smoothly you can pretty much forget about it, then start working on whatever melodies and harmonies you want.
http://imslp.org/wiki/Studio_per_la_...uliani,_Mauro)
Mauro Guiliani wrote this i believe when he was 17. It is not rocket science. It just takes a little time and application to work through all the excercises so you can play them at a steady tempo. Start slow. Only do one or two each day and make sure you are nailing them before you move on. You will learn and play more of them with increased speed and efficiency as you move through over time. ALways start at the first one when you practice each day and progress through when you can do each one smoothly. Once you have got to the point where you can do them all, it should take about 20 minutes to roll through them.
It is also amazing for clawhammer, solo slide and even banjo if you decide to try that down the track.
Id be prepared to bet money that chet did this when he was learning too.
There are some "all tab" versions floating around somewhere if the black dots put you off too much.
Enjoy!

I took classical lessons for 3 years - got to grade 6 Standard and it improved my playing immensely- I no longer play with picks unless it’s a thumb pick or when I when I want pinched harmonics.

So I have no issue reading standard notation.

I wish I started there, I’d have been a much better player when I was a youth, but I could not afford lessons.

I am pretty sure Chet has some classical in there....,


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[kasketkrusher666]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Just saw all these posts, thanks guys! Gonna get practicing this weekend.

[PierceOkken]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Yeah, I don't know many guitarists who can actually read notes, classical helped me do that, it also makes for a very clean guitarist. Kinda funny because my band play the polar opposite of classical -> glam metal

you know what they say:

Classical guitar is making something hard look easy while metal is making something easy look hard

[jmcorey]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Truefire.com has paths for developing skills on guitar in several different areas, including Rock, Jazz, Country, etc.

[vinnie1971]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?

Yeah, I don't know many guitarists who can actually read notes, classical helped me do that, it also makes for a very clean guitarist. Kinda funny because my band play the polar opposite of classical -> glam metal

you know what they say:

Classical guitar is making something hard look easy while metal is making something easy look hard

Yes, that is true !


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[Clint 55]

Re: Entry Level Fingerstyle Country?