Modern Country Guitar: Technique Booster

In this module you will find all the downloadable resources that go along with this course. Print out the pdf TAB sheets to follow along with the rest of this course. There are also mp3 backing tracks to play along with. Load these into a sequencer or stand alone player and practice along with them for the next 30 days to boost your technique.

This lecture is an overview of the Tone Section. We'll discuss guitars, amps, effects and even fingernails. The videos in this tone section have been used before in my other course but I felt it  is important enough to include in this course. If you've been through my other course, you can just mark the lectures as complete. If this is your first course with me, this information will give you an idea of how I go about getting that spankin' country tone.

In this module we will discuss the best type guitars used for country guitar. You can choose from vintage type guitars or modern type guitars. Each will have it's own feel and sound. It comes down to what feels best to you. The obvious choice is a Tele style guitar but any guitar with single coil pickups will work. 

In this lecture we go over the effects I use in my set-up. The main effects are compressor, slapback delay, reverb and sometimes an mild overdrive or boost pedal into an AC30 inspired amp (model).This set-up is the same way I would go about setting up a regular amp and effects pedals. I use the same formula, either way. THere are several benefits to running direct and the AVID Eleven Rack sounds great. 

Country Guitar uses hybrid picking. This is a picking method that incorporates both the pick and fingers on the right hand. Proper fingernail care and conditioning will help achieve this technique. 

This lecture talks about the picks I use. For the longest time I had a problem of picks rotating in my fingers as I tried to play. Because the DAVA Grip Tip Picks have a rubber coating, this helps eliminate pick rotation. 

This video show actual amp and pedals set-up. This is the set-up I used when I recorded the Teaser solo. In Lecture 5 I use an amp modeler and digital effects but this is the same process I use for either set-up. My set-up will include an AC30 style amp, compressor, boost, slapback delay and reverb. It's a pretty simple formula that I've used for the past twenty years.

This is an overview of the exercises section of the course. Be sure to have your printed TAB sheets so you can follow along. Also, load the mp3 drum tracks into a sequencer (i.e. Logic, Garage Band, Pro Tools) or even a stand alone player like Amazing Slow Downer, Transcribe, VLC or even Windows Media Player. Practice these exercises along with the drum tracks for the next 30 days to notice an improvement in your hybrid picking technique. 

Example #1 is a repeating pattern based out of the G minor pentatonic scale. Pay attention to your right hand. Your pick will play the notes on the fourth string and your right hand middle finger will pluck the notes on the third string. 

Example #2 is a similar pattern to example #1. But, this time you are playing the pattern on the fourth and fifth strings. You'll want to detune your sixth string down to a D for the last two notes. It's a fun riff to play. You can really build up some speed with this one.

Example #3 is very similar to the first two patterns but this time it is shifted up two frets. This would be based out of the Key of A. The right hand pattern stay consistent. Pulling of to these open strings from the A minor position is something similar to what Brad Paisley would do. 

Example #4 is based on the Country Composite Scale. The country composite scale is the minor pentatonic scale with the added blue note (flat five) and a couple chromatic notes thrown in. Pay attention the the right hand picking pattern.

Example #5 is a repeating pattern that will help improve your hybrid pick with single note accents and double stops. Pay attention to the right hand picking pattern.The pattern itself is taken from the pentatonic scale so you will be able to use this pattern to create licks of your own.

Example #6 is similar to the previous example but this one starts high and descends though the pattern. The right hand pattern should be consistent with example #5. This pattern is also taken from the pentatonic scale pattern so it's useful in country, rock or blues.

Example #7 is another hybrid picking exercise. Your pick will take care of the fourth string and your right hand ring& middle fingers will pluck the double stops on the second & third string. The import part of this pattern is you start with an upstroke of the pick in order for the rest of the pattern to fall into place. 

Example #8 is another hybrid picking exercise. Your pick will take care of the fourth string and your right hand ring & middle fingers will pluck the double stops on the second & third string. Depending on where you play this pattern on the neck, it could be applied to either the Major Pentatonic or Minor Pentatonic scale.

Example #9 is a repeating pattern that will help improve your hybrid picking technique with single note accents and double stops. Pay attention to the right hand picking pattern. Try alternating between alternate picking and hybrid picking on the fourth & fifth strings. Use this pattern when improvising some of your own solos.

Example #10 is a cool double stop hammer-on pattern. Your right hand ring & middle fingers will pluck the double stop and you pick will down stroke the root note on the fourth string. In the Key of G, this pattern hammers on from the minor third of the scale to the major third of the scale. This is a common technique in modern country guitar.

Example #11 is more of a Lick based pattern. It incorporates bends, minor third to major third hammer-ons and a chromatic walk down.The trick to pulling this off is to bend the 6th fret on the second string while holding the 7th fret on the first string still. You don't want to bend both strings. If you do it right, it will sound like a steel guitar bend.

Example #12 is an open string pull-off lick in the style of Brad Paisley. Pay attention to the right hand pattern as it will be used in the following three examples. This sounds great and because your pulling off to open strings, it's easy to build up speed. This is a great modern country technique to add to your style.

Example #13 is similar to the previous example but starts on a lower set of strings. Notice the same right hand pattern. Once you have this pattern down, try moving it to other places on the fretboard. It's sounds great and will turn some heads at your next gig. 

Example #14 repeats the same 12 note pattern over and over. It uses the same pattern as the previous two examples. Play along with a metronome or drum track. Just keep repeating the pattern to help build up endurance. You can create a lot of licks out of this one pattern. 

Example #15 is similar to the previous patterns but this time the left hand pattern changes while the right hand pattern stays the same. Brad Paisley did something similar to this in one of his solos. It works great played over a G chord. It almost hast a bluegrass flavor to it. 

This is the solo example for this course. This little solo is named Teaser. It's based out of the Key of G and uses mostly notes from the minor pentatonic scale. You should notice that many of the techniques used in the Exercises section of this course were incorporated into this solo. If you learn this solo and have played along with the exercises in this course, you should see a noticeable boost in your technique. 

This is an overview of the solo section. Print out the pdf TABs so you can follow along. It might be helpful to work on just one lick per day. Each day adding on another lick. Then within two weeks you should have this memorized. 

Lick #1 is the main repeating pattern for this solo. The eight note pattern repeats three times then changes it up on the fourth time through. This pattern is super fun to play and because of the open string pull offs, you can really build up some speed.

Lick #2 is the same as Lick #1 except it resolve differently. The eight note pattern repeats three times then changes it up on the fourth time through.On the fourth time through your left hand will shift from the G minor pentatonic position to the G major pentatonic position.

Lick #3 is the same as Lick #1. Nothing changes. You should have this pattern down pretty good by now. This pattern is the basis for many country guitar licks and riffs. Once you have this pattern down, change it up to create some of your licks.

Lick #4 starts of the same as the previous example but finishes with a cool descending pull off lick. Because your pulling of to open strings the lick is double timed. This change in rhythmic pattern breaks up the timing used in the main repeating riff. These timing changes can make it more interesting for the listener.

Lick #5 is the ascending country composite scale. You should be familiar with this scale. All the chromatic notes sound great because they are all just passing tones. This same pattern could be shifted up 2 frets and then it would be considered an A scale. Try moving it around the neck and playing it in different keys. This is a great modern country guitar technique to have in your repertoire.

Lick #6 is a minor third to major third hammer-on lick. These are the main double stops used in the modern country guitar style. It's a technique that can be use not only in lead playing, but also your rhythm playing. It finishes with a descending to ascending chromatic run.

Lick #7 is a blues based lick. Heck, country is just blues, sped up. This lick has one of the few bends used in this solo. Eddie Van Halen played a lick similar to this at the end of the solo in Finish What You Started.

Lick #8 has more of the traditional style bends. The bend is very "On & Off" sounding like a steel guitar. This is different from a slow blues style bend. Bend the note on the second string while keeping the note on the first string stationary. 

Lick #9 is a great double-stop hammer on lick. It has the same rhythmic pattern as the minor third to major third double stop hammer-on that we did earlier in the solo. You could also try playing in backwards making it a double stop pull-off lick. Experiment with it. Have fun. 

Lick #10 is a fun little chicken pickin' lick. Chicken Pickin' is a term where as you make clucking sound with the guitar, kinda like a chicken. The G note played at the 12th fret can be played as a ghost note, barley pressing down one the string. It finishes off with a descending to ascending chromatic style run. 

Lick #11 is a great descending double stop lick. It is chromatic in nature so you hit all most every fret on the way down. Start at the G position at the 12th fret and work down to the G minor pentatonic position at the 3rd fret. This modern country guitar technique works great in different keys as well. Just move the pattern around accordingly.

Lick #12 is just a repeating chromatic descending run. Pay attention to the right hand pattern. Try using different amounts of palm muting to get more staccato sound from this lick. Add some distortion and this becomes a great rock & roll style lick.

Lick #13 is the same as Lick #1. Nothing changes. This is the main riff for the solo. This pattern is great to work on your hybrid picking technique. And because of the open string pull offs, you can really build up some speed.

Lick #14 starts with the main riff then goes into the open string Brad Paisley style pull-off lick. It's a great way to finish the solo. This lick is based on G minor pentatonic. The right hand pattern is down>up.pull-off>down>pluck>pull-off.

This lecture concludes the solo section. When working on the solo, start with the slowest backing track. Memorize the entire solo. Once you have it down at the slowest speed, move onto the next faster backing track. Continue until you have it to full speed. After you have it down, try incorporating some of your own licks in the solo. Make it your own.

Congratulations. You made it through the course. Over the next 30 days continue to work with these patterns. If you work on the exercises and the solo along with the provided mp3 tracks, I am confident that you will see a boost in your technique, endurance and dexterity. Once you have them down to the point where you can play them without thinking about them, they will start to emerge in your playing style. If you ever have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm here to help. Thanks Again! Vinnie