In this Guitarticle, we’ll be looking at a basic approach to country-based lead guitar, or Chick’n Pick’n. Like jazz guitar, country soloing leans more toward changing scales with every chord, versus using one stock scale for a given key. Two scales we’ll be looking at today are the major scale and the blues scale superimposed over one another (ex. 1).
These can be used in both their stand-alone forms as well as a combination of the two. An example would be mixing in the flat 3, flat 5 or flat 7 of the blues scale with the major scale. These newly added notes would be considered “passing tones,” and used over a major chord progression are not very strong, sounding a bit dissonant if you ride on them too long. However, with a little speed and proper picking technique they really bring something nice to the table.
Our reference licks of the month are from The Avery Set’s “Hello Georgia” (ex. 2 and 3). Most Chick’n Pick’n plays around with a hefty mix of open notes, so for those of you who don’t like to venture past the fifth fret, this should be right in your wheel house.
Examples 2 and 3 are played over a simple 1-4-5 progression in A. You’ll really want to take note of a couple of things here, particularly in the use of chord tones. For example, when the rhythm guitar is on A, the lead also starts from the A (ex.2 & 3). When switching to D, the lead starts from D (third fret of B string, ex.3), and when changing to E, the melody uses a quick hammer-on from the flat 3 to the major 3 of E (open G to the first fret in both ex. 2 and 3).
Notice the use of passing tones and chromaticism when sliding from the flat 3 to the major 3, or hammer-ons from the flat 7 to the major 7? These are both key in locking down the country style, but perhaps even more important than the note choices are the picking style and patterns. Get ready for calluses on your picking hand if you don’t have them already!
Chick’n Pick’n uses a combination of both the pick and the second and third fingers. Pick articulations are shown beneath the tab, and “m and a” for the middle and ring fingers are indicated in the standard notation. Generally the pick is used for the bass notes and the fingers for the higher strings. The examples given have very specific picking patterns, and I wouldn’t stray too far from them. Pay close attention to the patterns and play them slowly at first. Don’t hesitate to really pop the notes with your fingers in an outward direction away from the fretboard. This is the secret to the style! It might sound harsh and uneven at first, but just play through it.
You can stream or download “Hello Georgia” at facebook.com/theaveryset.
For more on improving your guitar skills, call Chambers Guitars for lessons at (615) 898-0055.
