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Of the many techniques and style characteristics "in vogue" in the last decade, a noteable influence has come from the techniques and licks derived from country. Considering that the blues, a basic element in all modern styles, is very similar to country from a harmonic profile, and its easy to see how country music itself becomes a reference point for the most varied musical types. Many guitarists with different styles use country techniques and licks in their compositions and improvisations. It can be said that if the blues is a universale style of execution because it can be used on any instrument, then country is bound to string instruments, like the violin, banjo, mandolin and, obviously, the guitar.
Apart from this, country music can be defined as a typical american genre, born in the old "far west". While blues remains, as a base, a simple genre that doesn't require a particular technical predisposition, country differentiats itself from blues basically from a technical aspect, as when facing a country song the technical capacity of the musician often put to the test.
As in all musical types, its possible to use basic techniqes accessible even to the beginners. From an educational point of view, this allows one to follow a study path that gradually teaches the many aspects of this genre, thats adored by many guitarists and useful in any situation.
Most of all, we will try to analyze the fundamental techniques used to play country, both from a rhythmic, as well as a melodic and harmonic aspect. In this way we will make a solid technical base that will then allow us to move on to more advanced techniques used by "technical" guitarists, and of sure impact during improvisation.
Fundamental Techniques
As previously stated, country is harmonically related to the blues and, in some forms, even uses typical blues harmonies and cadences (for example the use of the three chords I°, IV° and V°). In every case, the difference is in two main factors, which is the type of chords and the use of the scales in the improvisation.
- The chords, in their basic form, are simply majors or minors, while the blues always requires the use of the seventh, particular, this, that then also distinguish the melodic use of the pentatonic minor scales. In its most evolved form, country requires more and more complex harmonizations, that in extreme cases approaches typical jazz harmonizations.
- The scale used the most in country is the major pentatonic scale. In the blues its the minor pentatonic. This is the main difference. In its most harmonic form, other scales come into play, especially the modals.
Many other small differences seperate the two types of music, that however remain evidently related. For example, the speed of play, which in country is often brought to a hectic level, while the blues is very contained (just think of a certain Mister SlowHand...).
The harmonic base
To begin developing the country style technique, we can start working directly on a typical song, who's base is especially built so we can work with it from a melodic point of view. The base, or more precisely the accompanyment, is where we will start working, using a very simple harmonic sequence based on a four beat chorus repeated cyclically. This base is only an example of accompanyment and later will be elaborated and analyzed from multiple aspects and will become a very useful educational song.
Lets look at the structure of the harmonic base.
As you can see, the harmony is very simple. Made simple in order to develop the accompanyment according to the most common rules of country. Lets look at the first accompanyment, based on the use of picking on alternate lows. On each chord we can play either the standard bass, which is the root of that chord, or another bass that we can add or find already fingered.
In the chord of C major we put the ring finger on the sixth string at the third fret, alternating the two basses (notes C and G, on the fifth and sixth string respectively at the third fret)
In the chord of F major we alternate the F root on the sixth string at the first fret with the C note of the fifth string.
In the chord of G major we alternate the sixth string, which is the root, with the fourth string open.
Basically, on every chord we alternate the I° with the V° of the chord (if you don't perfectly know the rules that manage the degrees of the chords, see the theory section relating to the intervals, or that of the costruction of the chords...).
Here is the first example of alternating bass accompanyment.
As you can see, the picking (always down) alternates between the lows of the chord and the actual chord itself. On the chord its possible to see how some groups of strings are chosen over others. In C major, the chord is played on the fourth, third and second strings, omitting the first. Even if the chord is played in full. In F and G the first four are played. This system is very useful for giving "color" to a fingering, without changing notes within the chord.
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The first variation is obtained by substituting, on every chord, the first and second movement of the bar. We play from the picking, at sixteenths, on the chord and not on the bass. A simple variation that drastically changes the sound of the chord. Note how the alternate picking is used on the chord, but while the lows "play", the picking is fixed down. It always deals with alternating lows. |
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Inverting the previous example, putting the rhythm at sixteenths on the third and fourth movement. Also in this the solution is simple, but the sound effect is heard. Obviously everything stated above is valid here... |
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In the example that we will see now, we substitute the complete barrč fingering of the chord in F major with that found in the diagram seen here (also in F). This will serve to facilitate the use of particular accompanyment techniques. The fingering of the C and the G remain the same. |
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One of the more common techniques in country accompanyment is without a doubt the use of the hammer-on within the chord, obtained by adding one or more notes to the voicing of the fingering. It combines two notes with a hammer-on, in order to create a harmonic passage that enriches the sound of the chord itself. Normally, the hammer-on combines the II° with the III° of the chord, even if there can be numerous variations, obtained by working with different degrees. Let's look at the following example.
Let's analyze the measure.
In the chord of C major, we have the D note (II°), played on the fourth open string, that is combined to the E note (III°), placed on the 2° fret of the same string. Using the same reasoning, you play the G chord. Obviously, the degrees (II° and III°) relative to the G major are the A and B notes.
Also the F chord is treated the same way, using the G and A notes, respectively II° and III° of the F major. As already stated, we have enough fingering to obtain this passage. At the end of the measure, the C note will be added on the fifth string, to obtain the characteristic alternate bass.
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