Country style page 3.

Phrase. Basic Technique
After having learned a basic accompanyment technique, we can analyze the more common techniques for a country phrasing. Techniques that in many cases have elements normally used on the guitar, such as bending, the release, the hammer-on, the pull-off and the slide. More than anything, it is the way that they are used that identifies the genre.
We will analyze the style of the country phrasing by studying a series of typical licks that used the above-mentioned techniques. As already stated in the previous pages, the scale thats used the most in country phrasing is the major pentatonic scale. You can to the special section relating to the pentatonic scales to evaluate the various fingerings. Also make reference to the various dedicated sections in case you find terms or techniques that you aren't familiar with. Remeber that every lick has an indicated base scale on which its built.

Country Lick 1 - C major
In this simple lick a bending is used that brings the D note to the E note, therefore passing from the II° to the III°. The note in bending is then allowed to ring when the the next G is played on the second string. Then comes a release, obtained by releasing the previously pulled string and again a bending between the D and E, to conclude with the double notes on the first two strings, that identify the C chord, notes played by keeping the third string taught.

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Country Lick 2 - C major
Use of the slide on double strings. Ascending: D and G raise respectively to E and A. Decending: E and A descend respectively to D and G. Note the use of the fingers of the right hand, that play the D and G (middle finger on the third and ring on the second string), notes that are then used in slide by the left hand as described. The fingers of the right hand also work to keep the pick between the thumb and index fingers. To finish, a classical blues passage between the Eb and the E notes, III° minor and the III° major of C.

Play and listen to mp3 audio example.

Country Lick 3 - C major
The G, A and C notes are played in repetition, creating an irregular rhythmic succession with the same tempo. In the second measure, we find a pair of notes on the first two strings, played with the ring and little fingers. Pay attention to the fact that these two strings are played simultaneously with the pick (second string) and with the middle finger (first string) of the right hand. The A note is obtained by playing the eighth fret after a bending of one tone has been preset with the ring finger. In the second pair of octaves the second string is released from an A to a G note, at the same time playing the C of the first string.
The next bending between the D ande E notes is obtained on the third string using the middle finger, that plays coupled with the second string, the G note with the ring finger. These two strings are also played simultaneously with the pick (third string) and the middle finger (second string) of the right hand.

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Country Lick 4 - C major
In the second movement the pick plays at the same time as the middle finger of the right hand. The double notes (E and G) fall chromatically, recreating a typical steel-guitar passage. Pay attention to the descending slide. Afterwards, the use of the G note of the third open string allows the left hand to move into position to play Eb and E, creating a more open sound thanks to the large interval that seperates this G from the other notes. Also here the pair of final strings is played with the pick and middle finger.

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Country Lick 5 - C major
Double notes again, that in the first measure are played using alternate picking and combined with a slide and ligato. You should maintain good presicion with the left hand during the ligato's, in that they must have the same volume as the picked notes. Pay attention, at the end of the measure, to the openning of the left hand, where the little finger plays the D at the 12th fret and the index finger plays the Bb at the 8th fret of the fourth string.
Nella seconda battuta, oltre alla nota G della terza corda a vuoto, ritroviamo ancora le doppie note, questa volta suonate con la solita tecnica ibrida plettro-dito medio della mano destra.

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Country Lick 6 - F major
After a succession of sixteenth notes in the pentatonic scale of F major, the real "country lick" is found in the last movement, where we must use the double notes technique, played with the pick and the middle finger of the right hand. Pay attention to the last bending, obtained on the fourth string between the G# and the A. The G#, fingered by the middle finger of the left hand, is played contemporaneousy as the C note on the third string. During the bending remember to maintain the pressure of both fingers on the strings.

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Country Lick 7 - G major
The scale used in the phase is the scale of G mixolidian. You can broaden your knowledge regarding this subject in the section dedicated to the modal scales . This lick is used in specific cases, due to the presence of the F note (VII°b of G), useful in highlighting the country aspect of the phrase. Phrases that, though quite simple, present a small difficulty in the execution of the fingering for the second and third movements. Closely follow the indicated finerings.

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Country Lick 8 - F major and G major
One of the more evident characteristics in country is the use of the sixth intervals, obtained on seperate strings, and played with the pick-finger technique. In the first measure the F mixolidian scale is used, which then ascends to the fourth and second string. Notice how the notes of the fourth string play in hammer-on with the pick, while the notes on the second string are played again by the ring finger of the right hand. Finally, a chromatic passage is played that ends at the F note (Eb, E e F).
In the second measure, we work on the chord of G with the mixolidian scale of G. The system to play is analogous to the previous measure. The last two notes of the measure in pull-off of F are already part of the G chord. The final phrase with alternate picking, always derived from the mixolidian scale of G, closes with a descending chromaticism from D to B.

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In the next page we will see the first solo, built using the techniques we have seen up to this point, and structured in a simple way, in order to make the study accessible to all those who learning country only now. The next section is be dedicated to the study of advanced techniques that are quite difficult from both an educational and a technical aspect.

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