That cascading lick I hear in alot of country songs...

...can anyone describe how it is played or tab out the notes? It sounds like some strings are left ringing so I am assuming it has some open string notes in it. The sound reminds me of a steel guitar lick that is also popular in country music.

I'm not sure which lick you mean specifically but any time you can ring an open string, if gives you more time to get into position for the next note.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tab-tips-theory-technique/106869-source-open-string-corsspicking-scales.html

I have some other material, I have to dig it out.

I can only do them in a few keys-they're not terribly difficult to learn, but doing thm at speed is a different matter. Johnny Highland's video (available at netflix) has a great section on them.

Dijos-- I have Hiland's Chicken Pickin' video... I don't remember a cross-scale section. Do you mean another video?

It should be that one; I think it's example 37 or something-he does a decending run in G, an maybe d?

Steve Trovato (USC Music Prof) does some super-extended "banjo rolls" on his "Hot Nashville Guitar" DVD. For cascading licks it is the best I have ever seen. Most others focus on licks, he really focuses on these....

If you get Erik Halbig's cd/book, "Chicken Pickin", you'll get the most extensive cascading banjo rolls section ever...way more than Steve Trovato's.

I think you're talking about the very last lick on this demo by Scott Grove at around 56 seconds in:
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If you are talking about open string descending scale runs, then do this.

The open strings are E B G D A. These notes all occur naturally in the keys of C, D and G. So for each of those keys, you can make a descending major scale that will leave things "ringing" on the open strings.

G seems to work the best. Start with it. Start a descending major scale on the B string 8th fret (G). 7th (F#).

Now here is THE TRICK - the next note would be 5th (E) - but that is the same as the open E string below you - so hit the open E string and let it ring.

Move to the G string 7th (D), 5th (C), and instead of 4th (B) - hit the open B string and let it ring.

Move to the D string 7th (A) - then 3rd string open for G.

And so on...

The trick is to start up around the 7th to 10th frets and come down your scale. Whenever an open string matches a note in your scale, use the open string.

You can do this with major scales or any other scale. Key of A mixolydian (flat the 7th) works well because of the open G string. The further you get away from scales using E B G D A in them, the less useful this becomes.

It's easy to understand. It's a little more difficult to play, and you really have to work it up to speed slowly. Once you get it under your fingers it slides in nicely in a lot of real world applications.

Enjoy.

I think you're talking about the very last lick on this demo by Scott Grove at around 56 seconds in:
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This is the Scott Grove you guys keep talking about? I didn't care for this at all. His playing didn't flow very smoothly. It was choppy, out of time in parts, bad tone, and very generic. I didn't feel any passion in that.

I got to agree with Polishcomedy on this one. Is Erik Halbig a giant? His My space page looks like he could be the tallest man in the world.

If you are talking about open string descending scale runs, then do this.

The open strings are E B G D A. These notes all occur naturally in the keys of C, D and G. So for each of those keys, you can make a descending major scale that will leave things "ringing" on the open strings.

G seems to work the best. Start with it. Start a descending major scale on the B string 8th fret (G). 7th (F#).

Now here is THE TRICK - the next note would be 5th (E) - but that is the same as the open E string below you - so hit the open E string and let it ring.

Move to the G string 7th (D), 5th (C), and instead of 4th (B) - hit the open B string and let it ring.

Move to the D string 7th (A) - then 3rd string open for G.

And so on...

The trick is to start up around the 7th to 10th frets and come down your scale. Whenever an open string matches a note in your scale, use the open string.

You can do this with major scales or any other scale. Key of A mixolydian (flat the 7th) works well because of the open G string. The further you get away from scales using E B G D A in them, the less useful this becomes.

It's easy to understand. It's a little more difficult to play, and you really have to work it up to speed slowly. Once you get it under your fingers it slides in nicely in a lot of real world applications.

Enjoy.

hey!

That's it! Thanks...I think I got it now.

I got to agree with Polishcomedy on this one.

If he wasn't using this to sell an INSTRUCTIONAL DVD I wouldn't have been so harsh. I just wouldn't drop any bones to learn THAT.

Scott Grove isn't all that bad and his lessons are cheap. Personally I've learned alot from Scott and have been able to apply it right away. Your right about his tone and being generic but that's part of what I like about the guy. The licks he teaches I feel I've heard a hundred times and for a intermediate player like me learning those gave me instant gratification. I like that his tone isn't all that and that he does not appear to even care too much about his tone.
I can only compare his lessons with Doug Seven's as they are the only two I own but Doug is a little advanced for me. I can learn the licks but have problem playing them in time and putting them to use in a chord progression. IMO Doug also talks to much and has too much filler of him jamming away. Doug is definitely a step above in all aspects but I need to get better learning Scott Grove type stuff before I can really tackle Doug's lessons.

hey!

That's it! Thanks...I think I got it now.

Good. If you can hybrid pick, pick the fretted notes with your pick and pop the open strings with one of your fingers. That will allow you to build up some speed.