Mystry train

[hybridpicker]

How difficult would you say Mystry train is to play? I am about half way through it. before I started I was told how difficult of a tune it is to get down but it doesnt seem that bad at all. perhaps it's difficult for those players who just flat pick. I cant imagine trying to learn this great song if it waent being done hybrid style or finger picked.

[screamin eagle]

Well it certainly ain't the easiest song to learn, but it is more of a feel thang than anythang else.

Hybrid pick is a must

[Bob Mc]

Been playing at that groove for decades, sometimes I get it, sometime I don't, always with hybrid technique.

If you got it down easily, good on you!

[AtlantaSpike]

I can flat pick it to where it's hard to tell I'm not using my fingers. I always thought it was pretty easy ince you got the feel of it. But Scotty was they guy that made me pick up a guitar 30 years ago, so I've had a while to practice up.

[mistermullens]

Which version? There are so many, but what a great song. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals do a great rendition.

[jonnycool]

try to find brian setzers version of mistery train, it's got the old style rhythm but lots setzer tweaks that blows your socks off. i think it's on the BSO in japan video

[BlueJim]

It seems like one of those "gateway" songs. If you can play it people will accept that you put in some effort to learn the basics. I had only ever heard of people hybrid or finger picking the groove, but one day in frustration I just tried to flatpick it and damned if I'm not about as good at that as the other... my hybrid picking is pretty lame.

[Axis29]

It took me a while to get the rhythm down. Coming from a Blues background, it was tough. But once I got it, I got it.

Of all the versions I've heard I still like Scotty's the best. He plays a version with Eric Clapton that's very tasty!

[Brian blaut]

Mystery Train is an icon song in it's own right.

I think folks find it hard becuase of the Travis Picking. I know I spent some serious time woodshedding that one. The good news is, once you 'get' travis picking, you can do a lot of cool stuff over any song. To me, that type of fingerpicking defines rockabilly.

For the life of me, I can't nail Scotty's particular Mystery Train vibe though. There is just something about his touch. -that staccato attack, seeming both harsh and delicate all at once. My version is some sort of cross between Scotty and Burton.

In the past I was a thumpick guy all the way for stuff like that (cause that's what Scotty did), but recently I've been secretly woodshedding and getting myself prepared for the permanent switch to hybrid picking with a flatpick. -To much hassle to switch picks between songs.

[Tim Bowen]

"Mystery Train" is an example of a tune for which I've called upon various spins, in doing my own arrangement. Honestly, I'd never previously heard the Elvis side when I was at GIT in the mid 80's, but Keith Wyatt's arrangement got me interested. The obvious next step was to go back and listen to Scotty Moore, so I did. I also picked up some twists from Jim Weider's rockabilly instructional vid, and learned some bits from Danny Gatton's "Sun Medley" from Cruisin' Deuces. That original I chord hook is fairly integral, but over time, I started occasionally adding or substituting bits I'd heard from James Burton-era Elvis, or Merle Travis stuff on tunes such as "Cannonball Rag". I also enjoy faking some of the Bill Black doghouse bass lines occasionally.

In playing rockabilly with electric guitar and full band, I've always hybrid-picked. I can't get that to work at all for me on acoustic-electric, so when I play the tune with my duo, I use thumb and fingers. One thing's for sure, gotta have some righteous slapback delay!

[mbr]

I hope it's not harder to play than it is to spell.

[Budda]

Chrissy Hynde does a good version, too! I like her raw attitude. Sorely lacking in many "rockers" I think. But, she's got it!

[ac15]

It took me a couple hours or so to feel fairly comfortable with "Mystery Train" but it wasn't the first time I had played that style of picking.