Easiest Brad Paisley song to play?

[hybridrocknroll]

Need motivation, so what BP song do you consider to be easiest to learn/play? Old Alabama is one song I know 90% through, but looking to expand my full-song repertoire. I'm focusing on lead mainly. Thanks!

[AJ Love]

There aren't a ton of easy Brad Paisley songs, though I suppose its all relative.

[hybridrocknroll]

I was just curious which BP songs that most people would consider easier than others. Obviously Time Warp and Mr. Policeman are rather fast and difficult (again, relative) compared to Old Alabama or She's Everything.

[Brandon mac]

the nervous breakdown





























just kidding

[hybridrocknroll]

Originally Posted by Brandon mac

the nervous breakdown

just kidding

Yea, that's pretty much freakin' ridiculous, haha. Truly almost unbelievable. If I play half that well and a quarter that fast I'd be set.

[Brandon mac]

Originally Posted by hybridrocknroll

Yea, that's pretty much freakin' ridiculous, haha. Truly almost unbelievable. If I play half that well and a quarter that fast I'd be set.

i actually learned most of it a while back. when i say learn,i mean i can play it really slow. getting it to speed is another story all together. i seriously think the main thing to do when learning anything thats giving you a hard time,is to take it in steps. set yourself a goal of just learning the intro,and focus on nothing else but that. you will find that you will get it eventually,then move on to another part of the song,and repeat the process til you learn all of it.

[hybridrocknroll]

Originally Posted by Brandon mac

i actually learned most of it a while back. when i say learn,i mean i can play it really slow. getting it to speed is another story all together. i seriously think the main thing to do when learning anything thats giving you a hard time,is to take it in steps. set yourself a goal of just learning the intro,and focus on nothing else but that. you will find that you will get it eventually,then move on to another part of the song,and repeat the process til you learn all of it.

That's exactly what I did with Old Alabama, and it was actually the first tab I ever created. My issue is speed. Playing at the speed with the cd is something I work on, but I go through phases. I'm trying to get the fills down for She's Everything. I put in my order for a Road Worn 50's Strat, so I'm gonna be ready to play that at Christmas. I may try American Saturday Night next. I've got the main riff down, but the solo just jumps all over the fretboard.

[HOBBSTER01]

That's the problem with Brad Paisley.
He throws every riff he knows into every song.
Don't get me wrong, IMO he's a great player but not tasteful like Vince Gill ,Albert Lee and others.
My first Nashville session (1981)was at Fireside studios then owned by Dolly.
The demo I was playing on was an upbeat train shuffle.
I threw down a smokin' bass line.
About 4 measures in, the producer/engineer yelled into my phones,"It's not what you play, but what you don't play that matters".
These words have really stuck with me.
As I said earlier, he's a monster player.
Just not tasteful IMO.
But what the hell, he's makin' millions!! lol

[hybridrocknroll]

Agreed. He does get a little crazy with it sometimes. I think the ASN record had some of his craziest riffs/solos on it. I did his rhythm work though, combining the cocked-wah sound with just strumming adds a little oomph to the mix.

[Brandon mac]

i think the first brad song i learned was alcohol. have you tried learning it?

[joel_ostrom]

I think the easiest B.P. song to learn is "Wrapped Around". Very simple main riff, not a lot of difficult riffs to learn or memorize and the solo is very straight forward and fairly easy to play. I'd do that one first.

"The World" is another one that's easy to learn and has some good riffs in it. The solo is kinda quick, but isn't to hard to piece together.

I always liked "Long Sermon" too. A good song that never was one of his singles released (i believe) but its a great song.

Enjoy!

[hybridrocknroll]

Thanks for the replies everybody. "That's Love" was actually the song that got me into playing country music, that main hook riff just hooked me on twang.

Long Sermon was the 2nd song of his that my brother introduced me to, and I love the intro and the entire premise of the song. I was hooked on learning to bend those strings like BP.

Since then I have become an "Intro/Riff-Maniac." just about every song of Brad's I've figured out the intro or main riff to, but very few have I gone through and learned the fills and solo's and the little quirky passages he throws in there sporadically. I'm trying to break that habit and get some more songs that I can play all the way through.

Does anybody have a opinion as to whether they think his songs have gotten more difficult over time, or easier?

[joel_ostrom]

Originally Posted by hybridrocknroll

Does anybody have a opinion as to whether they think his songs have gotten more difficult over time, or easier?

His first album has some of his most complex playing by far. Songs like Nervous Breakdown is full of incredibly difficult and complicated licks, especially because its played at such a fast tempo. Stuff like "Me Neither" has really good licks in it, i've never taken the time to sit down and learn it note for note - its always seemed like a big task.

IMO the complexity of his playing was at its very best on Mud on The Tires. Incredibly tasteful and melodic ideas on songs like "Make a Mistake" and "Mud on The Tires". Spaghetti Western Swing was (and is) one of my most favorite pieces he's ever done.

Since then he seems to be focusing a lot more on his actual song-writing rather than his melodic pieces. Don't get me wrong, i've loved each album he's put out to date - but he has yet to top MOTT.

[jazztele]

Brad's a pretty mean improviser too...I mean, you can learn all his licks note for note, but that don't mean he's playing 'em the same way every time!

I'd be more concerned with scouring his solos for stuff you could use in your own playing rather than trying to learn his songs note for note.

[hybridrocknroll]

Originally Posted by jazztele

Brad's a pretty mean improviser too...I mean, you can learn all his licks note for note, but that don't mean he's playing 'em the same way every time!

I'd be more concerned with scouring his solos for stuff you could use in your own playing rather than trying to learn his songs note for note.

I came to terms that I'll never have his skill or talent, but the feeling of being able to successfully replicate a recording, at full speed, makes my practicing feel valid. I actually learned most of my country licks from ripping him off but in a different key or context or rhythm.

Just recently I realized that I don't HAVE to have the Wampler Paisley OD as the core of what I consider MY personal favorite sound. I've been trying to find my own voice, that fits my playing style and preferences. The Lovepedal Kalamazoo is the OD I'd been looking for. Really nails the sound I was looking for.

[joel_ostrom]

Originally Posted by jazztele

Brad's a pretty mean improviser too...I mean, you can learn all his licks note for note, but that don't mean he's playing 'em the same way every time! I'd be more concerned with scouring his solos for stuff you could use in your own playing rather than trying to learn his songs note for note.

This is true. Learning stuff note for note is good for when you want to play the song with a band or something, but studying the songs is the key.

Take each riff or lick and break it down. Think about what his note choices are and which ones he's emphasizing. Think about how its rhythmically placed, then consider how you could place it in an improvisation of your own.

[Breen]

I think the the first one I learnt was Alcohol. Easy enough words and chords. All I Wanted Was a Car is just pretty much a I-IV-V, with variations of the same chords throughout.

Whiskey Lullaby is nice as well.

I like playing Munster Rag's head, but thats all I can do.

Ah, Little Moments is a great player as well with a great solo.

[JaMmeRman]

I found Departure to be not that difficult. A couple of real useful runs in the solo as well.

[DickensCPA]

The first song I learned of BP's note for note was "Little Moments." Easy solo, compared to his others, yet fits so perfectly. I think the second song of his I learned was "Time Well Wasted" followed by "With You, Without You." If I can play those three, you shouldn't have any trouble.

Brad

[McGlamRock]

I thought "Mud on the Tires" was a pretty simple song. It's not that fast and there are some licks that aren't too hard to cop in the verses. The outro solo is tough, but I think you can get pretty close even without a bender.