Time to learn songs?

[joshigh]

Another thread in the main page got me thinking, the one about one's own competance. I was wondering how quick most people learn songs/solos. I got to thinking this weekend. I learned Vince Gill's Liza Jane solo over the course of about two days, playing on and off, with the help of tab, I know how to play the whole thing, I just need to nail the articulation, and all the way up to speed. I learned the solo in Here's a Quarter in about an hour, and have it down pretty much without flaw, just needs some pollishing. I've been playing rythym/lead rock and Southern rock for about 5 or 6 years, and I'm starting to get into country styles, which is proving to be a lot bigger challenge than I've faced in the past, but it is so fun once you've got it down. Where do I stand in the ranks of the learning country picker?

[spyder]

Ho...well, I'd say you stand pretty good....when it comes to covering other folks solos.....experiance is the key....for the most part country voiced solos lean heavily on the minor and major pent pockets with emphasis on flatted seventh tones......thats why many country *shred* solos sound similar...getting familar with pocket logistics is very important IMO....the session players will use 'em all over the fretboard.....pickin' hand development is also paramount...the good country players use the 1 and two finger X-over moves without thinking about it...to be truly affective these moves have to be 2nd nature for a player.....lastly, if a passage is hard to play...it will be hard to play fast....shred solos are normally comprised of quick-hitter, easy to play lines strung together for extended guitar vocal lines...thats why its common place to hear comments like..." I learned such and such solo in an hour....just gotta get it up to speed".....easy licks, cuttin' edge pickin' technique is the reason.....later, spyder

[mrobins@equilease.com]

the good country players use the 1 and two finger X-over moves without thinking about it...to be truly affective these moves have to be 2nd nature for a player.....

what? please explain the 1 and 2 finger X over move?
it reminds me of a Sienfeld episode.

thanks a bunch
mr

[Anonymous]

Originally Posted by mrobins@equilease.com

what? please explain the 1 and 2 finger X over move? it reminds me of a Sienfeld episode.

LOL That's funny. :-) Spyder's referring to hybrid picking, in which you use a combination of finger(s) and pick to hit warp speed. When Danny Gatton was really blazing a single-note run, for instance, he'd often use a picking pattern that broke down as:

downstroke with pick -- upstroke with pick -- pluck with finger

in that order. The addition of the fingerstroke gave him one additional "weapon" to attack the strings with. Similarly, he had transferred a LOT of banjo licks (normally played with a thumbpick and 1st and 2nd fingers) to guitar, where he could execute them perfectly with a flatpick and the 2nd and 3rd fingers.

The "2 finger crossover" is the same sort of idea: you're using a combination of flatpick and two fingers, instead of just one.

Hope this helps if you've never tried hybrid picking before. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) ;-) CS

[spyder]

Ho...my style is a little different I guess...by way of explanation....when playing lines, pickers normally play thru and/or across the strings...unless a lick is on one string only.....the one finger move I use is pick, pluck alternately....the pluckin' (or gig finger) is positioned extremely close to the strings...literally a hairs width away....there is no wasted motion or unnecessary movement.....the advantage lays in the simplicity of the technique...its either pick or finger....not alot to think about....therefore its a tremendous technique for single note lines....speed is articulate and effortless..... and very dynamic sounding...its why country players often sound very rythmic, even when playing solo without accompliment.....the two finger Xover is normally used for prearranged open string phrases and/ or banjo type rolls etc.....depending on skill level....the two finger method isn't as handy for single note lines...especially ad-libbed solos...often players will *jamup* or play themselves into a corner...the one finger is more effective....anyway, both are tremendously useful techniques....not only for the country guitarist...but guitarists involved with other genres as well.....later, spyder