Chicken Pickin Breakdown....

[CountryShawn]

Hey guys (and gals)...

I've had a quite a number of people PM me regarding the how-to's of chicken pickin' and ask for tabs of some of the faster passages.

Well, with the help of some kind individuals, I'm going to put them up on my personal website. There's a bit of a short hybrid picking tutorial, as well as complete tab for a solo section.

You can find the introduction to hybrid picking here:

http://69.10.150.150/Site/Guitar%20Licks.html

There's a complete tab transcription of a chicken pickin passage here along with the corresponding audio clip:

http://69.10.150.150/Site/Licks2.html

There's going to be much more coming - video lessons and more lessons.

This is only the starting point.

(NOTE: For the second link, I would strongly suggest that you get a copy of the Amazing Slow Downer to help break it down and play along to work it up to speed.)

Let me know if you guys think this will be useful or helpful.

Cheers,

Shawn

[moondoggie999]

Shawn,

I like the new website. In regards to the lessons, wonderful idea, I will get alot out of it!

I wonder if you have plans to notate the tab for pick-hand indications, like P=Pick, M=middle, R=Ring? That would really give me insight into right hand chicken pickin. If not no worries, just wondering!

Thanks,
Brett

[teletin]

Originally Posted by CountryShawn

Let me know if you guys think this will be useful or helpful.

Yes, to me it is. Quit using picks last year, strictly fingers now but I can't do all I want so I'll be looking at this hybrid picking thing. Thanx.

[CountryShawn]

Originally Posted by moondoggie999

I wonder if you have plans to notate the tab for pick-hand indications, like P=Pick, M=middle, R=Ring? That would really give me insight into right hand chicken pickin. If not no worries, just wondering!

Good point Brett. I will try to add that notation.

Shawn

[jhundt]

I went to your site and listened to the track (Great Playing!) and now I want to try it through the slow-downer. But being rather semi-literate with computers I don't know how to do that. I have the program Amazing Slow Downer, but I can't figure out how to save your on-line recording and replay it thru ASD. Pretty dumb, I know....

[CountryShawn]

jhundt;

I've added a "right-click-to-download" link to make it easier to download directly. You'll see it on the page now.

Shawn

[sparky]

Nice work Shawn.

[dpote]

Excellent work, Shawn. That should help me get up to speed. I see your'e a ham too. How about a sked on 40 sometime? I'm KC7RKH, but rarely have time for it anymore.

Dave

[CountryShawn]

Originally Posted by dpote

Excellent work, Shawn. That should help me get up to speed. I see your'e a ham too. How about a sked on 40 sometime? I'm KC7RKH, but rarely have time for it anymore.

Dave

You bet Dave. 40 might work depending on the time, but certainly 80 would work too, later in the evening.

When do you want to try?

[CountryShawn]

OK Folks. I've updated a few things and added a bit of a beginners lessons page on page 2 (scroll to the bottom of the first page to link to the second page).

As per the request, I've notated where notes are fingerpicked and what is flatpicked.

Let me know what you think, or if it's just stupid.
http://69.10.150.150/Site/Guitar%20Licks.html

Cheers,

Shawn

[emeprod]

Definitely not stupid. I, for one, greatly appreciate the tips. Thanks a lot.

[moondoggie999]

thanks so much, the underline idea is a good one. I have a lot of work to do!

Thanks so much for going to all that trouble.

Brett

[pgrace245]

I'm not sure that this is the right place to ask this, but here it is. What would you all say is step one in becoming a solid country guitarist. It seems like most people are saying to learn the scales. Are their a set of scales that I should stick with, since there are a ton of scales out there? At what point do I need to learn the theory behind scales/guitar. I can pick most of the Johnny Cash riffs, which are fairly easy and straight forward. My goal is to try to get where Country Shawn and Wade Hayes are...key word "try". I appreciate the skilled guitarist passing on their knowledge with those who are less talented. Thanks!

[Brian blaut]

This is great Shawn. I've always struggled trying to get used to Hybrid picking becuase my fingers just don't want to do it. Its great to have some nice and simple exercises, with no grey area as to what fingers go where. I know if and when I ever feel comfortable playing this way, I'll evolve my own preferences as to what fingers to use and when, but until I can get comfortable, its great to have some nononsence direction.

Great job. Its wonderful that you take the time to do things like this. Please keep it up.

[CountryShawn]

That is great guys. The pages are intended really for a newcomer to country pickin' to get a basic start on the approach and technique.

The intermediate or advanced player is usually running on their own anyway.

As for the question above as to where to start with playing country - I'd simply suggest to learn as much as possible off of commercial recordings that you can.
Try to pick it out by ear, and learn, learn, learn.

A couple years of dedicated effort like that will yield you rewards, I guarantee.

Let me know if there is something specific I could add that would be helpful.

Cheers,

Shawn

[oilerman]

Thanks Shawn; This is great for me as i'm also trying to figure this out. You are one amazing guitar picker. And as a fellow canadien may i say you are my favorite picker; but there are a bunch of great players and also very personable people on this forum. It's the best place on the net.
Dave

[Brewboy]

Keep going with this Shawn. Great info!