Best instructional material for Rockabilly

Darrell · June 16th, 2003, 12:18 PM

I am a Merle Travis picker, learning Bluegrass, and some contemporary country licks. By the end of the year, I want to start learning some Rockabilly licks.

Tell me what instructional material that you have used that you feel was very good for learning Rockabilly licks. I would also like to know why you felt it was so good.

newbie · June 16th, 2003, 01:40 PM

if you're not already a member, you should check out truefire (www.truefire.com). they have gobs of great stuff for any genre/style of music you can think of. the lessons are short and concise, and usually pretty specific. they come in .pdf format with accompanying .mp3's. lessons are normally around $1-$2 each. that way you don't wind up paying $20 for a book you get $4 worth of good lessons from!

i can think of a few lessons you should check out off the top of my head...

super chuck (chuck berry type stuff)
go daddy go
rockabilly jazz
rockabilly stretches of doom

if you go to there site and search for these lessons, there will be a place on the bottom of the page with links for "people who bought this also bought..." and they will usually lead you to more than you want!

Mike Better · June 16th, 2003, 01:53 PM

I hear that the Brian Setzer video is really good..

Mike

Jeff T · June 16th, 2003, 02:45 PM

Check out Fred Sokolow's book from Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop. I've love this book. Fred plays fingerstyle and uses a tele for the lesson. It's a joint publication from the Guitar Workshop and Mel Bay so you can order it from pretty much anywhere. There is a video of this available as well but I prefer the CD version.

http://guitarvideos.com/audio/98512.htm

Also, JimWieder has a 2 video tape lesson over at Homespun videos which gets great reviews. You can't go wrong with either.

Brass Saddles · June 16th, 2003, 03:47 PM

Jim Weider's Homespun stuff is great and Arlen Roth has a Rockabilly instructional tape that is good stuff. Both Jim and Arlen are great players, but they are great teachers on top of the players gig. Both show the pick and fingers gig.

Brass Saddles
Boston,MA.

Darrell · June 16th, 2003, 04:01 PM

His instructionals are organized. I have two of his books, and they are the best book / CD's that I own.

John Furphy · June 16th, 2003, 06:04 PM

I'll second the Jim Wieder and Setzer videos, very good stuff. I always thought Setzer was some dufus with a funny haircut till I saw his video, that boy can play!
Very entertaining, best video I own.

MandyMarie · June 16th, 2003, 06:17 PM

Another vote for Fred - it starts you with the absolute basics (teaches you how to play a 12 bar pattern, explaining everything very, very well) and then moves up to improvising in a "rockabilly style." It also covers all the techniques involved - riffs and licks, fingerpicking styles, drone (sp?) notes, boogie bass lines, etc...

The other suggestions of Arlen and Jim's works are very good as well.

If you're already familiar with the fretboard (which I'm sure you definitely are if you're a Merle Travis picker! :D ) my favorite ever is Danny Gatton's Licks and Tricks video - that thing covers all the bases and then some you never even knew existed. I've learned so much by just watching that video, not even counting playing along with it, that I can't even imagine where I'd be if I had never found it.

If you want the cheapest alternative and you're good with your ears, pick up a copy of the Elvis Sun Sessions, a copy of the best of the Johnny Burnette Trio, and a copy of Gene Vincent's 1956 recordings and play along with them as often as you can. The chord progressions are generally very basic, but picking up those licks and tricks will stick with you for a long, long time. It's sure hard to beat the instruction of Scotty Moore, Grady Martin, and Cliff Gallup :D

Good luck Darrell! Keep us posted!

buglecorps · June 16th, 2003, 09:07 PM

but the WB Songexpress "Classic Surf -Spy- Rockabilly" video is a lot of bang for the buck (9.99 !) and is a good grounding in instrumental techniques. Starts with Wipe Out, moves on to Walk Don't Run, and Secret Agent Man (two versions) and ends up with Hot Rod Lincoln ..(good luck...) Not bad for 10 bucks (has a few funny moments in HRL.."I don't know exactly what he does here...") but is cheap and well produced, perfect for the casual player, who wants to add a bit of twang to his playing.

WB music VH0418

Darrell · June 16th, 2003, 09:45 PM

Ya'll gave me some great info.

Nothing better on the web than a Tele and the TDPRI.

Impala · June 16th, 2003, 10:24 PM

the Setzer, Gatton and Jim Weider videos are great (I owne them all). I also bought many years ago a video featuring Paul Burlison of The Rock'n'Roll Trio; I don't know if it's still in print (might be a little difficult to find as Gatton's Licks and Tricks video that Mandy mentions). Go with any or better yet; all of those and I guarantee you'll learn the style. As Mandy suggested, over the years I've also bought Elvis' '50's Complete Masters, The Rock'n'Roll Trio's Complete Recordings (from Germany's Bear Records), Eddie Cochran's boxed set, Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps boxed set, the complete Bill Black's Combo's recordings, etc. You get the idea....if you love that music, you'll definitely learn it and with your great background as a fingerstyle player you can't go wrong; you've already got one of the main ingredients of the music which is a mix of country and blues.

MandyMarie · June 17th, 2003, 01:39 AM

Bear Family is a music lovers best friend and worst enemy ain't it, Impala?

weelie · June 17th, 2003, 01:41 AM

Fred Sokolow is where I've learned my limited rockabilly. And then I've flicked through a country/rockabilly video with Gatton/Roth/Burton et al (a "best of" off full VHS tapes, really).

dave_esmond · June 17th, 2003, 09:17 AM

i'd rate the setzer and james burton ones as the best...

the weider and gatton ones can be fun to watch, but they're not the best ones to try and learn from...it's often hard to see what danny's doing and jim spends way too much time on some stuff and not enough on other things....do we really need 5 minutes on rockabilly octaves and "train keep a rollin'"?...and then he'll toss off a cool lick with no explaination.....not bad videos, just not the best if you're not a good ear learner or patient......

avoid the pete anderson roots rock one.....

i'll have to track down the burlison and gatton tips and tricks ones.......

d

PhatBoy · June 17th, 2003, 10:35 AM

for the DG LicksnTricks video and can not find it. Anyone got a source? I realize it's probably a collectors item now. I'm just wanting the learnin from it, see........ so.
Fess up y'all

PB
8)

Darrell · June 17th, 2003, 10:39 AM

Guitar Gallery Music in Houston, Texas (my hometown). I was on their site yesterday.

Impala · June 17th, 2003, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

Bear Family is a music lovers best friend and worst enemy ain't it, Impala?

Bear Family's new Eddie Cochran DVD Live at Town Hall Party? I bought that one and the Gene Vincent one as well. They're cool; I love the way Eddie swings his left shoulder in time with the music as he plays...I can see where Brian Setzer picked up some of his coolness factor!!!

And....yep guys I forgot the James Burton one; I got it way back when he was personally autographing them for Hot Licks; same with Gatton's Telemaster video; I got an autographed copy. Can you see that I love instructional videos??? I find they're very effective since you can always go back and re-learn the stuff if you forgot it.....it's like a perennial guitar lesson with the pros.

Tele295 · June 17th, 2003, 11:07 AM

If any of you rockabilly cats are in LA, Sokolow teaches at McCabe's in Santa Monica.

MandyMarie · June 17th, 2003, 12:48 PM

The Paul Burilson video is also a good watch, good call guys! ...too bad Grady Martin didn't put out a video to show us exactly how most of that Johnny Burnette Trio stuff was recorded

I actually didn't even realize Gatton's Licks and Tricks was kind of a collectors item until Impala mentioned it in another thread. If it's not still in print, it really should be... that thing is killer!

Tele295 · June 17th, 2003, 03:59 PM

I just saw Gatton's Licks & Tricks for $5 on eBay.

dave_esmond · June 17th, 2003, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele295

I just saw Gatton's Licks & Tricks for $5 on eBay.

it's a copy....and not even a first generation......but still cool.....

d

Paul in Colorado · June 17th, 2003, 04:44 PM

I like the book "Rockabilly Riffs for Guitar" by Mark Michaels. It's part of the "Riff Series." (Amsco Publications Order Number AM 36948. Music Sales is the distributor) I have no idea if it's still in print. It covers Stray Cats, James Burton, Scotty Moore, Carl Perkins and others. There's a companion tape as well so you can hear what the licks really sound like! I've had it for a while and still use it to go back and polish up my rockabilly playing.

Alren Roth's Rockabilly Guitar video is a good starting place as well. I had thought that it was a beginner tape, but when I watched it again I realized that it was a lot more then that.

mtwang · June 17th, 2003, 10:18 PM

Gotta love Cliff Gallup !!!!!!

Wally · June 17th, 2003, 10:21 PM

Impala · June 18th, 2003, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wally

...

Yep that's another great one; I got his boxed set from Bear Family Records too; great stuff!!!

Marky D. · June 18th, 2003, 10:52 PM

I have the Weider videos and they're very good. I also recommend a book / tape instructional called "the Guitars of Elvis" by Wolf Marshall, covering techniques by Scotty Moore, Hank Garland, and James Burton.

Good luck!

June 16th, 2003, 12:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	Best instructional material for Rockabilly I am a Merle Travis picker, learning Bluegrass, and some contemporary country licks. By the end of the year, I want to start learning some Rockabilly licks. Tell me what instructional material that you have used that you feel was very good for learning Rockabilly licks. I would also like to know why you felt it was so good.

June 16th, 2003, 01:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
newbie Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 226	www.truefire.com if you're not already a member, you should check out truefire (www.truefire.com). they have gobs of great stuff for any genre/style of music you can think of. the lessons are short and concise, and usually pretty specific. they come in .pdf format with accompanying .mp3's. lessons are normally around $1-$2 each. that way you don't wind up paying $20 for a book you get $4 worth of good lessons from! i can think of a few lessons you should check out off the top of my head... super chuck (chuck berry type stuff) go daddy go rockabilly jazz rockabilly stretches of doom if you go to there site and search for these lessons, there will be a place on the bottom of the page with links for "people who bought this also bought..." and they will usually lead you to more than you want!

June 16th, 2003, 03:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
Brass Saddles Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 426	Rockabilly Gueetar Jim Weider's Homespun stuff is great and Arlen Roth has a Rockabilly instructional tape that is good stuff. Both Jim and Arlen are great players, but they are great teachers on top of the players gig. Both show the pick and fingers gig. Brass Saddles Boston,MA.

June 16th, 2003, 04:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	I am a huge fan of Fred Sokolow His instructionals are organized. I have two of his books, and they are the best book / CD's that I own.

June 16th, 2003, 09:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
buglecorps Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Suburban Twang Town Posts: 753	Not pure Rockabilly.. but the WB Songexpress "Classic Surf -Spy- Rockabilly" video is a lot of bang for the buck (9.99 !) and is a good grounding in instrumental techniques. Starts with Wipe Out, moves on to Walk Don't Run, and Secret Agent Man (two versions) and ends up with Hot Rod Lincoln ..(good luck...) Not bad for 10 bucks (has a few funny moments in HRL.."I don't know exactly what he does here...") but is cheap and well produced, perfect for the casual player, who wants to add a bit of twang to his playing. WB music VH0418 __________________ Loud is Good...

June 16th, 2003, 01:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mike Better Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Age: 27 Posts: 507	I hear that the Brian Setzer video is really good.. Mike

June 16th, 2003, 02:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jeff T TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: central MA Posts: 47	Check out Fred Sokolow's book from Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop. I've love this book. Fred plays fingerstyle and uses a tele for the lesson. It's a joint publication from the Guitar Workshop and Mel Bay so you can order it from pretty much anywhere. There is a video of this available as well but I prefer the CD version. http://guitarvideos.com/audio/98512.htm Also, JimWieder has a 2 video tape lesson over at Homespun videos which gets great reviews. You can't go wrong with either.

June 16th, 2003, 06:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
John Furphy TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 34	I'll second the Jim Wieder and Setzer videos, very good stuff. I always thought Setzer was some dufus with a funny haircut till I saw his video, that boy can play! Very entertaining, best video I own.

June 16th, 2003, 06:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,413 65 Photos	Another vote for Fred - it starts you with the absolute basics (teaches you how to play a 12 bar pattern, explaining everything very, very well) and then moves up to improvising in a "rockabilly style." It also covers all the techniques involved - riffs and licks, fingerpicking styles, drone (sp?) notes, boogie bass lines, etc... The other suggestions of Arlen and Jim's works are very good as well. If you're already familiar with the fretboard (which I'm sure you definitely are if you're a Merle Travis picker! :D ) my favorite ever is Danny Gatton's Licks and Tricks video - that thing covers all the bases and then some you never even knew existed. I've learned so much by just watching that video, not even counting playing along with it, that I can't even imagine where I'd be if I had never found it. If you want the cheapest alternative and you're good with your ears, pick up a copy of the Elvis Sun Sessions, a copy of the best of the Johnny Burnette Trio, and a copy of Gene Vincent's 1956 recordings and play along with them as often as you can. The chord progressions are generally very basic, but picking up those licks and tricks will stick with you for a long, long time. It's sure hard to beat the instruction of Scotty Moore, Grady Martin, and Cliff Gallup :D Good luck Darrell! Keep us posted!

June 16th, 2003, 09:45 PM	#10 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	Thanks guys (and ladies) Ya'll gave me some great info. Nothing better on the web than a Tele and the TDPRI.

June 16th, 2003, 10:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
Impala Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA Posts: 253	As the guys and girls said.... the Setzer, Gatton and Jim Weider videos are great (I owne them all). I also bought many years ago a video featuring Paul Burlison of The Rock'n'Roll Trio; I don't know if it's still in print (might be a little difficult to find as Gatton's Licks and Tricks video that Mandy mentions). Go with any or better yet; all of those and I guarantee you'll learn the style. As Mandy suggested, over the years I've also bought Elvis' '50's Complete Masters, The Rock'n'Roll Trio's Complete Recordings (from Germany's Bear Records), Eddie Cochran's boxed set, Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps boxed set, the complete Bill Black's Combo's recordings, etc. You get the idea....if you love that music, you'll definitely learn it and with your great background as a fingerstyle player you can't go wrong; you've already got one of the main ingredients of the music which is a mix of country and blues.

June 17th, 2003, 01:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,413 65 Photos	Bear Family is a music lovers best friend and worst enemy ain't it, Impala?

June 17th, 2003, 01:41 AM	#13 (permalink)
weelie Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Helsinki, Finland, Yer-up Age: 34 Posts: 1,932 12 Photos	Fred Sokolow is where I've learned my limited rockabilly. And then I've flicked through a country/rockabilly video with Gatton/Roth/Burton et al (a "best of" off full VHS tapes, really). __________________ <- I don't need smileys, I'm smiling already.

June 17th, 2003, 09:17 AM	#14 (permalink)
dave_esmond Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: stoughton, wisconsin Posts: 224	i'd rate the setzer and james burton ones as the best... the weider and gatton ones can be fun to watch, but they're not the best ones to try and learn from...it's often hard to see what danny's doing and jim spends way too much time on some stuff and not enough on other things....do we really need 5 minutes on rockabilly octaves and "train keep a rollin'"?...and then he'll toss off a cool lick with no explaination.....not bad videos, just not the best if you're not a good ear learner or patient...... avoid the pete anderson roots rock one..... i'll have to track down the burlison and gatton tips and tricks ones....... d

June 17th, 2003, 10:35 AM	#15 (permalink)
PhatBoy Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 356 3 Photos	Okay, I've looked & looked & looked for the DG LicksnTricks video and can not find it. Anyone got a source? I realize it's probably a collectors item now. I'm just wanting the learnin from it, see........ so. Fess up y'all PB 8)

June 17th, 2003, 03:59 PM	#20 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,235 14 Photos	I just saw Gatton's Licks & Tricks for $5 on eBay. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 17th, 2003, 10:39 AM	#16 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	They have it at Guitar Gallery Music in Houston, Texas (my hometown). I was on their site yesterday.

June 17th, 2003, 11:07 AM	#18 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,235 14 Photos	If any of you rockabilly cats are in LA, Sokolow teaches at McCabe's in Santa Monica. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 17th, 2003, 12:48 PM	#19 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,413 65 Photos	The Paul Burilson video is also a good watch, good call guys! ...too bad Grady Martin didn't put out a video to show us exactly how most of that Johnny Burnette Trio stuff was recorded I actually didn't even realize Gatton's Licks and Tricks was kind of a collectors item until Impala mentioned it in another thread. If it's not still in print, it really should be... that thing is killer!

June 17th, 2003, 04:44 PM	#22 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 4,123 3 Photos	Rockabilly Riffs for Guitar I like the book "Rockabilly Riffs for Guitar" by Mark Michaels. It's part of the "Riff Series." (Amsco Publications Order Number AM 36948. Music Sales is the distributor) I have no idea if it's still in print. It covers Stray Cats, James Burton, Scotty Moore, Carl Perkins and others. There's a companion tape as well so you can hear what the licks really sound like! I've had it for a while and still use it to go back and polish up my rockabilly playing. Alren Roth's Rockabilly Guitar video is a good starting place as well. I had thought that it was a beginner tape, but when I watched it again I realized that it was a lot more then that.

June 17th, 2003, 10:18 PM	#23 (permalink)
mtwang TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Francisco Age: 39 Posts: 31	Luv the first 2 Gene Vincent discs Gotta love Cliff Gallup !!!!!!

June 17th, 2003, 10:21 PM	#24 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 3,641	Carl Perkins' recordings...any of them (eom) ...

June 18th, 2003, 10:52 PM	#26 (permalink)
Marky D. Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Age: 47 Posts: 314	Weider Videos I have the Weider videos and they're very good. I also recommend a book / tape instructional called "the Guitars of Elvis" by Wolf Marshall, covering techniques by Scotty Moore, Hank Garland, and James Burton. Good luck!