@shysue search for Tom Strahle killer finger exercise. Not the 2.0 version but the original version. The 2.0 is HARD. I tried it. He messaged me and said even he had trouble with it. It hurts so much you know it’s working. I’ve been doing spider walks but nothing like this level.
Okay, I will. 👍
@shysue You are absolutely correct that this is a two chord song. I was trying to get a couple of things. This is a song that leans heavily on the melody. The harmony (again just two chords) is simple. You can boom chuck through it but if you want to play it solo and have something interesting to play on the breaks it makes sense to extend it a bit. There is a lesson on this site called "Jazzy Bluegrass Chords". This song is a great application for that lesson. Sung verses with boom chuck. Maybe a instrumental break Carter Style, sung verse, moving chords second instrumental break. You can use the moving chords to hit some of the melody with the bass strings. It sounds harder than it is. It'll make more sense should you try that lesson.
Another point. You can play a scale, C D E F G A B C, or you can harmonize that scale, C Chord, Dm Chord, Em Chord, F chord, G7 Chord, Am chord, C Chord. When you play those moving chords in that lesson you're actually using a harmonized scale. In effect the chords are taking the place of bass runs or melody notes between strums.
To summarize: Melody, feeling of movement between the two chords, swing it! (This is a dance tune)
As for a guitar solo in the traditional sense, the classic Willie recording is a perfect example of simple melodic style. Again, working from memory but there is a break that is just some double stops out of the Gm pentatonic scale. This works nicely in the context of a boom chuck style, you can slip it in between chord playing just like a bass run or single note run.
You can play a very effective single note sole on the GBE strings of that 5th position Gm Scale. It'll sound just like the simple electric lead on a Hank Williams recording. Once you get the feel of that part of the scale under your fingers and in your ears you're 80% to Chuck Berry but that's another story.
Hope this is actually helpful to you and not unsolicited confusion.
Not for me but thanks for posting.
@oldtimeplayer That is very helpful - thanks, Brian! I'm going to spend some time tomorrow working on this and try to get some competence on it. There was a little bit of an intro tab for this on the Willie Nelson version on Ultimate Guitar but it was a bit confusing. Just going to play around with it and see what I can do. I still need to watch the video that Jerseychicadee put up here, too.
FromChristmas Eve, 1975. Steve Earle, Guy and Susanna Clark, Rodney Crowell. Oh how I miss those nights in the ‘70’s with a gallon jug of Gallo wine, Marlboro Reds, and a bottle of whatever we could afford. Lol
@jerseychicadee this is a great video. i've been looking for this full outlaw country doc but it doesn't seem to be available digitally anywhere. here's a similarly boozy version by the guy from turnpike troubadours.
Love it. Try Netflix. I think I watched it on Netflix. Everything is on YouTube too
This is a fun song to do. I found Willie Nelson's version on Ultimate Guitar but it just shows G and D chords. Very simple. Thought it would have more to it than that. Here's a spirited version by The Avett Brothers.
YEE-HAW!!
