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Flatpicking in the Style of David Grier

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Lesson ID: A0185

In this guitar lesson, we’ll work on our flatpicking technique using a variation of the melody from the song “Wheel Hoss” written by Bill Monroe. The flatpicking arrangement in this lesson is inspired by how David Grier plays “Wheel Hoss” on guitar and we’ll study how to use this flatpicking arrangement as a practice drill to work on your pick accuracy and speed across all six strings of your guitar.

Overview

Playthrough

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Full Breakdown

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Crosspicking Patterns and Alternate Chord Voicings

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Lesson ID: A0184

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn some important crosspicking patterns and alternate chord voicings that will spice up your rhythm and lead guitar. First we’ll work on the crosspicking patterns and we’ll practice them using key of G open chords (G, C, and D). Then we’ll take a look at how you can play the G, C, and D chords at different locations up the guitar neck using alternate chord voicings. We’ll practice crosspicking over these new chord voicings and you’ll also learn some nice chord embellishments and licks that will make your crosspicking sound great.

In the second half of this lesson, we’ll work on some George Shuffler style crosspicking. George Shuffler was basically the pioneer of the crosspicking style in bluegrass music and he used a signature Down Down Up crosspicking pattern in most of his playing. We’ll work through an entire crosspicking progression in the style of George Shuffler to give you some different crosspicking ideas that you can use in your own country bluegrass rhythm and lead guitar. After you watch the lesson videos, practice your country bluegrass crosspicking with the two full-length backing tracks that are available with this lesson.

Overview

George Shuffler Style

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Backing Tracks

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Tony Rice Style “G Lick” to Play Over C Chord

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Lesson ID: A0183

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play an easy country and bluegrass guitar lick that sounds great over the C major chord when you’re soloing in the key of G. Then we’ll practice using the lick in a guitar solo over a 12 bar chord progression. As we’re working through the guitar solo, you’ll learn how to use bluegrass licks effectively to play powerful solos that follow a song’s chord progression. Later in the lesson, we’ll also talk about the guitar scales for playing country and bluegrass guitar solos and we’ll go over some easy improvising techniques. After you watch the lesson, practice your guitar solo improvising using the three bluegrass backing tracks in the key of G that you’ll find on this guitar lesson post.

Slow Backing Track

Medium Backing Track

Fast Backing Track

Scale Charts

G Major Scale

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G Blues Scale

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The Best “G Lick” to Play Over a D Chord

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Lesson ID: FL0003

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn one of the best country and bluegrass guitar licks to play over a D major chord when you have a song in the key of G. The guitar lick we’re working on today sounds best when you play it over two measures of D major chord followed by two measures of G major chord. You’ll be able to use this guitar lick all the time because this four measure chord grouping (D/D/G/G) is extremely common in country and bluegrass chord progressions.

After you learn how to play the guitar lick, I’ll show you how to use the guitar lick, and then we’ll play the lick in a simple country and bluegrass guitar solo. Near the end of this lesson, you can practice the guitar solo while I play the rhythm guitar chord progression at a couple different speeds.

Video Start TimeLesson Topic
00:00 minLesson Overview
01:36 minPlay Through Lick Slowly with Tablature
03:01 minFull Breakdown (Measure 1 over D Chord)
04:32 minFull Breakdown (Measure 2 over D Chord)
06:06 minUsing the Two Measure Lick Over a D Chord
06:36 minFull Breakdown (Measure 3 over G Chord)
07:39 minFull Breakdown (Measure 4 over G Chord)
09:10 minLearn the Practice Guitar Solo
14:04 minPractice the Solo with Me
14:59 minRhythm Backing Track (Slower Speed)
16:32 minRhythm Backing Track (Faster Speed)
17:44 minThanks for watching!