Lesson
Notes from Jeff
We took a mix of traditional and non-traditional approaches with this
what I consider important guitar lesson... Bluegrass and Country
are a form of music that often time causes even the most seasoned of Rock
players to become completely lost in a jam situation and feel like
beginners.. The scales and riffs used in Rock just don't work very
well with country.. If you try to kick into Eruption or the solo to
some White Snake song over a Bluegrass pattern you'll probably hit a lot of
bad sounding notes, especially if you don't have the feel down..
I'm here to solve that if that's you, and if it's not you and you're a
decent picker maybe I can pass along a few tips that'll help you fancy up
some of your runs..
I'm going to keep the theory here very straight forward in this part 1
lesson... There are a couple important scales and runs to know and a
few basic rhythms.. Our song example MP3 takes us through many styles
including a middle interlude that's pure Devil went down to Georgia evil,
but still Bluegrass and Country all the way.. Just maybe more from a
fiddle perspective.. But there's no rule that says you can't do some
fiddle stuff on guitar.. That said please go over the lesson notes
below and get familiar with the song example before you dive into the video
lesson... I'll cover both the lesson content and song example on the video
lesson..
Lesson 1:
The Lester Flatt "G Run"
A must know for any Bluegrass or
Country picker... Below is the traditional version of the G Run...
I'm going to alter it in lesson 2 but learn it as it's tabbed below first
because this is typically how it's taught and done...
E_________________________________________
B_________________________________________
G______________0__________________________
D_________0-2-0____________________________
A____0-1-2_________________________________
E__3_______________________________________
Lesson 2:
"G Run" (expanded)
E___________________________0_3___________
B_____________________0_3-5_______________
G______________0-2-3-4_____________________
D_________0-2-0____________________________
A____0-1-2_________________________________
E__3______________________________________
Lesson 3:
The Jeff Fiorentino Open Position
Bluegrass/Country Scale - 10 Tones
A must know for any Bluegrass or
Country picker... Learn this scale!! It will save you should you
end up lost in a Bluegrass jam... This scale is in "G" but most
Bluegrass leads work by keeping things in the open position, thus a capo
would be added often times for other keys.. However as a tip, the
scale below in "G" works well for "D", "Em", and "C". Bluegrass jams too.. I know it's
a huge scale, but I've laid it out below in a very usable way..
It's the scale that's used to pretty much make up the entire, "Lookin' for a
guitar to steal" song track... Take note that while at times it looks
like a chromatic scale it is not.. Much like some of the scales I gave
you on
"The Blue
Album" our Blues Lesson product, how a scale is laid out can really
dictate its vibe.. Meaning, the same notes put in a different order
can be a recipe for a different type of music. One order may work well
for Blues but not Country, while another ordering of notes may be perfect
for Country when the proper feel is applied to them.. Not to confuse
anyone, but this is not the same concept as "modes", where if you change the
note you start a scale on, you in effect change modes. The example I'm
giving you in this lesson deals with a "G" scale example where by that scale
always starts on a "G", it just mixes up the rest of the notes in the scale
into what some might see as ready made lick or riff patterns...
Scale Pitches: G, A,
Bb, B, C, D, D#, E, F, F# - 10 tones, contains all
pitches except G# & C# a.k.a. the Flat 2nd and sharp 4th of our key of "G".
Scale Pitch Order:
G, A, Bb, B, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, A,
Bb, B, C, B, C, D, D#, E, F, E, F, F#, G.
E__________________________________________0_1_2_3_2_1_0_______________________________________________
B______________________________0_1_3_4_5_6_______________6_5_4_3_1_0___________________________________
G____________________0_2_3_4_5_______________________________________5_4_3_2_0_________________________
D__________0_1_2_3_4___________________________________________________________4_3_2_1_0_______________
A____0_1_2_______________________________________________________________________________2_1_0_________
E__3___________________________________________________________________________________________3_2_1_0__
Now before you freak out and start throwing stuff at your computer screen
this scale is NOT the end all be all.. Most players will break it up
into smaller 6 tone scales... I on the other hand would prefer you
were a better player than that... What I mean to say is if you
memorize the BIG pattern then you'll know when you're improvising a run what
pitches you can use as "chromatic freeways" to get you to and from the
beginning and ending notes of your phrasing sections.. The 10 tones given and more importantly in the "Scale order" I
gave them to you in are the ones you in my opinion should worry about and
use...
Lesson 4:
Below is the 10 tone scale from above
(which I want you to memorize) with one of its notes removed.
Essentially the scale below is the Lester Flatt "G Run" turned into a
Bluegrass/Country scale for you to riff with. The pitch omitted
from the 10 tone "G" scale is the "F" (the minor 7th). The
scale below which is in "G", actually works best over a "G", "C", "D" or
"D7" chord change...
The F# however is an important pitch in this scale and if you scroll
through the track tabs you'll actually see that I end the song on an F#
tension note just before I do the song's ending lick..
Scale Pitches: G, A, Bb,
B, C, D, D#, E, F# - 9 Tones total.
Scale Pitch Order: G,
A, Bb, B, D, D#, E, G, A, Bb, B, B, C, D, E, E, F#, G.
E________________________________0_2_3_2_0________________________________________
B________________________0_1_3_5___________5_3_1_0________________________________
G________________0_2_3_4___________________________4_3_2_0________________________
D__________0_1_2___________________________________________2_1_0__________________
A____0_1_2_______________________________________________________2_1_0____________
E__3___________________________________________________________________3_2_0_2_3__
We'll cover some other basics on the video lesson including rhythms...
I'll also explain the 4 lessons give above to be sure you fully
understand what they're all about... The lesson's song example is
transcribed below, we'll be covering that on the video lesson as well...
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Lookin' For A Guitar To Steal" - Song
Transcription
Transcribed for one guitar in a live setting.
Intro
Loosely based on both the Lester Flatt G Run and a CDB classic
called the ballad of the uneasy rider both of these intro sections are great
examples of the scales above in motion..
G
E______________________________0____________________
B___0__________________0______________0_____________
G___0____________0_2--3___3--2_____4--3___3--2__0___0__
D___0_______0-2-0_______________________________2____
A___x__0-1-2_________________________________________
E___3_______________________________________________
**Guitar with Mandolin Accompaniment.
C
F
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________1_0_1_3_1_0________
G________________________0___0_3_2_0_____________0_2_0___2_____________2_0____
D_______________0_2_0______2_________2_0___3_2_3_______3______________________
A____0_2__3_2_3_______3_______________________________________________________
E__3__________________________________________________________________________
G
C
E_________________________________3~_________________________
B______0_____0______0__3_0__3_4_5_____1______________________
G__2--3___2--3___2--3_____________________2_0__________________
D___________________________________________2_0__2--1-0_______
A______________________________________________________3~___
E____________________________________________________________
Main Verse Section
These what we're calling verse sections are very traditional Bluegrass.
We'll cover the rhythm under all of this on the video lesson which is
equally as important as the lead parts tabbed below... Be sure to
alternate pick the sections below...
**Remember,
notes in BOLD are to be picked... Notes in non-bold font are pulled off or slid
into or hammered onto depending on what's indicated in the tabs..
G
C
E___________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________0_1__________
G_________2_______2_0_____0_2______________
D_____________________1_2__________________
A__________________________________________
E__________________________________________
G
D
E______________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________________
G_________2_______2_0__________________
D_____________________4_2_0_0__0_______
A______________________________________
E______________________________________
G
C
G D
G
E__________________________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0__0______________0_1-0_3_1_0__0_1-0________
G_________2______2__2________0_2_____________2______2_0____
D______________________0_1-2_______________________________
A__________________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________________
G
C
E___________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________0_1__________
G_________2_______2_0_____0_2______________
D_____________________1_2__________________
A__________________________________________
E__________________________________________
G
D
E______________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________________
G_________2_______2_0__________________
D_____________________4_2_0_0__0_______
A______________________________________
E______________________________________
G
C
G
D G
E____________________________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0__________________0_1_0___0_1_3_1_0__0______
G_________2_______2_0_____0_2_0__2_______2__________2___0____
D_____________________1_2____________________________________
A____________________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________________
G
Em
C
G
E__0_2_0__3_0_5_0_2_0____________________________________________
B_____________________3_0_1_0____________________________________
G_____________________________2_0_2_0__0x_0x___0_2_0______________
D___________________________________________4_______4_0_2_0*let
ring__
A________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________
D
G
E________________________________0____________________
B________________________0______________0_____________
G_________________0__2--3___2--3_____4--3___3--2_____0___
D____________0-2-0_____________________________2-0_____
A_______0-1-2__________________________________________
E__1--3~_______________________________________________
Turnaround
This is really the Pre-Interlude turnaround... I'm using this riff as
a transition but also to give another variation on it..
C
F
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________1_0_1_3_1_0________
G________________________0___0_3_2_0_____________0_2_0___2_____________2_0____
D_______________0_2_0______2_________2_0___3_2_3_______3______________________
A____0_2__3_2_3_______3_______________________________________________________
E__3__________________________________________________________________________
G
C
E__________________________________3_______________________
B______0_____0______0_____0__3_4_5____1____________________
G__2--3___2--3___2--3___2--3_______________2-0________________
D___________________________________________2-0__2_1-0______
A_____________________________________________________3~___
E___________________________________________________________
"Devil" Interlude
Now this interlude while probably not the best fit from an arrangement
perspective, is an excellent fit from a Lesson perspective.. And since
we're doing a lesson here, it's just fine...
That said there are some Fiddle techniques in here.. And as I'll probably
talk about on the video lesson this part was greatly inspired by both Charlie
Daniels' "Devil went down to Georgia" interlude but also by Charlie's recent
appearance in a car insurance TV ad here in the US.. Where he takes the
Violin from a stuck up waiter in a fancy restaurant and turns it into a fiddle
and "shows him how it's done."
We're in essence using a D minor scale for this part however, the way its used
translates to Country well due to notes doubling back on themselves in places...
Either way we thought it sounded cool so we added it in... Call it the for
fun JFRock lesson addition and leave it at that...
*Pitch
shifter was used for the Violin simulation leads, not for the rhythms..
The Pitch shifter begins set 1 octave up for the trem picked opening part
then switches to 2 octaves down for the scale note picked part..
Guitar 1: Main Rhythm Riff
Dm/A Dm
Em/B Dm/A
E__________5__5__5_5_____3_3_______________________________________________________
B__3_3_____6__6__6_6_____5_5_____3__3__3_3_________________________________________
G__2_2_x_x_7__7__7_7_x_x_4_4_x_x_2__2__2_2____**Played
3 times total then do what's tabbed below___
D__________________________________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________________________________________
*Ending
Chord Hits - Just so we're all on the same page, this is NOT the chord
change from the actual Charlie Daniels song.. This is a similar chord
change used for effect..
C5 Bb5
A5 G5 D5 A5 C5 D5
E_____________________________
B_____________________________
G_____________________________
D__5__3__2__5___7__2_5_7______
A__3__1__0__5___5__0_3_5______
E___________3_________________
Guitar 2: Secondary Rhythm Riff. This
is the guitar that follows what the bass is doing.. It's used as a
sound thickener..
E___________________________________________
B___________________________________________
G___________________________________________
D___________________________________________
A__5_________5______________________________
E____1_3_4_5___5_4__3_1_3_4_5_1_3_1_________
Guitar 3: Leads
//// = Trem or speed picking... See video..
**Pitch shifter set to 1
octave up..
Dm
E_ 12///___13///______________________________________
B_ 10///___11///__etc. etc. chromatically upward until you run
out of fretboard..._____
G__9///___ 10///______________________________________
D____________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________
**Pitch
shifter set to 2 octaves down..
E_____________________15_17__17_18_17_15__________
B___________17_18__18____________________18_17____
G__19_17_19_______________________________________
D_________________________________________________
A_________________________________________________
E_________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________________________________________________
B___________15__17~__19~__20~_______________________________________________________________
G__17_14_17_______________________14--17~__15~__14~__12~__10~__9~__7~~~--slide
downward and away--____
D____________________________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________________________________________________
Turnaround
This is the second turnaround back into the song.. As usual it has
been changed up a bit at the end so read the tabs carefully..
C
F
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________1_0_1_3_1_0________
G________________________0___0_3_2_0_____________0_2_0___2_____________2_0____
D_______________0_2_0______2_________2_0___3_2_3_______3______________________
A____0_2__3_2_3_______3_______________________________________________________
E__3__________________________________________________________________________
G
C
E__________________________________3________________________
B______0_____0______0_____0__3_4_5____1_____________________
G__2--3___2--3___2--3___2--3_______________2-0______0__________
D___________________________________________2-0____2--1______
A______________________________________________________3~___
E____________________________________________________________
Verse #2
This is the final verse part to the song which leads us to the song's final
ending "slick country lick"... A point to note here and one that I'll
make on the video as well is the rhythm under this verse differs from the first
verse.. The first verse has a traditional Bluegrass strum pattern under
it, while this verse is a rhythm known as a "Nashville Rag" or at least that's
what my teacher used to call it.. We'll cover both rhythms on the video
lesson...
**Remember,
notes in BOLD are to be picked... Notes in non-bold font are pulled off or slid
into or hammered onto depending on what's indicated in the tabs..
G
C
E________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0___________0_1__________
G_________2____________0_2______________
D__________________1_2__________________
A_______________________________________
E_______________________________________
G
D
E______________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________________
G_________2_______2_0__________________
D_____________________4_2-0_0__________
A______________________________________
E______________________________________
G
C
G
D
E_______________________________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0___________0_1____0__0_1-0______________________
G_________2____________0_2__________2______2_0___0____12h*let
ring___
D__________________1_2_________________________2________________
A_______________________________________________________________
E_______________________________________________________________
G
C
G
D
E___________________________________________________________________
B__3_1__0___0_1-0______________0_1-0_3_1_0___________________________
G_________2_______2_0_____0_2_____________2_0_2-0____0_2-0___________
D_____________________1_2_________________________4_______4__0______
A___________________________________________________________________
E___________________________________________________________________
*Same
scale but slight position change... This position change allows for
some "fancier" sounding licks to come into play.. The best pickers will
tell you that it's best utilized as I have it below where I'm using the upper
position notes on the 6th and 7th frets in a pairing with notes from the
standard open position scale...
G
C
G
D G
E______3_____3____6__7_6-3_____________________________
B__1--3___6-3___3__________6_0__________________________
G_______________________________3-4-5_0_2-0___0_0*let
ring___
D__________________________________________2___________
A______________________________________________________
E______________________________________________________
G
Em
C
G
E_______________0__2-0__3__5__3-0____0____________________
B________________________________3____3-0_3-0______0*let
ring__
G_______0__2--4_______________________________2^1/4________
D__0-1-2__________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________
D
E__6_7_6_7_6__3____________________________________
B________________6_3--1 0___________________________
G________________________2^1__2^1>release_2-0_________
D___________________________________________2_2~___
A__________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________
E_________________________________________________________
B_________________________________________________________
G________________0__2__2-0________________________________
D_______0_2__2--4__________4~___>>into
Slick Country Ending Lick>>___
A__0-1-2___________________________________________________
E_________________________________________________________
Slick Country Lick (Ending)
This is a Country style ending lick I play a lot for stuff... It's a
pretty cool ending and usually gets people's attention.. I've put a bit of
a twist on it for out lesson but for the most part this is how it goes....
G
D
G
E__3-0_____0______________________________________________________
B______3-0___3-0_____________________0_____3________________0_____
G_______________3-2-0____2______0-2-3___3--4___4--3_0_2-0______0_____
D____________________2-0_______________________________2-0__0_____
A__________________________________________________________ x_____
E__________________________________________________________ 3_____
End
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