Category: Bass Guitar

The trick with music theory is to break everything down into

baby-step i.e., guitar scales for country music, guitar scales

for bluegrass music, guitar scales for jazz music, guitar scales

for rock music.

Let’s say your primary style of music is country music. We could

subdivide the subject of music theory into: what guitar scales

for country, what chord progressions for country, what style of

country music, what guitar proficiencies for country.

What guitar scales for country:

major pentatonic, major diatonic, cascading scales …

What chord progressions for country:

two chord songs, three chord songs, four chord songs …

What style of country music:

Traditional country, progressed country, country rock … What guitar proficiencies for country:

Hammer-on’s, pull-off’s, bends, slides …

As you zero in on the specific attainments you need to learn the

complex subject of music theory becomes a lot less stressful

and much more achievable.

By dividing and sub diving any complex subject you also learn how

to accelerate your progress on guitar. The scales you would

learn for country guitar would be determined by what style of

country music you intended to play.

Instead of just saying “I want to play country guitar”, if you

are prepared to dig a little deeper, you will decrease the amount

of info and attainments you need to acquire by looking at each

area of country guitar playing i.e., chord progressions, if you

predominately played three chord songs in the keys of G and D,

you would only have to learn four chord shapes.

Three chord songs in key of G: G – C – D

Three chord songs in key of D: D – G – A

Although country guitar has spawned no shortage of modern greats

(Albert Lee, Ray Flacke, Danny Gatton, and the Hellecasters come

quickly to mind, though there are a great deal of others) in general,

however the music buying public doesn’t genuinely recognise how hip and

entertaining instrumental country guitar is.

Here’s ten top country guitarists to get listening for specific

country guitar playing techniques.

1. Chet Atkins

2. Merle Travis

3. Jerry Reed

4. Roy Clark

5. Hank Garland

6. Albert Lee

7. Maybelle Carter

8. Doc Watson

9. Norman Blake

10. Tony Rice

The classic electric guitar sound for country music is

characterized by the undistorted sound of single-coil guitar

pickups, normally a Fender Telecaster or Fender Stratocaster, and

the employment of somewhat undistorted amplification most often a

Fender Twin Reverb 100watt amp.

Guitar scales for country music are: major Pentatonic, major

diatonic, and to a lesser degree the minor pentatonic scale and

the blues scale.

The most ordinary guitar scales for country music are without

doubt the major pentatonic. the two most mutual ways of playing

this scale for country music is:

A major pentatonic scale (PATTERN 1)

sixth string, fifth fret, fourth finger

fifth string, second fret, basi finger

fifth string, fourth fret, third finger

fourth string, second fret, introductory finger

fourth string, fourth fret, third finger

third string, second fret, original finger

third string, fourth fret, third finger

second string, second fret, original finger

second string, fifth fret, fourth finger

first string, second fret, original finger

first string, fifth fret, fourth finger

A major pentatonic scale (PATTERN 2)

sixth string, fifth fret, original finger

sixth string, seventh fret, third finger

sixth string, ninth fret, third finger

fifth string, seventh fret, initial finger

fifth string, ninth fret, third finger

fourth string, seventh fret, primary finger

fourth string, ninth fret, third finger

fourth string, eleventh fret, third finger

third string, ninth fret, introductory finger

third string, eleventh fret, third finger

second string, tenth fret, second finger

The fingering for the A major pentatonic scale (pattern 2) may

seem a little strange at first, nevertheless with a little practice,

it will work out fine.

Both these patterns feature the same notes in the same

sequence, if you play each scale tardily and listen conservatively you

will observe notwithstanding a tone from sure notes, this is because

the notes are being playing on dissimilar strings resulting in a

different tone. Thicker strings construct a more mellow tone.

By learning these guitar scales for country guitar you will soon

be playing your bestloved country guitar sounds.