So I'm performing a "Teach Your Children", but I usually don't play country and can get the song to sound right. There is a certain bouncy country feel I want to achieve and I can't seem to get it right. I can play the right rhythm and yet it still doesn't sound right when I'm playing. It's kind of hard to explain in words hopefully somebody has some suggestions.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but changing your tone could help. With my les paul I'd switch it to the bridge pick up for a "twangier" sound (not that LP's get twangy at all, but what can you do)
and then I'd pick very close to the bridge with my picking hand, which also gives a lighter, twangier sound.
I don't play country much at all, but I'd do a lot of open strings, and staccatod kind of notes. This could be the wrong approach.
janglely treble helps.
when I play country I also use a swing type rhythm.
ie, hit the bass note then strum the chord. it's a one two kinda thing.
definately avoid the folkie style of strumming. no D/U.
Double stops, especially thirds are a nice country addition. There are a lot of common stylistic flourishes related to these, such as bending the lower string of a fourth interval into a minor third or a major third interval.
Other simple, country-style cliches are:
1. The slide, bend or hammer-on from the minor third to the (major) third. This is often done on the I chord.
2. Extending major and minor chords by adding dominant 7ths, 13ths and moving 6ths and 7ths
3. Soloing with the major pentatonic scale
4. Pre-bent releases: pre-bend up a half or whole step, pick the note, then release to unbend pitch. This simulates a slide or steel guitar, and can be used in pre-bending (lower string/note) to a third and releasing to a fourth interval
5. Volume swells, either with footpedal or volume control
-=tension & release=-
Not that I want to condone any bad behavior, but beer always helps when playing country.
Brain-cleansing music for brain-numbing times in a brain dead world
http://www.oenyaw.com
taso is right, i think changing your tone could really help.
try picking at 90 degrees to the string, sharp and clean. and playing near the bridge is a great thing to do...
I should have probably mentioned I was playing an acoustic so a pick-up switch is out of the question :wink:
Thanks for the suggestions, we have decided to go with another song since I can't seem to get this song, but thanks for all the help none the less :)
