Ive been trying to expand my playing lately and rockabilly seemed like a good thing to try and learn. Can someone suggest some exercises I could be doing? I really want to learn the rythym style that they play. I looked on the site but couldnt find any lessons, are there any online ones out there? or books?
Thanks
rockabilly grew out of country in the early fifties. Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins were popular.
there were women of rockabilly too. Wanda Jackson is known around the world.the best American contemporary rockabilly player is Brian Selzter (sp?)
reverb, note runs based on open chords, palm mutes, slapping rhythm are just a part of the signature sound.
I know Fender has a lesson site. I remember checking out rockabilly there. yu have to ook.
fender.com and then find 'players club' .
there's tons learning offered. sound clips too.
Setzer
-=tension & release=-
Rockabilly itself can be broken into a couple of different styles, but started where dogbite said. Some great 'Roots' Rockabilly is the early 'Sun' records, like Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis etc etc etc . A lot of rockabilly players also credit Warren Smith & Chet Atkins as major influences.
For a range of tasy styles get in itunes (or google) & checkout:
The Stray Cats (Brian Sezters old band) 8)
Rock Bottom James & The Detonators (just known as 'the detonators', now) 8)
3 Bad Jacks :twisted:
The Chrome Daddies :wink:
Zombie Ghost Train... :twisted: just to name a few.
I'm not sure, but I'm guessing the rythm you're talking about is that galloping train type (thats' my favorite anyway) & I found it difficult at first (boom badda boom badda boom etc). Just find a track with the rythm you mean & put it on the stero & jam with it, & jam with it, & jam with it...It'll come - it's just practice. Sorry if that ain't much help - can only go by my own experience. :lol:
"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"
Setzer (must be misspelled more often than most)
Is Robert Gordon still kicking around?
-=tension & release=-
As far as I know Robert Gordon is still around. The albums he did with Link Wray blow my mind. They are phenominal. The rockabilly guitarists I really like are Luther Perkins(Johnny Cash) and Eddie Biebel (Wayne Hancock).
Setzer (must be misspelled more often than most)
Is Robert Gordon still kicking around?
LOVE The Robert Gordon/Link Wray stuff!
That was prob. when I first started taking Rockabilly seriously 8)
I say - Practice Palm Muting.... that has a lot of nuances that must be explored,
and can be a lot of fun in the process (not to mention addicting ~ you may want to palm mute EVERYTHING
once you start!)
Ken
"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway
"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles
Hal Leonard publishes a Rockabilly Guitar Bible that's not too bad. (There's a lot of rockabilly influence in Chris Isaak's music too.)
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
My most sincere apologies for mispelling Mr Setzer's name in my gumby typing...he's my favourite guitarist - man to be able to play & jump like that..........!!!
"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"
There's one particular trick that really makes any old music sound like rockabilly. I can't really do it properly, but the guitarist in my band uses it occasionally to spice up long stretches of a single chord.
To do it, you really need a dextrous pinkie and if nothing else, it's really good for practicing the little finger.
Theoretically, it involves alternating the 5th and 6th in a major chord.
It looks like this (using an A major barre chord on the 5th fret as the basis):
e|---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---
B|---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---
G|---6---6---6---6---6---6---6---6---
D|---7---7---x---x---7---7---x---x---
A|---7---7---9---9---7---7---9---9---
E|---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---
The pinkie alternatively fingers the octave on the 4th string and the 6th on the 5th string. Doing the latter automatically mutes the 4th string somewhat but that's not important.
Alternating 1,5 and 6 in the bass in the same galloping rhythm also has the the effect of making any old rock'n'roll sound like rockabilly.
Rockabilly typically uses basic rock progressions like I-I-IV-V or I-IV-V-I as well as 12 bar blues (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I) and doo-wop (I-vi-IV-V).
--
Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com
To do it, you really need a dextrous pinkie and if nothing else, it's really good for practicing the little finger.
:shock: 
That's an understatement. I just tried it and I think I'm done playing for tonight.
Owww.
I gotta remember to warm up better before trying out stretches like that. :wink:
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Just practice & stretching. 8)
"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"
Dogbite, did you go to the Gin Blossoms, Pretenders, Stray Cats, ZZ Top last summer? Setzer is scary good, stole the show and presently a Minneapolis boy.
I just sent you a PM with links to some documents I have online (on another site) that may help you.
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
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((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
