Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I've been a rock player for most of my life. That's the style I'm comfortable in and know how to play without even trying. Lately I've been trying to branch out and learn some modern country. I always thought the rock stuff was more technically challenging but now I know the truth. There are some monster guitarists in the country world! This chickin' pickin' is kicking my butt!!! Here are a few short clips I put together to show the extremes.

My first song attempt with a chickin' pickin' intro using a '65 Silvertone 1482 Strat (this was so hard to wrap my head around and I love it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UMVslwn1Vs

Every once in a while I have to go back to MY old school rock for a break. Yesterday was one of those days....rock riffs on a Vintage Modern marshall with a pointy Ibanez shredder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVRNoOes3g

I've dabbled in a little country myself. It's NOT as easy as it sounds. Artists like Waylon Jennigs, Kenny Chesney, George Strait etc. put unorthodox changes in the "standard" country progressions that'll keep you on your toes. The really great country musicians have impeccable timing. You can set your watch to them....

There are a lot of really great musicians in country music. Most are really versatile pickers. I don't care much for the sappy lyrics in country music, but I do enjoy the melodic licks of the older stuff. A great deal of it is both melodic and rather tricky. Brent Mason, Danny Gatton, Chet Atkins, Tommy Emanuel, Brad Paisley, and a host of other pickers set a pretty high standard.
I really don't care much for the "new White Strips" country, which is, for the most part, simply bad rock a billy with cheesy lyrics attached.

Quite a few mediocre bands have made it big, so my opinion is obviously moot.

I like metal and classical but I find modern rock is often sort of boring. So I crank up the outlaw country station on my sat radio and those fellows do wail. I reckon the outlaw country guys have much more guts in their sound than a lot of the modern rock or pop.

e.g. Copperhead Road is theoretically country but damn, it rocks!

Talbot

Impellitteri is a neoclassical guy that chicken picks. Also, zak wylde plays a lot of country. It's a heavy influence of his. I respect the chicken pickers!