How Does Country Guitar Work? ▶︎ The 7 Essential Country Techniques

[@jimyoung9262]

The irony of having a Brit teaching country guitar. And really well. Cheers man. This is great!

[@dermotgillespie5138]

Surprised at a British teaching country guitar 😅 really!! where do you think Abert lee was born 😊

[@tomcoryell]

Ray Flacke

[@bigrig4385]

​@@dermotgillespie5138What percentage of professional Country pickers are not American?

[@TS-so2xi]

Uh Albert Lee?! He was a legend

[@wighatsuperreggie]

All the best guitar teachers on KZbin seem to be brits

[@kubel83]

I’m a guitarist. Always played rock and pop. But I never played country. But after watching this video I have realized there is soooo much for me to learn. Thank you for this wonderful video. I’m literally a beginner again 😅

[@4stevio]

Man if you own a Tele you’ve got let it go country now and again.

[@knutnskar6796]

Never liked country music, but country guitar is really cool 👍

[@jackieandthesheetmetals]

@@4stevio are teles good for country?

[@drifterman319]

Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan? gee whiz! Incredible stuff!.

[@jshphysicistatyahoo]

@@jackieandthesheetmetals I believe SS (no humbucker) Telecasters are an excellent choice for country, especially if the pickups are not high output impedence.

[@fivefingerfullprice3403]

Great playing and great instruction, also I love the look of that tele. Omg it's a work of art.

[@nedrow5915]

Hi, I’m an old guy who has been in rock/blues bands. I love country and appreciate you taking time to make these techniques more easily understood. You play flawlessly, too. Wonderful, sir. Thanks again.

[@caseylee12]

I've been playing since I was 5 years old. I've worked on everything from rock, blues rock, jazz, R&B, to disco. The hardest thing I've ever worked on is " chicken pickin' ". All of lives we teach ourselves to let every note ring clear and to hit it cleanly. In Chicken Pickin', every 2 or 3 notes is muted. It really takes a while to get a handle on it. Great lesson!

[@frankortega4280]

Very thorough lesson on the essential country guitar techniques. Nice work. Thank you.

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks Frank!

[@ronaldburo7354]

Thanks Stuart, I'm a fairly advanced intermediate and this video really filled in some gaps in my country playing which I started later in my guitar life. Keep it coming. Ron

[@ronaldburo7354]

Great practical examples for more advanced players who want to add more country to their playing.

[@yieldspreadEXP_Music]

Incredible video as always! I've learned more watching your surf guitar and country guitar videos in the last 20 minutes than I have in the last 2 years with rhythm and technique!

[@lencline]

Sincere thanks for keeping our music alive.

[@humanbeing2420]

You mentioned Albert Lee a few times - I've always loved his playing on Clapton's "Just One Night" live album, recorded in '78 or so, and spent some time learning his tasty solo in "If I Don't Be There By Morning"....

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Albert is such a great player! Thanks for watching!

[@stevenkettle7395]

Great Video. I always thought the chicken picking was with the right hand ( a sort of hybrid) which was why I couldn't do it. Now, thanks to you, I can. Thank-you.

[@julianwilsonsongwritermusi9413]

Great to see you out there helping players Stuart. Jules

[@cygnus4232]

Fantastic, more of a prog and hard rock guy but always admired Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Brad Paisley. This helped tremendously in breaking down some of those techniques and they're incredibly fun to try and master.

[@pridgenwatkins2867]

This is so valuable! I have been at this style for decades, but this adds a lot to my creative options. Thank you!

[@mrmr314]

Great lesson but even better is your old well-worn Tele. We note how the main used sections of your guitar are the top four strings from the 12th fret up to the 21st, and the top fours strings from the 1st fret up to the 7th. How many times have you had that thing serviced? The electrics, pots, pickups, machine heads (tuners), nut etc have all hung in over that time?

[@humanbeing2420]

His gear description includes the phrase "Heavy Relic" with the Telecaster, so I think it's not nearly as old as it looks. It is a great looking guitar though.

[@DavidRees43]

marvellous stuff. whilst here I was encouraged to buy your soul rhythm book so plenty of fun to be had whilst I create my own musical mayhem. thank you

[@kmckinlay8070]

8. Slap-back delay and room reverb hides my mistakes. Thanks for this. Good lesson.

[@waylonjosiah5824]

You all probably dont care at all but does someone know of a method to log back into an instagram account? I somehow lost the account password. I love any assistance you can offer me!

[@reignleonardo1217]

@Waylon Josiah instablaster ;)

[@waylonjosiah5824]

@Reign Leonardo I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@waylonjosiah5824]

@Reign Leonardo it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thank you so much you saved my account !

[@reignleonardo1217]

@Waylon Josiah No problem xD

[@eduhlana]

This is the best class I’ve seen about country music ever!! Thank you so much

[@Ronno4691]

Didn't know Stuart Ryan had his own YT channel!? He's a stonkin' guitar player and I've got a lot of his articles in magazines like Guitar Techniques and the DVDs they put out several years ago.

[@robertnewell5057]

A really great lesson, Stuart. You are a great talent in so many aspects of guitar. It would be interesting to see something on adapting the bends for acoustic guitar. As a banjo player, I would just mention, in addition, that the classic banjo forward roll is not TIM, TIM, TI, but is TIM repeated against the bar lines so your thumb is on beat 1 of every 4th bar - Earl's major contribution, and what gives bluegrass its drive. Works the same way for TMI (the backward roll). The other classic banjo licks are not grouped in 3s, but are more like regular guitar fingerpicking. The open string lick also comes in part from banjo, so called 'melodic' banjo as introduced by Bobby Thompson and Bill Keith. I would really recommend anyone serious about banjo rolls to get a beginner bluegrass banjo tutorial, even if you never play the banjo. Earl's book is great, and Pete Wernick has loads of stuff out there, a lot of which is free. Cheers and thanks again.

[@richardprutz6458]

Very Good- I forget some of these----- Thank You Train Wreck II

[@pridgenwatkins2867]

Ok! I'm subbed. This is a gold mine. I'm shopping your book. Please keep up this channel forever!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thank you! More on the way!

[@sectionbooe]

Ace stuff. I am looking at ways to improve my rockabilly playing. These are just the job. Thanks

[@bassboy8910]

Thank you for these great ideas! It’s like going to school again @ 73 years old! 🎸

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching, glad it helped!

[@leechild4655]

Play the D cowboy chord up an octave. add the pinky to make it the sus4. hit that and bend that first finger up a tone. Hit that again but play just the major chord. now slide down to the 9th fret and play the same shape, hit that once, then last hit you play the sus4 while bending the first finger on the G string up to finish the lick. Its a total of five chord strikes w/bends and or w/added 4th.

[@chipcurry]

Wow, I'm a lifetime musician, and that was fantastic! You have Demystified a boatload of stuff for me!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thank you, glad it helped!

[@IndusRush]

Hi Ryan, could you please give me a tip on some practise exercises on how to learn this style of fingerpicking. My fingers seem soft and ineffective for this at the moment and I never really got the hang of travis picking either…always been a plectrum player.

[@narta11]

This is an amazing video. Straight forward and easy to follow.

[@watercolordreamrubix8449]

love the lesson genius I am take it little by little

[@icarusi]

I recently started doing steel style bends also on the D string. Slightly different fingering, and more push needed on the thicker string. You also need to use the little and 3rd finger on the upper 2 strings, rather than the little finger on both. I've always used little+3rd finger on all the upper 2 strings, 'cos I'm often holding that bend (+ the lower of the upper 2 strings), and playing another line over it on just the top string, using the little + 1st finger.

[@behnamzadeh1936]

Very good perfect teaching.thanks

[@sseltrek1a2b]

great breakdown of basic country playing...

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks Steve! All the best, Stuart

[@FretSuccess]

This is great. Thanks for sharing this big group of techniques as a country hit list. Good luck with the book and channel!

[@tomcoryell]

Hi Stuart, Thanks for this! I am in the midst of putting fills on a song I just recorded and this has been helpful. Most of it Ialready knew, but I also learned a lot. You make a great teacher and are obviously a very good picker as well!

[@drsteviejasengnsangma8739]

Tips to become a considerable country player in a nutshell❤️ Awesome video!!!

[@Rusty92024]

Excellent. Very clearly presented and extremely useful techniques.

[@tnvalleyyoga7122]

I'm from TN but have always preferred blues, however, there's no doubt that blues and country have crossed tracks many times, even rock/country. I can strum chords and keep up with most country songs and being exposed to country all my life the rhythms in country come pretty naturally but the lead parts are difficult for me.

[@paulboden7850]

I could see you wearing a big Stetson living in Nashville...thx Stuart!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Ha ha! Nashville is FULL of monster players, it's the last place any professional guitar player should want to move to really!

[@johnpandolfino8663]

Well done mate......

[@jumpskirt]

Cool stuff! You nailed the really signature country licks!

[@peterfalahee]

Fantastic video really help me in my search … well done great stuff love it ❤️

[@brunosampaio2399]

Great tips and ready to expand to other levels. Thank you!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thank you Bruno, glad it helped! All the best, Stuart

[@codyhaviland9650]

Excellent tutorial! Short and direct. Well done!

[@streetlegal008]

This is good stuff. I'm trying to play 'fingerstyle' guitar, so I'm always interested in these specific technique videos.

[@jonathanbazely8104]

Thank you for your very useful country guitar playing lessons, I'm looking forward to learning more through your videos.😊

[@nitochi3]

Do you have any video showing how to step by step learn the open string lick and chicken picking lick? Also do you happen to have any video that teaches how to spice up country songs in D, G, E and A?

[@johncarlo7395]

Great video, I especially loved the open string section, very well explained.

[@michaelclark9082]

Great stuff Stuart, thanks! I can incorporate these licks into my traditional British folk band, goes quite well, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, Pentangle, that sort of thing. Best wishes from England!

[@flowerfarmerscott]

Great lesson. Thanks, Stuart!

[@davidivanjosephsalonia4566]

Very helpful. Been playing a while and found 2 new techniques. Thanks you very much. Peace🙏

[@in2mu5ic]

Excellent! Just wanted to mention pre-bends too. Very country-sounding when used effectively!

[@stavrosk.2868]

Country stuff explained in beautiful RP English. The wonders of the internet. And very well explained as well.

[@linkedup7346]

Beautiful old Tele. What year? You have a great method of spelling your techniques out.

[@macpakinga1271]

Yah ol gotta own a telecaster 🎸, 👍😂😅thank you for sharing 🎸👍

[@thomas.merchel]

Nice! But I cannot find the tabs on the linked site.

[@taketwo-e5u]

You forgot to mention that you need a Telecaster with ash tray and brass saddles as well. 😁

[@jazzguitarneophyte-christo7988]

Greeting from the USA! Just ordered your book! Looking forward to it! Cheers!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thank you and sorry for late reply, just getting over the dreaded Covid!

[@jazzguitarneophyte-christo7988]

@@StuartRyanMusic No woories at all! Glad you got over it!! Book should be here on the 11th. Looking forward to it!

[@swamilainen]

Is your Tele stock? Looks like the frets are jumbo and your tone is superb. What mods have you done (if any)? What can you tell me about it?

[@WarrenAndrews-w5x]

Great lessons 😎

[@midnightraiin4035]

is that an aftermarket neck. those jumbo frets are huge.

[@StuartRyanMusic]

No, it's the original but it was specced with Jumbo frets

[@johng.8625]

I love the style here I go I'm going to learn it your student

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@ajtblues]

Exxcellent, really. Thanks a LOT!!!

[@Rockin23]

Yeehaa! All good stuff mate. I love playing country guitar :)

[@mikegeeguitarman8991]

Amazing video mate..you nailed it in one video for my money..brilliant teacher if ever there was one !

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching Mike, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Best wishes, Stuart

[@leonardobadilla3374]

Terrific lesson !

[@dougsmith8430]

Just subscribed and liked 👍 Fender Tele , awesome for Country!

[@timpark8198]

Really enjoyed this Stuart - thank you. Made a lot of things come into focus and I'm a novice. First time using tab too which which helps a lot as a beginner.

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching Tim, glad it helped! Best wishes, Stuart

[@lorenvguitar614]

Thank you, great video and really appreciate the tabs

[@teleuser]

Liking the guitar !

[@Jaymorganhair]

Such great guitar tips and techniques. I’m going to be implementing this stuff into my practice.

[@RedDirtRules]

Great lesson Thanks for sharing your skills 👍

[@ednaplate]

Great vid. I’m not a fan of relic’d guitars but that Tele is a thing of beauty

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching - this Tele really is a great one, nice big neck profile too! All the best, Stuart

[@pedropadel141]

Thanks a mil for this great video. I love your amazing playing too.

[@hotlov72]

So in the pedal steel lick, your bending with the index finger, and the other two fingers, on the lower strings, are in place just fretting the notes?

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Hi Neville, that's correct - those fingers are just giving support to the bend. All the best, Stuart

[@hotlov72]

@@StuartRyanMusic thanks for the clarification

[@mrskint55]

I’m very interested in pedal steel bends . I haven’t quite managed the technique yet. I’ll keep on until I get it .

[@robertrichter7702]

man alive !! your awesome !!

[@ScottMillerGuitar]

Amazing video! I love the tone as well. I actually laughed out loud when I saw that this video somehow has a few thumbs down? That says a lot about our current culture where your video is amazing but yet you can’t please everyone. Killer killer video thank you!

[@stuartryan3584]

Thank you Scott, glad you enjoyed it! Ah, the thumb down culture, just be glad we aren't in the days of ancient Rome or those two thumb downers would have me finished off in the amphitheatre...

[@ScottMillerGuitar]

@@stuartryan3584 lol! Is your book sold everywhere?

[@stuartryan3584]

@@ScottMillerGuitar Hi Scott, all on Amazon worldwide - The Modern Country Jam Session book is probably most suitable or The Americana Book. All the best! Stuart

[@s119497]

This great stuff 🙂

[@JakeSpeed1000]

Awesome lesson. Thanks

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks Scott! All the best, Stuart

[@robertomui333]

Very nice lesson...well explained and played ! Thx 😎

[@rosicrucian8993]

Always eager to hear some good ole country music .........from a dude with a british accent. Go on: Show us what some authentic country guitarist taught you.

[@Lee-Darin]

I NEED a video version of your book. I can't read music notes. I even have trouble with Tabulature

[@bryanhain969]

Same but for me I need to hear it. Sometimes it’s fun to use a software like guitar pro to input the notes or tabs from a book and then it can play it back to you. That way you can hear what it’s supposed to sound like.

[@ConcernedCiti-Zen]

Is it OK to bend the strings down instead of up when doing bends?

[@michaelstein7510]

Generally, yes, it’ll sound just fine. Often, it’s easier to do that for some patterns. It’s a good thing to experiment with.

[@TheKevinKitchen]

master class ! Great

[@luckydog-287]

Thank you!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@AndiPicker]

Like a lot of folks here I play a mostly blues based rock music, with the occasional dip into country fuelled by bands like Drive By Truckers and Blackberry Smoke - I always find that country guitar makes me want to to go down a step or two in string gauge - I play 10 - 46 on everything, but some of these repeated bends against a double stop just put my hand in such an unusual position that I feel like I struggle, but then my hybrid picking technique goes to pieces against the lighter strings. Any suggestions on which way to fix this - beef up my bends (to be clear - I'm good for minor 3rd, even occasional maj 3rd bends in "proper" playing) or refine my finger feel? This is such a good video by the way - I can't believe that the YT alogorithm has never shown your channel to me before now.

[@jockster5525]

Awesome thanks for your efforts and sharing your knowledge.. thoroughly enjoyed it ❤

[@bobaltshuler444]

How do I see the guitar tab to this lesson?

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

Absolutely wonderful, thanks a ton. When you were doing the triplets with the snap, were you muting the string like when chicken pickin'? Many thanks again. 😎🎙🎸✅

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Hi Julian, I think I must have been there - most of it is subconscious these days so sorry if I missed it out! All the best, Stuart

[@brianhaines6714]

Great video with some good info and very authentic tone. I don't know about calling it modern though. More like the 90's. Don't worry, I still think the 90's was just a couple years ago too!

[@kruoffsorndontree]

I like your guitar.

[@JacksonTaylorandTheSinners]

Dude. You’re an absolute Hoss

[@jimdriscoll5115]

Really great video thanks

[@philf4086]

Good video! I never understood the reason for hybrid picking, seems like the complication of holding the pick is a waste. I'd rather pick with thumb and fingers, but that's just me. I don't play with my nails so that may be influencing me.

[@luisnowak7881]

just recently getting into county and bluegrass stuff. do you have any must know albums ?

[@addickkelders2265]

Amazing video, thanx. But even more amazing was your country sound. How do you get that? I have a Fender tele and a Vox ac but i never get that twang. I tried to lower the volume knob on the tele, what i read that would help. But not near as your sound. And now daily practice!

[@StuartRyanMusic]

Thanks for watching and for the kind words! I recorded this through a Kemper with a Princeton profile but I normally use a real handwired AC15 for this stuff. I find with Teles a large part of the Country sound comes from the maple fingerboard - when I had a rosewood board Tele I couldn't ever quite get the right sound. A fairly hot bridge pickup also helps along with the amp being turned up a little so there's some natural compression. You can also add an MXR Dynacomp to help with the twang. Hope that helps!

[@nicholascroukamp1463]

Great overview

[@davidaraujo927]

Stu, that tele though!

[@behnamzadeh1936]

Best of best