How many of you play "Chet" style on the 6 string ?

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 13 May 2016 4:18 am

atkins is an extension of merle....like oscar is an extension of art.

they are all great players. you can nit pick all you want.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 14 May 2016 7:52 am

atkins is an extension of merle....like oscar is an extension of art.

And they are both extensions of Ike Everly..

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/ ... blues.html

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 May 2016 8:08 am

Cool story and link. Who knew..

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 14 May 2016 10:13 am

The magic of a J-200 played by Ike Everly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DoxwrSHKr0

One song that I always liked from the Lovin' Spoonful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_h96aVE8b4

Jason Schofield · Post by **Jason Schofield** » 15 May 2016 11:13 pm

I've been playing 6 string for over 30 years. I've never been comfortable doing Merle or Chet style and I just don't get it. I fell in love with Mississippi John Hurt and always wished to play that style. One of my all time favourites was Lindsey Buckinghams's Never Going Back Again from Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album. I have dvds', books ect.. Somehow I feel like you either get this style or you don't. I seems to come so natural to those that play it. They didn't have books, dvds' or youtube back then.For those of us trying to learn from books and videos ect.. it seems so forced. Any suggestions?

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 16 May 2016 1:56 am

Jason I find it impossible to play the alternating bass and the melody at the same time. When I keep picking the bass on only one string it's not so hard, but that's most probably not in the original style.

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 17 May 2016 12:02 pm

Jason Schofield wrote: it seems so forced. Any suggestions?

Slow it down. Playing just alternating bass lines is not that hard. What's hard is adding the melody. Every new rhythm you learn on the melody side is a new hurdle, and slowing it down is the quickest way to feeling that new rhythmic combination in your right hand.

Larry Lenhart · Post by **Larry Lenhart** » 23 May 2016 8:32 pm

Muhlenberg county Ky is the heart of thumb picking...thats where Merle learned it from Mose Rager, Ike Everly, Kennedy Johnson, and others. He just took it to the rest of the world instead of staying in the coal minds. I have attended the CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) convention in Nashville for 20 years or so...great players show up there...amazing talent that isnt widely know, such as Paul Moseley and Eddie Pennington and others...do a youtube search on them.
I agree about starting slow...when I was starting out on that style, someone told me to work on just the thumb doing the alternating bass until it was just natural and easy and then add the melody with the fingers...it worked for me...cant say that I play it great, but its a lot of fun to play that style.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 9 Jun 2016 5:31 am

Chet and Merle were my main influences and I have played both styles for 47 years. I continue to listen to both and many of the other artists who play thumb and fingerstyle guitar. It's still my greatest love in music.

Paul Stauskas · Post by **Paul Stauskas** » 9 Jun 2016 10:47 am

I can Travis pick my way through some easier John Hurt, Fahey, or Townes songs but I can't play with a flatpick at all.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 9 Jun 2016 5:39 pm

Chet and Merle were my main influences and I have played both styles for 47 years. I continue to listen to both and many of the other artists who play thumb and fingerstyle guitar. It's still my greatest love in music.

Larry Lenhart · Post by **Larry Lenhart** » 9 Jun 2016 6:54 pm

Larry Dering, if you have any recordings of your thumb picking I would love to hear it ! Let me know. I love playing that style and since I have been going to nursing homes the last few years I find that a lot of those folks enjoy it also. I love finding tunes that I hadnt thought about playing that style and working out my own arrangements thumb style. Thanks for posting.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 12 Jul 2016 1:02 pm

I wish I had recorded but that seems to have escaped my efforts to play music. Like you I have the style engraved in my playing and use it on just about any song with a slight rearranging. While I can and do play with a flatpick and fingers I am more comfortable with a thumbpick. I may do some recording in the near future just to hold for memory sake while I can still play. Presently caring for my terminally ill wife keeps me away from my playing. I will keep your post for a future contact, thanks for asking.

Larry Lenhart · Post by **Larry Lenhart** » 12 Jul 2016 1:08 pm

Larry, thanks for the response and I am so sorry to hear about your wife...may God bless you and I will keep you both in my prayers.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 15 Jul 2016 7:05 pm

I bought a Gibson Country Gentleman several years ago, and I still can't play Chet style worth a flip. It ain't the guitar, it was THE MAN.