Ohio5665
Verified buyer
07/29/23
this course gives you tons of ideas for your country style playing, lots of pedal steel licks etc. all explained by a fantastic teacher Joe Dalton.
Big Twang
Techniques, rhythm, and soloing for Nashville-style guitar
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About this course
Some call it country guitar with a dash of rock, blues and jazz. Others call it modern Nashville-style guitar. We call it Big Twang and no one's better qualified to help you get a grip on the style than our very own bona fide master twanger, Joe Dalton.
Derived in part from "country" guitar, twang is really a modern hybrid of blues, country, rock and jazz guitar. Players like Albert Lee, Arlen Roth, Danny Gatton, Johnny Hiland, Ray Flacke, Leon McAuliffe, Brent Mason, Chet Atkins, Scotty Anderson, Red Volkaert, James Burton and Jimmy Bryant all have their own classic Big Twang signature sound and technique. But today, contemporary players across all styles have incorporated twang influences in their signature sounds.
Ever hear one of your favorite blues, rock or jazz players throw out a cool pedal steel lick or two into their solos? That's Big Twang. Dig that chicken picking stuff so many modern blues players spice their stuff up with? That's Big Twang. Western swing, rockabilly and country-fried bends and pulls are also part of the Big Twang. Whatever your preferred style may be, Big Twang will broaden your vocabulary of phrases, colors and techniques to draw from and distinguish your sound.
You will work through a wide variety of rhythm and soloing parts across five distinct Big Twang grooves that Dalton has prepared to illustrate the diversity of the style. Key learnings include mastering the many different attacks required with the picking hand along with the essential "touches" required from the fretting hand. As you work with the material Dalton will cover hybrid picking, chicken-picking, pull-offs, hammer-ons, double-stops, pedal steel emulation, ending, slides, pluck 'n cluck, staccato and legato effects, tips for crafting a good solo, syncopation, vibrato and tons of other tricks of the twang trade.
All in all, Big Twang delivers enough solid material to keep you busy in the shed honing your own Big Twang thang!
Derived in part from "country" guitar, twang is really a modern hybrid of blues, country, rock and jazz guitar. Players like Albert Lee, Arlen Roth, Danny Gatton, Johnny Hiland, Ray Flacke, Leon McAuliffe, Brent Mason, Chet Atkins, Scotty Anderson, Red Volkaert, James Burton and Jimmy Bryant all have their own classic Big Twang signature sound and technique. But today, contemporary players across all styles have incorporated twang influences in their signature sounds.
Ever hear one of your favorite blues, rock or jazz players throw out a cool pedal steel lick or two into their solos? That's Big Twang. Dig that chicken picking stuff so many modern blues players spice their stuff up with? That's Big Twang. Western swing, rockabilly and country-fried bends and pulls are also part of the Big Twang. Whatever your preferred style may be, Big Twang will broaden your vocabulary of phrases, colors and techniques to draw from and distinguish your sound.
You will work through a wide variety of rhythm and soloing parts across five distinct Big Twang grooves that Dalton has prepared to illustrate the diversity of the style. Key learnings include mastering the many different attacks required with the picking hand along with the essential "touches" required from the fretting hand. As you work with the material Dalton will cover hybrid picking, chicken-picking, pull-offs, hammer-ons, double-stops, pedal steel emulation, ending, slides, pluck 'n cluck, staccato and legato effects, tips for crafting a good solo, syncopation, vibrato and tons of other tricks of the twang trade.
All in all, Big Twang delivers enough solid material to keep you busy in the shed honing your own Big Twang thang!
What you'll learn
- Play precise, in-tune string bends
- Master right-hand finger slapping and pulling technique for country flavor
- Execute an extended banjo roll solo with multiple variations
- Integrate rhythm parts seamlessly within solo passages
- Apply Chuck Berry-influenced licks with country technique variations
Release date: 01/29/2008 • 1h 36m runtime
Sample lessons
Western Swing: Solo 1
Performance
Chicken Pickin': Solo 1
Performance
Chicken Pickin': Solo 1
Breakdown
Chicken Pickin': Solo 2
Performance
What's included
41 lessons • 20 charts • 5 Jam Tracks
Big Twang
Western Swing: Solo 1
This is a simple tune using the F major pentatonic scale as an outline. Use a light touch in both hands to accent the flow and prettiness of the melody.
This western swing melody is reminiscent of Leon MacAuliffe's work. Leon played mostly steel guitar with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys as well as leading his own band. Listening is essential to playing with the proper feel. Other artists to check out are Asleep at the Wheel and Roger Brown's "Western Women".
Western Swing: Solo 1
This is a simple tune using the F major pentatonic scale as an outline. Use a light touch in both hands to accent the flow and prettiness of the melody.
This western swing melody is reminiscent of Leon MacAuliffe's work. Leon played mostly steel guitar with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys as well as leading his own band. Listening is essential to playing with the proper feel. Other artists to check out are Asleep at the Wheel and Roger Brown's "Western Women".
Western Swing: Solo 2
To get a nice round tone, I like to use the combination of the bridge and neck pick ups when playing multi stops. The chords I use on the second chorus require the pick and finger technique from the picking hand. I use a light touch.
The sounds you hear on the second chorus are reminiscent of C6th pedal steel guitar neck. This is the neck many steel guitarists use for the jazzier sounds. The last chorus is a good example of how to craft a solo. Listen for the quotes of the original melody. This helps the listener identify the solo as belonging to the song. I also make certain that there is a little flashiness there with a few faster scale passages. Notice the blues influence.
Western Swing: Solo 2
To get a nice round tone, I like to use the combination of the bridge and neck pick ups when playing multi stops. The chords I use on the second chorus require the pick and finger technique from the picking hand. I use a light touch.
The sounds you hear on the second chorus are reminiscent of C6th pedal steel guitar neck. This is the neck many steel guitarists use for the jazzier sounds. The last chorus is a good example of how to craft a solo. Listen for the quotes of the original melody. This helps the listener identify the solo as belonging to the song. I also make certain that there is a little flashiness there with a few faster scale passages. Notice the blues influence.
Western: Rhythm 1
Laying down a nice pad is very supportive to singers and soloists. These chords stay out of the soloists way, and add color and rhythm while providing a full sounding pad.
I use my thumb in the picking hand to provide a soft and full tone. I lift my fingers on the fretting hand to add the stacatto effect on the second and fourth beats. This is a signature western swing rhythm guitar effect.
Western: Rhythm 1
Laying down a nice pad is very supportive to singers and soloists. These chords stay out of the soloists way, and add color and rhythm while providing a full sounding pad.
I use my thumb in the picking hand to provide a soft and full tone. I lift my fingers on the fretting hand to add the stacatto effect on the second and fourth beats. This is a signature western swing rhythm guitar effect.
+ 34 more lessons
Reviews
18 results
Dave58
Verified buyer
04/22/23
Nashville country style techniques
This is an older course and you can tell by the image quality. But this is not inferior to the interesting teaching material that this course presents. A wonderful introduction course with all the necessary techniques to feel like a real country guitarist. Joe is a great guitarist and a fascinating teacher. His approach are lessons that you quickly become familiar with. These licks are therefore not everyday examples, but just that little bit more. Great!
Osokin
Verified buyer
03/19/23
Hone Your Country Techniques!
Big Twang (or modern Nashville-style guitar as it is probably more often called) is described as being derived in part from "country" guitar, and is really a modern hybrid of blues, country, rock and jazz guitar. Joe Dalton is a great player in this style, and also an excellent instructor. There are sections on various country techniques such as banjo rolls, chicken pickin' and pedal steel bends etc. - and these are all presented in the context of solos and rhythm performances. As this is an older course there is no tab sync - but all the examples are clearly transcribed, and the video speed can be reduced by 50% (helpful for learning some of the more uptempo examples). There is definitely a lot of material to sink your teeth into, and Joe gives some really good advice on how to practice and best assimilate the material.
Starglazer
Verified buyer
08/19/21
Great title.
A great instructor,teaches the player well, a good Selection and variety of music.Section is don well. Thanks.
sinbad
Verified buyer
03/03/21
Big Twang
Joe is a very good teacher and a great player. He explains things in an easy to learn manner. I’ve been learning some of these licks and working them up to speed. This is a very good course for those new to chicken pickin’ or Western swing.
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