Beginner guitar lesson with Chet Atkins

[batwoman]

Chet and two of his students are playing simple open chords and making melodies. It's a nice, slow pace. I like this to practice my scales with this master. It makes me happy to jam with Chet. He also teaches Country Road. Found some simple ideas for fingerpicking in this.




Hope this is OK to post on Justin's site.

[close2u]

nice find

[Joerfe]

Bookmarked!

[DarrellW]

Bookmarked!

+1, really like the simplicity and how good it sounds!

[MrBumble]

I've booked this too. Thanks for sharing it.

[DavidP]

Lovely. Clearly I have a ways to before I'll find that simple 

[batwoman]

Lovely. Clearly I have a ways to before I'll find that simple 

David I've broken it down into bite sized pieces. I've gone as far as making an audio recording of the first little bit and looping it (not sure that's how you say it?) I slowed it down till I could play good, clean notes. I'm singing/learning the note names as I go. I've also recorded the next bit and slowed it down. Still working on this one. There's so much material in this video, some of it beyond me at this stage, so its baby steps right now. It will be a thrill the day I can play along at tempo, singing all the notes. That's my goal. 

With your recording knowledge I'm sure this will be an easy thing to do. To slow it down, I'm using 'change speed' in the Effects menu in Audacity.

[phx1973]

Thanks for this, Batwoman. I bookmarked it too! You can really hear that Nashville sound people talk about with him, especially in the Country Roads tutorial. Mr. Guitar!

[DavidP]

Thanks Batwoman

Must remember this "break it down, slow it down" strategy.

Maybe what I will do is record a few chords that I can use as a backing to do something similar with the A minor pentatonic than I am focussed on.

I assume Am would be one    and a D or a Dm?  Maybe should just start with Am ... start real small, the  1 b3 5 of that chord.

[DarrellW]

This will help David, I don’t know if you have looked at it yet but it’s well worth learning, especially when you start trying to transcribe!

[DavidP]

Thanks Darrell.  I've heard of it but not something I've got into studying yet.

What I did pick-up from the video is that an interval is measured by the number of notes between two notes, including both notes.  I was intuitively thinking that the interval would be the number of notes, excluding the first note.  That is why A to C is a third. 

And then the minor or major is determined by looking at the end note in the major scale of the first note.  In this case of A to C it is a minor third since in the A major scale the C note is a C#.  Therefore in this interval it is flattened by a semi-tone, which makes it a minor.

So A to B would be a major second?

Lots to learn 

Meanwhile, didn't pick up anything in this to give me a pointer as to what chords I should be playing if I want to start playing my A minor pentatonic (at the 5th fret as instructed in BC stage 7) over a chord progression.  Maybe I should be playing Am and C?  Would it work to play other chords in the C maj scale, such as Dm and Em?  I assume that would work if I was playing the C maj scale, but not sure about this given I am using a minor pentatonic.

And this has now become a hijack, I think ...

Darn, I did it again ...

[DarrellW]

Right David, you can play Am Dm Em C F and G and 7ths if needed.

[batwoman]

Useful David, not a hi-jack at all. Chet would be pleased 

[DavidP]

Thanks Batwoman 

As I was thinking more about chords to start using the A minor pentatonic, considering Darrell's inputs, I found the following site.  Useful for me, maybe also for others ...

https://jguitar.com/

[close2u]

David, for the very early fumblings with A minor pent, if you're not going for blues licks, stick to just a two chord loop and dwell on each of the five notes to hear its character and quality, then slowly play some simple multi-note passages. Or, G Major scale and a simple 2-3 chord loop.

Notice in the video that one of the students is literally just playing the C Major scale up and down slowly, the other is chording whilst Chet does nothing elaborate and he simply sticks to the notes of the C Major scale ... which notes and when is the key.

ps

get the Practical Music Theory for all sorts of intervallic goodness.
 

[DavidP]

Thanks Richard

I think I will try and keep it simple for now, rather than getting into trying to play blues.  So I am assuming that Am and C on a loop should be fine? 

Also think Am, Dm & Em sequence might work?  When just playing the scale notes up and down and messing about a bit, I think I have heard phrases that sound a little St James Infirmary Blues like, which I play with those chords.

I have not officially reached the maj scale yet ... but did learn that years ago.  So could also work on that  as an option, extra fun.  Then would guess that a G, Am & C loop should work?

Your point as to which notes and when is well noted (terrible pun that should probably have been deleted).

I do have PMT but not a long way into yet.  Certainly not as far as intervals.

Thanks for the pointers.

[batwoman]

Notice in the video that one of the students is literally just playing the C Major scale up and down slowly, the other is chording whilst Chet does nothing elaborate and he simply sticks to the notes of the C Major scale ... which notes and when is the key.

Close thanks for breaking this down so clearly. I'm at the slowly playing the C Major scale up and down and I won't move on from there till every note is sweet. Your input in so valuable 

get the Practical Music Theory for all sorts of intervallic goodness.

This sounds like a song about outer space. Noting it in my music book. Plagarism? Hey 

[close2u]

Note to self ... come back to this thread to discuss the C Major scale played around the C chord shape vs the Major scale shape forms of CAGED & 3 notes per string ...

[batwoman]

Note to self ... come back to this thread to discuss the C Major scale played around the C chord shape vs the Major scale shape forms of CAGED & 3 notes per string ...

Oh Self, I look forward to that. Thankyou. I hope your PA has taken note    This is mind expanding and I LOVE IT. Makes me very happy.

[close2u]

Self ...


Chet demonstrates where to find and play the notes of the C Major scale (no sharps or flats) starting with a G note on the 1st string at fret 3 dropping all the way down to the root note C at fret 3 of the A string.
Of course he could have continued and played descending notes B and A on the 5th string then G, F and E on the 6th string. That would have showed all C Major scale notes available on the open strings and the first three frets.
The way he shows he does not start on the root note but does end on it.
These notes all fit around an open C chord shape. Does that mean it is equivalent to the 'C' shape from the CAGED system of chord shapes and scale patterns?
Yes, yes, yes oh yes.

CAGED is an easy name to speak out loud but EDCAG is the order Justin and others teach. The five letters derive from the open chord shapes of those letters ... E chord, D chord, C chord, A chord, G chord.  So that means the C chord and the Major scale shape around it is Major scale pattern 3.
See the diagram on this this page.
The diagram has a line of tabbed notes with number 1 (notes normally played with the first finger) which you have to replace with open string notes (notes formed by the nut). And if you haven't seen it before look carefully to see the C chord shape sitting within that diagram.

Knowing the notes up to fret 3 is a good thing. And playing around with the notes from the C Major scale in this easy, accessible way is, imho, an enjoyable way of learning to play simple melodic passages over a chord progression in the key of C. The way Chet plays and uses it is charming.
I don't know the context of all he is teaching before and after this. But I would hazard a guess it involves a different learning approach to Justin's - maybe involving some note and tab reading, some melodies and some chords.


An underlying benefit of CAGED is learning moveable scale patterns around moveable chord shapes. Or moveable chord shapes within moveable scale patterns. There are five interlinking and overlapping patterns that spread up and down the entire fretboard, including octave repeats of some. But each pattern has its lowest position using all fretted notes ... beyond which if you move lower down the neck towards the nut you will need to incorporate open strings to play the full patterns. This also necessitates using different fingerings. Take the C shape chord / pattern 3 I have already been discussing. When you learn Major scale pattern 3 in, say the G Major scale sequence, you learn to play with finger positions matching those in the diagram linked above. If you play pattern 3 of the C Major scale then you can do so starting with your finger 1 at fret 12 and use the exact matching fingering already learned. But you can also play it at the open position. And this can be a bit of a mind melt at first because you play it differently and you get all in a muddle.
The point I'm making is that Chet's lesson is fine and usable and fun but should not be seen as a lead-in lesson to learning the Major scale with the CAGED system. Just because the 'open string' pattern is not moveable and slightly anomalous to the overall system. Have fun playing around with all that this video lesson reveals ... and there is a lot behind the apparent simplicity.

Chet plays three notes on the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th strings ... and could easily play three on the 6th string too if he hadn't stopped at the lowest root note. So, is he showing a 3 notes per string 3NPS scale pattern?
Short answer - no.
The name is as the name does. You play three notes on all strings in a system of moveable and interlocking patterns.
Chet's shape is a CAGED shape ... pattern 3 ... not a 3NPS shape.




More later.

[batwoman]

Self ...
More later.

Wow Self, you've outdone yourself here. I've copied all this into my music book. Rooly, rooly good stuff. Thankyou very much for taking the time to share this Close. Legend.

I intend looking for more of Chet's lessons, so will let share any that I find that seem relevant. I could spend all day watching YouTube videos. Need to get back to my guitar for a while and integrate what I'm learning.

And this can be a bit of a mind melt at first because you play it differently and you get all in a muddle.

Yep familiar with the mind melt and muddles as well as melt downs and hissy fits 

[DarrellW]

I’ve got to say that this thread has become a great reference for learning and it’s a great opportunity to learn important things to know that will definitely improve your understanding of how to put together melodies, it’s been something I’ve always struggled with but am beginning to realise what I had missed learning!

[close2u]

More ... part 1.

The chord progression that Chet uses for the 'scale tune' (starting at 1min 35secs)  is at a nice slow 4/4 tempo

||: C / / /  | C / / /  | Dm / / / | Dm / / / |


 | G7 / / /  | G7 / / / | C / / /  | C / / / |


 | Am / / /  | Am / / / | Dm / / / | Dm / / / |


 | G7 / / /  | G7 / / / | C / / /  | C / / / :||

Here it is with the count added.

    1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4    
||: C / / /  | C / / /  | Dm / / / | Dm / / / |


    1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4   1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4
 | G7 / / /  | G7 / / / | C / / /  | C / / / |


    1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4
 | Am / / /  | Am / / / | Dm / / / | Dm / / / |


    1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4   1 2 3 4    1 2 3 4
 | G7 / / /  | G7 / / / | C / / /  | C / / / :||

To benefit from this I recommend you play and record a loop of this.

The 1st student is playing the chords using a simple finger picking pattern which you could follow.

Or you could play a 1, 2 or 4 strum per bar pattern.

Or a pick strum pick strum pattern to give you a bass note on counts 1 and 3.

You could play the Root note on counts 1 and 3 for all chords.

Or you could do pick strum pick strum but change the bass note that you pick thus:

Root then 4th string on the C and Am

Root then 3rd string on the Dm

Root then 4th string on the G7

Does that make sense?

[batwoman]

More ... part 1.
Does that make sense?

Sure does make sense Close. You are an excellent teacher. I've gained and learned so much from this thread and all your input. Many, many thanks 

[close2u]

More ... part 2.

Chet is using the C Major scale over a chord progression so that chord progression must surely be in the key of C right?
Well, yes, of course.

Here is the C Major scale in a linear notation with a repeat so it spans two octaves.

R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
 

The chords in the progression are all made from notes in the C Major scale:

C  = C, E, G
Dm = D, F, A
G7 = G, B, D, F
Am = A, C, E

If you do not already know about simple chord construction then look carefully at each group of notes within the chords, then find those same notes as laid out in the line of notes in the C Major scale.
There should be something you notice ... a pattern, a sequence, a common feature that they share.




Are you still struggling to see it?
If so, look at this ...

C  = C, E, G
R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
 

Dm = D, F, A
R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
 

G7 = G, B, D, F
R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
 

Am = A, C, E
R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
 

Do you now see how the very make up and structure of those chords stem directly from notes of the C Major scale, notes that appear in the C Major scale at regular spacing / intervals?

Yes?
Fantastic.

These regular intervals taken from the scale are called 'stacked 3rds' because the chords are made up from a simple pattern thus:
(for each given start note) use the 1st note, skip the next note - the 2nd - then use the 3rd note. The 3rd note becomes the new 1st, skip the 2nd, use the 3rd. Stacked 3rds. All built on notes taken from the same scale.

Does this make sense?
If so you are beginning to connect the C Major scale with chords in the key of C. And you are beginning to see something fundamental about chord construction itself.