With lesson 5, DJ starts to discuss elements of the modern country style. This includes the technique known as "Chicken Pickin'."
Taught by DJ Phillips in Classic Country Guitar seriesLength: 12:59Difficulty: 2.5 of 5
Having roots in Folk, Celtic, and Gospel music, Country and Country Western evolved rapidly in the 1920's. This genre of music has spawned two of the top selling solo artists of all time. Elvis Presley, and Garth Brooks.
Lesson 1
This short lesson will introduce you to the country style of playing and provide some necessary background information on how the genre got started.
Length: 2:04 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
DJ gets to the roots of the country music genre with a lesson on Western Swing.
Length: 5:50 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 3
In lesson 3, DJ teaches a short song called "Roly Poly." If you ever find yourself jamming in a country circuit, you'll need this one in your repertoire.
Length: 5:22 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 4
DJ discusses the classic country style. He explains the rhythmic and structural differences between this style and western swing.
Length: 6:30 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 5
With lesson 5, DJ starts to discuss elements of the modern country style. This includes the technique known as "Chicken Pickin'."
Length: 12:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 6
In this lesson, DJ discusses some of the finer points of the hybrid picking technique.
Length: 15:05 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 7
In this lesson, DJ begins to talk more in depth about modern electric country guitar. He starts with the western swing style.
Length: 11:11 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 8
Lesson 8 continues to cover the western swing style of electric country. Eldon Shamblin and his musical efforts are discussed further.
Length: 13:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 9
This lesson covers the twin lead section of the song "Twin Guitar Boogie."
Length: 17:59 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
DJ breaks down the second part of the twin lead solo from "Twin Guitar Boogie."
Length: 14:57 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Finalizing his teaching on the Twin Guitar Boogie with emphasis on Eldon Shamblin, DJ brings you this lesson on the guitar solo.
Length: 21:55 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 12
Lesson 12 covers all the techniques involved in the previous lessons on the Twin Guitar Boogie.
Length: 7:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 13
DJ takes the techniques he discussed in lesson 12 and helps you create a solo over a standard country rhythm.
Length: 17:33 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 14
Lesson 14 delves into the realm of fingerpicking.
Length: 17:44 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 15
In lesson 15 DJ demonstrates the techniques used by Merle Travis to build a solo, and improvisation technique.
Length: 12:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 16
Lesson 16 starts a 3 part series on Arthur Smith's "Guitar Boogie."
Length: 47:42 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 17
In lesson 17, DJ completes his note for note demonstration of "Guitar Boogie."
Length: 30:39 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 18
In this lesson, DJ takes a look at some of the country guitar concepts used in the song "Guitar Boogie."
Length: 16:13 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 19
In this lesson, DJ teaches the song "Whistle Stop" by legendary guitarist Jimmy Bryant.
Length: 19:41 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 20
DJ demonstrates the song "Yodeling Guitar" by Jimmy Bryant.
Length: 32:25 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
DJ teaches the song "Joy Ride" as performed by Jimmy Bryant.
Length: 30:37 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 22
Now that DJ has covered "Whistle Stop" and "Joy Ride," he'll be looking at some of the concepts used to play these songs.
Length: 23:05 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 23
This lesson covers the tune Got a Lot of Rhythm which features the playing of Hank Garland.
Length: 10:30 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 24
In lesson 24, DJ takes a look at an Elvis Presley song "I Need Your Love Tonight."
Length: 19:55 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 25
In lesson 25, DJ continues his in depth look at Hank Garland's playing with a demonstration of Sugarfoot Rag.
Length: 32:43 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 26
DJ takes a look at "Walkin' the Floor" by classic country guitarist Leon Rhodes.
Length: 29:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 27
DJ Phillips teaches the progression, structure and melody of the song "Honey Fingers."
Length: 35:30 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 28
In lesson 28, DJ demonstrates the entire guitar solo for the song "Honey Fingers."
Length: 27:13 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 29
Looking back on the lessons on Leon Rhodes' playing, DJ offers up a lesson on applying the new concepts.
Length: 11:49 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 30
DJ discusses the tic-tac techniques used by Johnny Cash guitarist Luther Perkins.
Length: 18:53 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 31
Looking at guitarist Luther Perkins, DJ helps you to apply the tic-tac rhythms in your playing.
Length: 7:34 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 32
DJ returns to his country lesson series to profile legendary country guitarist James Burton! In the first lesson of this mini-series, DJ takes a look at open string licks that are common in James' playing.
Length: 16:34 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 33
DJ is back with the second lesson in his James Burton mini series. For this one, DJ takes a look at how James Burton started the Tele sound with the use of hybrid picking and chicken pickin'.
Length: 13:21 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 34
In lesson 34 of his country series, DJ is expanding on his look at James Burton. In this lesson you'll be taking a look at double stop and partial chord concepts utilized by this country great!
Length: 12:40 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 35
To finalize the concepts and techniques portion of his mini-series on James Burton, DJ offers up a look at bending technique.
Length: 11:57 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 36
Now that you have all the lick based elements and concepts under your belt, it's time to apply them. In lesson 36, DJ plays all of the licks you've learned with a backing track.
Length: 4:50 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About DJ Phillips
View Full Biography
Like many guitar players who began playing around the same time, DJ began plunking out Nirvana and Soundgarden tunes when he first picked up the guitar in the mid-nineties. While these grunge-y roots certainly have their merit, it wasn't until DJ's eldest sister took him to a Led Zeppelin laser light show that the full potential of the guitar began to come into focus.
With Jimmy Page's Les Paul pyrotechnics as his inspiration, DJ began fervently practicing for hours on end in the suburban jungle of Southwestern Ohio. This newfound passion (combined with his complete lack of athletic prowess and physical coordination thus completely ruling out all sports) led him to form rock bands in junior high and high school. He grew to love the performance aspect of music and soon decided on it as a career path.
College led him to Nashville, Tennessee where he began to pursue a degree in Commercial Music at Belmont University. He also started another band and got his first professional theater gig the following summer. Since that summer, DJ has spent nearly every waking hour finding ways to play music and avoiding a real contribution to society in any other way.
He moved to Minneapolis after college, rocking out between theater gigs with his current rock band Brother Big Bad. He has now convinced the band to move to Nashville where music flows like water.
DJ is elated to be a part of JamPlay and is thankful for everyone's warm welcome and says "Now, let's ROCK, people."
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.I felt like I came in the middle of this movie.
Dj, you explain clearly but according to me is that it's not step by step as if you were really talking to somebody who has never heard about country. You give some things for granted. At least that's my impression, maybe because I'm not expert...
Hi DJ: What are the names of a few songs by Danny Gatton that feature chicken pickin? Same for Albert Lee & Brad Paisley. Thanks.
dude any paisley songs have got it also look at keith urban, and lee kernaghan they both know what they are doing
I love these licks. Especially the second one. Keep these videos coming!
DJ, pretty cool licks, but it's kinda tough to figure out what you're doing with your right/pick hand... for a starter's lesson on the subject, a little more explanation would help... thanks
Can you expand on this lesson. How can you move on from just palying these licks?
By the way, before anyone points it out- these licks are not all necessarily technically chicken pickin', but it's in the same vein, so I'm just going to keep saying that. Deal? Deal.
"Hot Country Licks" was probably taken. :)
Lick no. 2 is nasty!!!!
Thanks, Matt. I'm not sure where exactly I stole that lick from. Just trying to keep it slick and dirty.
This lesson is a lot of fun. Throw on a bit of compression and a slap back... get your pick'n on. Is that you playing the Claw? Jim D got me hooked on Jerry Reed earlier this year and that's one I've been working on for the last few months.
OK... I guess the lead in audio was the finger picking stylings of Jim Deeming.
Glad you like the lesson! Yeah, that's not me playing Jerry Reed. We'll be taking a look at some of his stuff later on down the line too though. Of course, Mr. Deeming is a really great source for that right now!