How do I play guitar like this?
April 21, 2010 7:28 AM   Subscribe

How do I play guitar like this?

I really dig this %20this?">Justin Townes Earle cover of The Boss' Atlantic City, but more I love the way Earle is playing. How do I recreate/copy/rip off his style?

- What is the picking pattern?
- What's the tab? Specifically the bass run?
- How do I get that percussive sound?

If anyone could find a tab that'd be amazing, but I doubt one exists.
posted by cuando to Media & Arts (4 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: The picking pattern looks like it's just |:Thumb-Index-Thumb-Index:|, where he's using the index finger to sweep over a three or four strings instead of just picking one. You can get the percussive sound on the bass by sort of hooking your thumb under and snapping the string as you pick it. Sounds like the bass run is just |:EEGG|CCGG:|.
posted by The White Hat at 7:42 AM on April 21, 2010


Best answer: I'm pretty sure The White Hat has it correct, here's a Chord Chart for the song.

A quick made up tab, just guessing here, don't have my guitar with me to try it out.
e------------------------------------------------
B-----0-----0-----0-----0-----1-----1-----0-----0
G-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0
D-----2-----2-----0-----0-----2-----2-----2-----2
A-----2-----2-----2-----2--3--3--3--3-----2-----2
E--0-----0-----3-----3-----------------3-----3---
It doesn't look like he's hitting the high e string in the video, and he might also be hitting the A string when using his thumb. But it should be a start
posted by borkencode at 9:07 AM on April 21, 2010


Borkencode I do have my guitar with me. I tried it out, you nailed it, except he finished up on a dmajor. As far as the sound, he's hitting that low e hard enough to make it smack the neck for a percussive effect and he's also playing a sweet sweet 60's era all mahoghany harmony.
posted by ExitPursuedByBear at 10:13 AM on April 21, 2010


Whatever it is, it's very similar to clawhammer or frailing.
posted by scruss at 10:29 AM on April 21, 2010


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