Cowboy Chords

[mickthemiller]

Originally Posted by CASD57

The way I was told by old fart pickers...Cowboy chords=Open Chords/first position

I agree. Any chord in the first/open position that does not require a barre or a stretch past the third fret.

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by StevenL

In my scholastic pursuits, I learned all sorts of fancy numerical manipulations that I thought were going to propel me to the heights of human achievement. Impressive statistical models, numbers approaching infinity, even imaginary numbers. In my actual working life (bookkeeping, accounting, easy governmental auditing), I've never used a quadratic equation or approached infinity. 99% add, subtract, multiply, divide, occasional solving for X. Of course, you can't get to Mars that way, but how many of us are going there or even want to?

Steve Howe can do incredible things all over the neck of a guitar, but I'm not going to sit and listen to him for very long (solo anyway). Soon, I'm just longing for some Needle and the Damage Done or Heard it in a Love Song.

Great post, I can relate.

[surveyor]

What about the real "cowboy" chords that Roy Lanham played with Sons of the Pioneers or Ranger Doug with Riders in the Sky,, , others too that play Western Swing all up and down the neck. So what are we referring to?

[semolinapilcher]

Originally Posted by surveyor

What about the real "cowboy" chords that Roy Lanham played with Sons of the Pioneers or Ranger Doug with Riders in the Sky,, , others too that play Western Swing all up and down the neck. So what are we referring to?

Even by the 1910s, the cowboy era was over. All that fantastic cowboy music of the 30s and forward, such as Roy Rogers, Ranger Doug, etc., is 100% nostalgia, with the music on steroids vs. the English folk ballad / US hillbilly basis of the original stuff... all of which can be played with open chords and the occasional capo.

I have no relation to the performers below, but found this as a great example of what it probably sounded like way back when:

[Russ C]

A vaguely related event that I'll never forget (including a tribute) ...

A "non musician" friend who has gone to a better place now came to me for lessons because he liked to write music and was aware of his lack of education - figuring his writing must therefore contain errors (his thinking).

He combined cowboy chords and sophisticated jazz harmony in a way that I wouldn't have believed possible - it worked brilliantly .. like I'd not heard before.
Rightly, I think, I refused to interfere.

"Cowboy chords" are great voicings and have contributed to some of the most fabulous music of all time.
It's just a catchy name that should carry no disrespect.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by semolinapilcher

Even by the 1910s, the cowboy era was over. All that fantastic cowboy music of the 30s and forward, such as Roy Rogers, Ranger Doug, etc., is 100% nostalgia, with the music on steroids vs. the English folk ballad / US hillbilly basis of the original stuff... all of which can be played with open chords and the occasional capo.

I have no relation to the performers below, but found this as a great example of what it probably sounded like way back when:

Reminds me of me playing guitar today.

[guitar george]

A bit of trivia:

Gene Autry was known as the "Original Singing Cowboy" and he was the owner of the first Martin D-45 ever produced.

Wikipedia: "The first D-45 was a dreadnought guitar based on the Martin D-28 with luxury ornamentation (the "45" designation) made especially for Gene Autry who, in 1933, ordered "the biggest, fanciest Martin he could". This guitar is now encased in glass in the Gene Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, California.

[fatt-dad]

youtube the four chord axis of evil routine. You may need one minor, but beyond that sing away!

f-d

[Billkwando]

Originally Posted by fatt-dad

youtube the four chord axis of evil routine. You may need one minor, but beyond that sing away!

f-d

I read this a few times, wondered if it was someone without a full command of the english language....looked at the post count, read it a couple more times, and then realized you were using "YouTube" as a verb, like "Google", and now it makes perfect sense!

Isn't it funny how language is funny sometimes?

I *think* I found what you're talking about:



Since I haven't listened to the radio or pop music in like 20 years, I only recognize a couple of these songs, at first. At first I thought they were all the same song.....then I started recognizing lots of stuff as it went on longer. It didn't help that I had my browser minimized, so I wasn't getting any of the visual references.

[Big Band Guitar]

With cowboy chords and a capo you can play almost anything without learning hardly anything.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by Billkwando

I read this a few times, wondered if it was someone without a full command of the english language....looked at the post count, read it a couple more times, and then realized you were using "YouTube" as a verb, like "Google", and now it makes perfect sense!

Isn't it funny how language is funny sometimes?

I *think* I found what you're talking about:



Since I haven't listened to the radio or pop music in like 20 years, I only recognize a couple of these songs, at first. At first I thought they were all the same song.....then I started recognizing lots of stuff as it went on longer. It didn't help that I had my browser minimized, so I wasn't getting any of the visual references.

Awesome video!

[rokdog49]

That video is hilarious. I think the three chord 1,4,5 song list would be virtually endless.

[Denny B]

The music Halls Of Fame (R&R, Country and Songwriter) are full of people who got there using Cowboy chords and a trusty capo...

[FwL]

Originally Posted by RedJoker

I, too, have heard cattle.

Would that be listening to moosic?

.