Country guitar with spanish style chords?

[mdshax]

So I've been listening lately to some country music lately with some Spanish or Mexican folk style fills--ascending and descending chords, etc. I thought it would be neat to incorporate some of it, but when I went looking for a book or dvd or youtube video to give some pointers . . . nothing. Lots of things on Spanish guitar, lots of things on country, but nothing on combining the two. Anyone know of a good instructional resource?

[dneal]

Willie Nelson. Buy the entire album collection.

[simpl man]

Marty Robbins. Great stuff.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by mdshax

So I've been listening lately to some country music lately with some Spanish or Mexican folk style fills...Lots of things on Spanish guitar, lots of things on country, but nothing on combining the two. Anyone know of a good instructional resource?

Originally Posted by simpl man

Marty Robbins. Great stuff.

Here's all the instructional resources you need:











BTW that's Grady Martin playing an old New York Epiphone archtop on "El Paso" (possibly the '53 Zenith that Marty himself used on occasion for live performances) - speaking as an owner you can get close with a Godin 5th Avenue acoustic strung with Retro Monel MM13's, for about one-third/one-fourth the price of a good vintage Epi...

[dneal]

Good call on Marty Robbins too. He’s definitely linked to the genre. Willie plays Spanish riffs on everything though. All genres, any cover of any artist. If he has a guitar part, it’s usually Spanish influenced.

[jklotz]

I picked up a Truefire lesson a while back by Jason Loughlin called "Essentials: Country Soloing Styles". It covers a solo in many different country styles, but one is tex mex. Not sure if it's worth buying the whole course for that, but the rest of it is pretty good to. I'd recommend it.

[Silly Moustache]

I know just what the OP means.

I was talking to Chip Taylor (yeah - name dropping!) who was touring the UK some years ago about this as his sideman (John Platania?) was very good at this but neither of them could explain it.

I think it is about playing in (to me at least) an unusual scale that may be the same as in Flamenco music, and it might be .... major phrygian ?

Anybody out there that really knows about scales and stuff?

[simpl man]

Willie has got it, no doubt. I was just trying to add on to that suggestion.

I'm pretty sure it's a 'Mode' thing that we're talking about/ hearing here. Yeah, "Spanish Mode", that's it!

Funny thing is my nephew can do this sort of thing strictly by ear. He cannot tell you why or how. He just hears it and knows what to do. Weird, right?

I wish I had that kinda talent.

[jseth]

To me, a lot of "Spanish/Mexican"- type feel is derived from voicing in 3rds and 6ths, frequently attack the target position from 1/2 step below and then moving up to the desired location...

I'd suggest figuring out 3rd voicings (just do the Do-Re-Mi scale with them) and then do the same for 6ths...

Example: 3rds in E major would start with the G string first fret, B string open... next is G string 2nd fret, B string second fret, then up a whole step (two frets) with that same position/relationship to G string 4th fret/B string 4th fret then, use the same relationship from the first position to the G string 6th fret/ B string fifth fret... you'll get the hand of it. You can combine any two adjacent strings and get other positions as well. Good to have working knowledge of this is all the "normal" keys for guitar: E major, A major, D major, G major, C major.

With 6th voicings, you "skip a string" and play (again, in E major) the G string first fret and the high E string open - next is G string second fret/ B string second fret, etc. etc. Let your ears guide you as you figure them out in all the keys you want to use.

A lot of times, that Spanish sound uses the phrygian scale, although when paired with a major chord, the scale will have a major 3rd instead of a minor 3rd...

"El Paso" is a terrific template from which to work!

[mdshax]

Originally Posted by jseth

To me, a lot of "Spanish/Mexican"- type feel is derived from voicing in 3rds and 6ths, frequently attack the target position from 1/2 step below and then moving up to the desired location...

I'd suggest figuring out 3rd voicings (just do the Do-Re-Mi scale with them) and then do the same for 6ths...

Example: 3rds in E major would start with the G string first fret, B string open... next is G string 2nd fret, B string second fret, then up a whole step (two frets) with that same position/relationship to G string 4th fret/B string 4th fret then, use the same relationship from the first position to the G string 6th fret/ B string fifth fret... you'll get the hand of it. You can combine any two adjacent strings and get other positions as well. Good to have working knowledge of this is all the "normal" keys for guitar: E major, A major, D major, G major, C major.

With 6th voicings, you "skip a string" and play (again, in E major) the G string first fret and the high E string open - next is G string second fret/ B string second fret, etc. etc. Let your ears guide you as you figure them out in all the keys you want to use.

A lot of times, that Spanish sound uses the phrygian scale, although when paired with a major chord, the scale will have a major 3rd instead of a minor 3rd...

"El Paso" is a terrific template from which to work!

Huh, thanks for that. I will have to sit down and play with it to really understand what you mean, but thanks!

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by jseth

To me, a lot of "Spanish/Mexican"- type feel is derived from voicing in 3rds and 6ths, frequently attack the target position from 1/2 step below and then moving up to the desired location...

I'd suggest figuring out 3rd voicings (just do the Do-Re-Mi scale with them) and then do the same for 6ths...

Example: 3rds in E major would start with the G string first fret, B string open... next is G string 2nd fret, B string second fret, then up a whole step (two frets) with that same position/relationship to G string 4th fret/B string 4th fret then, use the same relationship from the first position to the G string 6th fret/ B string fifth fret... you'll get the hand of it. You can combine any two adjacent strings and get other positions as well. Good to have working knowledge of this is all the "normal" keys for guitar: E major, A major, D major, G major, C major.

With 6th voicings, you "skip a string" and play (again, in E major) the G string first fret and the high E string open - next is G string second fret/ B string second fret, etc. etc. Let your ears guide you as you figure them out in all the keys you want to use.

A lot of times, that Spanish sound uses the phrygian scale, although when paired with a major chord, the scale will have a major 3rd instead of a minor 3rd...

"El Paso" is a terrific template from which to work!

Thiis^^^^^

Keep in mind it's Phyrgian Dominant that really nails the "Spanish sound." And that's all about the chord progression as well (Am G F E, play E phyrgian dom, and really only nail the G# over the E chord)

You can't just usent that scale over any chord progression.

Try using diads, diatonic thirds with chromatic approaches on the top 2 strings...

If anybody''s interested, I'll do a video. I've done whole gigs of "being grady."

[TJE]

Yes ! I’d love to see a video!😁

[mr. beaumont]

Here's a video...jseth really nailed everything above...

I could talk about this stuff all day

[TJE]

Great video! Thanks!��

[mdshax]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Here's a video...jseth really nailed everything above...

I could talk about this stuff all day

Wow, that's awesome! I knew the phrygian and could do the fake flamenco, but the chords at the beginning are exactly what I was looking for. Now to work it out and practice! Thanks!