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Hi, Today we're going to learn an old tune from the 50's called "Mister Sandman".
It was covered by Chet Atkins. My version is very close to his.
First thing you have to do is download the PDF Tab file and mp3 backing track. You'll find the link below this vidéo.
Ok. So this track uses a special technique called "Chicken Picking" (or Hybryd Picking).
Why "Chicken" ? No idea..
It's basic fingerstyle picking but with a pick.
So you will play using the pick, your middle ring fingers.
You will also need to mute the bass strings with your palm, neer the bridge.
Then you'll have to play this typical bass pattern.
You can here this same pattern in a wide variety of old country songs.
In Johnny Cash songs, for example. Of course he didn't use chicken picking, but anyway,
You'll find this same bass pattern in many of his songs.
Let's hear this riff :
Then you'll add the other fingers, with a traditional fingerstyle pattern. It should sound like this.
So this is the main pattern.
We also must talk about the intro.
This is the only part which is not played using the chicken picking technique.
The intro is played using the pick only.
As written in the TAB file, I make a vibrato using the Bigsby.
I'm holding the vibrato arm using my ring and picky fingers. And I'm doing this vibrato while I'm playing.
It gives some kind of a dreamy feeling that I find really nice and funny !
Here is the intro.
The only tricky part about this intro is the position of the fingers. You'll have to spread your fingers from the 2nd to the 7th fret...
These chords are really nice. It gives a really open sound.
But I hope you have pretty big hands !
Otherwise, you can of course change the positions to make it easier to play.
You can play the high notes on the B string.
It will sound quite close.
That all for the intro.
For the next part, be sure to stick to TAB.
The melody is integrated in the arpeggios pattern, which is not that easy to play.
But this is what makes the song !
Here is the melodic part at a slow tempo.
So this is the main part of the tune.
Then, at the letter B on the TAB, you'll see that I added a second part.
This is a kind of "solo" part. With the same chord progression.
But of course you won't find the melody.
But some richer stuff.
For example, you'll find a "hammer-on" at the first bar of the B part.
Let's hear this first bar.
This is an A6 chord, with this hammer-on between minor third and major third.
It sounds a little like a banjo riff.
A part of this solo is built using these kind of riffs.
A lot of "Hammer-on" and "Pull-off" using your picky finger,
like this. With your picky finger.
Also, I use another "weird" technique the bigsby, at bars 30, 31, 32...
I play the note a 8th note before the 1st beat.
Pushing down the Bigsby arm to make it sound a half step lower.
Then you let the arm back to the usual position, without playing the note again, on the 1st beat.
This sounds nice. But I didn't invented that. Chet Atkins used this technique on some of his tunes.
On this kind of tune, it's really funny !
It begins on the C# chord. Like this.
Be careful a the end of this part, you'll have to put your hand back to the "normal" position.
So, these are the most difficult parts of this tune.
At the end, I put a little funny riff
Very Telecaster style !
You'll have to pull the B string, between the tuners and the nut.
The notes are B and E, played in harmonics.
You pull the B string to make the B sound a step higher.
It makes an A major chord.
A little funny riff to finish it up properly !
Voilà for Mister Sandman.
If you have any question, if some things a not really clear for you,
write me an e-mail.
or leave a comment below this video (if you're watching from Youtube).
I'll try to reply.
Enjoy your chicken picking, and see you later. Ciao !