Country Guitar course

Times, dates and location 

Mondays Autumn term

Monday 7th of September at 7pm. Monday 14th of September at 7pm. Monday 21st of September at 7pm. Monday 28th of September at 7pm. Monday 5th of October at 7pm. Monday 12th of October at 7pm. Monday 19th of October at 7pm. Monday 26th of October at 7pm at The Dukes of Highgate, Highgate, N6 5JG

Each session lasts between 105 and 120 minutes

Booking

You can book all eight weeks (part 1 and part 2) or you can choose to book the first four weeks (part 1) or the final four weeks (part 2)

Location 

The Guitar Social's commitment to country music steps up a gear as we partner with Dukes of Highgate, London's only Honky Tonk that have allowed us into their bar on the only night they are closed to deliver our new country course. 

Performance

The end of term performance is set to take place at The Dukes of Highgate. This means that at the end of course, you can take to the stage and demonstrate what you can do. 

Group size and ages 

Typically a group size sits at ten. Our ages are mixed, usually from mid twenties to retirement. 

Playing level

You'll be okay with open chords, you can read tab and have played some riffs. Country can be played at multiple levels of difficulty, there is plenty for all players to get their teeth stuck into. 

Course overview

Explore the sounds, styles and players that shape country guitar, from the classic Nashville sound through to the modern country guitar of today.

This eight-week course takes a journey through the development of country guitar, exploring the key players, songs and techniques that define each era. Across two four-week parts, the course moves from the foundations of the Nashville sound into the wider world of country, where blues, rock, folk and other influences begin to reshape the way the guitar is played.

Part One — From Nashville and Beyond

The first two weeks explore the classic Nashville sound, looking at the guitarists, recordings and techniques that establish the foundations of country guitar. We explore country rhythm playing, fills, bass runs, double-stops, bends, hybrid picking and the beginnings of chicken pickin'.

We look at players including Chet Atkins, Don Rich, James Burton and Roy Nichols, studying the different approaches that make their playing so distinctive.

From there, the course moves beyond Nashville. We explore the Bakersfield sound, West Coast country and Outlaw Country, looking at how players bring a harder, rawer and more individual approach to the guitar. Along the way, we study key players including Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, and the songs that mark this changing sound.

Studio RCA B in Nashville, where many of the songs you'll be playing were first recorded

Part Two — The Evolution of Country Guitar

The second half follows country guitar as it continues to evolve, taking in country rock, Southern rock and the development of modern country guitar.

We explore the playing of influential guitarists including Albert Lee, Danny Gatton, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill and Brent Mason, looking at how they expand the country guitar vocabulary through speed, technique, tone, improvisation and influences from blues and rock.

We study the songs that demonstrate their approaches, developing a vocabulary of country licks, lead playing, rhythm techniques, string bending, double-stops, hybrid picking and improvisation.

The course finishes by bringing these ideas together, looking at how the different sounds and techniques connect and how they can be used in your own playing.

Throughout the eight weeks, the emphasis is on learning through the music. We study the players, learn the songs and break down the techniques behind them, building a deeper understanding of the sounds and vocabulary of country guitar.

Songs 

These are some of the songs we are considering for the next run of the Country course. When you book, feel free to email your own suggestions. 

Sam Hunt — Make You Miss Me
Patsy Cline — Crazy
Townes Van Zandt — If I Needed You
Buck Owens — Act Naturally
Brandy Clark — Long Walk
Glen Campbell — Wichita Lineman
Loretta Lynn — You Ain't Woman Enough
Ella Langley — Choosin' Texas
Gram Parsons — Return of the Grievous Angel
Hank Williams — I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Valerie June — Twined & Twisted
George Jones — He Stopped Loving Her Today
Gillian Welch — Look at Miss Ohio
Johnny Cash — Ring of Fire
Shania Twain — You're Still the One
Dolly Parton — Jolene
John Prine — Angel from Montgomery
Merle Travis — Sixteen Tons
Waylon Jennings — Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)
Hank Williams Jr. — Family Tradition
Tammy Wynette — Stand by Your Man
George Strait — Amarillo by Morning
Roy Orbison — Crying