AGW

DIGITAL
LESSON

GET CARTER PICKING - a lesson in the art of pick and strum

arter Picking is a great pick and strum technique that works well for Country music, Bluegrass
and other guitar styles. In this lesson well be looking at and breaking down a piece called
Bluegrass Running (complete notation and tab on pages 6 and 7).
Sometimes a hybrid picking technique may be used. That is to say the player will use a plectrum
between thumb and index finger, leaving their other fingers free for picking and strumming. But
this lesson has been made completely without the aid of plastic! The thumb does the pick on the
bass note of the chord while your fingers strum the chord fill. This first little exercise will get you
used to this technique.

Ex 1

Note: On the mp3 the strums are played with one downstroke (ie a quarter note/crotchet). You can also do
a down and an upstroke as notated here, in which case youll be playing eighth notes (semi-quavers).

In this tune the melody moves around your chord fills. Try this exercise on a full G major chord to
get used to doing this. When you fret the chord correctly all your fretting index finger has to do is
toggle between the A and D string. Remember to use your thumb to pick all notes except the
chord fills.

Ex 2

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON

The Hammer On
The dynamic technique that gives Bluegrass Running its character is the good old hammer on.
When played at the correct fast tempo, you cant actually play the melody notes quick enough
unless you hammer on. The hammering on sequence occurs in the main section of the song, from
bar 5 to bar 14.
The following 2 exercises should help you get in this hammer on groove. In Ex 3 get used to
hammering on the B (A string second fret). Pick the open A string and then hammer down onto
the second fret with your index finger to sound the required B note.
In Ex 4 you are hammering on the A string (second fret) and the D string (second fret).Take it slow
at first and only increase speed as you gain in confidence. If you start making mistakes, youre
going too fast, as sure as eggs is eggs!

Ex 3

Ex 4

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON

Breaking the piece down

The first 4 bars form the intro to Bluegrass Running. It uses a neat decending bass movement
against the chord fills. In fact its the G major scale, played from high to low. Practise this bassline
on its own and remember to pick it with your thumb.
Ex 5

And now add the chord fill strums. Notice how you have to change from a G shape to a C shape
and back again to get it smooth.

Ex 6

Bars 5 to 14 is your hammering on sequence. The trick here is to maintain your chord shapes
while you perform the required hammerons. The chords are basic bread and butter voicings at the
nut. The sequence you play is G | C | G | Am | D.
The hammer on exercises on the previous page were based round G. Take the remaining 3 chords
(C, Am and D) and make sure you can perform the hammer ons round those chords in isolation
before you attempt to put it all together in the sequence.
Again keep it all slow and steady until youve got the hang of it. Consistency is the name of the
game. Its no good only beiong able to do it right 1 time out of 5, you have to make it at least 4
out of 5.
The D chord will probably be the most challenging because your picking thumb has to travel right
up to the high E string to play the final hammer on to the F#.

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON

The final sequence

The final sequence is another idea on the scale of G major, except this time the line ascends and
were adding the notes of C# and A# to give it a chromatic and almost jazzy flavour. This last
sequence may well turn out to be the trickiest part for you to play. Theres a whole bunch of
chords in there. In fact a new chord for each bass note played. Some of these chords are jazzy and
it will repay you to study these chord shapes and thoroughly get to grips with them before you
attempt the pick and strum.
Here are the shapes for the final sequence:

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON

The final sequence continued

Practice this G major altered scale bassline:
Ex 7

Now add the chord fills:

Ex 8

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON

Continued...

CARTER PICKING - PICK N STRUM

AGW
DIGITAL
LESSON