Natchez Trace

SONG TITLE: NATCHEZ TRACE

GENRE: COUNTRY
TEMPO: 105 BPM
q = 105 Country

# ## 4 ‰ œœ œœ # œœ # œœ œ œ
KEY: A MAJOR A A

TECH FEATURES: HYBRID PICKING

& 4
F
OPEN-STRING LICKS
COUNTRY BENDS

0 0 0 0
COMPOSER: GLEN PARTRIDGE T 6 7 8 8 9 8
A
PERSONNEL: KIT MORGAN (GTR) B
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

œ nœ œ
E7

nœ #œ œ nœ #œ œ
A

OVERVIEW
‘Natchez Trace’ is a country guitar piece inspired by
Albert Lee, Brad Paisley and Brent Mason. It features
pedal steel style country bends, hybrid picking, string
skipping and open-string licks among its techniques.
STYLE FOCUS
Country guitar can be challenging and players
within this style use a number of tricks that may be
new to you. A key element is hybrid picking. This
involves plucking one string with your pick while
playing another with the middle finger of your
picking hand. This can take place on two adjacent
# ## œ œ
&
and open string licks in their playing throughout
the 1960s and 1970s. Both men were an influence
on the English guitarist Albert Lee. Lee worked as a
professional musician in the 1960s, but his big break
came in 1976 when he was asked to replace his hero
Burton in Emmylou Harris’ band when the latter left
to play once
14 more
13 with 0 Lee’s
12 Elvis. 9
8 signature tune0 8 7
10
T ‘Country Boy’ was a hit for Ricky Skaggs in 1984.
A
B After being discovered by country legend Chet
Atkins in the early 1980s, Brent Mason became a
[4] sought-after session player famous for his hybrid
picking and jazzy western swing influences. Mason
has performed with country giants Alan Jackson,
Brookes & Dunn and Shania Twain, and his first solo
album Hot Wired was nominated for a Grammy.

# ## .
strings or, more commonly, on non-adjacent strings B A
(e.g. you might strike the low E string with your pick Brad Paisley is a contemporary country star and a

& . œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ #œ
while playing the G string with your middle finger). superb guitarist with a deft hybrid picking technique.
A clean playing technique is essential because country
players often use open strings that ring out against the
other notes to emulate the sound of a banjo. RECOMMENDED LISTENING

.
To hear Lee’s playing style, listen to Emmylou
THE BIGGER PICTURE Harris’ 1977 album Luxury Liner. Mason’s first solo

.
T album, Hot Wired
2 (1997),
0 combines
0 the guitarist’s
Elvis and Gram Parsons sideman James Burton A 4 Paisley’s 22008 0Play
country and jazz influences.
4
0
3 4
and singer Jerry Reed were two high profile guitarists
who employed hybrid picking, pedal steel type bends
B features ‘Cluster Pluck’ and includes performances by
Burton, Lee, Vince Gill and John Jorgensen.
[6]

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Natchez Trace
Glen Partridge

nœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ⇥
q = 105 Country

## œ œ œ œ b œ
A

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& # 44 ‰ œ œ # œ
A C dim

F
0 0 0 0 0 0 8 11 14 0
T 6 7 8 8 9 8 9
10
9
10
8 9 8 9
10
9
10
7 8
7
8
7
8 11
10
11 14
A
B
let ring wherever possible throughout

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A
nœ #œ œ nœ
E7 A

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œ.
14 13 12 0 8 9 0 0
T 10 8 7
8 7
0
5 6 0 2
A 7 2
B 3 4 0

[4]

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.
B A D7

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& œ œ œ nœ #œ œ œ œ œ nœ #œ œ nœ #œ œ œ.
~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
T 2 0 0 2
3 5 6 7
A 4 2 0 0 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7
B 4 3 4 0

[6]

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# œœ n # œœ œ~~~~~~~~~~ Œ
B7 E7

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A

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#œ
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0
~~~~~~~~~~
T 2 0 0 2 4 6
7
6 8 9
A 4 2 0 0 2 9 8 7 6
B 4 3 4

[8]

E b dim
A 13
~~~~~~~~~~~ n œ # œ
œ œ
A D

### œ œ n œ œ œ ⇥
& œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
nœ œ œ nœ #œ œ œ
~~~~~~~~~~~ BU
T 2 0 0 2
3 7 10 12 (14)
A 4 2 0 0 2 2 4 4 7 7 10
B 4 3 4 0

[10]

Rockschool Guitar Grade 7 © Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd.

 œ œ œ œ
E7

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A A

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&
RP RP

.
PB 4
12 BD 0

.
T (14) (12) 10
9
BU
(11)
10 BD
(11) ( 9 ) 6
5 BD BU
(6) (4) (6)
5 3
4
2
2
A
B
[12]

% D
C

C#m
### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
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F

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RP RP RP RP
BU BD BU BD 7
T BU
9 (11)
10
(11)
10 BD BU
(11) ( 9 ) (11)
10
(11)
10 BD
(11) ( 9 ) 7
9
9
(10) ( 9 ) (10) ( 9 )
(11) ( 9 ) (11) ( 9 )
9
9 7 11
A
B
[14]

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& #œ

10 9 7 7 7 4 5 4 3
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7 9 7
9
6 7
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5
4
A 5

B
[16]

C#m
### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœœ ..
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D

& ‰
RP RP RP RP
BU BD BU BD 7
T BU
9 (11)
10
(11)
10 BD BU
(11) ( 9 ) (11)
10
(11)
10 BD
(11) ( 9 ) 7
9
9
(10) ( 9 ) (10) ( 9 )
(11) ( 9 ) (11) ( 9 )
9
9
A
B
[18]

œœ œ œ fi
#œ œœ œœ œ~~~~~~~~~~
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B7 E7

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To Coda

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& ⇥ œ
‰
RP RP

11
Let ring

12
~~~~~~~~~~
T BU
9 (11)
10
(11)
10 BD
(11) ( 9 )
7
8 11
12 (14) (12) 12
11 (13)
12
11
12
9
A BU BD
BU
B
[20]

Rockschool Guitar Grade 7 © Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd.

 3

q q = q q Western Swing
G # 13 A 13 G # 13 A 13 G # 13 A 13 G # 13 A 13 G # 13 A 13 #9 #9 #9 #9 #9 # 13
# # # œœ œœ # œœ œœ. # œœ œœ # œœ œœ. # œœ œœ. # œ . Cœ Dœ
œ œ . Cœ Dœ. Cœ
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D C D9 C 9 D9 9 D9

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4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4
T 6
5
7
6
6
5
7
6
6
5
7
6
6
5
7
6
6
5
7
6
4
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
6
5
A 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4
B
[22]

# b # b

n n œœœ œœ ‹ n œœœ
A 13 A 6/9 A6 B 13 B7 5 9 E9 E7 5 9

# # # # œœœ œœ œœ œ # œœœ n # œœœ

& ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ # # œœœ ‰ œ n
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5 12 9 5 7 8 7 8
T 7
6
12
11
10
11
7
6
9
8
8
8
7
7
6
7
A 5 11 7 7 6 6
B
[24]
#
E b dim
√. œ. œ b b œ>œœ œœ ..
A 6/9 A7 5 D9

# # # œœ œ œœ œœ. œ œœ .. n n # œœœ œ.
& # n œœ ⇥ œœœ œœ #
‰ # n œœ ⇥ œœœ œœ .. ⇥ ⇥ œœœ ‰ œ œ. ‰
J J
J
17 17 [17] 5 5 [5] 10 10 11
T 17
16
17
16
[17]
[16]
6
6
6
6
[6]
[6]
7
9
7
9
10
11
A 16 16 [16] 5 5 [5] 10 10 10
B
[26]

q q =q q

b œ œ n œ b œ n œ n œ œ # œ~~~~~~~~
b œ n œ œ œ
E7 E7

# n œ œ œ # œ œ
A

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E

& # Œ
~~~~~~~~
T 5
8 9
6 7
9
7 8
11
8 9
12
9 10
13
10 11
14
11 12
15
12 13
16
14
A
B
[28]

### . A
Guitar Solo (16 bars)
D7 B7 E7

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A

& ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’

.
.
T
A
B
[30]

D.%. al Coda fi
### E b dim
Û ‰ Œ ’ ..
A A7 D A E7 A

& ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
J
(Solo through)

.
.
T
A
B
[34]

Rockschool Guitar Grade 7 © Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd.

 fi Coda
## nœ # œ~~~~~~~~~~~
.
A D7

œ nœ
& # œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ #œ œ œ œ nœ #œ œ nœ #œ œ œ. ‰
œ
~~~~~~~~~~~
T 2 0 0 2
3 5 6 7
A 4 2 0 0 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7
B 4 3 4 0

[38]

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# œœ. n # œœ œ~~~~~~~~~ Œ
B7 E7

nœ œ
A

& œ nœ œ œ œ œ r
#œ
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0
~~~~~~~~~
T 2 0 0 2 4 6
7
6 8 9
A 4 2 0 0 2 9 8 7 6
B 4 3 4

[40]

E b dim
~~~~~~~~
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A A7 D

### œ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ œ
& œ nœ œ œ œ ‰
nœ œ œ
2 0 0 5 7 8
~~~~~~~~ 7 5
T 2 0 0
2 0
3
0
2 0
0 3 6 7
A 4 2 0 0 4
B 4

[42]

# #Aœ n œ œ b œ œ œ n œ
# œ nœ œ bœ œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ nœ
E A

& # œ #œ œ #œ œ œ Œ

9 8 7 6 5
T 9 8 7 6
9 8 7 6 7 8 9 7 6
A 9 7 6 6 7
B 7 9

[44]

nœ œ >œ
E7

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A dim C dim A

### œœ ⇥ ‰
& œ œ
. nœ #œ nœ œ #œ œ nœ œ #œ #œ œ R
8 5 5 5
T 7
8
7
8 5
7 4
5
5
6
A 7 4
B 5 6 7 0 6 0 5 0 3 4 0

[46]

Rockschool Guitar Grade 7 © Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd.

Walkthrough

Amp Settings D Section (Bars 22–27)

Work with a clean, bright tone and generous reverb. Use Here the piece moves to a swing feel. Extended chord shapes
your guitar’s bridge pickup to help get the brightest tone are used to give the section its western swing feel.
and give your phrases some snap, but boost the treble and
middle if you still feel your tone is missing a little edge. Bars 22–27 | Fast chord changes
Although it may appear complex, each bar is made up of a
Clean single chord shape shifted up and down a semitone. Lock
Channel Equalisation Reverb
your hand in position and move your whole hand rather
5 5 5 5 5
than individual fingers.
4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 2 8
1
0 10
9 1
0 10
9 1
0 10
9 1
0 10
9 1
0 10
9
E & F Sections (Bars 28–47)
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY – WET The E section is the guitar solo, while the F section is a
reprise of the C and B sections. The final four bars consist
of a chromatic run that is followed by two diminished
A Section (Bars 1–5) arpeggios then an open string lick that leads to the last
The A section is a single-note line that is full of chromatic chord of the piece.
notes. Slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs are used to give
notes a smooth, slippery feel. Allow open strings to ring on Bars 30–37 | Guitar solo
to further enhance the flowing feel. It is a common mistake for soloists to look for something
new to play in every bar. Usually, the most well-constructed,
Bars 1–3 | Hybrid picking memorable solos will have at least one element that is
Hold the pick between your thumb and index finger. Pick repeated even if it is just a rhythm or melodic hook. Bear
the G string and pluck the E string with your ring finger at this in mind here.
the same time. It should strike the string at a slight diagonal,
moving up towards the heel of the thumb. Use your pick or

# # # # œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
hybrid picking for the remainder of the phrase. (Fig. 1). A

&
B Section (Bars 6–13)
This classic country melody uses open strings, double-stops 0 0 0
and re-picked bends. The 6th interval is used extensively. T 8 9 8 9
10
9
10
8 9 8 9
10
9
10
A
B
≥A == annular ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
Bars 6–13 | Consistent hammer-ons and pull-offs A
downstroke
Avoid rushing hammer-ons and pull-offs, otherwise the first M A M M A M
M = middle
note won’t sound for the correct amount of time.
Fig. 1: Hybrid picking

C Section (Bars 14–21)

This is based primarily on different types of string bends.

C#m
œ
Bar 15 | Double-stop bends
This double-stop bend should be played with your third
# # # œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ
finger on both frets supported by your first and second
fingers (Fig. 2). As you push or pull the string, make sure
&
you maintain pressure into the fretboard to keep the note
ringing for the duration of the bend. BU BD BU BD
7
T 9 (10) ( 9 ) (10) ( 9 )
9 (11) ( 9 ) (11) ( 9 )
9
9 7 11
A
Bar 21 | Oblique bends B
An oblique bend is a string bend played simultaneously with Fingers: 3 1 3
3 3
at least one un-bent note. Play the bend in beat one with
your third finger supported by the first and second fingers Fig. 2: Double-stop bends
while playing the E at the 12th fret with your fourth finger.
Use the same fingering for the lick in beat two.

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