Chet Atkins is by far one of the best guitarist who ever lived! His style was a country, folk, jazz, blues mix with even some Spanish flavors at times. His style was based from another great guitarist "Merl Travis", but Atkins took it a step further. He is one of those guitarist that you can identify when just one note.
Chet Atkin's music is pretty demanding to play because of the use of his alternating bass lines and melodies and the same time. I included one of his famous songs Yankee Doodle Dixie In this song he plays Yankee Doodle on the 4,5,6 strings and Dixie on the 3,2,1 strings. It can get pretty confusing trying to listen to both songs at the same time, but with practice you will get it. Near the end of the song is Atkins famous alternating country style bass lines with a melody at the same time. Take your time on this one! I included a midi file of the song to help!
TIPS:
- Don't try to work out one part then the other learn both parts at the same time it will be easier.
- Work on two bars at a time over and over again then move on to the next.
- Patience is the key when learning any new style especially Chet Atkins style.
|-----------|---------------|-0--0--0-----|-2--2--2--0---|
|-------5-2-|-----------2-3-|----------2--|--------------|
|-----------|--2--2--2------|-------------|--------------|
|-----------|---------------|-------------|--------------|
|-----------|--0--0--2--4---|-0--4--2-----|-0--0--2--4---|
|-----------|---------------|----------0--|--------------|
To Coda
|-2--0----4-5-7-|-9--------5---|-5------------|--------------|
|-------7-------|------------5-|----------5---|-5--------0-2-|
|---------------|--------------|------------6-|--------------|
|---------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|-0-------------|----------4---|-5--4--2------|--------------|
|-------0-------|-5--5--7------|----------5---|-4--0--2--4---|
|-------------|--------------|-0--0--0-----|-2--2--2--0--|
|---------5-2-|----------2-3-|----------2--|-------------|
|-2----2------|-2--2--2------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
|-0----0------|-0--0--0--4---|-0--4--2-----|-0--0--2--4--|
|-------------|--------------|----------0--|-------------|
|-2--0----4-5-7-|-9--------5---|-5------------|--------------|
|-------7-------|------------5-|----------5---|-5--------0-2-|
|---------------|--------------|------------6-|--------------|
|---------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|-0-------------|----------4---|-5--4--2------|--------------|
|-------0-------|-5--5--7------|----------5---|-4--0--2--4---|
A7 B7
|---------0--|------9-------------|------------------|-7-----------|
|------------|-10-----12---10-----|-----10-----------|----------7--|
|-2----2-----|--------------------|-11--------11-----|-------------|
|------------|-----11---------11--|-----12-------12--|----7--6-----|
|-0----0-----|--0-----------------|---------0--------|----------9--|
|------------|-----------0--------|-10---------------|-7-----------|
A7 A7 D A
|-7-----------|------9-------------|-------------------|-------5-----|
|-------------|-10-----12---10-----|------9--10--------|-5--------2--|
|-------------|--------------------|-11---------11-----|----2--------|
|-------------|-----11---------11--|-----12--------12--|----2-----2--|
|-7--5--4-----|--0-----------------|----------0--------|-0-----------|
|----------7--|-----------0--------|-10----------------|-------0-----|
E7 E7 A(typeE9)
|---------------|-------------------|------------------|----0--9--7--|
|-2--0----2-----|-------------2---0-|-(0)-----(0)-3----|-2-----------|
|-------------2-|-(2)-----(2)-------|------------------|-------------|
|----0------0---|------2--------2---|------0--------0--|----2-----6--|
|-------2-------|--0----------------|----------2-------|-0-----------|
|-0-------------|----------0--------|--0---------------|-------0-----|
AV A(type 2) E7 A(typeE9)
|-7--5---------|-----------------|------------------|----0--9--7--|
|---------2----|-----------2---0-|-(0)-----(0)-3----|-2-----------|
|--------------|-2-----(2)-------|------------------|-------------|
|----7------2--|----2--------2---|------0--------0--|----2-----6--|
|-0------------|-0---------------|----------2-------|-0-----------|
|-------0------|--------0--------|--0---------------|-------0-----|
&
AV
|-7--5----------||------^5----*|
|----------5-2--||------^5----*|
|---------------||-2----^6----*|
|----7----------||------^7----*|
|-0-------------||-0----^0----*|
|-------0-------||------------*|
