Maybelle - Teaching
With
Chet Atkins
What's in the course
19 lessons (1h 24m) · 1 free
01. Maybelle - Performance
Free lesson2:37
02. Bye Bye Blackbird - Performance
2:31
03. Londonderry Aire - Teaching
6:25
04. Petite Waltz - Teaching
4:14
05. Young Thing - Teaching
6:17
06. Young Thing - Performance
3:14
07. Chet talks
10:26
08. When You Wish Upon A Star - Performance
2:35
09. Londonderry Aire - Performance
3:12
10. Mr. Bojangles - Teaching
6:45
11. Mr. Bojangles - Performance
3:11
12. Lover Come Back - Performance
2:19
13. Maybelle - Teaching
You are here3:02
14. Petite Waltz - Performance
2:24
15. When You Wish Upon A Star - Teaching
5:23
16. Lover Come Back - Teaching
5:51
17. Bye Bye Blackbrid - Teaching
6:33
18. Happy Again - Teaching
4:41
19. Happy Again - Performance
2:24
Lesson transcript
Music Lesson: Composing "May Bell"
Introduction
Today, I'll be sharing a tune I wrote in honor of a lady I used to work with named Maybelle Carter. She sang "You Are My Flower" and played a distinct lick on the guitar that inspired me to create my own piece called "May Bell."
Chord Progression
Here's the chord progression we'll be working with:
- E augmented
- A seventh
- F
- D (with an F sharp in the bass)
- G
Structure
- Main Theme: Repeat the above progression.
- Bridge: "All mistakes are intentional."
- Final Section: Repeat the lick.
Last Eight
- The last eight measures feature a different melody. In the second bridge, I modify the progression slightly.
Banjo Roll
- The banjo roll can be played backwards, returning to the last eight measures.
Wildwood Flower
- Maybelle always played "Wildwood Flower" with a brushing style. After that, I'll be playing something original of mine or from another artist.
Final Chords
- B flat
- A
- D
- G
- A harmonic
Let's dive into the details of each section!
19 lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Known as "Mr. Guitar", Chet Atkins is the most recorded solo instrumentalist in music history. His signature picking style was inspired by Merle Travis, with other major influences including Django Reinhardt, George Barnes, Les Paul and, later, Jerry Reed. That trademark picking style and musicianship won him admirers within and well beyond the country scene, both in the United States and internationally.
As a studio musician, his playing graced records by Elvis Presley, Kitty Wells, The Everly Brothers, Hank Williams and dozens of other Nashville legends. His style went on to influence pop greats such as Mark Knopfler, Duane Eddy, George Harrison, The Ventures, George Benson and Eddie Cochran, as well as thousands of country pickers. He won nine CMA Awards as Musician of the Year, four Playboy jazz poll honours and thirteen Grammys.
With more than 35 million copies of his 75-plus original releases sold, Atkins was also a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
He helped create the Nashville sound, a style of country music that owed nearly as much to pop as it did to honky tonks - and without him, country may never have crossed over into the pop charts in the '50s and '60s.
Learn from the master - just click on one of the courses on this page!
