Honky Tonk Lesson in C

Our next song is called Honky Tonk, and we're going to move into the key of C.

Introduction to the Style

• C allows us to alternate the bass.
• This style is a typical sort of ragtime blues.
• Think of influences like Big Bill Brunsey, Blind Blake, Reverend Gary Davis, in the Piedmont style.
• It's a happier style of blues than we've been playing.
• So get a smile on your face and let's do a little bit of honky tonk!

Technique in the Key of C

• First Pass: There's a lot of interesting things in that, especially with the right hand.
  • We're doubling the bass in some areas.
  • On my G seventh: Remember when we used to stumble on the E? It's coming back now on the G7.

"That wasn't exactly the lick, but a little improvising there. Free liberty on my part."

• At the very beginning, let's look at those little C runs:
  • Common in C, just like when we were in E.
  • Now let's move to F:
    • A little F run right here.
    • It might sound dissonant out of context, but it's pretty cool in the song.

Chord Variations

• We can double the bass and add a Brunsey run:
• For F7, I might use a partial bar; in fact, that's fun!
• The challenge is forming that chord, especially on acoustic guitar while fingerpicking.

"Okay, I'm going to try. You get those two notes that are really cool right there."

Double Stops

• We did double stops, just like we were doing in E all over the neck.
• Use them in any order.
• For C going into the F, I make my F a major seventh like this: thumb wrap.

Thumb Wrap Technique

• Important: Many students try to wrap their thumb over the top, focusing more on the thumb than the chord.
• This displaces the chord; the thumb sounds good, but the rest sounds funky.

"So, keep the chord intact and use a little pinch of that flesh."

• If it sounds like damping, try to grab the string down but keep the chord intact. Just bring your thumb over and go "eh," instead of this.

Bends

• Remember the bends earlier on E?
  • If we were in E, or just came to C, here's the bend:
    • Start in its regular position with the D note, and move it up.
    • I bend it again on C.

Moving Up the Neck

• For a D seventh chord, move it way up the neck to a C seventh.
• Use this chord everywhere:
  • You've seen me use it in the key of A, E, and now in the key of C.

"Hang out, do whatever you want up there."

• I usually go back and forth and put in a little run.
• Remember on the runs with the right hand; finger behind the thumb helps.

Final Licks and Endings

• That whole little area sounds familiar: that C7th chord moved up to F7th.
• If you learn one lick with your right hand, you can move it anywhere.

"I sometimes add some diminished chords to the second half of the F."

• These work great. You can go:
  • From the first fret, to the fourth fret, up the neck, all the way to the seventh, tenth, to the thirteenth fret.

Classic Ending

• Let's use three turnarounds in C, putting them together:
  • The basic one: C, C7, F major 7th, A flat 7th, back to C.
  • Play around the 5th fret, whatever this is, 4th fret, 3rd fret C, then way up to the 12th fret, 11th fret, 10th fret.

So, like the other keys, we're playing fills, lead runs, and a steady rhythm, including double stops. The more different it seems, the more alike it really is.

And that's Honky Tonk!