Learning Rockabilly Guitar

THE FIRST RULE: NO RULES

Born from an unlikely melding of blues, country, jazz and Western swing, rockabilly ranks right up alongside jazz as one of America's homegrown original musical art forms. For that reason, when looking to take any of this genre's attributes on board, one point should be clear---the first rule is that there are no rules. Rockabilly emerged out of whatever music its practitioners happened to be playing. Guitarist Paul Peek was more of a pedal steel guitarist when he joined Gene Vincent's band. The late Danny Gatton distinguished himself as a country and jazz player, while former Stray Cats guitarslinger Brian Setzer revived his career by forming a big band. Unlikely as they may seem, these musical meldings are what make rockabilly such a fascinating style.

TRY LEARNING ON THE BANDSTAND

For many players, rockabilly is best learned on the bandstand, before a live audience---where the margin for error is razor-thin. Build your playing experience by sitting in with local bands, or forming one with like-minded cohorts who are steeped in the style. Ideally, you already can figure out the chord progressions and nuances that ground rockabilly classics like Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lu-La." If not, do a little bit of woodshedding with a guitar or bass teacher who knows the style. Once you feel a little more confident, you can think about hooking up with a band.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE NUANCES

No musical genre should be treated like a museum piece, but rockabilly does require paying some attention to its nuances. Rockabilly tends to be associated with hollowbody, or semi-hollowbody guitars---such as the Gretsch Duo Jet favored by Gene Vincent's late axeslinger, Cliff Gallup. Not surprisingly, the Telecaster runs a close second, most likely due to its links with country music, a style that produced many rockabilly players. But other pickers swear by other less commonly considered models, such as DeArmonds, Epiphones, and Guilds. On the bass side, the upright is considered a must---though, again, many different variations can crop up, such as the Gibson Ripper, for example.

DON'T OVERPLAY YOUR SOLOING HAND

Having to learn basic chords, rhythm patterns and tempos may fill the plate of any beginning or intermediate player. However, in most veterans' eyes, nothing beats examining the solos to gain a truly in-depth understanding of rockabilly music. Even a casual listen will reveal significant differences in styles to consider---where Gallup carved out a name as a wild improviser, his replacement in the Vincent band, Johnny Meeks, favored a more controlled style, for instance. Listen carefully to how the solos build up, as well as how---and where--the key notes resolve. Jot them down for reference, while correlating them to your own guitar style. Always remember to circle back to the melody, or else, your attempt may sound like a train wreck.

Resources

• Legendary Cliff Gallup (Gene Vincent's Guitarist)
• The Gretsch Pages: Rockabilly Guitar Music Theory Advice
• Cheap Rockabilly Guitar?