Warm Up Exercise
Blaze Foley country strumming
Lesson #176
Video Overview
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Editorβs notes
I recently saw the 2018 movie βBlaze,β about country singer Blaze Foley, and have since been exploring his albums and loving it. One of his more popular songs is titled βBig Cheeseburgers and Good French Friesβ which immediately caught my ear. This lesson shows my interpretation of how to strum the intro to that song while capturing the spirit of Foleyβs fingerpicked version. Note, Blaze Foley plays the original song with a capo (between the 2nd and 4th fret, depending on the recording)β¦ but Iβll keeping it capo free. The end result is a fun riff, using 2-3 chords, that lets you practice your alternating bass notes. Enjoy!
Full riff
E ||βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|β
B ||ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|β
G ||ββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ0β0β0ββ|ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|β
D ||ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
C F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D D U D D U U D U D D U D D U D D U U D U
E β|βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ0β0β0ββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ2β0ββββββ||
D β|ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|ββββββββββββββββββ0βββ2βββββββ2β0ββ||
A β|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββββββ0βββ1βββ2ββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D D U D D U U D U
How to play the chords
Here are the 3 chords youβll need for this riff, from a birdβs eye view. Iβll break down some specifics in a moment, but weβll use this tab to setup your foundation. Notice how your left pinky is on the thinnest string for all 3 chords!
E ||βββ3βββββ3βββββ3βββ <= left pinky used here
B ||βββ1βββββ1βββββ0βββ for all 3 chords
G ||βββ0βββββ2βββββ0βββ
D ||βββ2βββββ3βββββ0βββ
A ||βββ3βββββββββββ2βββ
E ||βββββββββββββββ3βββ
C F G
Adding alternating bass notes
Hereβs our home base chord βΒ C major. Youβll want to use a typical C-major voicing, but add your left pinky to the 3rd fret of the high (thinnest) E string.
E ||βββ3βββ <= left pinky E ||βββββ3ββββββ3βββ
B ||βββ1βββ <= left index B ||βββββ1ββββββ1βββ
G ||βββ0βββ G ||βββββ0ββββββ0βββ
D ||βββ2βββ <= left middle D ||βββββ2ββββββ2βββ
A ||βββ3βββ <= left ring A ||ββ3βββββββββββββ <= left ring
E ||βββββββ E ||βββββββββ3ββββββ <= left ring
C
Hereβs how to play the F. Very similar to the C, but your bass note is on the 4th string instead of the 5th. Notice how there are no open strings on this voicing of the F chord.
E ||βββ3βββ <= left pinky E ||βββββ3ββββββ3βββ
B ||βββ1βββ <= left index B ||βββββ1ββββββ1βββ
G ||βββ2βββ <= left middle G ||βββββ2ββββββ2βββ
D ||βββ3βββ <= left ring D ||ββ3βββββββββββββ <= left ring
A ||βββββββ A ||βββββββββ3ββββββ <= left ring
E ||βββββββ E ||ββββββββββββββββ
F
While the G isnβt an as integral a part of this particular riff, itβs worth learning how to position your fingers so that they work well with the C and the F. Specifically, youβll want to keep your left pinky on the thinnest E string (which is where your pinky is for all the chords). Beyond that, notice how your left ring finger is on the bass note (as it is for the C and F), and your left middle is on the string next to the bass note (also the case on the other chords).
E ||βββ3βββ <= left pinky
B ||βββ0βββ
G ||βββ0βββ
D ||βββ0βββ
A ||βββ2βββ <= left middle
E ||βββ3βββ <= left ring
G
Learning the riff, step by step
Step 1: Chords and timing
E ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||ββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
C F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D β|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A β|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 2: Alternating bass notes
E ||ββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3ββββ|ββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3ββββ|β
B ||ββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1ββββ|ββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1ββββ|β
G ||ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0ββββ|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2ββββ|β
D ||ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2ββββ|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββ|β
E ||ββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
C F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3ββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1ββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0ββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D β|ββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2ββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A β|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 3: Putting it all together
E ||βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|β
B ||ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|β
G ||ββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ0β0β0ββ|ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|β
D ||ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
C F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D D U D D U U D U D D U D D U D D U U D U
E β|βββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ3βββ3β3β3ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B β|ββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ1β1β1ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ0β0β0ββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ2β0ββββββ||
D β|ββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ2β2β2ββ|ββββββββββββββββββ0βββ2βββββββ2β0ββ||
A β|ββ3βββββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββββββ0βββ1βββ2ββββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D D U D D U U D U
Good luck!
As always, I hope this was helpful. If you enjoyed this, check out more of my warm-up lessons. Also, keep an eye out for the βBig Cheeseburgers and Good French Friesβ lesson - which uses a fingerstyle version of this riff.
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