Become A Better Acoustic Guitar Player By Studying The Styles And Techniques Of Chet Atkins
Travis Picking Technique
Travis picking is a technique named after the guitarist Merle Travis. Merle was such a huge influence that his picking technique became the cornerstone of Chet's own playing style. The thumb of your picking hand is the most important component to Travis picking. It keeps a steady bass line going on the lower 3 strings of your guitar while your index (i), middle (m), and ring (a) fingers play syncopated melodies and rhythms on the top 3 strings. It's a very impressive technique as you are playing the bass, harmony, and melody parts to a song all at the same time. It's easy to have people think there is more than one guitar playing when it is in fact just you! While this part of Chet's style was influenced by Merle Travis, Merle would strike 2 strings simultaneously with his thumb (on beats 1 and 3) while Chet would mostly hit single strings with his thumb in the bass lines he played. To get the correct sound with Travis picking, I highly recommend you use a thumb pick. It can take a little getting use to if you have not used one before, but it is well worth the effort. Here is a bass line Chet would often use with Travis picking:



Chet Atkins' Approach To Harmony (3rd's And 6th's)
Chet's approach to harmony is another key feature of his guitar playing style. He would mostly use 3rd's and 6th's as these create great sounding harmonies. They can also be referred to as double stops. A double stop is when you simply play two notes together on either adjacent or non adjacent strings of the guitar. Chet would use these harmonies in his playing extensively, often creating fills that would beautifully compliment a vocal line, or to simply harmonise the melodies of his many, many instrumental arrangements. The following are two fretboard diagrams showing you how the harmonies of a 3rd and 6th look on the higher strings of your guitar. Study, learn, and visualise the patterns that these harmonies create, as this is vitally important in your ability to apply and use them in your own playing.



