Boom-Chick-A

Kill Me Sarah · Post by **Kill Me Sarah** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:40 am

I don't know if anyone can explain this in writing (or at least in terms easy enough for me to understand) but I've been wanting to learn how to play a boom-chick-a rhythm like Johnny Cash, among others, made so famous. Can anyone explain the technique.

deshead · Post by **deshead** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:06 am

Start drinking now.

Once your wrist is relaxed, hit the strings like this, giving each step an equal time (preferably 8th notes:)
1 - down-stroke, hitting just the bottom strings (the E and A)
2 - an up-stroke, hitting NONE of the strings (just get your hand back in position.)
3 - a down-stroke, hitting the top 3 strings (G, B, and e)
4 - an up-stroke, again hitting the top 3 strings

Repeat ad infinitum.

For best effect, you should mute the strings with the side of your right hand after the up-strokes. But get the basic rhythm down, and the muting will come naturally.

Don't attempt this sober.

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:40 am

Start slow. Take one drink (1 oz. hard alcohol/12 oz. beer/1 glass wine in a jelly jar only, stemmed glasses not allowed!) for every 12 bpm increase in tempo.

Is your handle a misheard Radiohead lyric or what, KMS?

UnDesirable · Post by **UnDesirable** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:31 am

You may want to investigate a fingerpicking style called "Travis Picking" The current issue of Guitar Player magazine has a good article on this that is a few pages long.

Kill Me Sarah · Post by **Kill Me Sarah** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:31 am

Rabid Garfunkel wrote: Is your handle a misheard Radiohead lyric or what, KMS?

Mis-heard?

Kill Me Sarah · Post by **Kill Me Sarah** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:35 am

deshead wrote:Start drinking now.

Once your wrist is relaxed, hit the strings like this, giving each step an equal time (preferably 8th notes:)
1 - down-stroke, hitting just the bottom strings (the E and A)
2 - an up-stroke, hitting NONE of the strings (just get your hand back in position.)
3 - a down-stroke, hitting the top 3 strings (G, B, and e)
4 - an up-stroke, again hitting the top 3 strings

Repeat ad infinitum.

For best effect, you should mute the strings with the side of your right hand after the up-strokes. But get the basic rhythm down, and the muting will come naturally.

Don't attempt this sober.

THank you. I gave it a try this morning, but I've only had coffee so far, so I may have to wait until this evening

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 4:01 pm

kill_me_sarah wrote:Mis-heard?