Here is a version of a popular tune among bluegrass and fiddle players, Whiskey Before Breakfast on guitar.
I discovered this tune thanks to a video by Brian Sutton who is an excellent guitarist. Then with Norman Blake’s album, Whiskey Before Breakfast, which also contains this track.
Why this tune more than any other.
For the simple reason of the fun of playing with the pick on a continuous melody. I love this feel of the pick on the steel strings. Indeed, there is something in the vibration of the instrument that is indescribable and addictive. All the more enchanting as it is associated with the challenge of speed of execution.
Music.
The musical form is AABB, each sentence being eight measures. So we have, once again, a standard in 32 measures.
For the comp, I choose something simple and conventional, namely a bass alternation on beat 1 and 3 then chords rather in the high strings on beat 2 and 4. Given the density of musical information in the melody, I think it’s better to have a simple comp.
For the melody, playing with the mediator requires precision and rigour. In reality, this is a bit the issue of this type of song. To be able to play these melodies at a correct tempo without tangling the mediator in the strings. For this, obviously, start to train slowly. Mediator movements must be clear and controlled.
Score and tablature.
If you like, the score and tablature are available in pdf format under this text.
This is a non-commercial sharing.