Combining Licks with the Open G ‘Claw’ Style

Arlen Roth - Gibson

Guitar   Intermediate   Rock Blues Jazz   Lesson of the Day

This is a great “hybrid” picking technique that uses a real split-string effect to achieve its most effective end. You can use it as a blues-oriented style, as well as country, and it is extremely effective at all tempos. It’s also a great “snarly” effect when you really want to add a twangy and powerful sound to your soloing and fills.

You’ll also notice that when we grab the notes together, we are eventually – if we keep going up the lick – going to cross over the G string so that the harmonized G is BELOW the remainder of the lick, which engages the high E and B strings for the end position. What this means is that there is a moment in time when it’s ONLY the G string that is being played, so we can smoothly make the transition from low to high within this position.

It’s a great technique and you’ll soon grasp this kind of sound and really want to make it your own. Hope you enjoy it, and great luck with it!—Arlen Roth