How to Play in the Style of Johnny Cash

From his first hit "Folsom Prison Blues" to his last, "Hurt," Johnny Cash spent a lifetime creating his own distinctive style of U.S. country music. Johnny Cash music frequently features what is known as "walking bass." This is a repetitive, rhythmic bass part that will frequently place a "chord tone" on each strong beat. An example of this would be the C7 chord. A standard "8-bar blues" walking bass line might go: C -E G -A Bb -A G -E. The letters with a "-" next to them are the "weak" beats. The strong beats feature C, G, Bb and G. These notes if all played at once create a C7 chord. Here is a simple way to sound like Johnny Cash in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Acoustic guitar
• Chord book
• Metronome

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Play a "C" chord.

   • 2

     Raise your ring finger up one string. This note is a "G".

   • 3

     Practice strumming the "C" chord and then the "C" chord with your ring finger up one string.

   • 4

     Count out loud, "one, two, one two" to the rhythm of 75 bpm (beats per minute).

   • 5

     Strike the normal "C" chord when you say "one." Strike the "C" chord with the "G" in it when you say "two."

   • 6

     Count out loud, "one and-a two and-a." Repeat this at 75 bpm.

   • 7

     Strum the guitar playing regular "C" for one, "one and-a". Strum the "C" with a "G" in the bass for "one, two and-a."