What Are Country Licks?
Country licks are the bright, snappy phrases that define country guitar playing. From the twang of classic honky-tonk to the virtuosic runs of modern country, these licks combine technical precision with melodic storytelling. Country guitar draws from blues, jazz, and rockabilly influences, creating a unique vocabulary that’s both sophisticated and accessible, complex yet always serving the song.
What makes country licks special is their emphasis on clarity, rhythm, and hybrid picking technique. Country players don’t just play notes—they articulate them with a crisp, percussive attack that cuts through a mix. Players like Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, and Brad Paisley have elevated country guitar to an art form, proving that country licks can be just as technically demanding and musically rewarding as any other style.
Key Characteristics of Country Licks
What defines the country guitar sound?
Hybrid Picking: The cornerstone of country guitar is hybrid picking—using the pick and fingers simultaneously. This technique allows for string skipping, fast arpeggios, and the distinctive “chicken pickin’” sound that punctuates country phrases with muted, percussive notes.
Major Pentatonic Emphasis: While blues and rock lean heavily on minor pentatonic, country guitar favors the major pentatonic scale for its bright, optimistic sound. Country licks often mix major pentatonic with Mixolydian mode and chromatic passing tones for color.
String Bending and Double Stops: Country bends tend to be quick and precise—often half-step bends for tension and color. Double stops (playing two notes at once) are essential to country playing, adding harmonic richness and that classic country sound.
Banjo Rolls and Pedal Steel Influences: Country licks often mimic other instruments. Banjo-style rolls create cascading patterns, while pedal steel-inspired bends and slides add crying, vocal-like qualities to guitar phrases.
Rhythmic Precision: Country licks lock in tight with the rhythm section. Clean articulation, precise timing, and strong subdivision (sixteenth notes and triplets) give country guitar its driving, danceable feel. Every note is intentional and in the pocket.
How to Practice Country Licks
Developing authentic country guitar technique takes dedicated practice:
Master Hybrid Picking: Start slowly, using your pick for downbeats and your middle and ring fingers for upbeats or higher strings. Practice simple patterns before tackling complex licks. This technique opens up the entire fretboard in ways pure alternate picking cannot.
Work on Clean Tone: Country guitar is typically played clean or with minimal overdrive. This exposes every mistake, so focus on precision. Practice with a clean tone to develop clarity and accuracy in your fretting and picking hands.
Learn Your Scales: Focus on major pentatonic in all five positions, plus Mixolydian mode (major scale with a flat 7). These are the foundation of country soloing. Practice connecting positions to navigate the fretboard fluently.
Study the Masters: Listen to Chet Atkins for fingerstyle foundations, Albert Lee for hybrid picking mastery, Brent Mason for sessionwork perfection, and Brad Paisley for modern country innovation. Each player brings unique elements to the style.
Practice with a Metronome: Country licks demand tight timing. Use a metronome to develop precision, especially at faster tempos. Start slow and gradually increase speed while maintaining accuracy and clean articulation.
Learn Country Licks Below
Explore our collection of country guitar licks below. Each lesson breaks down the hybrid picking patterns, shows you the fret positions, and gives you the tools to master the bright, articulate style of country guitar.
