is a G pentatonic (Greek for five-note) scale. You would use this on a G chord, or on a song in G, not on a C chord, as the B note would clash with C (unless you're dealing with major seventh chords, but that's probably another story with a song title like that).
The pentatonic scale is just a major scale with the fourth and seventh degrees omitted, as these are the most likely to clash with a simple major triad (each of these notes is only a semitone away from a chord note). On a C chord, F would clash with E, and B with C.
Let's say the tune is in the key of G and uses the chords G, C and D. You can make pentatonic scales for all three chords on a C harp.
For G: G A B D E (also E mi)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ======================================================================= DR | | | | | | | | | | | | D | G | B | D | | A | B | D | | A | |------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | | | | | | | | | | | BL | | E | G | | E | G | | E | G | | =======================================================================
For C: C D E G A (also A mi)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ======================================================================= DR | | | | | | | | | | | | | G | | D | | A | | D | | A | |------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | | | | | | | | | | | BL | C | E | G | C | E | G | C | E | G | C | =======================================================================
For D: D E F# A B (also B mi)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ======================================================================= DR | | | B | | | | | | | | | D | (F#) | (A) | D | | A | B | D | | A | |------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | | | | | | | | | | | BL | | E | | | E | | | E | | | =======================================================================
NOTE in (parentheses) are bent.
F# in the middle range is your only tricky note you can bend for it in the outer ranges. What if there are minor chords? Well, if the minor chords happen to be E minor, A minor, or B minor, and there's a good chance they will be in the key of G, then the same 3 pentatonic scales will fit those, too, as noted above. The sixth degree of a major scale is called the relative minor, and it can often use the same scale.
I'd try playing all three of these scales all the way up and down the harp, and work out little licks on them. They're *very* useful.
================================================================= QUICK STUDY TIP: SCALES
If this looks like too much stuff to process in one day, here's a simple guideline:
Use the G pentatonic scale. On a C chord, omit the B and use C. On a D chord, omit the G and use F#. Except for these notes, the scales overlap:
D Chord: F# A B D E F# G Chord: G A B D E G C Chord: G A C D E G =================================================================
Too much has been said about avoiding that bad old too-flat draw 5 in country music. Not all country music is in a pure major scale. Some of it uses modes, and a *lot* of it uses blues chords and scales. If you're careful, you can use that nasty old note, even in major tunes.
BENDING & VIBRATO
As far as not using bends or vibrato in country, whoever says that is in dreamland. What is the steel guitar all about if it isn't bending? And what about Charlie McCoy? He bends all over the place, and uses a lot of blues techniques.
There are older, purer styles, like some varieties of bluegrass and stringband music, that avoid vibrato, but I wouldn't scruple about it in mainline country, which is a hybrid music. Most country singers use it. A heavy blues vibrato might not be the right thing, but there are many other possibilities, including hand vibrato. Listen to what those around you are doing in this regard, and adjust your sound to fit (which is not to say conform - sometimes a contrasting sound can really be good).
CHORDING
Chording has two aspects, the notes and the rhythm. Look carefully at the chord progression and see where you can get two and three note combinations on the harp that fit, and use them. The rhythm is, again, a matter of fitting with your surroundings. Do you have the original record? Do you have a rehearsal or other tape of the guys you'll be playing with? Are the versions similar? If yes to any of the above, play along with them. Listen to what the drums and the rhythm guitars are doing. Try imitating their rhythms, then find something that locks in with them. Start fairly simple.
================================================================== QUICK STUDY TIP: RHYTHM
For the I-need-to-come-up-with-something-right-now predicament, see if you can come up with a simple characteristic rhythm you could hum or beat out if you were to try to demonstrate the basic rhythm of the tune to someone who had never heard it. Then build on that.
You can also play simple lines that ride the chords. For instance, you could play a long B on a G chord, then move to the neighboring note, C, for the C chord, and so on. ===================================================================
