Windy and Warm
Chet Atkins Fingerpicking Piece
Overall Information
• Song is mainly in the key of A minor, but at one
point goes to C major and at another point goes
to A major. Very common key changes. C major
is the relative major of A minor.
• Song is a Rondo in form. How a Rondo works is
that there is an A section then a B section back
to A then a C back to A … Very common in
classical music and does happen in a number of
popular tunes.
Start with the bass
• First step is to get the bass going on the Am
chord. This is the backbone of the piece.
• Doing quarter notes play the A (5th string open),
E (4th string 2nd fret), E (sixth string open) to E
(4th string 2nd fret).
• If you look at this song closely you will see that
this is the main chord and the main movement.
• Against this is the melody. Note that the majority
of the melody is in the chord. Back to the saying
that “The Chord Rules”.
Count
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
&
4
&
Key to this is alternate the bass – as described before. Then for the chords
use a claw type with the index playing the 3rd string and the middle finger
the 2nd string. Get measure 1 down perfectly before moving on to the 2nd
measure. The only difference it the last beat and a ½ where the chord
comes in on the & after 3. This can be confusing at first but is way cool!
Also note that the & after 4 is a rest. This is needed to give you time to get
to the next chord. Very common also.
While this is just moving down chromatically from Bb major to an E chord
the temptation is to play a full barre chord – I was tempted when I first
learned this piece and am certain that you will be to. But notice that you
only need to play 4 strings. So instead of doing a full barre you may want to
play the barre but not fully push down the middle strings. Then you are only
using the index and middle finger. You will find that much easier on the
hand. You need to pluck these with the thumb taking the 6th string, index
the 3rd string, middle the 2nd string and ring finger the 1st string. Note the
rest at the end. The G (open 3rd string) will be hammered on the next beat.
While this introduction is simple it is also very effective. An introduction can
really help to set the tone of a piece in any style.
Above is the entire introduction. It isn’t difficult but get it down perfectly! In
some ways it is a piece by itself. Think of how you might use this same
introduction in other songs that you perform. I will be asking for volunteers
to play this for the class.
Now for the A section
• There are only 3 chords in this section: Am, E7
and Em. They might be played a bit differently
than you are used to so pay attention.
• The E7 is just hinted at and is called E7 as that
is what is implied. You won’t be playing a full
E7.
• Also note that your 4th finger is doing quite a bit
of work on the left hand. Don’t fret about that as
it will come. I play this at home on a nylon string
guitar without any issues. In performance I
usually use a steel string guitar but have even
used my archtop.
Count
1
2
3
&
4
&
1
2
3
&
4
&
This entire line is based on an Am Chord. You play the D (2nd string 3rd fret) with the
pinky – do not play with any other finger). Do the 1st measure until you have it
down. The first note on the 3rd string is actually hammered from the previous
measure during the introduction. Be sure to count while you play!!!
The 2nd measure has a bend on the 2nd string 3rd fret up to the pitch of the 2nd string
3rd fret. Do this again with your pinky on your fretting hand!! Note that the timing is
the same for both measures.
For the right hand use the index and middle on the melody and thumb on the bass.
Count 1
2
3
&
4
&
1
2
3
&
4
&
Again the Am to start. Similar to previous measure. But for the E7 there is a big
change. You slide up on the 2nd string from the D (3rd fret) to the E (5th fret) while
striking the 6th string E open and holing it for the entire measure. This is a little riff.
For added emphasis you can play the open high E (1st string) at the same time.
Then play the 1st string 3rd fret.
The last riff is a bluesy riff where you play the 2nd string 4th fret and immediately
slide down to the 3rd fret and then just go down to the other notes. The last note
will be hammered on in the next measure.
When you have this mastered you are over ½ way through the A section as much
of this repeats.
This is a song that you can play and be proud of to others.
This section is the same as you did before in measures 1 and 2 of the theme.
I won’t go over in detail since you already have that in this presentation.
Count 1
2
3
&
4
&
1
2
3
&
4
&
This part is easier than the previous part. Just Am Em and Am. Just picking
the notes out. Do notice that the last note on Em is an anticipation of the Am
chord. So the chord really changes on the & after 4. Also beat 2 of the last
measure you will play both the 4th and 3rd strings with the thumb. Very
common in this style. Merle Travis did this quite a bit (most of the time).
Introduction
A section
Now get the 1st 12 bars down
perfectly. It isn’t that hard.
But take your time and count
while you play. You might
want to bring a tape recorder
to tape the instructor playing
this to get it into your head.
The arrangement is based on
Chet Atkins version. I will also
show you some of what
Tommy Emmanual does on
this once the class has it
down. My take is that it took
me about 10 hours total to get
this good enough to perform
the entire piece. But I had to
work out much of what I am
giving to you. So it may take
as long for all the sections.
But have heart, you really only
need to do the 1st couple of
sections. Section 1 is about 1
hour work, section 2 even
less.
Count
1
2
3
4
1 2 &
3
4
1 2
3
4 &
1 2 3
4
This starts the B section. Notice that it is actually easier than the A section.
There are no bent notes and the timing is even easier. The whole fist 4 bars
are just Am with an added D and B every so often – and those done scale
wise. Even the timing is very easy. Other than the very last beat the bass is
constant 5th string 4th string, 6th string 4th string. And for that beat it is just
playing the 4th and 3rd together. If you don’t get both notes it will still sound
good and most likely no one would ever notice unless they were very familiar
with the piece!
See how this is the same as the 1st 2 measures of the B section!
This can be
a pull off.
Count 1
2
&
3
&
4
&
1
2
3
&
4
&
OK these 2 measures will take some work. It starts on a Barre on the F7, 1st fret.
But the good news is that you only need to do a full barre with the index finger,
then put the 2nd finger on the 3rd string 2nd fret – nothing else. Only 2 finger, and
then pick out the notes that you will use. Pluck the 1st 3 strings with your index,
middle and ring as a group. The bass is syncopated so that is a difference.
Then once you play the E7 pluck on beat 1 the chord, hit the bass on beat 2 and
then do the run on beats 3 and 4.
This is the entire B section. Again, it is just an Am and at the end an F7 to E7
Here is what has been done so far.
Make sure you can play all of this!!!!
You now have over ½ of the entire
song down.
• There are only a few sections. And you have now
learned 3 of the sections.
• You could stop here and have a nice 2 minute piece or
go on.
• We will cover the rest of the song but also talk about
adding in your own section.
• When I perform this I stretch this out to about 4 minutes
by adding in sections of my own.
• The next part you should do is repeat the A section. I
won’t go over that in detail as I already have done it. So
far the form is intro, A repeat A, B and then A. Play it
slowly and relaxed! Next we will cover the C section that
moves from Am to C major. Relative keys!! This section
is also very bluesy!
Section C
• This goes through the following chords:
– G7 (the V7 chord of C), C9 (leading to the F
chord), F7, to E7. Very much like some of the
Gypsey Kings material.
• This section is a bit harder at first. Be sure
to do the chords properly before tackling
the rest of the song.
• See the fingerings on the next page.
C9
G7
1
2
4
3
1
1 1
1
1
3
0
0
E7
F7
1
1
1
1 1
1
2
0
0 0
Note that you don’t need every note of every chord on this.
1
3rd
Fret
For the melody on the 1st string use your pinky at the 5th and 6th frets.
It starts with a slide from the 5th to 6th fret. You don’t play the
5th string but hold it down as it is easier. This is the same fingering
that you did for the F7 earlier but now on the 3rd fret instead of the 1st
fret. So we are building off of what has already been learned.
G9
1
1 1
1
2
1
1
3rd
Fret
Count
1
2
&
3 &
4
1
2
3
& 4
This is very cool and very common in this style of music on a G7.
Important to hold the chord down and then you just pick the
appropriate strings. For measure 2 change to a Barre chord. The
melody is now on the 1st string. It will be the same melody as the
C9
Coun 1
2
&
3 &
4
&
1
2
3
& 4
Again hold the chord down and on the 2nd measure the melody is with the 4th
finger. Timing is the almost same as on G7 so this should not be that hard.
The bass is different strings but you are still barring at the 3rd fret!
Notice that from here for 3 measures you barre the
3rd fret. Get these barres down perfectly!!
Count
1
2
3
& 4
&
1
2
3
& 4
&
To start notice how similar this is to the G7 section. Only the bass notes are
different. That may cause you some issues but just anticipate the low F (6th
string on the last beat of the first measure and you should be fine.
Pull off
On this note.
Count 1
2
&
3
&
4
1
2
3
&
4 &
For the Dm this is just Bass pluck – a rhumba rhythm in the bass. The E7 is
very easy, you play the chord on beat 1 bass on beat 2 and then just a run
coming down for beats 3 and 4.
Now the 2nd ½ of C as a group.
This is the entire C section. After this you repeat the A section. I have heard many
players only play up to this point and repeat the A section. You would be up to 2 ½
minutes so that is very good. It could be a completed piece at this point! I stress
that as sometimes it is good to do up to a point and then master it before adding a
final section. Chet does one more section and I usually do at least 2 more
sections – I like to stretch this out a bit.
Final Section on Chet’s
• This changes from Am to A Major. Very
common in popular and classical music.
Examples, Runaway by Dell Shannon,
And I Love Her etc. See if you can identify
any. Bach used this technique all the time.
• The difficult part is the ½ barre that is
absolutely required to play this.
A
A7
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
3
4
0
0
The A7 here is how I first learned A7. It is a voicing that is very pleasant to
the ear as it puts the dissonance on top.
Counting
1
2 3 & 4
1 & 2& 3 4
1 2
3 &4
1& 2 & 3
4
Note the A bass (5th open) comes in on the & after 4 in the previous measure. But
look closely and you will see that the barre stays for most of the 4 measures. The
last beat of measures 2 and 4 the barre moves to the 1st fret and then back to the 2nd
fret on the first beat of the following barre. Some do this as a slide. The grace note
on the 1st beat of measure 2 can be an issue. Many players omit this.
Count
1 2
3
4
1 & 2 & 3 & 4
1 2
3& 4& 1 2 & 3 &4 &
A7 same as before. E7 is E7 to actually E7b9 sometimes known as the Hendrix
chord. Again the picking hand is bass pluck as before. After this it goes back to the A
section again. The timing on this can be a bit tough so count while you play. Just
take your time and you can get this.
Count
1
2
3 &
&
1
2 3 & 4
1 &2&3 & 4 &
1 & 2* 3 &4
A7 like before. The D7 is actually a D9 with a D7 form but the 1st string open. Chet
is doing a roll on this. The bass is like a Latin beat. Notice how after the first open
1st string (E) that the bass happens every time the E is played! That adds lots of
interest.
Now keep the faith we are almost done with this.
Well the last 2 measures before the repeat are just bass lines leading to the top.
This is the easiest part of the tune.
Then the last 2 measures above are the coda. The 1st measure you have played
before and the very last chord is an Am at the 5th fret.
While this piece is deceptively simple, it is also one that can be a centerpiece for
you. There are a number of technical problems that are solved along the way. I am
confident that every one of you can learn this. Even if you don’t do the C and D
sections you will have something that you can play for the rest of your life!!
Something that you can be proud of.
These last 4 slides are
the whole piece. Just
take your time. Realize
that there are only 40
total different measures
in this piece. To master
it will take about 10
hours of work and for
performance maybe
triple that. This is a
good warm-up. Do that
for 30 days and you are
ready for the road with
it.