Carter Scratch Technique

In this lesson Jarvis shows us the Carter Scratch technique. Here we're using the thumb to play the bass notes, and the first finger to strum, or "scratch", the higher strings. In this one we're playing a melody with the bass notes, over chords on the higher strings.

The Carter scratch (also known as the thumb brush, the Carter lick, or the Carter Family picking), is named after Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family's distinctive style of rhythm guitar. The style bears similarity to the frailing style of banjo playing and is the rhythm Bill Monroe adapted for bluegrass music two decades later. Carter was among the first to use this technique, which is said to have helped to turn the guitar into a lead instrument

Lesson aims

1. Get a feel for the strumming hand timing between the thumb and the first finger

2. Pay attention to the hammer-ons and pull-offs in the melody line

3. Learn to play the full piece

Study Piece 12 - "I'll Scratch Your Back"