Chet's Thumb

Chet Atkins was one of the most notable pioneers of the Travis Picking style. The first half of this course looks at Chet's take on the classic Travis Picking style. In this lesson we're looking at the way Chet used his thumb to play bass lines.

Lesson aims

• Try using a thumb pick - this isn't essential, but it's a good idea to try with and without to see which you prefer

• Practice moving your thumb between strings and get a feel for the pattern in the exercise

• Use palm muting while picking the bass notes

Exercise 1 - Chet's Thumb