Bob Marley Style Lesson

Hi Joe here, in this lesson we explore the Reggae genre in the style of one of the biggest exponent: "Bob Marley" period


Bob Marley Style
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The rhythm guitar (on right side side) plays, as usually in reggae, the chords on beats two and four, a musical figure known as skank or the 'bang'. It has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometime a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following 8th beats on the up-stroke.

The lead guitar, will often add a rock or blues-style melodic solo to a song, but in this case play a counter-melody to the bass line, with single notes parts.

Also, very common is a bass line part played by the guitar an octave higher, with a very muted and picked sound. This adds definition to the bass line (which is usually devoid of upper frequencies), and emphasizes the bass melody.


Techniques Focus
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Staccato is the key to this lesson; actually means to alter the value of any note shortening it, giving a chop sound, and this is archive in two ways:

Single notes: with palm muting

Chords: releasing pressure with the left hand, immediately after the stroke of the right hand


Theory Focus
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Not too much in to focus at, in this lesson, all the study is in C major, and all the chords are diatonic. The only thing you might not know is the graphical sign, used to notate staccato:

a dot over the head of note


Pro Tips
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Take some deep breath, rotate a couple of time you neck and cycle your shoulder...you need a relaxed feel to play reggae with conviction :D

See You Next Lesson

Joe Kataldo