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Chris Shofner

Chris Shofner

Location: Stevens Point, WI
Date of Birth: September 18, 1982
Been playing guitar since: 1995

I was born in rural Arkansas and moved to Texas at the age of three. I became really interested in playing music at about 13, though I had started learning prior to that. I also started recording music on an old Fostex 4-track cassette machine about the same time. In high school a whole new world was opened up when I upgraded to Cakewalk on my PC. I joined the school concert band in junior high and continued on through college, where I also had the chance to study jazz, improvisation, and theory. However, I did not pursue a degree in music performance. My career became video and audio production. Consequently, I now teach media production at a university in Wisconsin. Currently I enjoy making music on my own time at my own pace.

In 2007 I released a popular Chicken Picking solo clip on YouTube that eventually led to the production of instructional videos in 2011 and 2013. In 2013 I also released an independent four song instrumental EP.

Playing and Influences
I was born into a very musical family. Instruments were always close by. I started out playing on my dad’s vintage Telecaster and an old Fender Musicmaster. My father mostly played country music, but I also remember hearing the harmonic sounds of Billy Gibbons. My father was influenced by James Burton and Don Rich which in turn had an unavoidable effect on my playing as well. I used to sit for hours watching “Free Bird the Movie” and “Stevie Ray Vaughan: Live at Austin City Limits.” In my late teens it was all about Hendrix, Van Halen, Vai, and Yngwie. At college I was introduced to Jazz studies and John Scofield, which helped transform my playing into fusion. Eventually I came back to my roots with country and began to explore Brad Paisley, Brent Mason and my favorite guitarist, Jim Campilongo.

At GMC
I'm looking forward to sharing some of my favorite techniques from some of my favorite artists that have helped me develop my personal musical style. I am also looking forward to interacting with GMC'ers from around the world and improving my own skills in through the process.

More: My Facebook, My Website

Interact with Chris: Forum Posts, Forum Profile, Private Message

Music by Chris Shofner

Lessons (658,936 views)

Name Level Type Technique Category
Double-Stop Bends 3 of 10 Concepts Bending Rock - Classic
Rock Boogie Bends 3 of 10 Concepts Bending Rock - Classic
Rock Boogie Lead 2 of 10 Solo Phrasing Rock - Classic
Rock Boogie Riff 2 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Rock - Classic
Rock Boogie Rhythm 2 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Rock - Classic
Country II-V-I Progression 2 of 10 Concepts Chords Country
Country I-III-IV Progression 2 of 10 Concepts Chords Country
Country ii-V-I Progression 2 of 10 Concepts Strumming Country
Dominant 7 Country Progression 2 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chords Country
Easy Country Minor 2 of 10 Solo Alternate Picking Country
Easy Acoustic Country Lead 2 of 10 Solo Picking (more than one type) Country
Pick & Strum Rhythm: Grand Finale 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Train Beat Rhythm 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Walking Bass Country Rhythm 2 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Country Strumming Level 1 2 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Strumming Country
Country for Rockers 3 of 10 Concepts Chicken Picking Country
Pull-Offs Grand Finale 7 of 10 Concepts Chicken Picking Country
Open String Pull-Offs 5 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Open String Pull-Offs Level 2 3 of 10 Etude Legato (both hammer-ons and pull-offs) Country
Open String Pull-Offs 2 of 10 Etude Legato (both hammer-ons and pull-offs) Country
Chicken Mix and Match 6 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin Level 3 5 of 10 Concepts Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin Level 2 3 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin Level 1 2 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin' the Blues 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Blues
Spaghetti Cowboy Solo 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Faux Country Lap Steel 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Slide / Bottleneck Country
Double Stop Melody III 3 of 10 Chord melody Chicken Picking Country
Country Fusion 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Jazz - Fusion
Twangy Tele Solo 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Country Ballad Solo III 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Rhythm and Claw II 3 of 10 Chords Chords Country
Swamp Pop Solo 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Rockabilly Country Solo 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Hybrid Picking Licks II 4 of 10 Licks Hybrid picking Country
Country Licks 4 of 10 Licks Hybrid picking Country
If John Mayer Were A Chicken Picker 3 of 10 Solo Phrasing Blues
Country Ballad Solo II 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Missouri Waltz 3 of 10 Solo Harmonics Country
Open String Pull-Off Riff II 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Outlaw Country III 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Fast Country Boogie 6 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Country Steel Techniques 4 of 10 Solo Harmonics Country
Hot Country Solo 7 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Fast Country Rhythm 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Bakersfield Country II 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Scarborough Country Fair 3 of 10 Full Song Chicken Picking Country
Bouncing Country Rhythm 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Hybrid picking Country
Spy Twang 3 of 10 Solo Picking (more than one type) Rock - Classic
Pinch Harmonics 4 of 10 Solo Harmonics Rock - Blues
Hybrid Picking Polyrhythms 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Hybrid picking Country
Yellow Rose of Texas 3 of 10 Full Song Double Stops Country
Bakersfield Country 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Swamp Country III 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Hybrid Picking Classic Country 2 of 10 Chords Hybrid picking Country
Swamp Country II 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Descending Modal Pattern 5 of 10 Exercise Alternate Picking Rock - Fusion
Skynyrd Inspired Country 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Pentatonic Etude 3 of 10 Etude Alternate Picking Rock - Classic
Triple-Stop Hammer Rhythm 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Hybrid picking Country
California Country Rhythm 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Country Ballad Solo 4 of 10 Solo Phrasing Country
Kitchen Sink Country Solo 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Reel 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Travis Picking: Camptown Races 4 of 10 Chord melody Hybrid picking Traditional
Travis Picking Rhythm II 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Travis Picking Rhythm 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Diatonic Arpeggios 4 of 10 Etude Arpeggios Jazz - Fusion
All Bluesy Solo 3 of 10 Solo Phrasing Jazz - blues
Danny Boy Country Style 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Banjo Rolls Etude 4 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Unique Country Bends 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Hybrid Triple Stops 4 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Picking 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Double Stop Melody II 2 of 10 Solo Double Stops Pop Rock
Chicken Picking Ballad 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
70's Country Rock 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Country Set Break Solo 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Country Set Break 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Dual Country Guitars 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
70's Phaser Country 3 of 10 Effects Hybrid picking Country
Bluesy Country Solo 4 of 10 Solo Phrasing Country
Open String Pull-Off Solo 6 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Fingerstyle Country 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Hybrid picking Country
Beautiful Dreamer 2 of 10 Solo Phrasing Traditional
Classical Country 2 of 10 Acoustic Phrasing Country
Sad Country Solo 3 of 10 Solo Phrasing Country
Country Shuffle Solo 4 of 10 Solo Phrasing Country
Duane Eddy Twang 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Rock - Classic
California Country 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Outlaw Country II 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Country Fusion II 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin Etude 4 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
James Burton Style Blues 4 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Blues
Outlaw Country 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Hybrid picking Country
Boogie Woogie Country 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Surf Country 4 of 10 Solo Picking (more than one type) Country
Country and Western Solo 5 of 10 Solo Phrasing Country
Faux Country Lap Steel 3 of 10 Solo Slide / Bottleneck Country
Mastering the Fretboard 3 of 10 Etude Economy picking
Drop D Country Pull-Offs 7 of 10 Full Song Chicken Picking Country
Country Hybrid Picking 3 of 10 Etude Chicken Picking Country
Swamp Country 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Country Fusion Solo 6 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Country Fusion 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Easy Country Solo 3 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Slow Country Waltz Solo 5 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Hot Bluegrass Country 6 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Open String Pull-Off Riff 5 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Double Stop Melody 3 of 10 Solo Double Stops Country
Pick & Strum Country 3 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Rhythm - various Country
Rockabilly Country 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin' Solo 2 6 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country
Steel Guitar Bends 4 of 10 Etude Bending Country
Rhythm and Claw 4 of 10 Rhythm/Riffs Chicken Picking Country
Chicken Pickin' Solo 6 of 10 Solo Chicken Picking Country