Nervous Breakdown - anyone getting near his speed ?

Danny1969

I can play the tune but I can't get near the speed he gets on the record let alone this live version. I can't see if he's hybrid picking with one or 2 fingers and it's the picking speed I'm struggling with. With my normal pick and one finger hybrid style it's just not enough .... doe anyone know how he's doing it ?

cruxiform

That’s just fried my brain.

stratman3142

I've found a guitar pro tab for it online (link below). I'm not sure how good it is. If you don't have guitar pro, I could PM you a pdf export.

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/brad_paisley/nervous_breakdown_guitar_pro_1516417id_01092014date.htm

Let me know. I'm just going out, so I'll be away for an hour or so,

Vibetronic

I've found the tab (the proper one) and it gives no guidance at all how to play it, apart from using a G-bender. Looks like he's using 2 fingers for the hybrid stuff though. Good luck!!

Danny1969

stratman3142 said:

I've found a guitar pro tab for it online (link below). I'm not sure how good it is. If you don't have guitar pro, I could PM you a pdf export.

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/brad_paisley/nervous_breakdown_guitar_pro_1516417id_01092014date.htm

Let me know. I'm just going out, so I'll be away for an hour or so,

Thanks man I know the notes he's playing because I'm a bit of a Paisley fan and I've been copying his licks for years ... most of it is pulling off a string and then hitting it again open after he's used the string beneath it. What I can't see is if he is using one or 2 fingers as well as the pick ... I'm beginning to think it's not possible with one finger which is the style I've been working on for a while 

Vibetronic

stratman3142 said:

I've found a guitar pro tab for it online (link below). I'm not sure how good it is. If you don't have guitar pro, I could PM you a pdf export.

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/brad_paisley/nervous_breakdown_guitar_pro_1516417id_01092014date.htm

Let me know. I'm just going out, so I'll be away for an hour or so,

sorry, you posted whilst I was still writing and I didn't see it - didn't mean to suggest that the tab you found wasn't the 'proper' one I just found one of the official tab books on Scribd.

axisus

I love Brad Paisley's guitar playing. That is such an awesome instrumental!

axisus

Some people can play it!

stratman3142

Vibetronic said:

stratman3142 said:

I've found a guitar pro tab for it online (link below). I'm not sure how good it is. If you don't have guitar pro, I could PM you a pdf export.

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/brad_paisley/nervous_breakdown_guitar_pro_1516417id_01092014date.htm

Let me know. I'm just going out, so I'll be away for an hour or so,

sorry, you posted whilst I was still writing and I didn't see it - didn't mean to suggest that the tab you found wasn't the 'proper' one I just found one of the official tab books on Scribd.

No problem. Its looks like we posted at almost exactly the same time.

Regarding the techniques needed to play the song, I expect Levi Clay ( @missmisstreater ) would be an expert on this, based on his excellent book which I recently purchased.

cruxiform

After hearing it for the first time thanks to Danny starting this thread, I’ve had a mooch on youtube and this tutorial is pretty good.

https://youtu.be/HTFxUkni3Co

Danny1969

@cruxiform ; yeah that video is the technique I use but getting up to Paisley speed is proving impossible 

@axisus ; Laura's a bit off the Paisley pace there, I can pretty much do it at that tempo ... nice version though 

Jimbro66

I've not tried Nervous Breakdown but having played similar things on Tele and Dobro I know that the only way I could get anywhere near Brad's picking speed is using thumbpick and first two fingers. I'm in awe of players who achieve that using hybrid picking. When I try doing it that way I feel like my picking fingers are in a straightjacket. But then I've always used thumbpick and fingers since my teenage years. Each technique has its pros and cons I guess.

@Danny1969 if you manage to play it at that speed using hybrid picking I take my hat off to you

vasselmeyer

When you hear stuff like Paul Gilbert, Yngwie and Frank Gambale, often with loads of gain you think that's the pinnacle of blazing away. Then you see Brad Paisley doing something like this, mostly playing clean, and realise that if you played  for another thousand years, you'd never get anywhere near the accuracy and cleanliness of his picking.

Veganic

These are the random thoughts that came into my brain.

I think the "slower" version sounds better.
Why do you want to play it at the original speed*, are you expecting a duel with Brad?

Does he use a really low action?


*I know stupid question.

thomasross20

Right I've not even heard this tune but will check it tomorrow - intrigued!

axisus

To be honest I wouldn't worry about playing it at Brads speed. It still sounds cool at a more manageable pace and virtually anyone you play it to wont know that Brad plays faster.

bingefeller

Are you using compression?  That’ll will make sounding notes a little easier.  I’m gonna guess he’s using his middle finger for the hybrid stuff.  

thomasross20

Crikey this is shred by another name (lol - just watched it)

EricTheWeary

Nice. Had his live album on today, it's Time Warp that's the fancy one on that IIRC? 

Laura Cox's version is without the B ( G?) bender as well. I'd say she's using pick plus two fingers which is the style people like Gregg Koch and Jerry Donahue use. 

Dominic

Laura Cox has been country playing for years and did all the Doug 7 courses .....she is a hybrid 2 finger player.
She is slower than Brad but I have heard him doing it very fast rather like an exhibition piece and it wasn't that tidy ( in fairness he was running up and down the front of a stage as he did it !)
You may want to checkout Jerry's Breakdown by Jerry Reid .......Brad's tune is a homage / parody of that and steals from it

Skrouff

That picking technique doesn't work for me.  Try starting with an UP pick on the high E string(G note) then PULL off the G on the high E string then DOWN pick the B string(F note) and then use the middle finger to pluck the open high E string.  Repeat on the next two groups of strings starting with an UP pick on the B string and work your way up in groups of two strings with 1e&a.... rhythm.