Category: Flatpicking

Learn the Fundamentals of Flatpicking with Alan Barnosky

What is flatpicking? Despite the name, it’s more than simply playing with a pick. Flatpicking refers to the acoustic guitar style, heard primarily in the bluegrass and folk idioms, of playing individual notes with a pick to form melodies, solos, and fills. The approach characteristically has a crisp and snappy sound achieved by combining quick picking, open chord voicings, melodic lines, and concise licks.

Learn to Flatpick Melody and Chords with “I’ll Fly Away”

Walk through three approaches for flatpicking melody and chords together using the classic spiritual “I’ll Fly Away.”

Alan Barnosky
January 5, 2025

Learn to Flatpick the Hanukkah Classic “Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)”

This accessible arrangement, inspired by Maybelle Carter’s style on classics like “Wildwood Flower,” is perfect for the holiday season.

Ethan Sherman
December 26, 2024

Two Ways of Approaching the Flatpicking Jam Tune “Old Joe Clark”

Learn two versions of this well-known mountain folk jam tune, one simple enough for beginners and the other a bit more complex.

Alan Barnosky
July 21, 2024

Tony Rice and David Grisman performing in 2005

Learn an Elegant Cross-Picking Solo by the Great Tony Rice on “Banks of the Ohio”

Rice’s solo is an exceptional example of how chord shapes and cross-picking can flesh out a tasteful melody-based lead.

Alan Barnosky
December 22, 2023

Learn to Play “Big Sciota,” a Traditional Fiddle Tune Popularized by Flatpicking Master Russ Barenberg

“Big Sciota” is not necessarily easy to play, but if you stick with it, you'll learn a fun and well-known tune and develop some powerful chops in both hands.

Alan Barnosky
September 6, 2023

Doc Watson performing on acoustic guitar. Photo by Blair Jensen

An Exploration of Doc Watson’s Innovative and Joyful Guitar Stylings

This lesson breaks down Watson’s acoustic flatpicking, beginning with rhythm and backup, transitioning to his lead playing, and ending with the combination of the two.

Alan Barnosky
July 19, 2023

closeup of a musician playing and acoustic guitar

Borrowing Fiddle Techniques for Flatpicking Guitar on the Traditional Tune “Little Liza Jane”

This version of “Little Liza Jane” comes from the eastern Kentucky fiddler J.P. Fraley (1923–2011), who played it in the key of A major.

Scott Nygaard
July 2, 2023

billy strings with stepdad terry barber holding guitars

How to Play Billy Strings’ Fleet-Fingered Solos on “Way Downtown”

Strings' version of this traditional song includes two solos that quote some signature Doc Watson licks.

Alan Barnosky
June 16, 2023

A smiling Greg Ruby seated playing guitar. Photo by Max Branigan

How to Use Rest Strokes to Improve Your Flatpicking Technique—and Your Guitar Sound

The rest stroke—similar to the fingerstyle approach used by classical guitarists—is a plectrum technique in which each downstroke lands on an adjacent string rather than passing over it.

Greg Ruby
April 5, 2023

Alan Barnosky bach prelude flatpicking guitar lesson

“Prelude No. 1 in C Major”—Transforming a Bach Keyboard Work into a Flatpicking Guitar Study

As this arrangement shows, Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major works quite well as a flatpicking etude.

Alan Barnosky
March 26, 2023

Flatpicking Guitar Lesson: Learn Courtney Hartman’s Arrangement of “Cumberland Gap”

Learn to play this expressive and understated flatpicking guitar rendition of the classic tune “Cumberland Gap,” from Courtney Hartman’s 2016 Nothing We Say.

Alan Barnosky
January 15, 2023

How to Flatpick Like Roots Legend Norman Blake

Norman Blake is one of the great unsung heroes of 20th-century folk music. Here's a look at his life, music, and what you can learn from his guitar playing.

Alan Barnosky
October 14, 2022

Alan Barnosky demonstrating flatpicking on acoustic guitar

Learn the Fundamentals of Flatpicking on Guitar

What is flatpicking on guitar? Despite the name, it’s more than simply playing with a pick. Flatpicking refers to the acoustic guitar style, heard primarily in the bluegrass and folk idioms, of playing individual notes with a pick to form melodies, solos, and fills.

Alan Barnosky
October 7, 2022

Reimagining a Fernando Sor Etude as a String-Crossing Guitar Workout

This guitar lesson breaks down the mechanics of string crossing and applies it all to a classical guitar etude by Fernando Sor to help build up picking-hand precision.

Alan Barnosky
September 9, 2022

Flatpicking Master Class: Learn to Think and Play Like the Greats

Here we’ll explore flatpicking guitar through some musical examples based on its key practitioners from Doc Watson to Molly Tuttle and identify some of the genre's essential recordings.

Alan Barnosky
July 3, 2022

Learn Tony Rice’s Flatpicking Take on the Traditional Fiddle Tune ‘Cattle in the Cane’

This is not only a good introduction to fiddle tunes, but to flatpicking in general as it covers the hallmarks of the style.

Adam Perlmutter
June 19, 2022

Mother Maybelle Carter album cover for "Pickin and Singin"

Improve Your Flatpicking Technique with These Mother Maybelle Carter-Inspired Exercises

In this guitar lesson, these arrangements of two songs by Mother Maybelle Carter will help develop your technique and understanding of the flatpicking idiom.

Cameron Knowler
May 22, 2022

Exclusive Guitar Lesson Molly Tuttle Breaks Down Her Deft Right-Hand Techniques

Video Lesson: Molly Tuttle Breaks Down Her Deft Right-Hand Techniques

On an early afternoon last September, Molly Tuttle, who was holding a spruce-and-mahogany dreadnought that appeared to be not much younger than 80, showed me the back of the guitar, which sported telltale lacquer wear. Tuttle explained that the instrument wasn’t in fact vintage but was recently made by Pre-War…

Adam Perlmutter
February 28, 2022

Doc Watson in 1994 playing his guitar and singing into a mic at a concert

Tips for Tackling the Flatpicking Bluegrass of Doc Watson and Clarence White on “Footprints in the Snow”

The 1964 performance by Doc Watson and Clarence White together at the Newport Folk Festival is a stellar demonstration of flatpicking. As heard on a series of duets on the album Treasures Untold, the recording captures both players early in their careers. Watson emerged on the scene beginning in 1960…

Alan Barnosky
December 19, 2021

‘Home Sweet Home’: Try a Flatpicking Workout Inspired by a Banjo Classic

Try this flatpicking acoustic guitar workout for "Home Sweet Home," inspired by the banjo classic.

Alan Barnosky
October 15, 2021

Chris Eldridge (left) and Julian Lage by Devin Pedde

Learn to Play the Traditional Flatpicking Duet ‘Old Grimes’ on Acoustic Guitar

Guitarist Alan Barnosky teaches an acoustic guitar arrangement of the melodic fiddle tune “Old Grimes,” as interpreted by Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge

Alan Barnosky
October 3, 2021

“Salt Creek” Bluegrass Flatpicking Guitar Lesson

A common question advancing flatpickers have is how and when to play up the guitar neck. The old favorite "Salt Creek" gives a good example of how to do it.

Alan Barnosky
July 28, 2021

Alan Barnosky Flatpicking Guitar Lesson video still

Learn to Play ”Leather Britches”: A Classic Fiddle Tune, Arranged for Flatpicking Guitar

Despite its popularity among fiddlers, “Leather Britches” is less known with flatpickers—surprisingly so, as it is fun to play and lands well on the guitar.

Alan Barnosky
June 20, 2021

“Beaumont Rag”: How to Play Tony Rice’s Take on a Classic Fiddle Tune

Many guitarists flock to Tony Rice because of his jaw-dropping leads. However, Rice’s epic solos are only a small element of what made his music so special.

Alan Barnosky
April 8, 2021

photo of Chris Eldridge holding a guitar

World Premiere: Learn a Tune by Chris Eldridge

Chris Eldridge, the Punch Brothers member and house guitarist on NPR’s Live From Here, has in recent years been having conversations with Collings Guitars about making the ultimate dreadnought. “One of my main goals was to come up with something that was less of a cannon and something more nuanced…

Adam Perlmutter
April 29, 2020