https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:16:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/AG_Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://acousticguitar.com 32 32 103806923 https://acousticguitar.com/dont-let-your-deal-go-down-strum-through-this-bluegrass-and-folk-standard/ https://acousticguitar.com/dont-let-your-deal-go-down-strum-through-this-bluegrass-and-folk-standard/#respond Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146254 It’s a simple song with just four basic chords, but the most challenging aspect for some beginners may be the spirited tempo. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/dont-let-your-deal-go-down-strum-through-this-bluegrass-and-folk-standard/feed/ 0 146254 https://acousticguitar.com/hone-your-cross-picking-skills-with-the-classic-fiddle-tune-soldiers-joy/ https://acousticguitar.com/hone-your-cross-picking-skills-with-the-classic-fiddle-tune-soldiers-joy/#comments Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145204 "Soldier's Joy" is almost always played fast. In this lesson I present two versions that offer options for navigating this tricky melody.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/hone-your-cross-picking-skills-with-the-classic-fiddle-tune-soldiers-joy/feed/ 3 145204 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-power-of-motivic-development/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-power-of-motivic-development/#respond Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=144759 Dive deep into the melody and harmony to get maximum musical mileage out of a few compositional ideas.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-power-of-motivic-development/feed/ 0 144759 https://acousticguitar.com/i-know-you-rider-learn-the-grateful-dead-classic/ Sun, 07 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=144734 This arrangement takes some cues from the Dead, but uses dropped-D tuning for more low end punch and adds a bunch of flatpicking fun.]]> 144734 https://acousticguitar.com/jls-hymn-no-2-play-a-beautiful-new-solo-work-by-john-leventhal/ https://acousticguitar.com/jls-hymn-no-2-play-a-beautiful-new-solo-work-by-john-leventhal/#respond Sun, 26 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=143902 This lovely piece is played in a nonstandard tuning, with the sixth and fifth strings tuned down to C and G, and a capo at the second fret.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/jls-hymn-no-2-play-a-beautiful-new-solo-work-by-john-leventhal/feed/ 0 143902 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-modern-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-classic-cowboy-ballad-when-the-works-all-done-this-fall/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-modern-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-classic-cowboy-ballad-when-the-works-all-done-this-fall/#comments Wed, 15 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=143871 This interpretation honors the original melody of this 100-year-old tune while rendering it with a flatpicking approach that nods toward more contemporary figures.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-modern-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-classic-cowboy-ballad-when-the-works-all-done-this-fall/feed/ 1 143871 https://acousticguitar.com/practice-cross-picking-with-this-solo-by-early-bluegrass-master-bill-napier-on-will-the-circle-be-unbroken/ https://acousticguitar.com/practice-cross-picking-with-this-solo-by-early-bluegrass-master-bill-napier-on-will-the-circle-be-unbroken/#respond Sun, 11 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=143475 Modern guitarists often use cross-picking as a flashy showpiece, but the early flatpickers did it on slower selections to create charming and captivating solos.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/practice-cross-picking-with-this-solo-by-early-bluegrass-master-bill-napier-on-will-the-circle-be-unbroken/feed/ 0 143475 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jamie-stillways-take-on-red-haired-boy/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jamie-stillways-take-on-red-haired-boy/#respond Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:38:31 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=141839 The song is heard often at jams, concerts, and on albums, most recently on Jamie Stillway and Eric Skye’s duo guitar release ‘Over the Waterfall.’]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jamie-stillways-take-on-red-haired-boy/feed/ 0 141839 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-these-essential-americana-accompaniment-patterns-in-d-major/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=139302 Make your I-IV-V boom-chuck accompaniments in D sound more interesting by adding some variety to your bass lines.]]> 139302 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-boom-chuck-guitar-variations-in-g-the-most-common-bluegrass-key/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-boom-chuck-guitar-variations-in-g-the-most-common-bluegrass-key/#respond Sun, 07 May 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135662 Here we continue exploring boom-chuck, with an emphasis on moving bass lines]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-boom-chuck-guitar-variations-in-g-the-most-common-bluegrass-key/feed/ 0 135662 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-boomchuck/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-boomchuck/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134219 In this guitar lesson we will break down the classic boom-chuck pattern heard throughout American roots music and begin to use it on songs. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-boomchuck/feed/ 1 134219 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jon-stickley-blackberry-blossom/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jon-stickley-blackberry-blossom/#respond Wed, 23 Nov 2022 16:15:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=133382 Learn to play the Jon Stickley Trio's unique interpretation of the bluegrass tune “Blackberry Blossom” on guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-jon-stickley-blackberry-blossom/feed/ 0 133382 https://acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-fills/ https://acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-fills/#respond Fri, 21 Oct 2022 15:45:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=107671 In this guitar lesson, learn how to use bluegrass flatpicking to add riffs and fills on top of your playing to create the exciting sound of multiple instruments.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-fills/feed/ 0 107671 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-create-guitar-accompaniments-and-solos/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-create-guitar-accompaniments-and-solos/#respond Sun, 25 Sep 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=133529 Happy Traum demonstrates how to arrange accompaniment and guitar solos for old folk, blues, and gospel songs.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-create-guitar-accompaniments-and-solos/feed/ 0 133529 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-campfire-guitar-version-of-casey-jones/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-campfire-guitar-version-of-casey-jones/#respond Thu, 28 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132674 “Casey Jones” is one of the great traditional American folk songs. Here's how to play a basic campfire strumming version on guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-campfire-guitar-version-of-casey-jones/feed/ 0 132674 https://acousticguitar.com/little-satchel-learn-sarah-jarosz-and-john-leventhals-take-on-a-traditional-tune/ https://acousticguitar.com/little-satchel-learn-sarah-jarosz-and-john-leventhals-take-on-a-traditional-tune/#respond Thu, 21 Jul 2022 15:00:30 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119840 On “Little Satchel,” the most traditional number on Sarah Jarosz’s brilliant new album, World on the Ground (see link to review below), Jarosz sings and plays clawhammer banjo while her producer, John Leventhal, lends spare but effective guitar parts. Leventhal’s instrument—a late 1930s Gibson J-35 that he has owned for years—has a particularly robust and […]]]> https://acousticguitar.com/little-satchel-learn-sarah-jarosz-and-john-leventhals-take-on-a-traditional-tune/feed/ 0 119840 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-tony-rices-flatpicking-take-on-the-traditional-fiddle-tune-cattle-in-the-cane/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-tony-rices-flatpicking-take-on-the-traditional-fiddle-tune-cattle-in-the-cane/#respond Sun, 19 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=131981 This is not only a good introduction to fiddle tunes, but to flatpicking in general as it covers the hallmarks of the style.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-tony-rices-flatpicking-take-on-the-traditional-fiddle-tune-cattle-in-the-cane/feed/ 0 131981 https://acousticguitar.com/techniques-for-arranging-traditional-tunes-on-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/techniques-for-arranging-traditional-tunes-on-guitar/#respond Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132000 In this guitar lesson you'll learn a handful of techniques for making solo guitar arrangements of ballads and trail songs: active bass runs, cross-picking, and hybrid picking.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/techniques-for-arranging-traditional-tunes-on-guitar/feed/ 0 132000 https://acousticguitar.com/are-you-lonesome-tonight-easy-guitar-version/ https://acousticguitar.com/are-you-lonesome-tonight-easy-guitar-version/#respond Sun, 05 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=131974 "Are You Lonesome Tonight" was a big hit for Elvis. For this easy guitar arrangement in the key of G major, we’re going to concentrate on just the main body of the song.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/are-you-lonesome-tonight-easy-guitar-version/feed/ 0 131974 https://acousticguitar.com/crosspicking-101-a-private-bluegrass-lesson-with-molly-tuttle-video/ https://acousticguitar.com/crosspicking-101-a-private-bluegrass-lesson-with-molly-tuttle-video/#respond Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:52:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=101304 Crosspicking is an essential technique in the bluegrass guitar toolkit. Here's a bluegrass guitar crosspicking lesson from Molly Tuttle.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/crosspicking-101-a-private-bluegrass-lesson-with-molly-tuttle-video/feed/ 0 101304 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-western-swing-rhythm-essentials/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-western-swing-rhythm-essentials/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:00:05 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=110365 Learn the rhythm guitar techniques used in Western Swing music in this video lesson.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-western-swing-rhythm-essentials/feed/ 1 110365 https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-learn-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-travis-picking/ https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-learn-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-travis-picking/#respond Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:21:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=104110 Learn Travis picking, a style of fingerpicking characterized by a steady alternating bass that underscores rhythmic patterns and melodies on the treble strings.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-learn-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-travis-picking/feed/ 0 104110 https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-try-these-american-roots-licks-great-for-warming-up-or-composing/ https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-try-these-american-roots-licks-great-for-warming-up-or-composing/#respond Tue, 11 May 2021 19:46:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=122444 Grammy Award-winning roots musician Cathy Fink teaches licks drawn from folk, country, and bluegrass, perfect for warming up or songwriting on guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-try-these-american-roots-licks-great-for-warming-up-or-composing/feed/ 0 122444 https://acousticguitar.com/johnny-cash-and-willie-nelson-i-still-miss-someone/ https://acousticguitar.com/johnny-cash-and-willie-nelson-i-still-miss-someone/#respond Thu, 05 Nov 2020 13:00:38 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119333 Cash played the original version - which features just three chords - with a capo on the first fret. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/johnny-cash-and-willie-nelson-i-still-miss-someone/feed/ 0 119333 https://acousticguitar.com/senor-gillian-welch-and-david-rawlings-take-on-a-bob-dylan-classic/ https://acousticguitar.com/senor-gillian-welch-and-david-rawlings-take-on-a-bob-dylan-classic/#respond Sat, 19 Sep 2020 16:13:03 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=120037 While the guitar playing is superlative throughout all ten of the album’s tracks, the duo’s work on Bob Dylan’s “Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)” truly stands out. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/senor-gillian-welch-and-david-rawlings-take-on-a-bob-dylan-classic/feed/ 0 120037