https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:13:52 +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/how-to-play-the-indigo-girls-folk-rock-anthem-closer-to-fine/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-the-indigo-girls-folk-rock-anthem-closer-to-fine/#respond Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=142672 With tight harmonies, sturdy twin guitar strumming, thoughtful lyrics, and a bit of vocal countermelody, the song has all the hallmarks of the duo's style.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-the-indigo-girls-folk-rock-anthem-closer-to-fine/feed/ 0 142672 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-in-the-pines/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-in-the-pines/#comments Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=142595 The arrangement of this song, also known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," is inspired by Nirvana’s version.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-in-the-pines/feed/ 1 142595 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-tracy-chapmans-groundbreaking-hit-fast-car/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-tracy-chapmans-groundbreaking-hit-fast-car/#respond Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=141863 Thirty five years after its release, this powerful narrative, with its distinctive guitar part, feels as vital as ever.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-tracy-chapmans-groundbreaking-hit-fast-car/feed/ 0 141863 https://acousticguitar.com/hot-guitar-tab-joe-robinsons-let-the-guitar-do-the-talkin/ https://acousticguitar.com/hot-guitar-tab-joe-robinsons-let-the-guitar-do-the-talkin/#respond Sat, 10 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=111158 It’s one thing to play blazingly fast Travis picking, and quite another to sing at the same time, as Joe Robinson does.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/hot-guitar-tab-joe-robinsons-let-the-guitar-do-the-talkin/feed/ 0 111158 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-handle-with-care-the-traveling-wilburys-impromptu-hit/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-handle-with-care-the-traveling-wilburys-impromptu-hit/#respond Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:21:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135628 George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan had so much fun recording this song that they ended up making a band together.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-handle-with-care-the-traveling-wilburys-impromptu-hit/feed/ 0 135628 https://acousticguitar.com/sunny-wars-no-reason-is-built-from-a-cool-and-distinctive-riff/ https://acousticguitar.com/sunny-wars-no-reason-is-built-from-a-cool-and-distinctive-riff/#respond Sun, 23 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135089 It has a non-Western vibe, but at the same time connects to the Travis picking tradition]]> https://acousticguitar.com/sunny-wars-no-reason-is-built-from-a-cool-and-distinctive-riff/feed/ 0 135089 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-willin-little-feats-trucking-anthem-in-open-g-tuning/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-willin-little-feats-trucking-anthem-in-open-g-tuning/#respond Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135094 This guitar lesson is based on Little Feat’s original recording of "Willin'," a duet with George on vocals and acoustic guitar and Ry Cooder on bottleneck electric guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-willin-little-feats-trucking-anthem-in-open-g-tuning/feed/ 0 135094 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-madison-cunninghams-life-according-to-raechel/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-madison-cunninghams-life-according-to-raechel/#respond Sun, 12 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134175 Learn to play the hushed, sparse, gorgeously melodic song that Madison Cunningham wrote in honor of her grandmother.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-madison-cunninghams-life-according-to-raechel/feed/ 0 134175 https://acousticguitar.com/strengthen-chord-progressions-and-bass-lines-with-slash-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/strengthen-chord-progressions-and-bass-lines-with-slash-chords/#respond Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134202 Slash chords are a small change to a chord voicing that can have a big impact on the sound of a progression, as we’ll explore in this guitar lesson. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/strengthen-chord-progressions-and-bass-lines-with-slash-chords/feed/ 0 134202 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-mamas-and-the-papas-california-dreamin-on-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-mamas-and-the-papas-california-dreamin-on-guitar/#respond Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:35:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134197 This classic song captures the ethos of the early hippie era and is played in the key of A minor, with a capo at the fourth fret causing the music to sound in C# minor.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-the-mamas-and-the-papas-california-dreamin-on-guitar/feed/ 0 134197 https://acousticguitar.com/whats-going-on-learn-an-unplugged-version-of-marvin-gayes-rb-masterpiece/ https://acousticguitar.com/whats-going-on-learn-an-unplugged-version-of-marvin-gayes-rb-masterpiece/#respond Sun, 27 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=133503 Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” has nary an acoustic guitar in its swirling arrangement, but the song, in the guitar-friendly key of E major, lends itself nicely to an acoustic treatment. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/whats-going-on-learn-an-unplugged-version-of-marvin-gayes-rb-masterpiece/feed/ 0 133503 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-neil-young-harvest-moon/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-neil-young-harvest-moon/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132733 With its graceful melody and romantic glow, the song is an acoustic repertoire staple—sung at countless weddings and song circles.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-neil-young-harvest-moon/feed/ 0 132733 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-james-taylors-sweet-baby-james/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-james-taylors-sweet-baby-james/#respond Sun, 29 May 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=131988 Here are some tips on how to play "Sweet Baby James,” the 1970 title track of James Taylor’s second album. Taylor himself has called it his best song.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-play-james-taylors-sweet-baby-james/feed/ 0 131988 https://acousticguitar.com/10-acoustic-rock-songs-you-should-know/ https://acousticguitar.com/10-acoustic-rock-songs-you-should-know/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128710 With so many classic acoustic rock songs out there, it's hard to know where to start. Here are 10 acoustic rock songs you should know.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/10-acoustic-rock-songs-you-should-know/feed/ 31 128710 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-build-your-rock-rhythm-guitar-rudiments/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-build-your-rock-rhythm-guitar-rudiments/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:32:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=100026 Developing your sense of time and rhythmic vocabulary won’t just make you a better rhythm player, it will make you a better lead player, and a better musician overall.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-build-your-rock-rhythm-guitar-rudiments/feed/ 0 100026 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-larkin-poe-shes-a-self-made-man/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-larkin-poe-shes-a-self-made-man/#respond Sun, 02 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127036 The title track of Larkin Poe’s 2020 album Self Made Man is a blues rock banger, with crunchy electric guitar by Rebecca Lovell & scorching slide by Megan Lovell.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-larkin-poe-shes-a-self-made-man/feed/ 0 127036 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-exploring-rock-legend-eddie-van-halens-acoustic-guitar-side/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-exploring-rock-legend-eddie-van-halens-acoustic-guitar-side/#respond Fri, 10 Dec 2021 16:40:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=121779 Eddie Van Halen also applied his virtuosity to the acoustic guitar. In this lesson we’ll look at acoustic selections spanning the Van Halen catalog.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-exploring-rock-legend-eddie-van-halens-acoustic-guitar-side/feed/ 0 121779 https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-classic-paul-mccartneys-unusual-accompaniment-techniques-on-the-beatles-blackbird/ https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-classic-paul-mccartneys-unusual-accompaniment-techniques-on-the-beatles-blackbird/#respond Fri, 24 Jul 2020 14:08:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=118822 McCartney’s unusual fingerpick-and-strum technique gives “Blackbird” its distinctive sound. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-classic-paul-mccartneys-unusual-accompaniment-techniques-on-the-beatles-blackbird/feed/ 0 118822 https://acousticguitar.com/add-fingerpicking-fills-to-melody-lines-2/ https://acousticguitar.com/add-fingerpicking-fills-to-melody-lines-2/#respond Sat, 09 Nov 2019 08:41:08 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112174 The goal of good fingerpicking accompaniment is to support the song you’re playing the best you can. Short fills between vocal lines, like the one in Example 9, can be a nice contrast to straight pattern picking.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/add-fingerpicking-fills-to-melody-lines-2/feed/ 0 112174 https://acousticguitar.com/if-i-had-a-rocket-launcher/ https://acousticguitar.com/if-i-had-a-rocket-launcher/#respond Fri, 19 Jul 2019 18:54:02 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=111827 Cockburn originally recorded the song in a rock-band setting, flush with electric guitars and synths, but when he stopped by our studio, he stripped the song down to just guitar and voice. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/if-i-had-a-rocket-launcher/feed/ 0 111827 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-sus-chord-embellishments/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-sus-chord-embellishments/#respond Sat, 11 May 2019 14:59:23 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=111045 Some of your favorite classic songs from artists like James Taylor and Bob Dylan rely heavily on suspended chords for embellishment.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-sus-chord-embellishments/feed/ 0 111045 https://acousticguitar.com/solo-guitar-arrangement-the-beatles-if-i-needed-someone/ https://acousticguitar.com/solo-guitar-arrangement-the-beatles-if-i-needed-someone/#respond Fri, 15 Mar 2019 17:42:34 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=110476 George Harrison's electric riffs work just as nicely on the acoustic and though this may be a challenging arrangement, it's worth practicing to achieve a properly rocking groove.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/solo-guitar-arrangement-the-beatles-if-i-needed-someone/feed/ 0 110476 https://acousticguitar.com/landslide-a-fleetwood-mac-classic-distilled-to-its-essence/ https://acousticguitar.com/landslide-a-fleetwood-mac-classic-distilled-to-its-essence/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2019 18:18:39 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=109661 “Landslide,” with its gently rolling arpeggios and moderate clip, has earned its status as one of the great ballads in the rock canon.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/landslide-a-fleetwood-mac-classic-distilled-to-its-essence/feed/ 1 109661 https://acousticguitar.com/woodshed-learn-a-jazz-meets-punk-version-of-when-johnny-comes-marching-home/ https://acousticguitar.com/woodshed-learn-a-jazz-meets-punk-version-of-when-johnny-comes-marching-home/#respond Fri, 14 Dec 2018 17:47:20 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=109140 This arrangement is in the guitar-friendly key of E minor and includes a steady eighth-note bass line that nods to the Clash version.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/woodshed-learn-a-jazz-meets-punk-version-of-when-johnny-comes-marching-home/feed/ 0 109140 https://acousticguitar.com/paul-simons-50-ways-to-leave-your-lover-offers-a-good-lesson-in-harmonic-imagination/ https://acousticguitar.com/paul-simons-50-ways-to-leave-your-lover-offers-a-good-lesson-in-harmonic-imagination/#respond Thu, 15 Nov 2018 21:35:33 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=108613 Paul Simon is among the most harmonically sophisticated of folk-pop songwriters, and this song is packed with lush chord voicings.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/paul-simons-50-ways-to-leave-your-lover-offers-a-good-lesson-in-harmonic-imagination/feed/ 0 108613