https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:18:18 +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/flatpicking-guitar-lesson-combining-melody-and-chords-for-a-unified-sound/ https://acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-guitar-lesson-combining-melody-and-chords-for-a-unified-sound/#respond Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146260 Walk through three approaches for flatpicking melody and chords together using the classic spiritual “I’ll Fly Away.”]]> https://acousticguitar.com/flatpicking-guitar-lesson-combining-melody-and-chords-for-a-unified-sound/feed/ 0 146260 https://acousticguitar.com/discover-the-creative-power-of-transposing-on-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/discover-the-creative-power-of-transposing-on-guitar/#comments Fri, 03 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146325 Learning to play songs in different keys by actually transposing and understanding the resulting chords and melodies can transform your guitar playing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/discover-the-creative-power-of-transposing-on-guitar/feed/ 1 146325 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-buck-currans-slow-stately-dadgad-arrangement-of-black-is-the-colour-of-my-true-loves-hair/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-buck-currans-slow-stately-dadgad-arrangement-of-black-is-the-colour-of-my-true-loves-hair/#respond Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146245 The song is a lament, performed in the style of an Irish slow air, so take it slowly, making every note count to convey the song’s brooding mood.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-buck-currans-slow-stately-dadgad-arrangement-of-black-is-the-colour-of-my-true-loves-hair/feed/ 0 146245 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-flatpick-the-hanukkah-classic-maoz-tzur-rock-of-ages/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-flatpick-the-hanukkah-classic-maoz-tzur-rock-of-ages/#respond Thu, 26 Dec 2024 17:57:29 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146759 This accessible arrangement, inspired by Maybelle Carter’s style on classics like “Wildwood Flower,” is perfect for the holiday season.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-flatpick-the-hanukkah-classic-maoz-tzur-rock-of-ages/feed/ 0 146759 https://acousticguitar.com/go-beyond-alternating-thumb-picking-with-melodic-bass-runs/ https://acousticguitar.com/go-beyond-alternating-thumb-picking-with-melodic-bass-runs/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146289 Melodic bass lines are a great skill to add after you’ve mastered the alternating thumb style. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/go-beyond-alternating-thumb-picking-with-melodic-bass-runs/feed/ 0 146289 https://acousticguitar.com/explore-open-d-tuning-with-mary-flowers-colorful-arrangement-of-dinks-song/ https://acousticguitar.com/explore-open-d-tuning-with-mary-flowers-colorful-arrangement-of-dinks-song/#respond Wed, 18 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146307 With its simple, movable chord shapes—many requiring just two fingers—open-D tuning adds a shimmering quality to this traditional song.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/explore-open-d-tuning-with-mary-flowers-colorful-arrangement-of-dinks-song/feed/ 0 146307 https://acousticguitar.com/updated-acoustic-guitar-song-lists-1990-to-2024/ https://acousticguitar.com/updated-acoustic-guitar-song-lists-1990-to-2024/#comments Sat, 14 Dec 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=110052 We've published the music to more than 1,500 songs in Acoustic Guitar magazine since 1990. Now you can easily locate the issue in which a song appeared.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/updated-acoustic-guitar-song-lists-1990-to-2024/feed/ 14 110052 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/learn-to-play-steve-baughmans-christmas-medley-patreon-song-of-the-month/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-steve-baughmans-christmas-medley-patreon-song-of-the-month/#respond Fri, 06 Dec 2024 20:54:46 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146665 This fingerstyle Christmas medley includes “Angels from the Realms of Glory” and not one but two versions of “Away in a Manger.” ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-steve-baughmans-christmas-medley-patreon-song-of-the-month/feed/ 0 146665 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-basics-how-to-connect-chords-with-bass-runs/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-basics-how-to-connect-chords-with-bass-runs/#respond Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146316 We’ll start off with a series of examples that use a bass run to connect two chords, and then we’ll try out bass runs in a few classic progressions.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-basics-how-to-connect-chords-with-bass-runs/feed/ 0 146316 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-beatles-ballad-and-i-love-her-as-interpreted-by-pat-metheny/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-beatles-ballad-and-i-love-her-as-interpreted-by-pat-metheny/#comments Sun, 24 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145773 Metheny manages to capture the wistful vibe of this Beatles classic while casting it in a bossa nova–inspired setting and updating it with his intricate sense of harmony and phrasing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-beatles-ballad-and-i-love-her-as-interpreted-by-pat-metheny/feed/ 1 145773 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-challenging-arrangement-of-spotted-pony-by-the-late-great-guitarist-dudley-hill/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-challenging-arrangement-of-spotted-pony-by-the-late-great-guitarist-dudley-hill/#comments Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145759 Hill’s rendition of this traditional Missouri fiddle tune sounds straightforward but is deceptively tricky.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-challenging-arrangement-of-spotted-pony-by-the-late-great-guitarist-dudley-hill/feed/ 1 145759 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-happy-traums-bluesy-take-on-the-traditional-song-he-was-a-friend-of-mine/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-happy-traums-bluesy-take-on-the-traditional-song-he-was-a-friend-of-mine/#respond Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145766 This tune from Traum's last album exemplifies the late guitarist's signature steady bass groove and complex picking.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-happy-traums-bluesy-take-on-the-traditional-song-he-was-a-friend-of-mine/feed/ 0 145766 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-gwenifer-raymonds-haunting-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-sacred-harp-hymn-idumea/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-gwenifer-raymonds-haunting-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-sacred-harp-hymn-idumea/#respond Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145750 My instrumental arrangement of “Idumea” was originally conceived for clawhammer banjo, but here I’ve translated it to guitar with an alternating bass pattern.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-gwenifer-raymonds-haunting-solo-guitar-arrangement-of-the-sacred-harp-hymn-idumea/feed/ 0 145750 https://acousticguitar.com/live-workshop-holiday-songs-for-fingerstyle-guitar-with-sean-mcgowan/ https://acousticguitar.com/live-workshop-holiday-songs-for-fingerstyle-guitar-with-sean-mcgowan/#comments Fri, 01 Nov 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=146122 In this live workshop, ‘Holiday Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar’ author Sean McGowan explores an arrangement from the book and gives an inside look into his arranging process.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/live-workshop-holiday-songs-for-fingerstyle-guitar-with-sean-mcgowan/feed/ 1 146122 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-comp-like-jazz-legend-freddie-green/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-comp-like-jazz-legend-freddie-green/#respond Sun, 20 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145776 Green’s rhythm style—quarter-note strums in 4/4 time (aka “four to the floor”)—seems simple enough. But it’s rarely mastered.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-comp-like-jazz-legend-freddie-green/feed/ 0 145776 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-easily-communicate-chord-progressions-with-the-nashville-number-system/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-easily-communicate-chord-progressions-with-the-nashville-number-system/#comments Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145791 It makes sense that a shortcut system to convey chord progressions efficiently would emerge from Music City.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-easily-communicate-chord-progressions-with-the-nashville-number-system/feed/ 7 145791 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-cole-porters-lets-do-it-lets-fall-in-love/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-cole-porters-lets-do-it-lets-fall-in-love/#respond Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145755 Compared to some of the songs we’ve covered in this series, this is a fairly adventurous arrangement using quite a few chords. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-cole-porters-lets-do-it-lets-fall-in-love/feed/ 0 145755 https://acousticguitar.com/add-a-blues-flavor-to-your-rhythm-with-simple-chord-embellishments/ https://acousticguitar.com/add-a-blues-flavor-to-your-rhythm-with-simple-chord-embellishments/#respond Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145783 In this lesson we’ll work with some "blue" notes that you can use to add bluesy colors to open chord shapes. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/add-a-blues-flavor-to-your-rhythm-with-simple-chord-embellishments/feed/ 0 145783 https://acousticguitar.com/play-kacey-musgraves-dreamy-ballad-too-good-to-be-true/ https://acousticguitar.com/play-kacey-musgraves-dreamy-ballad-too-good-to-be-true/#respond Fri, 04 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145209 This intimate song is built on layers of acoustic guitar, with fingerstyle parts that are so closely entwined it’s often hard to pick out the individual instruments.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/play-kacey-musgraves-dreamy-ballad-too-good-to-be-true/feed/ 0 145209 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-to-play-the-doobie-brothers-roots-rock-anthem-black-water/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-doobie-brothers-roots-rock-anthem-black-water/#comments Sun, 22 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145212 This mellow 1974 tune features an acoustic solo that requires a bit of dexterity and finesse to play convincingly.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-doobie-brothers-roots-rock-anthem-black-water/feed/ 2 145212 https://acousticguitar.com/finding-seventh-chord-shapes-all-over-the-fretboard/ https://acousticguitar.com/finding-seventh-chord-shapes-all-over-the-fretboard/#respond Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145278 In this lesson, you’ll see that you can use familiar three-note chords, or triads, to find smooth and easy ways to play different types of seventh chords.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/finding-seventh-chord-shapes-all-over-the-fretboard/feed/ 0 145278 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-jazzy-reharmonized-arrangement-of-sweet-georgia-brown/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-jazzy-reharmonized-arrangement-of-sweet-georgia-brown/#comments Fri, 13 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145191 This beloved tune became a popular standard, performed by guitarists like Django Reinhardt, Doc Watson, and Bucky Pizzarelli, among many others.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-a-jazzy-reharmonized-arrangement-of-sweet-georgia-brown/feed/ 2 145191 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-bob-dylans-it-aint-me-babe-patreon-song-of-the-month/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-bob-dylans-it-aint-me-babe-patreon-song-of-the-month/#comments Sun, 08 Sep 2024 12:21:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=145795 Learn to play “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” first released on the 1964 album ‘Another Side of Bob Dylan,’ a defining piece of Dylan’s catalog.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-bob-dylans-it-aint-me-babe-patreon-song-of-the-month/feed/ 2 145795