Country, Bluegrass, Americana

How to Boom-Chuck with Cathy Fink

The sound of the steel-string guitar is synonymous with the sound of rootsy styles like country, bluegrass, and Americana. Whether you’re looking to learn the basics of boom-chuck strumming, some hot flatpicking licks, or how to play Western swing, you’ll find it here.

“Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”—Strum Through This Bluegrass and Folk Standard

It’s a simple song with just four basic chords, but the most challenging aspect for some beginners may be the spirited tempo.

Maurice Tani
December 11, 2024

Men playing bluegrass music on guitars and fiddles in the 1970s-photo-Terry Eiler

Hone Your Cross-Picking Skills with the Classic Fiddle Tune “Soldier’s Joy”

"Soldier's Joy" is almost always played fast. In this lesson I present two versions that offer options for navigating this tricky melody.

Alan Barnosky
September 29, 2024

Learn the Power of Motivic Development Through This Modern Fiddle Tune

Dive deep into the melody and harmony to get maximum musical mileage out of a few compositional ideas.

Ethan Sherman
July 26, 2024

“I Know You Rider”—Learn a Dropped-D Acoustic Take on this Grateful Dead Classic

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.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
July 7, 2024

John-Leventhal-on-couch-with-acoustic-guitar-credit-Wes-Bender

“JL’s Hymn No. 2”—Play a Beautiful New Solo Work by John Leventhal

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.

Adam Perlmutter
May 26, 2024

Cameron Knowler playing an acoustic guitar

Learn a Modern Solo Guitar Arrangement of the Classic Cowboy Ballad “When the Work’s All Done This Fall”

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.

Cameron Knowler
May 15, 2024

Practice Cross-Picking with This Solo by Early Bluegrass Great Bill Napier on “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”

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.

Alan Barnosky
February 11, 2024

Learn Jamie Stillway’s Spacious Take on the Traditional Bluegrass Tune “Red Haired Boy”

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.’

Alan Barnosky
November 3, 2023

Cathy Fink, seated with guitar, teaches a guitar lesson on boom-chuck accompaniment patterns

Learn These Essential Americana Accompaniment Patterns in D Major

Make your I-IV-V boom-chuck accompaniments in D sound more interesting by adding some variety to your bass lines.

Cathy Fink
July 12, 2023

How to Play Boom-Chuck Guitar Variations in G, the Most Common Bluegrass Key

Here we continue exploring boom-chuck, with an emphasis on moving bass lines

Cathy Fink
May 7, 2023

closeup of a guitarist holding and playing an acoustic guitar

How to Play the Boom-Chuck Strumming Pattern on Guitar

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.

Cathy Fink
February 1, 2023

jon stickley blackberry blossom guitar lesson

Learn Jon Stickley’s Clever Guitar Reimagining of the Classic Fiddle Tune “Blackberry Blossom”

Learn to play the Jon Stickley Trio's unique interpretation of the bluegrass tune “Blackberry Blossom” on guitar.

Alan Barnosky
November 23, 2022

gnutarist Lester Flatt flatpicking with acoustic guitar

Guitar Lesson: Use Bluegrass Flatpicking to Add Excitement to Your Accompaniments

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.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
October 21, 2022

How to Create Compelling Accompaniments and Solos

Happy Traum demonstrates how to arrange accompaniment and guitar solos for old folk, blues, and gospel songs.

Happy Traum
September 25, 2022

casey jones acoustic guitar campfire songs

Learn a Campfire Guitar Version of the Classic Railroad Song “Casey Jones”

“Casey Jones” is one of the great traditional American folk songs. Here's how to play a basic campfire strumming version on guitar.

Maurice Tani
July 28, 2022

‘Little Satchel’— Learn Sarah Jarosz and John Leventhal’s Take on a Traditional Tune

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…

Adam Perlmutter
July 21, 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

cameron knowler playing guitar, photo by robb klassen

Techniques for Creating Solo Guitar Arrangements of Traditional Tunes

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.

Cameron Knowler
June 15, 2022

singer-songwriter Maurice Tani seated and holding an acoustic guitar

‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ Learn an Easy Guitar Version of this Classic Popularized by Elvis

"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.

Maurice Tani
June 5, 2022

Crosspicking 101: A Private Bluegrass Lesson with Molly Tuttle

Crosspicking is an essential technique in the bluegrass guitar toolkit. Here's a bluegrass guitar crosspicking lesson from Molly Tuttle.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
April 4, 2022

Whit Smith with guitar teaching a lesson on western swing rhythm technique

Guitar Lesson: Western Swing Rhythm Essentials

Learn the rhythm guitar techniques used in Western Swing music in this video lesson.

Whit Smith
March 22, 2022

Guitarist Merle Travis, dressed in western clothes, picks an acoustic guitar

Video Lesson: Learn the Basics of Travis Picking on Acoustic Guitar

Learn Travis picking, a style of fingerpicking characterized by a steady alternating bass that underscores rhythmic patterns and melodies on the treble strings.

Jamie Stillway
March 7, 2022

Weekly Workout: Try These American Roots Licks for Warming Up or Composing on Guitar

Grammy Award-winning roots musician Cathy Fink teaches licks drawn from folk, country, and bluegrass, perfect for warming up or songwriting on guitar.

Cathy Fink
May 11, 2021

Tips for Playing “I Still Miss Someone” by Johnny Cash

Cash played the original version - which features just three chords - with a capo on the first fret.

Andrew DuBrock
November 5, 2020

Señor: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’ Take on a Bob Dylan Classic

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.

Nick Millevoi
September 19, 2020