This lesson was designed to teach you how to play a percussive fingerstyle blues that requires no accompaniment. I'll show you how to tap the strings on the off beats to create a rhythmic sound that accompanies your playing. I'll also show you where these notes come from so that you can start to create your own compositions and even improvise in this style of playing. … [Read more...]
Slow, Easy Delta Blues Composition Played Fingerstyle (Bri Lefty Blues) – EP177
This lesson is designed to show you how to play a relatively easy delta blues fingerstyle composition. I realize that the word "easy" is totally subjective and will mean different things for different players, but the truth is that fingerstyle playing is just awkward when you first try it. It's awkward for everyone though. This composition has a droning bass line which fall right on the beat, so you're not trying to deal with an alternating bass line like you would if you tried to play Chet … [Read more...]
Slow Blues Jam (Rhythm and Lead) – Blues Guitar Lesson – EP158
In this blues guitar lesson, you'll learn how to play both rhythm and lead over this slow, bluesy chord progression. Both rhythm and lead are played without a pick, so you'll be using only your fingers on your right hand. It's all played very slowly, making it fairly easy to play along. In addition to learning how to play this composition, you'll learn the context behind the notes to help improve your ability to improvise on the guitar. … [Read more...]
Delta Blues Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson – EP145
In this guitar lesson, you'll learn how to play a solo delta blues guitar composition that's played fingerstyle (meaning no picks with the right hand). This is not a difficult fingerstyle composition because the bass (thumb) stays on one string at a time, matching the chord that you're playing. This makes it much easier to master than alternating bass lines where the thumb goes back and forth between different strings. You'll hear some Robert Johnson influence in this one as well. … [Read more...]
Minor Key Blues (in F#) – Chords, Fill Licks, and Lead – EP142
In this blues guitar lesson, you'll start by learning how to play the chords fingerstyle (you can use a pick if you'd prefer). In the next video (Level 2), you'll learn how to integrate fill licks in-between the chords to spice things up a bit. In the final video (Level 3), you'll learn the lead part. All three levels use the same jam track, so you'll have a lot of material to practice with. Lots of takeaways in this one! … [Read more...]
Chet Atkins Fingerstyle Rhythm and Lead – EP117
This lesson is split into 2 very different parts. The rhythm guitar part is played using a Chet Atkins fingerstyle technique on acoustic guitar, whereas the lead guitar part is a bluesy lead played on electric guitar (so this is essentially 2 lessons in one). I don't use a thumbpick when playing fingerstyle, but if you have one and are comfortable with it, I recommend using one. Most fingerstyle players use a thumbpick because it really makes those bass notes pop. I've just never been … [Read more...]
Star Spangled Banner Guitar Lesson – EP108
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the Star Spangled Banner on the guitar? For some reason, I've had lots of requests for this one through the years (I'm assuming because of the famous Jimi Hendrix version). So feeling patriotic as the 4th of July weekend approaches here in the U.S., I thought I'd create my own simple composition of the National Anthem. This is played fingerstyle, but it's VERY easy, so don't be intimidated by it. This is something that I'd encourage all levels to try … [Read more...]
J.J. Cale Style Simple Blues Guitar Lesson – EP103
J.J. Cale was probably best known as being a great singer / songwriter, but his unique approach to playing lead and rhythm (without a pick) has influenced thousands of guitarists. His style was simple and elegant, and always seemed to perfectly compliment the music. This guitar lesson showcases some of J.J. Cale’s style of lead and is perfect for even beginner guitar players. As a bonus, I’ve included a breakdown (with tab and video) of the fingerstyle rhythm. … [Read more...]
Drop D Tuning – Original Fingerstyle Composition – EP085
In this week's guitar lesson, learn how to play an original fingerstyle composition in drop D tuning. I'll show you how to easily tune your guitar to Drop D and will discuss some of the advantages to this tuning. I'll also show you how you can take this simple rhythm and expand upon it, creating your own compositions. This lesson is great for anyone, beginner - advanced, it also works well on acoustic or electric guitar. … [Read more...]
Original Fingerstyle Blues Guitar Lesson in C – EP081
In this lesson, I'll show you how to play an original, blues composition that was composed in the style of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Mississippi John Hurt - which means fingerstyle (no pick). I'll break it down and show you how to play it note for note in this 30 minute lesson. This lesson is only available to premium members. … [Read more...]
