This instrumental song project uses a single fingerpicking pattern, and some chord variations There are no other fancy moves, which makes this a great piece for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate student. Mastering a Song Project is a great way to solidify your skills and build your repertoire.

This tutorial is the graduation ceremony for Acoustic Fingerpicking, Levels 1-8. Learning to play this tune will draw on skills you have learned in the previous levels, and give you a nice instrumental tune for your repertoire.

Once we know how to play some chords and chord progressions we tend to run out of ideas to make the chords sound interesting or to even create new riffs. By the end of the tutorial you will be able take some of the chords you know and turn them into interesting riffs.

Welcome to Acoustic Fingerpicking, Intermediate Level. In this set of lessons, we'll build on the skills learned in Acoustic FIngerpicking for Beginners, Levels 1 through 6. We'll take patterns and pattern variations learned in the Beginner section, and begin combining them within a single song. This will allow you to create song arrangements that are more interesting, varied, and dynamic. ...

This tutorial presents a fingerpicking pattern in 6/8 time. It also offers a playalong exercise to develop your speed and fluidity. The tutorial finishes with a song project, the traditional folk song, "Do You Love an Apple?".

This tutorial picks up from where we left off at Level 4, and introduces a new time signature. Using similar fingerpicking skills to those you have been developing, we'll branch out into 3/4 time with a playalong exercise and a song project.

This tutorial builds on the fingerpicking skills and concepts presented in Levels 1, 2, and 3. In Level 4, you’ll learn another versatile and popular variation of the Four Step Pattern. You'll also learn what "Travis Picking" is all about. This new pattern variation can be heard in acoustic folk, blues, country, rock, and pop music everywhere. Fans of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Indigo Gir...

This tutorial presents an acoustic fingerstyle versions of this classic Christmas carol. This version features chords and a picking pattern to accompany the singing part, and a melody riff to serve as an intro, and a spacer between verses.

This tutorial builds on the fingerpicking skills and concepts presented in Levels 1 and 2. In Level 3, you’ll learn an extremely versatile and popular variation of the Four Step Pattern, one which expands the pattern to a full measure. This pattern can be heard in acoustic folk, blues, country, rock, and pop music everywhere. Fans of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Indigo Girls, Gillian Welsh, and ...

This tutorial presents two acoustic fingerstyle versions of this classic Christmas carol. One version can be used to accompany singing the song. The other version is an instrumental melody solo. You may prefer one version over the other, or you may wish to learn both. They go together perfectly.

This tutorial presents two acoustic fingerstyle versions of this classic Christmas carol. One version can be used to accompany singing the song. The other version is an instrumental melody solo. You may prefer one version over the other, or you may wish to learn both. They go together perfectly.

Covering topics ranging from moving chord shapes to hammer ons to right hand strumming techniques, each lesson will help showcase a different aspect of Johnson's voice in the instrument.  It is hoped that students, whether a fan of Jack Johnson or not, will take away something from this tutorial to see how the acoustic guitar used primarily as a song-writing tool can serve to better any player's ...

This tutorial presents two acoustic fingerstyle versions of this classic Christmas carol. One version can be used to accompany singing the song. The other version is an instrumental melody solo. You may prefer one version over the other, or you may wish to learn both. They go together perfectly.

This tutorial presents two acoustic fingerstyle versions of this classic Christmas carol. One version can be used to accompany singing the song. The other version is an instrumental melody solo. You may prefer one version over the other, or you may wish to learn both. They go together perfectly.

The span of John Mayer's career from his aggressive-acoustic beginnings to his modern finger style approach showcases a player whose diversity has earned him the respect of guitar greats and the general public alike.  Focusing on his acoustic guitar style, this tutorial provides 10 examples, all of which showcase a different element of John's unique approach to the instrument.  By the end of the...

Acoustic fingerpicking is not as difficult as you might think. A simple 4-step pattern is all you need to play zillions of songs and chord progressions, in a variety of musical genres. By a simple variation in the rhythm, it becomes even more versatile. This tutorial is designed to build on the basic fingerstyle skills you learned in Acoustic Fingerpicking for Beginners, Level 1. Whether you ar...

Open strings provide new ways to approach licks.

Acoustic fingerpicking is not as difficult as you might think. A simple 4-step pattern is all you need to play zillions of songs and chord progressions, in a variety of musical genres. This tutorial is designed to teach all the basic skills you need to begin to play acoustic fingerstyle guitar. Whether you are a beginning guitarist just starting out, or an more experienced player looking to ge...

"New Age" playing is used to describe acoustic guitar playing in its solo form that demonstrates a mixture of technical prowess and song-writing. Soloists such as Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, and others demonstrate exceptional playing on the instrument, all the while writing meaningful songs and great melodies. Artists such as Kaki King and the late Michael Hedges have taken such ideas a step furt...

Open strings ring more than fretted notes. That is why chords with open strings sound like they have more life than chords containing only fretted notes and barres. It is also often much easier to add extensions like 11ths and 9ths to chords by playing those notes as open strings rather than having to fret all of those notes. Here are a few of my absolute favorite chords that I put together ...

This tutorial teaches the traditional American Gospel song, Angel Band. Lessons walk you through each aspect of how to play the song, from the strum, to the unusual tuning and capo setting, to an instrumental solo. The final lesson in this series gives you an opportunity to play the song along with a full string band!

This tutorial is a continuation in the Acoustic Strumming Series. The song John Barleycorn offers a chance to play two strumming patterns, an ornamentation, and a short solo. Practicing and perfecting these skills within the context of a specific song is a great way to become a better guitar player. Plus, you'll have a song to play for your friends!

This tutorial picks up where Acoustic Strumming VI left off, and introduces a full-measure strumming pattern. Once you master the basic pattern, there are many variations to try. Practice songs are taught throughout, to provide specific contexts in which to use the new strumming rhythms.

This tutorial is the “term paper” portion of having worked your way through Acoustic Strumming I, II, and III. Now that you have some basic skills under your belt, it is time to put them to work with a more challenging project. Studying a specific song and learning to play it as well as you can is a great way to really advance your overall skill level. This tutorial will have you playing a fas...

This tutorial is the third in a series on Acoustic Strumming. This tutorial uses the same basic skills and concepts presented in the first two segments, and applies them to songs in 3/4 time. Two technique lessons, and three practice songs are included.