By now you know the strumming pattern, but in this lesson we added some fills in between chords. If you don't know the strumming pattern, check out Fast Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar Play almost two measures of the G chord, and then you'll walk into the C chord, or the 4 chord in the key of G. Then a half measure in the C chord, walk back to the G chord, and finish out the measure. When you go to the C chord, play your basic C chord, so you can alternate the bass notes. Pick the 5th string, and strum the other strings. Then move t...

Key of A: A D E 1 4 5 A is the 1 chord in the key of A, also known as the root, or tonic chord. In the next few lessons we will cover other chords in the key of A, and play them in a simple progression in the last one. This will also teach you one of the earliest methods of strumming. It's not hard to do, but it will take some getting used to. I'm also counting along in the video, this will help you learn timing. It also tells you when to pick, and when to strum. Each time I count a number you pick the string, when you hear the word "and" you strum the o...

In this lesson we added some fills in between the G, and D chord. If you still don't feel comfortable with the strum, go back to Fast Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar Play a measure and a half of the G chord, and then walk into the D chord, or the 5 chord in the key of G. Half measure in the D chord, and walk back to the G chord, and finish out the measure. I'm using all downstrokes with the pick, even when I pick the fills. This works great for fast bluegrass, and Luther Perkins used something similar to this playing for Johnny Cash...

This lesson is the two parts put together, but the part in D chord is played twice. This is called a tag in bluegrass, kind of like repeating the last line of a chorus in a song. Start out in the G chord for almost two measures, and walk into the 4 chord. Go back to the 1, and then to the 5 chord. Go back to the 1, and then back to the 5 chord again. Go back to the 1 chord, and finish out the measure. All of these fills can be used in other strumming patterns as well, and there are other ways to play them too. Get used to doing this, and I'll show you how to add...

This is boom chick strumming using the open D chord, and we're playing sixteenth notes. sixteenth notes are simply four notes per beat and are counted 1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&a. We are using both up, and downstrokes with the pick, and there is no ghost strum in this one. I'm counting along in the video, and you start on the count of one. Play the open 4th string with a downstroke on 1, then on "e" use an upstroke and try to get the bottom 3 or 4 strings. On "and" use a downstroke with the pick, from the 4th string down. On "a" use another upstroke. On the count of 2, play ...

Key of A: A D E 1 4 5 D is the 4 chord in the key of A, also known as the subdominant chord. In this lesson we will cover the boom chick strumming pattern for this chord. I hope you've been counting along, and are starting to get the hang of this now. Remember when we count a number we pick the string, when you hear the word "and" you strum the other strings. Again this is using only downstrokes with the pick, here is the pattern for the D chord. On 1 you pick the 4th (D) string, on "and" you move the pick across the bottom 3 strings. On 2 you pick the 5...

These lessons are called bluegrass solo, because we are making up a flat picking solo. The first lick is out of the G chord, and starts out like a banjo lick. You do three down strokes with the pick, on the 2nd and 1st strings. The next downstroke is followed by an upstroke, and then another downstroke. This is mostly done on the 2nd and 1st string, but don't worry if you happen to catch the 3rd one too. It is best to keep your fingers in place the way I did in the video, your pinky stays in the 3rd fret on the 1st string. The hammer ons on the 2nd string is a v...

I started doing this lick on Alan Jackson's "Don't rock the jukebox" to break the monotony of playing signature licks every night on the road. This lesson has 2 parts, and can be played as the guitar solo in the song. I'm using a flat pick, and the middle, and ring fingers to play the double stops. The hammer on double stops start with open strings, before you hammer on. I am also muting some of the strings I play with the pick, these are referred to as ghost notes in the video. I do suggest learning the lick, before you try to do this as it can be frustrating....

Key of A: A D E 1 4 5 E is the 5 chord in the key of A, also known as the dominant chord. When you get this one you'll know all of the primary chords in the key of A, and their boom chick strumming patterns. Keep counting along when you practice each chord, and the final lesson will be a piece of cake for you. Remember when we count a number we pick the string, when you hear the word "and" you strum the other strings. Again this is using only downstrokes with the pick, here is the pattern for the E chord. On 1 you pick the 6th (big E) string, on "and" yo...

This is probably a familiar strumming pattern, but you're probably not used to playing it this fast. It's been used by Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys, Jimmy Martin, and I could name many more. There are so many songs where this has been used, it would be impossible to list them all. I will say it was used in the more traditional bluegrass fiddle, and banjo tunes. "Orange Blossom Special" can really give you a workout, and "Foggy Mountain" and all the other bluegrass breakdowns use this strum. It has also been used in coun...

Key of D D G A 1 4 5 This is a 3 chord progression using the strumming pattern from the previous lesson. We will be using the 1, 4, and 5 chords out of the key of D. We are using open chords for this, not barre chords. We'll play 1 measure of the 1 chord, or the D chord. 1 measure of the 4 chord, or the G chord. Go back to the 1 chord, for 1 measure. Then to the 5 chord, or the A chord. I'm counting along in this, so try to play along. Remember we start on the count of 1, and the measures end on "e & a". When you start changing chords, remember to play the...

This is the last lesson in our bluegrass solo, and a lick I've always had fun with. Steve Thomas, and I we're sitting around picking when we came up with this. Steve used to play mandolin, and fiddle for New River Band on some of our shows. It was always fun when we had time to sit around and pick, he's played with many famous bluegrass and country artists since then. I picked the full solo at the start of the video, and then broke down this last lick. Remember you can use these together, or you can split these up and use them in other tunes in the key of G. You can p...

Key of A: A D E 1 4 5 Now the you know the boom chick strumming patterns for the primary chords in the key of A, also known as the 1, 4, and 5 chords in the Nashville number system. It's time to put them together now, and use them in a progression. We will play 1 measure in the A chord, 1 measure in the D chord, 1 measure in the E chord, and then 1 more measure in the A chord. Now you are on your way to becoming a rhythm guitar player, rhythm is one of the most important parts of music. Next time you're listening to the radio, listen closely and you will...

I used to try doing this bend with my index finger, when I first started pulling strings to bend them, instead of pushing them up. The 2nd string would always go off the fretboard, before it got up to pitch. This was the first thing I played around with, when I finally got to pick one. In these positions I am bending the 1st note of the scale up to the 2nd note of the scale. The first position is a basic C chord, and I'm picking each string with a downstroke, starting with the 5th string. After playing the 2nd string I pull the bender up a whole step, and then r...

Instead of open chords this time we're using a barre chord, and playing 16th notes. We are also using both up,and down strokes with the picking hand. Play the root note on the 6th string, on the count of 1. The motion of bringing your pick back up even counts as a note, and it's called a ghost note. Then on the word "and" you strum the strings with a down stroke. On "a" strum the strings with an up stroke, Try to get all the strings on the down stroke, and try to catch the first four strings when coming back up. Do the same on 2 and a, 3 and a, 4 and a. It wont be har...

This is the 3rd lick in our bluegrass solo, this will take us back to the G chord. I broke this down in to 3 parts, and there's more flat picking action on this one. The first part is hammering on, and using some open strings. Most of these notes are picked, and the first part ends with an open 3rd string. The second part starts with a hammer on, and then pick the notes on the 4th string. Slide on the 5th string, and play the note on the 6th string. The last part of this is the famous "G run" bluegrass lick, and we're picking all the notes on this. If you ...

This is a trick I use quite a bit for fills, sounds great on slow ballads. You can also use them in fast stuff too by playing them in a roll, or chicken picking. The first you may notice is like a D chord, and I am playing three strings on these. When you bend the 4th (D) string up, you want to block the 5th (A) string so you don't have a note you don't need. The next two you are pulling the 3rd (G) string down, and bending a whole step. For these two you want to block the 2nd (B) string. When you figure this out, and get it right experiment with it, and find other ways...

This is the second lick in our bluegrass solo, this one goes from the G to the C Chord. Then you add a Bb note to make it a C seventh chord. Watch the up and downstrokes on the pick, this one has a lot more going on than the first lick did. The first part of this is a mix of Doc, and Merle Watson, and some more Tony Rice. The other part is a Clarence White lick, that I played a little differently in this lesson. Flat picking bluegrass run # 3 I use these licks often when I'm flat picking bluegrass, and also variations ...

I'm often asked how to get started hybrid picking, this is the most basic exercise I could come up with. This is not a hot lick, it's just an exercise to help you get used to using your fingers with a pick. I am using an A chord for this one, and making a bar with my index finger in the 2nd fret. Play the open 5th string using the pick, and play the double stop with your fingers. You want your picking hand where you can pull up on the 3rd, and 4th strings with the middle and ring finger. I'm not using any muting techniques on this exercise, that will come ...

This is the first lesson in a tutorial called "String Bending". This first position works with a C chord, and you're bending the 2nd string up a whole step. Put your ring finger in the 3rd fret on the 2nd string, and your middle finger in the 2nd fret. Use your index finger to block the other strings, and you can also put your pinky in the 3rd fret on the 1st string. Bend the 2nd string in the 3rd fret, from the D note to sound like the E note in the 5th fret. The note in the 3rd fret on the 2nd string is a D note, which is the 2nd note in the C major scale. Her...

In this lesson we're using a C chord, or the 4 chord in the key of G. My Dad always called this a full C chord, because of the added G note in the 3rd fret on the 6th string. We're still playing a basic boom chick strumming pattern, but we're speeding it up some. Play the 5th string, and strum the bottom 4 strings. Then play the 6th string, and strum the bottom 4 strings. We are using all downstrokes with the pick, but again watch the video of the right hand closely. Feel free to post a message for me in the forum, if you have any questions, comments...

Choking chords is a useful technique to learn, and it can add a lot to your rhythm playing. The sound of the chord is stopped using the fretboard hand instead of the picking hand, the strings are muted by releasing the pressure on the fret board hand. I keep the chord in the same position, and basically just pick my fingers up. You can block the strings with other methods, but I think this way works best. It's not really hard to do, but like everything else it takes some time to get used to it. Here we are using an A barre chord, in the 5th position. We are playing qu...

One thing that I always liked about Bluegrass, was the way the songs were ended. The most common was to play a couple of measures in the 1 chord, add your G run, and you're done. I did add a G chord, which everyone would play if you're picking with a band. This is another lick in the style of Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Clarence White, Marty Stuart, and Vince Gill. The G run has been played by everybody, but Tony Rice was the first one I heard play the G chord this way. It's known as a full G chord, and uses an extra D note in the 3rd fret on the 2nd string. Try th...

This is a few tips on string bending, to make it a little easier for you to do. All great guitar players bend strings, and this useful technique has been heard on country recordings, and other genres as well. James Burton, Roy Nichols, Brent Mason, Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Vince Gill, and many of today's great players do a lot of string bending in their solos. All of these tricks will require some practice to get it right, and it may take some time to get used to bending the string without overbending, or underbending. You will have to learn where that sweet spot is...

In this lesson we're using a D chord, or the 5 chord in the key of G. We're still playing a basic boom chick strumming pattern, but we are speeding it up. Play the 4th string, and strum the bottom 3 strings. Then play the 5th string, and strum the bottom 4 strings. We are using all downstrokes with the pick, but watch the video of the right hand. In the next lesson I'll show you how to put these chords together with some fills. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to be added to my mailing list, feel free to post a message for me ...

This tutorial was inspired by a friend of mine in the Forum, he wanted to know about the rhythm techniques that great Bluegrass guitar pickers use when playing a really fast song. He also said he would like to know some fills, and short runs to add to his rhythm playing. Hey Eero, this is the next step, and there's still more to come.

This tutorial was inspired by a post in the forum by a user that recently got a B bender guitar. Learning to use the B bender with chords, can help you come up with other ways to use it in your playing.

This tutorial was inspired by a friend of mine in the Forum, he wanted to know about the rhythm techniques that great Bluegrass guitar pickers use when playing a really fast song. This is only one of them, but I'll cover the others soon. Hey Eero, this is the first of many, so stay tuned for more.

This tutorial was inspired by a post in my forum, from a subscriber that recently got a B bender tele.

This tutorial came about by me trying to think of some useful concepts, to teach some basic ideas for starting to solo. You can do this in many ways, and on other strings too. I will show you other ways to use this, but here we're only on the 1st, and 3rd string.

This tutorial was inspired by a young man that asked how to get started hybrid picking. I showed him a couple of chords, and explained the concept of root/5 to him. Then I decided to post a lesson like this, and got some messages saying how helpful it was. They asked me to do some more chords this way, so I put the other lessons together. I'm not using any muting techniques in these, we'll get into that after you get used to this part.

This tutorial was inspired by several post in the forum, by users that were interested in learning how to bend strings. This is by no means all that you'll want to learn, but it's a good start. This will show you bending positions that work with the major chords, from the 3rd to the 15th fret.

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to play examples that combine choking strumming technique using barre chords.

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to play 12 Bar Blues in Country Style using Open chords.

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to combine the boom-chick strumming technique with barre chords rooted on the E string.

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to understand and play a simple open chord progression using the Boom-Chick Strumming technique.

By the end of this tutorial you should be able to understand more about and play simple Boom-Chick Strumming technique in the key of D major.

This tutorial was inspired by messages from subscribers that wanted to know how I get ideas for solos and fills. These are the positions I use for both, and also when I'm playing rhythm. These positions can be used in many styles of music, so don't be afraid to experiment with them.

This tutorial was inspired by several users that wanted to know where my ideas for solos come from. What combinations work well together, and what techniques to use.

I got the idea for this tutorial from one of our subscribers that was asking about country rhythm techniques that I use. The first seven lessons will be using this method playing bar chords starting on the 5th (A) string, my dad used to call these "backbreakers". In the next seven we will use the major chords. Then the next seven will use a variation of the barre chords starting on the 6th string.

This tutorial was inspired by one of our users in the forum, who wanted to see some right hand strumming styles for classic rock and blues. These will be very basic lessons, but these useful riffs can be used in many styles of music.

This tutorial was inspired by some of our users asking for other strumming styles. These lessons show another simple strumming style, they are in the 3/4 time signature. This time signature is used in a waltz, which is a couples dance. The 3/4 time signature means there are 3 notes per measure, and the quarter note gets the beat. These lessons are the strum in the simplest form, there are other ways to use this after you get used to the pattern.

I learned to play using a flat pick, and after 17 years decided to teach myself hybrid picking. I got my first Tele in 1994, and quickly realized there was a different technique involved in making it sound like what I was hearing on the radio. In this tutorial is are the things I had to teach myself to do. It should make easier for those of you that are trying to make the switch to hybrid picking, or for those of you that want to learn these techniques from the start. The first four lessons in this tutorial are very similar to each other, almost the same riff, and pattern.

I recently got an email asking about how to bend strings, and when to bend strings. They made a reference to Roy Nichols and James Burton, and some of the bending combinations and positions they used.

This tutorial contains 8 lessons to show you how to bend strings country-style.

This tutorial consist of lessons showing you tricks, and techniques to emulate a bender unit using a guitar without one.

This tutorial was inspired by my Dad, and the licks he taught me when I was a kid.

In this tutorial, I will show you a basic rhythm pattern that we will play using many different chords.

This tutorial is a sequel to my first tutorial on double stops. You'll get even more licks to master the double stops.

This tutorial will show you many riffs in which both finger and a flat pick are used.

This would be a good ending for a solo in the key of G, or it would be a good intro if you're doing a turn around. There are a lot of classic country songs that have a 1, 5, 1 turn around for an intro. This can also be used in today's country, but probably not as an intro. The bends in this are prebent, this means the string is actually bent before you play it. After playing the string, then you release the bend. Even if you know how to bend strings, you still might find this challenging to do. Prebending takes some time to get, because you have to guess how far to be...

A really good friend was asking me the other day, how I put together solos. I can play scales, and sometimes go that route, but I tend to play out of chord positions more than anything else. This riff is easy to do after you get used to it, it starts in G chord and goes back to C chord. The G chord is actually in a D position in the 7th fret. These finger positions work in many places on the neck, and in different keys. You can experiment after you learn the sequence, backwards, and forward.

I use this lick quite a bit in some of the old country stuff I play, and I'm still finding new ways to do it. This is one variation of something I picked up from Roy Nichols, Merle Haggard's guitar player. I use my index finger to do the slide, and then on to the bends. For the first one you bend the string after you hit the note, the second one is prebent. This means you play the note, after you bend the string. The third one is bent after you play the note, and the fourth one is prebent. I use my fingers on this, as well as the pick, but you should find out what works bes...

This is a pretty cool set of riffs, this one has a little bit of everything in it. It starts with a slide in the 9th fret on the third (g) string, and goes into a bend in the 12th fret on the second (b) string, don't forget to pull off to the 10th fret on the second string, then there's a double stop bend and release on the second string in the 8th fret. You hit the first (e) string, and the second string as you bend it, then you hit the same strings again as you release the bend. Here's where you start the chicken pickin' with the muted notes at the 13th fret on the second...

This lick starts by prebending the 2nd (B) string, and the 3rd (G) string in the 7th fret up a half step (one fret) and releasing it. Then you pull off to the 5th fret on the 3rd string, I make a bar with my index finger in the 5th fret. Then I make a bar with my ring finger in the 7th fret, play the note on the 4th (D) string, and then play the double stop in the 7th fret. Go back to your bar in the 5th fret, and play your hammer on double stop. Play the note in the 7th fret on the 4th string, and then the 5th fret on the 3rd string. Play the note in the 7th fret on the 4t...

This is a good finger exercise, only one per fret now.

This is a pull off lick that goes through four chords, it sounds much more complicated than it actually is. You're just pulling off of the 3rd (G) string, but there is a lot of movement with the left hand. I would start out slowly, and learn the positions, because this is one that if you miss it everyone will know. Don't forget to laugh when that happens, and don't get frustrated.

You will need to tune your 6th (low E) string down to a low D note for this one. This lick starts by prebending on the 3rd (G) string in the 9th fret, you want to bend the string, and when you release the bend pull off to the 7th fret. You only hit one note, when you prebend the 3rd string, and go all the way to the pull off before you hit the next note on the 4th (D) string in the 9th fret. Now play the note in the 7th fret on the 3rd string, and slide back to the 5th fret on the 3rd string. Play the note on the 4th string in the 7th fret, and then the 3rd stri...

This is one of those licks that is really nice to play fast, but you will have to start out slowly. Get the notes right, and then work on building the speed. All of the notes in the 5th fret are played with the index finger, notes played in the 6th fret are played with the middle finger, notes played in the 7th fret are played with the ring finger, and the notes in the 8th fret are played with the pinky. This lick can be played with a flat pick, or you can hybrid pick it the way I do. One unusual thing about hybrid picking this one, is it starts with the middle finger o...

This is a cool double stop trick that I use quite often, but it's not always played this way. The first thing you do is tune the 6th (big E) string to a low D, it should be an octave lower than the 4th (D) string. All of the notes on the 6th string will be played with the pick, and the double stops will be played with the middle, and ring fingers on the right hand. This starts in the D chord, goes to G, and then back to D. Then it goes to the A chord, and back to D. You start by playing the 6th string open, and then the double stop with an open 5th (A) string, and...

This is a pretty cool lick that I use often, the faster you play it the better. I'm using the pick, and my middle finger on this one. It starts with a bend in the 5th fret on the 3rd string, bend the note up a whole step. Hold the bend, and play the note in the 6th fret on the 2nd string. Then release the bend, and pull off to the 3rd fret on the 3rd string. Play the note in the 5th fret on the 4th string, then hammer on from the 3rd to the 5th fret, and pull off back to the 3rd fret on the 3rd string. Play the note in the 5th fret on the 4th string, and then go...

I came up with this during a recording session, but then we went with something else for that song. Since we didn't use it, I wrote an instrumental with this riff. Don't worry about getting the speed right now, the speed will come after you get used to it. This riff is much easier than it sounds, most of the work is done with the ring finger on the left hand. I start with my index finger in the 3rd fret on the 4th (d) string, and my middle finger in the 4th fret on the 3rd (g) string. My fingers stay in this position almost through the entire riff, the ring finger is the...

Fill lick D to G This is a little fill lick that would fit in many places, works very well in a country shuffle. Use this one, or a variation of it whenever you are holding the V chord going back to the I chord. Notice in the video that my fingers are on the 2nd, and 4th string when I start. I play the 4th string and slide, and then play the 2nd string and slide back. Then change positions, but my fingers are still on both strings. Each time I play the 4th string I use the pick, and I play the 2nd string with my middle finger. Next you bend in the 5th fret on th...

I got an e-mail recently from a friend named Bill, and he was asking about an exercise to work on this technique. I play this lick with a bar in the 2nd fret, and use my ring finger, and pinky to play the notes in the 4th and 5th frets on the 5th (A) string. I'm playing all the notes on the 5th string with a pick, and the notes on the 4th (D) string I play with my middle finger. I also muted the open string a little bit, but I suggest you get used to the technique before you try this.

This is a cool lick, I've heard Brent Mason, and Albert Lee do stuff like this too. You're prebending strings again, even one behind the nut, and also using ghost notes. s=slide, g=ghost note, pb=prebend, b=bend, rb=release bend, pbbn=prebend behind nut, hb=hold bend

This is a nice lick for an ending, or you can start with it. I did it fast here, but it doesn't have to be played that fast to sound good. It starts with a sliding double stop, and then on the next double stop I make a bar with my first finger and cover the first, second, and third strings. After the hammer on I make the bar with my ring finger. The hammer ons are done with a bar using my index finger.

Nashville pickers have played triplets in solos for a long time now, they sound great when you're picking something fast. It's not just a country thing either, but the way I did it here fits today's country sound. You can start a solo with this, or finish one with it. It can be used as a fill lick, and will also make a great ending. All of the notes on the 6th string are played with the pick, and I use my middle finger to pull up on the 4th string. Technically you're not hammering on for this riff, because you're playing the string with the pick. I do hammer my ...

One thing that I always liked about Bluegrass, was the way the songs were ended. The most common was to play a couple of measures in the 1 chord, add your G run, and you're done. I did add a G chord, which everyone would play if you're picking with a band. This is another lick in the style of Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Clarence White, Marty Stuart, and Vince Gill. The G run has been played by everybody, but Tony Rice was the first one I heard play the G chord this way. It's known as a full G chord, and uses an extra D note in the 3rd fret on the 2nd string. Try th...

There are many bluegrass tunes that start with a turnaround, this is where the last line of the the chorus, or verse is played as the intro. This is done even more often playing bluegrass gospel standards, and they use the last half of the chorus. This is also common in country, rock, blues, and other styles as well. This one goes back to the 5 chord in the key of G, which is a D chord. In Nashville this is known as a 1, 1, 5, 1 turnaround, and I used it frequently playing classic country songs. This lick would be in the style of Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Clarenc...

This is kind of a chicken picking lick, but it can also be used in other ways. This kind of lick has been used in all kinds of music, but I played it in a country style here. This is a cool way to get back to the G chord, from the D chord. If you play it without the triplets, it's another well known way to do this. All of the triplets on the 3rd string are played with the pick, and I use my middle finger to pull up, for the notes on the first string. I am palm muting on this, actually using the side of my hand to mute the strings when they're played. You w...

This is a sweet sounding ending for a slow song, in the key of E. When you make the bar in the 2nd fret, you're covering the same notes as you would in a basic E chord. The hammer on, and the slide on the 4th string takes you to the G# note. This is the same as the 3rd string in the 1st fret, and the next two notes make another E chord position. After you play the E note in the 5th fret, on the 2nd string. Slide to the 7th, and then the 9th fret on the 2nd string. You only play the 2nd string once, and then slide to the last 2 notes. I'm playing all of this with...

I played a little more in the first part of the video, to show you how this lick can be used. This lesson is actually the third time through, the one with all of the sliding double stops. There are 6 double stop positions in all, and 5 of them are sliding double stops. Notes on the 5th string, and the ghost notes are played with the pick. I'm also using a technique called palm muting for these notes, but you should learn to play it before you try this. The double stops are played with the middle, and ring finger on my right hand. This is a cool way to start a solo in...

This lick gets it's name from the way it came about one night, when someone told me to play another solo in Merle Haggard's workin' man blues. This lick starts in the E chord, goes back to D, and finishes with some chicken pickin' in A. When you bend in the 7th fret on the G string, the next time you hit that string the note is prebent. See if you can pull it off.

This trick is a nice swing lick, good for starting or finishing a solo, or any where you want to put it. h=hammer on, p=pull off, s=slide

This lick works well in anything that has a swing feel, and also in other positions. s=slide, p=pull off, h=hammer on