Category Archives: Free Tabs & Video

Arpeggios 101: Mandolin

Arpeggios are broken chords, in other words, the notes used to form a chord, played individually. Understanding how arpeggios are built and fluently being able to play many arpeggio variations will help your playing on all levels – improv, melody creation/analysis, building harmony lines, back-up…

In this Mandolin Arpeggios 101 mini-course, we’ll cover:

  • Common intervals used in arpeggios;
  • Open position major & minor arpeggios;
  • Movable major & minor arpeggios;
  • 4 note extensions – movable major 7, minor 7 & dominant 7 arpeggios;
  • Learn an example solo, using only arpeggio notes from each chord change;
  • Plus, strategies for developing the use of arpeggios in your own playing.
Go to lesson...

The Swallowtail Jig: Melodic Banjo

Video Lesson

Learn how to play this melodic style arrangement of The Swallowtail Jig on the 5 string banjo in this video lesson. Arranged for the 5 string, in this version, there are two breaks. The first is down the neck, the second ventures way up the neck! Standard open G tuning (gDGBD). Go to lesson...

Trip To Sligo: Mandolin Lesson

Trip To Sligo has a beautiful, yet haunting melody and in this lesson we’ll take a look at an arrangement on the mandolin in the key of Em. In 6/8 time (Jig), there are some challenging right-hand picking combinations, plus some great arpeggio & scale movement, making this lesson suitable for an intermediate picker. Go to lesson...

Worried Man Blues: Beginner Guitar

Check out the free updated lesson for Worried Man Blues here Flatpicking Guitar: Beginner’s Crash Course!

The crash course is for the complete beginner wanting to learn to flatpick. Focusing on Bluegrass and other folk styles, the course will get you pickin’ some of your favourite melodies and learn how to accompany others by learning the common chords played on the guitar. Go to lesson...