Category Archives: Guitar

Sligo Maid: Guitar Lesson

The Sligo Maid is a fantastic traditional Irish reel in the key of Am (Dorian). Featuring some challenging techniques throughout the tune, paired with a faster tempo, this arrangement is well suited to the advanced picker. It’s a great trad reel and an excellent technique workout! In the lesson we’ll break down how to approach the tune and work through the techniques you’ll need to focus on.  Go to lesson...

Jingle Bells: Guitar Lesson

Jingle Bells on the guitar! Featuring both the verse and chorus melodies, this arrangement is in the key of G and embellishes the melody in a Bluegrass style. Featuring some great Bluegrass licks, crosspicking, bluesy passages and some fun chord changes this version is suitable for the intermediate picker. It’s a great Christmas Carol and one well worth having under your fingers during the holiday season! Go to lesson...

Angels We Have Heard On High: Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson

Angels We Have Heard On High is a traditional carol set to the hymn Gloria. In this fingerstyle guitar arrangement we’ll look at two variations in the key of G. The basic version is very accessible and is well suited to the advanced beginner fingerstyle picker. The second variation introduces further harmony, is more technically demanding, but well suited to the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...

Miss McLeod’s Reel: Guitar Lesson

Miss McLeod’s Reel is a great traditional Scottish reel in the key of G. This guitar arrangement of the tune sits within one octave of the G major scale and is a great intermediate tune, played at a moderately fast tempo. While getting the tune up to tempo might be suited to the intermediate picker, the phrases and position of the melody are very accessible for the advanced beginner picker. Go to lesson...

Soldier’s Joy: Beginner Guitar Lesson (D)

Soldier’s Joy is a wonderful traditional fiddle tune in the key of D and very popular amongst bluegrass pickers. This arrangement of the tune is a beginner friendly version, played in the D position (no capo), capturing the essence of the tune while keeping the phrases on the easier side, making it quite accessible for the beginner picker and a great way to approach the tune without the capo. Go to lesson...

Whiskey Before Breakfast: Beginner Guitar Lesson

Whiskey Before Breakfast is a wonderful traditional fiddle tune in the key of D (capo 2) and very popular amongst bluegrass pickers. This arrangement of the tune is beginner friendly, capturing the essence of the tune, while keeping the phrases on the easier side, making it quite accessible for the beginner picker. Go to lesson...

Mountain Dew: Guitar Lesson

Mountain Dew is a fantastic traditional Appalachian folk song, popular in bluegrass circles. This arrangement on the guitar has 2 variations, with a bunch of great lick ideas, recorded in the key of A (capo 2), but can be transposed easily. The first variation is inspired by The Stanley Brothers recording and the second break launches up the neck with a lot more bluegrass flair! Go to lesson...

Lesson 16: Banks Of The Ohio (Crosspicking) – Flatpicking Crash Course

In lesson 16 of the Flatpicker’s Crash Course, we’ll dive in to the crosspicking technique! As part of the lesson we’ll learn an arrangement of Banks of the Ohio in the key of G that features the crosspicking technique and some cool beginner friendly bluegrass licks! Breaking down the technique during the lesson, we’ll also cover 4 great exercises that cover the forward and backward style crosspicking patterns.  Go to lesson...

Irish Washerwoman: Guitar Lesson

The Irish Washerwoman is a fantastic traditional Irish jig in the key of G. Played at quite a lively tempo, there are some demanding techniques within the tune including the right-hand picking structure to help emphasise the pulse, plus the melody has quite a bit of movement up the neck. This in combination certainly lends the tune to the advancing intermediate picker. Go to lesson...