Tag Archives: Bluegrass

Jingle Bells: Mandolin Lesson

Jingle Bells on the mandolin! Featuring both the verse and chorus melodies, this arrangement is in the key of G and embellishes the melody in a Bluegrass style, up and down the neck. Featuring double stops, crosspicking, some bluesy passages and some great chord changes this version is suitable for the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...

Jingle Bells: Banjo Lesson

Jingle Bells on the banjo! Featuring both the verse and chorus melodies, this arrangement is in the key of G (standard tuning) and uses both the Scruggs style and melodic techniques, suited to the intermediate picker. It’s a great Christmas Carol and one well worth having under your fingers during the holiday season!

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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 Melodic Banjo Lesson

Whiskey Before Breakfast is a wonderful traditional fiddle tune in the key of D and very popular amongst bluegrass pickers. This melodic banjo arrangement of the tune is in standard open G tuning and beginner friendly, capturing the essence of the tune, while keeping the phrases on the easier side, making it quite accessible for the beginner picker.

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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...

Whiskey Before Breakfast: Beginner Mandolin Lesson

Whiskey Before Breakfast is a wonderful traditional fiddle tune in the key of D 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. 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...

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 11 – Beginner Mandolin Crash Course (Banks of the Ohio, Crosspicking & Slides)

In lesson 11 of the Beginner Mandolin Crash Course, we’ll dive in to two new techniques: the crosspicking technique and slides! As part of the lesson we’ll learn an arrangement of Banks of the Ohio in the key of G that features both of these techniques, plus some cool beginner friendly bluegrass licks to wrap up the break!  Go to lesson...

Banks of the Ohio: Beginner Banjo Lesson

Banks of the Ohio is a fantastic traditional song and this arrangement on the 5-string banjo is in the key of G (standard tuning). This banjo arrangement is a great advancing beginner exercise that features some Scruggs licks, a little melodic technique, and some great rolling ideas over the chords. In the lesson we’ll break down how to approach the break and work through the techniques you’ll need to focus on. 

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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...