https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:13:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/AG_Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://acousticguitar.com 32 32 103806923 https://acousticguitar.com/borrowing-fiddle-techniques-for-flatpicking-guitar-on-the-traditional-tune-little-liza-jane/ Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135615 This version of “Little Liza Jane” comes from the eastern Kentucky fiddler J.P. Fraley (1923–2011), who played it in the key of A major.]]> 135615 https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:10:32 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119141 Improve your acoustic guitar tone with these tips and techniques for fretting-hand, flatpicking, and fingerstyle playing for both your right and left hands.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/feed/ 1 119141 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar-2/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar-2/#respond Sat, 18 Jan 2020 09:26:30 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112222 This flatpickers' favorite is ubiquitous at old-time, Celtic, and bluegrass jams.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar-2/feed/ 0 112222 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-texas-fiddle-favorite-beaumont-rag/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-texas-fiddle-favorite-beaumont-rag/#respond Sat, 03 Aug 2019 08:06:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=2921 Learn this campground jam favorite, recorded by artists like Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Doc Watson, and Clarence White.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-texas-fiddle-favorite-beaumont-rag/feed/ 0 2921 https://acousticguitar.com/man-of-constant-sorrow-learn-a-great-song-from-the-american-folk-canon/ https://acousticguitar.com/man-of-constant-sorrow-learn-a-great-song-from-the-american-folk-canon/#respond Mon, 21 May 2018 23:19:28 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=106701 All steel-string guitarists should have at least one fiddle tune in their repertoire, so if you happen to be lacking one, then this is a good place to start.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/man-of-constant-sorrow-learn-a-great-song-from-the-american-folk-canon/feed/ 0 106701 https://acousticguitar.com/using-slurs-in-fiddle-tunes/ https://acousticguitar.com/using-slurs-in-fiddle-tunes/#respond Sun, 19 Nov 2017 19:00:49 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98292 Learn to maintain the right pick direction when playing hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/using-slurs-in-fiddle-tunes/feed/ 0 98292 https://acousticguitar.com/flatpick-the-fiddle-tune-forked-deer/ https://acousticguitar.com/flatpick-the-fiddle-tune-forked-deer/#respond Sun, 15 Oct 2017 18:00:12 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98274 Dan Crary describes it as “one of the great, majestic fiddle tunes.” The first eight measures of Scott Nygaard's arrangement are transcribed here.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/flatpick-the-fiddle-tune-forked-deer/feed/ 0 98274 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar/#respond Sat, 26 Aug 2017 18:05:41 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98257 Fiddlers play this tune in the key of D, and it can be played effectively on the guitar in D without a capo or capoed up to the second fret and played out of C position.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-fiddle-tune-st-annes-reel-on-guitar/feed/ 0 98257 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-open-strings-when-playing-in-flat-keys/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-open-strings-when-playing-in-flat-keys/#respond Sat, 29 Jul 2017 18:00:39 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98249 Because one of the things that makes something “easy” on the guitar is the presence of open strings, let’s see how many standard-tuning open-string notes can be found in flat keys.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-open-strings-when-playing-in-flat-keys/feed/ 0 98249 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-how-to-navigate-the-modulations-in-circle-of-fifths-progressions/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-how-to-navigate-the-modulations-in-circle-of-fifths-progressions/#respond Sun, 30 Apr 2017 19:03:03 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98197 Learn a few ways to understand the circle of fifths and how to play progressions with changing tonalities.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-how-to-navigate-the-modulations-in-circle-of-fifths-progressions/feed/ 0 98197 https://acousticguitar.com/get-your-fretting-hand-fingers-moving-in-new-ways/ https://acousticguitar.com/get-your-fretting-hand-fingers-moving-in-new-ways/#respond Sun, 15 Jan 2017 19:00:39 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98160 Create short melodic patterns and repeat them on successive steps of the major scale.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/get-your-fretting-hand-fingers-moving-in-new-ways/feed/ 0 98160 https://acousticguitar.com/learn-these-5-easy-pieces-from-the-song-train/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-these-5-easy-pieces-from-the-song-train/#respond Mon, 14 Mar 2016 18:54:39 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=31634 Harvey Reid says, “the best way to learn to play music is by playing songs, and there is no better place to start than some good songs that are easy to play.”]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-these-5-easy-pieces-from-the-song-train/feed/ 0 31634 https://acousticguitar.com/up-the-neck-octave-exercises/ https://acousticguitar.com/up-the-neck-octave-exercises/#respond Sat, 27 Jul 2013 05:33:59 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=1622 Learn to connect the fingerboard positions you know so you can move up and down the neck more smoothly.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/up-the-neck-octave-exercises/feed/ 0 1622 https://acousticguitar.com/build-your-chops-with-a-harmonized-major-scale-pentatonic-workout/ https://acousticguitar.com/build-your-chops-with-a-harmonized-major-scale-pentatonic-workout/#respond Thu, 23 May 2013 04:44:40 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=2899 You'll start with a familiar-sounding major-pentatonic phrase and then move it up each step of the G major scale.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/build-your-chops-with-a-harmonized-major-scale-pentatonic-workout/feed/ 0 2899 https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-chord-scales/ https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-chord-scales/#respond Sat, 11 May 2013 05:13:15 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=2929 As you practice your scales, it’s good to remind yourself of the function of the individual notes of those scales. Here we start with open-position scales taken from the chord progression for "Autumn Leaves."]]> https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-chord-scales/feed/ 0 2929 https://acousticguitar.com/create-new-melodic-lines-by-looking-at-the-five-note-scale-in-a-different-way/ https://acousticguitar.com/create-new-melodic-lines-by-looking-at-the-five-note-scale-in-a-different-way/#respond Sat, 11 May 2013 04:56:35 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=2913 Create four-note patterns by removing the second step of a minor pentatonic scale.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/create-new-melodic-lines-by-looking-at-the-five-note-scale-in-a-different-way/feed/ 0 2913 https://acousticguitar.com/prs-se-angelus-standard-review/ https://acousticguitar.com/prs-se-angelus-standard-review/#respond Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:46:43 +0000 http://acousticguitar.stringlettermusic.com/?p=884 If the sound and playability of our review guitar is any indication, it’s definitely time to stop referring to PRS as an electric guitar maker.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/prs-se-angelus-standard-review/feed/ 0 884 https://acousticguitar.com/martin-drs1-review/ https://acousticguitar.com/martin-drs1-review/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:14:43 +0000 http://acousticguitar.stringlettermusic.com/?p=886 Luckily for those unable to afford a D-28, Martin recently unveiled the DRS1—a guitar with many similarities to the American-made D-15, but built in Martin’s Mexican facility.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/martin-drs1-review/feed/ 1 886 https://acousticguitar.com/bluegrass-bass-runs/ https://acousticguitar.com/bluegrass-bass-runs/#respond Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:32:51 +0000 http://acousticguitar.stringlettermusic.com/?p=918 Posted by Scott Nygaard After you’ve settled into the basic bluegrass and country boom-chuck rhythm pattern, you’re bound to start looking for something else to do with your fingers to help embellish different parts of a song. One easy way to do this is to add bass runs between chords. Example 3 shows one of […]]]> https://acousticguitar.com/bluegrass-bass-runs/feed/ 0 918 https://acousticguitar.com/fiddle-tunes-and-folk-songs-acoustic-guitar-plus/ https://acousticguitar.com/fiddle-tunes-and-folk-songs-acoustic-guitar-plus/#respond Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:04:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128513 Learn to flatpick the melodies to ten traditional fiddle tunes and songs, with simple melodic variations and performance tips.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/fiddle-tunes-and-folk-songs-acoustic-guitar-plus/feed/ 0 128513