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The master teachers at Acoustic Guitar magazine have prepared a variety of great free guitar lessons for players of all musical interests and skill levels. You're sure to pick up a new technique or a new tune right here, right now. This is just a small sample of the hundreds of outstanding guitar lessons in our Lessons Section. For access to the entire library of guitar lessons and much more, sign up as an Acousticguitar.com member.

We also offer an extensive collection of instructional books (each with its own audio CD), and downloadable pdf/video guitar lessons, available at Stringletter.com .

Alternate Picking Learn to mix upstrokes and downstrokes for speedy and articulate melodic lines. With audio, tab, and music to “Over the Moor”.

Alternating-Bass Fingerpicking Learn to play versatile accompaniment by training your picking-hand thumb and fingers to work independently. With video and tab

Arpeggios and Melodies (Part 1 of 2) Learn the basics of arpeggios and melodies from Paul Kotapish. Features the simple Irish reel ''Walker Street.''

Arpeggios and Melodies (Part 2 of 2) Continue the Celtic flatpicking with arpeggios lesson, and learn the Irish jig ''Tripping up the Stairs.''

Arranging a Holiday Favorite Dylan Schorer walks you through his arrangement of ''Shchedryk'' (the piece that ''Carol of the Bells'' was based on).

Arranging Bach Dylan Schorer explains his approach to arranging classical pieces for alternate tunings, illustrated by his arrangement of Bach's Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1.

Barre Chords Acoustic Guitar magazine's founding editor unlocks the mystery of this essential and often difficult chord form, which uses one of your fingers to play several strings at once. Learn to play without pain and discover the upper reaches of the fingerboard.

Blues Forms Lesson Learn the common chord progressions that drive most blues guitar songs. With audio and tab.

Bossa Nova Basics Geoff Stewart explains how to capture the essence of bossa nova rhythms.

Building Fingerstyle Arrangements Instructor Andrew DuBrock explores the development of a simple melody into a complete fingerstyle arrangement using the traditional tune ''Greensleeves.''

Chord Fills Spice up basic chord progressions with great-sounding embellishments. This lesson includes a wealth of pro tips on suspensions, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and special licks courtesy of Acoustic Guitar magazine's former music editor Dylan Schorer.

Chord-Melody Arranging Ken Hatfield shows you how to arrange a melody for solo jazz guitar. In this lesson you will master an array of skills from drop-2 and drop-3 chords to harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic devices to play Ken's original song ''Sho' Nuff Liz.''.

Chords 101 Everything you wanted to know about chords and strums (but were afraid to ask)

Creating Chordal Riffs Learn how to play classic riffs by deconstructing chords and progressions. With video and tab.

Crow Jane Texas roots music wizard Steve James teaches his version of a classic country blues.

Dropped-D Tuning Join the multitude of professional guitarists exploring the world of alternate tunings. Instructor Happy Traum will introduce you to this simple and beatiful new tuning, with an arrangement of ''Worried Blues.''

Easy Fingerpicking David Hamburger teaches a common fingerpicking pattern and how to use it to play ''House of the Rising Sun.''

Easy Fingerpicking on a Coldplay Song Unlock the flowing rhythm of Coldplay's ''Clocks'' with one simple pattern.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Learn to play Michael Fix's steel-string guitar arrangement of this Mozart classic. With video and tab.

Expanding Your Chord Vocabulary Gary Talley explores the world of chords from a songwriter's perspective.

Exploring D A D G A D Mark Hanson will help you get familiar with the popular D A D G A D tuning.

Finger Freedom Fingerstyle ace Teja Gerken shows how to break out of the same old fingering patterns.

Fingerstyle Basics Learn the basics of fingerstyle guitar from Chris Proctor, with his own arrangement of the traditional folk song ''Aura Lee.''

First Chords Learn seven easy chords that will give you the basic tools you need to play thousands of popular songs.

Flatpicking Fiddle Tunes (Part 1 of 2) Take a free on-line lesson with flatpick wizard Scott Nygaard. Learn to play ''Soldier's Joy.''

Flatpicking Fiddle Tunes (Part 2 of 2) Continue the flatpicking lesson with Scott Nygaard. Learn to play two versions of ''Sandy River Belle.''

Folk Song Accompaniment In this lesson, instructor Happy Traum takes a simple song, ''Down in the Valley,'' and adds embellishments to create a nice arrangement.

Frailing in Alternate Tunings Learn how to use this wonderfully rhythmic clawhammer-banjo style on the guitar. Fingerstyle magus Steve Baughman goes step-by-step to demonstrate this right-hand technique and shows you how to play a cool tune in an alternate tuning.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen A holiday classic arranged for flatpicked guitar by Acoustic Guitar senior editor Scott Nygaard. With audio and tab.

Great Classical Exercises (Part 1 of 2) Gary Joyner teaches some great classical guitar exercises to build your finger strength and dexterity. These lessons, based on classical-guitar exercises, are perfect for both nylon- and steel-string fingerpicking styles.

Great Classical Exercises (Part 2 of 2) More great classical guitar exercises for both nylon- and steel-string fingerpicking styles. Learn to play the lovely ''Slow Waltz'' by Matteo Carcassi.

Guitar Rag Rags have been a treasured element of fingerstyle repetoire since the mid 20's. Dale Miller shows you how to get started playing these flashy, humorous and fun songs.

Hammer-ons, Slides, and Pull-offs Learn these tricks of the trade that will help you slur notes together to make your melodies flow. Instructor David Hamburger teaches you how to play these trusty embellishments.

Harmonics The pure, flute-like tone that you get when you pluck a guitar string while lightly touching—but not fretting—the 12th fret is called a harmonic. Learn all about harmonics up and down the fingerboard from Sharon Isbin.

Jazz Chord Basics Learn the essentials of closed-position chords and how to move them around the fingerboard. Dix Bruce gets you swinging and comfortable playing a jazz blues in G and Bb.

Lap-Slide With assistance from Dylan Schorer, innovative guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps shows his unique approach to lap-style slide guitar, with examples drawn from his debut recording, Lead Me On.

Lead On! Fire up a rockabilly-style lead over a classic Merle Haggard song.

Learn to Play Sus Chords Learn how to add texture and movement to songs by applying simple embellishments to chords you already know. With video and tab.

Luring the Muse Patty Larkin shares her thoughts on the art of songwriting, with a look into her own creative process.

Minor-Key Fingerstyle Chris Proctor explains the ins and outs of playing in a minor-key alternate tuning, using his original piece, ''Swept Away.''

Minstrel Melodies Let master guitarist Scott Nygaard introduce you to this memorable style from the American folk tradition, with an arrangement of ''Golden Slippers.''

Modal Harmony Scott Nygaard shows you how to build chords from a mode or scale to create different sounds. Learn 88 modal chords and a song.

Old Joe Clark Play Joe Miller's fingerstyle guitar arrangement of the traditional fiddle tune 'Old Joe Clark.' With video.

Open-String Chords Learn how classic artists use movable chord shapes to maximize the use of open strings in song accompaniment. With video and tab.

Percussive Rhythm Techniques Use scratch rhythms, fret-hand tapping, and percussive slapping to add energy to your guitar playing. With video and tab.

Play Leads with Major Scales Western music’s most popular scale provides a foundation for all your lead lines and solos. With video and tab.

Play the Blues David Hamburger teaches right-hand positioning, a fingerpicking pattern, and a complete song to play.

Power Chords Learn how to play power chords! Adam Levy shows you the basics behind these bare-bones chords, and why they rock the world.

Silent Night The easy-to-play arrangement of this Christmas classic is just the thing to get you into the holiday spirit. Peter Penhallow teaches ''Silent Night'' using easy chords and a simple strum pattern.

Simple Syncopated Grooves Syncopation is one of the guitar players' most valuable tools. Take this step-by-step tutorial, developed by Andrew DuBrock, and turn any simple progression into an ear-catching riff.

Single-Note Riffs and Backup Learn how to to create unique melodies and accompany your songs with single-note patterns and riffs. With video and tab.

Single-string slide melodies David Hamburger explores the fundamentals of single-string melody playing on acoustic slide guitar in open D tuning.

Slack-Key Guitar: Wahine Tunings Slack-key master Keola Beamer introduces two major-seventh ('wahine') tunings, and shows how to play two complete songs.

Slack-Key in Open G Patrick Landeza will get you started playing slack-key guitar in Open G tuning. He finishes the lesson with a complete song, ''Kahuku Slack-Key.''

Slash Chords Add bass notes to common chord shapes to improve your chord progressions, and capture the classic sounds of Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, and the Eagles. With video and tab.

Slide: Working in the Thumb David Hamburger explains how to play bass notes with your thumb underneath slide melodies in open D tuning

Starting to Fingerpick David Hamburger gets you fingerpicking with a basic pattern and a complete song.

Strum and Bass Note Patterns (Part 1 of 2). The strum-and-bass rhythm technique is fundamental to many acoustic styles including bluegrass, folk, country, and rock. Larry Sandberg will teach you the basics with this full audio and tab lesson.

Strum and Bass Note Patterns (Part 2 of 2) Learn more about the strum-and-bass rhythm technique in Part Two of this great lesson. Larry Sandberg will teach you how to embellish your strums with hammer-ons and walking bass lines.

Swing Soloing (Part 1 of 3) Instructor David Hamburger teaches the fundamentals of swing soloing with a 12-bar blues in swing style.

Swing Soloing (Part 2 of 3) Learn more about building a swing solo, adding mixolydian scales and dominant seventh and minor sixth arpeggios.

Swing Soloing (Part 3 of 3) Adding sequences and passing tones, you'll build a complete swing solo.

What Chord Names Mean (Part 1 of 2). David Hamburger demistifies confusing chord names, turning them into a tool so you can know exactly what you're playing. In this lesson he'll cover major, minor, augmented and dimished triads and seventh chords.

What Chord Names Mean (Part 2 of 2) Starting where Part One left off, Hamburger walks you through sixth chords, five chords, suspended chords, extended chords, and chords with altered extensions.

Music Notation Key Learn how to read music with this useful guide. It covers the basics of guitar tablature and standard notation as used in our lessons.

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Got a question for Acoustic Guitar's editors? Please send us an email at editors.ag@StringLetter.com or snail-mail Acoustic Guitar Editorial, PO Box 767, San Anselmo, CA 94979. We regularly print reader letters in our Mail column and reader questions and tips in Q&A.

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