Fingerstyle Guitar Lessons
Let our master teachers guide you through simple folk melodies and holiday favorites to complex classical compositions and much more. Many more lessons can be found by going to the main Lessons page.

A Holiday Favorite Rick Ruskin walks you through his fingerstyle arrangment of the holiday classic, 'We Three Kings.'

A Left-Hand Workout Developing left-hand technique for classical guitar.

Arranging A Holiday Favorite Dylan Schorer walks you through his arrangement of 'Shchedryk' (the piece '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.

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

Bye Bye Baby Blues Steve James shows how to play this country blues classic.

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.'

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

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

Fingerpicking and Slide Covers basics of using various slides and slide tunings with a fingerpicking approach

Fingerstyle for Flatpickers An introductory fingerpicking lesson using blues progressions and walking bass lines.

Fingerstyle Guitar Method Whether you're a first-time fingerstylist who's studying with a teacher or on your own, The Acoustic Guitar Fingerstyle Method by David Hamburger gives you the detailed, comprehensive instruction you need to improve your skills. This book introduces you to the two most essential fingerstyle approaches for playing American roots music: Travis picking and the steady-bass style. In each lesson, you'll learn new techniques, concepts, and chord voicings along with ways to practice and get them under your fingers. Then you can use what you just learned to play a classic song or solo break from the blues, ragtime, folk, country, and ragtime traditions.

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.

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.

Hot Lick Breaks A lesson in firing up you fingerstyle leads.

Marching Through Georgia Music by Henry Clay Work, arranged by Eric Lugosch. Get into step with a fingerstyle arrangement of the folk classic 'Marching Through Georgia.

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

Modern Fingerstyle Bass Lines With a little syncopation, phrasing, and a few percussive techniques, you can turn boring bass lines into fingerstyle funk fests.

Octaves in D A D G A D Various ways to incorporate playing octaves in D A D G A D tuning.

Percussive Fingerstyle Add driving backbeats to your arrangements with these percussive slapping and strumming techniques.

Postscript Mark Hanson explains how to play his fingerstyle ballad.

Right-Hand Fretting Expanding your palette of chord voicings with right-hand fretting.

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 finished the lesson with a complete song, 'Kahuku Slack-Key.'

The Kansas City Lowdown Music by David Hamburger. Learn to play an open-C blues inspired by pianists like Jelly Roll Morton.

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