Acoustic Guitar | lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists

How to Play Major I to Minor vi Progressions (in the Keys of A and E) | Chord by Chord

Watch Mimi Fox Perform “Triste” on a 1965 DiGiorgio Serie Artistica Autor No. 3

online acoustic guitar lesson on left, woman making a guitar in woodshop on right

Making a Living with Guitars: Teaching and Lutherie

Enter to Win a PRS SE P20E Parlor Guitar

The PRS SE P20E is a parlor-sized acoustic with a big voice. The PRS P20E features all-mahogany construction, and has an organic, ... Read More...

Review: Córdoba Fusion 5 is a Crossover Acoustic-Electric Nylon-String That Won’t Break the Bank

Building A Backbeat & Groove I Calum Graham

Watch Mimi Fox Perform “Green Dolphin Street” and “Body and Soul” on a 1998 Gibson ES-175 Archtop

Video Lesson: 10 Ways to Use Effect Pedals with Your Acoustic (or Classical) Guitar

NEW GEAR

Review: Córdoba Fusion 5 is a Crossover Acoustic-Electric Nylon-String That Won’t Break the Bank

For those wanting to add some nylon-string flavors to their sound, crossover guitars make the leap from steel-string a little bit easier, and the new Córdoba Fusion 5 is a great option that’s affordable and fun to play.

Side view of Beyerdynamic TG I51 dynamic instrument microphone

Gear Review: Beyerdynamic TG I51 Dynamic Microphone Delivers Onstage or in the Studio

The Beyerdynamic TG I51 is well-built, affordable, and has a very wide frequency response. For the acoustic guitarist, it has something to offer both on the stage and in the studio.

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Guitar repairman Dan Erlewine holding an acoustic guitar

Makers & Shakers: After 50 Years at the Forefront of the Guitar Repair Industry, Dan Erlewine Is at the Top of His Game

Dan Erlewine's pioneering reference works and instructional content have made him a mentor to three generations of guitar maintenance and repair geeks.

Great Acoustics: 2020 Collings OM3 Alaskan

Sometimes when a guitar is built using unique materials, it comes with a backstory built deep into its woodgrain. Take the new Collings OM3 Alaskan seen here. It’s one of six guitars made for the shop’s premier dealers using a combination of unusually colored Sitka spruce, curly mahogany, and special appointments

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FROM THE LATEST ISSUE

Acoustic guitarist and songwriter Chris Pierce

Album Review: Chris Pierce Writes Incisive Protest Songs for Today

Wielding his guitar like a weapon, Chris Pierce sings truth to power on his eighth album, American Silence. Though he never loses his identity, Pierce’s voice becomes multitudes on this collection, attempting to speak out for those unheard in 21st century America.

Guitar Talk: Jimmy Buffett on His Evolving Collection of Golden-Era Instruments

Blues Lesson: Learn Jontavious Willis’ Take on “Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home”

Makers & Shakers: After 50 Years at the Forefront of the Guitar Repair Industry, Dan Erlewine Is at the Top of His Game

Cathy Fink holding acoustic guitar American Roots Licks for Warming Up or Composing

Weekly Workout: Try These American Roots Licks for Warming Up or Composing

Album Review: M. Ward’s ‘Think of Spring’ Is a Stripped-down Take on a Billie Holiday Classic

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MAKING A LIVING

Making a Living with Guitars: Teaching and Lutherie

Here are two ways to make a living with the acoustic guitar that don't involve making a hit song or being on the road most of the year.

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HERE'S HOW

A Guitarist’s Guide to Managing Aging and Overuse Injuries

From the July/August 2020 issue of Acoustic Guitar | By David McCartyPlaying guitar is a pain. At first, we su... Read More...

How Do Guitarists Practice?

Everything You Need to Know About Microphone Phantom Power

All About Mic Placement and Level Setting—Home Recording Part 2/3

AG312_Roots and Blues Guitar Explorations - Roots & Ladders.00_07_12_25.Still001

Gearing Up: A Guide to Old-School Blues Guitars and Their Modern Counterparts

Making a Living with Guitars: Teaching and Lutherie

GET STARTED ON GUITAR

Learn from the Best: Plan Your Summer Camp Getaway

From the February 2018 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY DAVID LUSTERMANSummertime, and the living is . . . way ... Read More...

A Week at Puget Sound Guitar Workshop Offers a Chance to Woodshed & Canoe with a Guy Named Dave

Want to Learn Guitar? It’s All in a Day’s Work, Says Marlene Hutchinson…

Syracuse’s Guitar League has Created an Impressive Model for Both Teaching and Learning

Video Lesson: Get Rhythm, Part 1: Beats, Meters, and More

Digital Conservatories: Online Learning Resources for Classical Guitarists

FEATURED LESSON

Video Lesson: Exploring Dropped-D Fingerpicking

From the November 2018 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY JEFFREY PEPPER RODGERSFingerpicking and dropped-D tuning fit together like hand and glove. For evidence, just consider the long list of fingerpicking classics played in dropped D, which includes Jorma Kaukonen’s “... Read More...

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CHORD BY CHORD

What is Chord by Chord? Introducing Acoustic Guitar’s How-To Video Series

Welcome to Acoustic Guitar’s Chord by Chord, a series of 62 brief lessons designed to build your fretboard familiarity, chord flu... Read More...

Learn 7 Ways to Play C Major | Chord by Chord

Learn 8 Ways to Play G Major | Chord by Chord

Learn to Play D Major Chords Up and Down the Neck | Chord by Chord

How to Play a C-G Progression | Chord by Chord

How to Play a G-D Progression | Chord by Chord

Video lessons week by week, Chord by Chord. Sign up free!

SESSIONS

Watch Mimi Fox Perform “Triste” on a 1965 DiGiorgio Serie Artistica Autor No. 3

The guitar heard on Brazilian bossa nova recordings is most often the DiGiorgio Serie Artistica model. Here, Mimi Fox plays Jobim's “Triste... Read More...

Watch Mimi Fox Perform “Green Dolphin Street” and “Body and Soul” on a 1998 Gibson ES-175 Archtop

What better way to showcase this 1998 Gibson ES-175 archtop—one of 27 guitars offered in the Acoustic Guitar Auction that begins May 13, 20... Read More...

FEATURED SONG

Learn to Play the Traditional Tune “Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down” [VIDEO]

Posted by Orville Johnson | Excerpted from Arranging Folk and Blues Songs“Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down” is an American spiritual that dates back to the Civil War era. Like many spirituals from that period, the lyrics revolve around the subject of freedom with metaphors drawn from bibl... Read More...