Classic Songs | Acoustic Guitar

singer-songwriter maurice tani seated holding an acoustic guitar

Learn an Easy Guitar Version of “House of the Rising Sun” Using Simple Chords

Here's an easy arrangement for guitar of "House of the Rising Sun" that's great as a campfire song—whether you're cooking dinner inside or outside.

lucinda williams black-and-white portrait by shelby lee adams

Watch Lucinda Williams’ Classic Performance of “Passionate Kisses”

To play the acoustic guitar rhythm part of Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses", capo at the fourth fret and use C shapes, which sound in the key of E major.

Learn to Play an Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do”

You wouldn’t normally think of the work of Irving Berlin as an acoustic guitar campfire song, but in this installment, Berlin’s “What’ll I Do” takes the spotlight.

“Salt Creek” Bluegrass Flatpicking Guitar Lesson

A common question advancing flatpickers have is how and when to play up the guitar neck. The old favorite "Salt Creek" gives a good example of how to do it.

“It Had to Be You”: A Guitar-Friendly Arrangement of a Great American Songbook Favorite

The title of “It Had to Be You” instantly calls its famous melody to mind. Written by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn in 1924, it has been covered countless times.

Acoustic Classic: A DADGAD Arrangement of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”

One of the pleasures of DADGAD and other open tunings is letting open strings add lush extensions to chords, as in this arrangement of "Wish You Were Here."

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

Here's an open-G arrangement of the traditional blues tune "Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home"

photograph of an asphalt road on a gray day in ireland

Learn to Play “Rocky Road to Dublin”

Learn slip-jig meter and master this difficult, but instantly recognizable and rousing, Irish song.

A Guitar Tribute to J.S. Bach on His 336th Birthday

Here is J.S. Bach’s transcendental prelude to Cello Suite No. 1 performed on acoustic guitar. Learn the history of this arrangement and find advice for learning to play it yourself.

danny carnahan smiling with his acoustic guitar resting across his lap

“Black Velvet Band” — Learn to Play this Popular Irish Waltz

This waltz-time tale is quite straightforward and easy to sing and play, as the chorus and the verses follow the same melody and chord changes.