Download music notation and TAB for more than 1,475 great songs from the first 30 years of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
Learn Dida Pelled’s Playful, Jazzy Take on “Hesitation Blues”
“Waiting has been a theme in my life. This version of ‘Hesitation Blues’ is my way of making that space feel flirtatious, playful, and full of possibilities.”
Patreon Song of the Month: “The Roving Gambler”
Built on just three cowboy chords—the I, IV, and V in the key of E—this traditional tune is easy to learn and fun to play.
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Patreon Song of the Month: “Bury Me Beneath the Weeping Willow”
This arrangement is based loosely on the version recorded by Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice (1980), and it works as a study in traditional flatpicking accompaniment.
Song of the Month: “Honolulu March”
“Honolulu March,” recorded by guitarists Pale K. Lua and David K. Kaili around 1914–15, reflects the early steel-guitar style that captivated mainland audiences during the first Hawaiian-music craze. Lua was one of the early lap-steel players to record commercially and tour the mainland with Hawaiian troupes at a time when the instrument’s sliding, vocal-like…
Learn to Strum and Sing Fats Wallers’ Classic “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
Penned in collaboration with composer Harry Brooks and lyricist Andy Razaf, the song made its debut in 1929 and was an instant sensation.
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Learn a Contemporary Fingerstyle Arrangement of “Cielito Lindo,” a Mexican Cultural Treasure
Janet Noguera reimagines the iconic Mexican tune “Cielito Lindo” with modern textures, lush harmonics, and unexpected chord movement.
Learn to Play Dave Van Ronk’s Freewheeling Take on “The Entertainer” | AG Patreon Song of the Month
Much like Van Ronk himself wasn’t concerned with strict adherence to societal norms, the version doesn’t follow the original chords exactly.
Learn a Slack-Key-Tinged Fingerstyle Arrangement of “Lady Athenry,” a Traditional Irish Jig
Although this is a dyed-in-the-wool old Irish melody, you’ll notice a bit of a slack-key influence; at times the arrangement sounds more Hawaiian than Celtic.
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How to Play Simon and Garfunkel’s Bossa Nova–Inspired Ballad “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright”
The guitar part is challenging yet satisfying to learn, full of unusual changes and rich voicings.
Play Jimmie Rodgers’ Bluesy Hit “Waiting for a Train”
“Waiting for a Train” first became a hit in 1929. Here, we’re keeping it simple and playing in C—an easy key for open-position cowboy chords.
Learn “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” a Traditional Spiritual That’s Perfect for Playing with Others
“Michael” uses a four-chord progression, arranged here in D (D, F#m, G, A7).
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How to Play Lisa Loeb’s Enduring Pop-Folk Hit “Stay (I Missed You)”
First released in 1994 with the movie ‘Reality Bites,’ “Stay” is in the long lineage of breakup songs, but in many respects is far from a conventional pop song.
“Little Joe the Wrangler”—Learn Dom Flemons’ Fresh Take on a Classic Cowboy Ballad
The transcription here is based on the version Flemons recorded for his 2018 album ‘Black Cowboys,’ which highlights the African American experience in country music.
Learn to Play Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’ Powerful New Folk Rocker “Empty Trainload of Sky”
As with all of the duo’s songs, the basic ingredients of “Empty Trainload of Sky” are dead simple, with just two sections and four chords.
Learn Buck Curran’s Slow, Stately DADGAD Arrangement of “Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair”
The song is a lament, performed in the style of an Irish slow air, so take it slowly, making every note count to convey the song’s brooding mood.
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Learn to Flatpick the Hanukkah Classic “Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)”
This accessible arrangement, inspired by Maybelle Carter’s style on classics like “Wildwood Flower,” is perfect for the holiday season.
Explore Open-D Tuning with Mary Flower’s Colorful Arrangement of “Dink’s Song”
With its simple, movable chord shapes—many requiring just two fingers—open-D tuning adds a shimmering quality to this traditional song.
Updated Acoustic Guitar Song List, 1990 through 2024
We've published the music to more than 1,500 songs in Acoustic Guitar magazine since 1990. Now you can easily locate the issue in which a song appeared.
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Learn to Play Steve Baughman’s Christmas Medley | Patreon Song of the Month
This fingerstyle Christmas medley includes “Angels from the Realms of Glory” and not one but two versions of “Away in a Manger.”
Learn to Play the Beatles Ballad “And I Love Her” as Interpreted by Pat Metheny
Metheny manages to capture the wistful vibe of this Beatles classic while casting it in a bossa nova–inspired setting and updating it with his intricate sense of harmony and phrasing.
Tackle a Challenging Arrangement of “Spotted Pony” by the Late, Great Guitarist Dudley Hill
Hill’s rendition of this traditional Missouri fiddle tune sounds straightforward but is deceptively tricky.
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Learn Gwenifer Raymond’s Haunting Solo Guitar Arrangement of the Sacred Harp Hymn “Idumea”
My instrumental arrangement of “Idumea” was originally conceived for clawhammer banjo, but here I’ve translated it to guitar with an alternating bass pattern.
Live Workshop Replay: Holiday Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar with Sean McGowan
In this live workshop, ‘Holiday Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar’ author Sean McGowan explores an arrangement from the book and gives an inside look into his arranging process.
Learn Cole Porter’s Slightly Silly Show Tune “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love”
Compared to some of the songs we’ve covered in this series, this is a fairly adventurous arrangement using quite a few chords.
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Play Kacey Musgraves’ Dreamy Ballad “Too Good to Be True”
This intimate song is built on layers of acoustic guitar, with fingerstyle parts that are so closely entwined it’s often hard to pick out the individual instruments.
