These articles originally appeared in the March-April 2021 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.

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Maurice Tani performing Ragtime Cowboy Joe on guitar.

Campfire Songs: Learn to Play ‘Ragtime Cowboy Joe’

Back in 1912, when ragtime was still a part of the musical zeitgeist, the second best-selling song of the year was “Ragtime Cowboy Joe,” a bouncy Western tune recorded by Bob Roberts. Telling a whimsical tale of a cowboy who sings ragtime music to his herd, the song’s lyrics were…

Guitar Review: Yamaha’s FGX3 Is a Modern Folk Workhorse Inspired by 1960s Classics

The guitar has a soft, warm tone that works great for fingerpicked chord patterns and breezy strumming. When strumming chords with a pick, I found it definitely sounds best to approach the FGX3 with a more delicate touch—a thinner pick and a soft strum can go a long way—while heavy-handed strumming and picking tend to get harsh. Approached with a light to medium touch, chords sound rich while maintaining a clarity that allows individual notes to shine.

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a person sitting down playing acoustic guitar

Song Builder: How to Put Together a Repertoire—and Use it Wisely

Whether you’re a solo singer-songwriter or instrumentalist, or you play with a group, as you develop plans to play shows, you’ll need to carefully consider your repertoire. If you’ve performed in bars and restaurants, then you understand the value of having a few choice standards at your fingertips. Or if…

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