Lesson ID: A0226
Full lesson video COMING SOON! — download chord charts below.
Devin
Country Blues Travis Picking – 12 Bar Fingerstyle Workout
Lesson ID: A0224
This 12-bar fingerstyle guitar workout is a great way to develop your acoustic picking skills in the country and blues tradition. It’s a fun and challenging Travis Picking riff with that classic country blues feel—perfect for players who love the sounds of artists like Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, or Mississippi John Hurt.
The riff features an alternating bass line played with your thumb (I’m using a thumb pick, which helps get that punchy, percussive tone), while your index and middle fingers pluck melody notes in between. It’s a loopable 12-bar progression that makes for a solid warm-up or focused practice routine.
You can download the full tablature below the video and follow along. If you’re an acoustic guitarist wanting to dig deeper into fingerstyle country, blues rhythm guitar, or solo bluegrass flatpicking, sign up today to unlock all of my premium guitar lessons and tablature here at Country Guitar Online.
Country Bluegrass Jam in G – 12 Bar Picking Workout
Lesson ID: A0223
Looking to improve your acoustic guitar chops for country and bluegrass? Here’s a 12-bar picking workout that’s perfect for building your flatpicking technique and rhythm skills. This short guitar lesson features a classic 12-bar progression in a traditional country and bluegrass style.
Every time I sit down to practice, I like to warm up with something like this—simple, melodic, and rooted in the traditions of acoustic country and bluegrass guitar. This wasn’t rehearsed or polished—just some spontaneous flatpicking, strumming, and riff ideas I thought I’d share with tablature included.
If you’re a fan of players like Tony Rice, Norman Blake, or Doc Watson, or you’re just starting your journey into bluegrass and country acoustic styles, this video is for you. Take a listen, grab the tab, and pick up a few new licks for your next jam session.
Over the Waterfall
Lesson ID: A0222
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to play a bluegrass flatpicking arrangement for the traditional song “Over the Waterfall”. This arrangement is inspired by a lesson request submitted through our Forum that included a performance by greekflatpicker on YouTube. Check out their YouTube channel when you get a chance! They have a several nice flatpicking tunes posted to YouTube.
After you learn the arrangement, practice it with our “Over the Waterfall” backing track included with this guitar lesson. Also, tablature is available for download below the lesson video.
Lesson Overview
Full Breakdown