Song Lessons Archives

Wayfaring Stranger Alternate Picking Workout (SHORT)

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 by Devin

thumbnail-wayfaring-stranger-alternate-picking-workout

Lesson ID: A0230

This guitar “workout” will really improve your pick control, and it’s WAY harder than it looks. Learn this Wayfaring Stranger-inspired alternate picking workout in Am.

Helpful Tips:

• Try not to look at your hands while you’re learning and practicing this progression.
• Keep reminding yourself to relax your picking hand and work on getting solid down picks. For me, the down picks were my weakness.
• The HARDEST PART is the picking pattern over the Dm chord. It’ll definitely make you frustrated! While I’m relaxing my hands, I like to play the Dm chord pattern over and over several times. Be sure to take breaks! And try practicing in “fours” — play through difficult sections in groups of four, take a five second break, and then play four more times. This really helps build the proper muscle memory.

Download the tablature by clicking the small download button at the top-right of the tablature PDF viewer (you must be a CGO member to download this TAB).

Short

Full-Screen Version

Member Content

Download the TAB

Log in or Register to download this lesson’s tablature.

Wildwood Flower in G

April 5, 2026November 24, 2025 by Devin

Lesson ID: A0228

Learn the classic American folk standard “Wildwood Flower” with this step-by-step traditional country and bluegrass guitar lesson. Originally recorded by the legendary Carter Family, “Wildwood Flower” has become one of the most iconic flatpicking songs for anyone wanting to master old-time country guitar, bluegrass rhythm, and melody-based lead breaks. In this lesson here at Country Guitar Online, you’ll get a detailed breakdown of how to play “Wildwood Flower” in the key of G—even though the tune is most commonly played out of the C position—so you can expand your arranging skills and build confidence playing in different keys. This lesson is perfect for guitar players searching for beginner-friendly bluegrass songs, traditional country guitar tutorials, Carter Family guitar arrangements, and flatpicking melodies that sound great at jams.

Inside the lesson, you’ll find full video instruction, on-screen guitar tabs, and tips for mastering the melody with clean country-style flatpicking technique. Country Guitar Online members can also download a print-friendly PDF tablature of the entire arrangement to help with practice away from the screen.

Once you’ve learned the tune, you can sharpen your timing by playing along with the practice video included below from my girlfriend Soonka’s YouTube Channel. You can easily stay updated with our newest performance videos by subscribing to Soonka’s YouTube channel here.

So if you’re looking for easy bluegrass guitar songs, classic country guitar lessons, or timeless folk melodies to add to your repertoire, this “Wildwood Flower” tutorial is a great place to start.

Lesson Overview

Full Breakdown

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	A Part – Measures 1 through 5
03:25 min	A Part – Measure 6 plus repeat Measures 1 to 5
05:08 min	A Part – Measure 7 (second ending)
05:39 min	Practice the A Part
06:16 min	B Part – Measure 8 through 11
11:51 min	B Part – Measure 12 through 16
17:09 min	Practice the Entire Arrangement

Member Content

Playthrough with TAB

Member Content

Tablature

Member Content

Practice Along

Note

To practice along, you’ll need to CAPO 1st FRET.

Woodtone Strings ➜

Over the Waterfall

April 11, 2025May 4, 2024 by Devin

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

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Potatoes – Measures 1 through 4
01:57 min	A Part, Round 1 – Measures 5 through 8
06:28 min	A Part, Round 1 – Measures 9 through 12
11:34 min	A Part, Round 2 – Measures 13 through 16
14:50 min	A Part, Round 2 – Measures 17 through 20
19:52 min	B Part, Round 1 – Measures 21 through 24
26:25 min	B Part, Round 1 – Measures 25 through 28
29:49 min	B Part, Round 2 – Measures 29 through 32
31:12 min	B Part, Round 2 – Measures 33 through 36
33:38 min	Practice along with me

Playthrough with TAB

Member Content

Backing Track

Member Content

Over the Waterfall Tablature Woodtone Strings

Old Joe Clark

April 11, 2025March 12, 2024 by Devin

Lesson ID: A0221

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to play one a flatpicking guitar arrangement for the traditional fiddle tune “Old Joe Clark“. This mountain ballad was popular among soldiers from eastern Kentucky during World War I and afterwards. Its lyrics refer to a real person named Joseph Clark, a Kentucky mountaineer who was born in 1839 and murdered in 1885.

After you learn the flatpicking break, practice along with the “Old Joe Clark” backing track that accompanies this guitar lesson. Also, be sure to navigate to the “Bonus Bluegrass Licks” tab below to learn a few common bluegrass licks that work well with this song when you’re improvising. “Old Joe Clark” guitar tablature is available for download below the lesson video.

Lesson Overview

Playthrough with TAB

Full Breakdown

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	A Part – Measures 1 through 4
03:10 min	A Part – Measures 5 through 8
05:36 min	A Part – Repeat Measures 1 through 8
06:48 min	B Part – Measures 9 through 12
10:49 min	B Part – Measures 13 through 16
12:53 min	Practice along with me

Bonus Bluegrass Licks

Member Content

Backing Track

Member Content

Old Joe Clark Tablature Bonus Bluegrass Licks Woodtone Strings