Unlock all premium guitar lessons now! Try One Month Free ➜

Crosspicking Patterns and Alternate Chord Voicings

country-bluegrass-crosspicking-patterns-and-alternate-chord-voicings
Lesson ID: A0184

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn some important crosspicking patterns and alternate chord voicings that will spice up your rhythm and lead guitar. First we’ll work on the crosspicking patterns and we’ll practice them using key of G open chords (G, C, and D). Then we’ll take a look at how you can play the G, C, and D chords at different locations up the guitar neck using alternate chord voicings. We’ll practice crosspicking over these new chord voicings and you’ll also learn some nice chord embellishments and licks that will make your crosspicking sound great.

In the second half of this lesson, we’ll work on some George Shuffler style crosspicking. George Shuffler was basically the pioneer of the crosspicking style in bluegrass music and he used a signature Down Down Up crosspicking pattern in most of his playing. We’ll work through an entire crosspicking progression in the style of George Shuffler to give you some different crosspicking ideas that you can use in your own country bluegrass rhythm and lead guitar. After you watch the lesson videos, practice your country bluegrass crosspicking with the two full-length backing tracks that are available with this lesson.

Overview

George Shuffler Style

Member Content

Log in or register to watch this video!

Backing Tracks

Member Content

Log in or register to practice along!

Tony Rice Style “G Lick” to Play Over C Chord

tony-rice-style-g-lick-to-play-over-c-chord
Lesson ID: A0183

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play an easy country and bluegrass guitar lick that sounds great over the C major chord when you’re soloing in the key of G. Then we’ll practice using the lick in a guitar solo over a 12 bar chord progression. As we’re working through the guitar solo, you’ll learn how to use bluegrass licks effectively to play powerful solos that follow a song’s chord progression. Later in the lesson, we’ll also talk about the guitar scales for playing country and bluegrass guitar solos and we’ll go over some easy improvising techniques. After you watch the lesson, practice your guitar solo improvising using the three bluegrass backing tracks in the key of G that you’ll find on this guitar lesson post.

Slow Backing Track

Medium Backing Track

Fast Backing Track

Scale Charts

G Major Scale

g-major-scale-open-position-5-a0183

G Blues Scale

g-blues-scale-open-position-5-a0183

Johnny Cash Style Rhythm and Fills

johnny-cash-style-rhythm-guitar-and-fill-riffs-a0174
Lesson ID: A0174

In this guitar lesson, we’ll work on some Johnny Cash style rhythm guitar. First we’ll go over a nice country strumming pattern and get some practice strumming over a country chord progression. Then we’ll add some Johnny Cash style bass line walks to the chord progression to help transition from one chord to the next. You’ll learn eight Johnny Cash style bass line walks with tablature on the screen. After that, you’ll learn two guitar scales that you can use to create your own country bass line walks and then we’ll get some practice using these scales to play longer Johnny Cash style fill riffs. Overall this is a great guitar lesson that will give you that traditional country sound on your acoustic guitar.

Overview

Strumming Pattern

Video Start Time Lesson Topic
00:00 min Strumming Pattern Breakdown
01:44 min Chord Embellishment over E Chord
03:20 min Alternating Bass Line over A Chord
03:59 min Alternating Bass Line over B7 Chord
04:48 min Practice Your Strumming with a Country Chord Progression

Bass Line Walks

Video Start Time Lesson Topic
00:00 min Bass Line Walk 1
00:40 min How to Use the Bass Line Walks in a Progression
02:10 min Bass Line Walk 2 and Extra Tips
03:27 min Bass Line Walk 3 and Extra Tips
05:20 min Bass Line Walk 4 and Extra Tips
07:16 min Bass Line Walks 5 through 8
07:27 min Progression Example with Bass Line Walks

Guitar Scales

Video Start Time Lesson Topic
00:00 min Guitar Scale 1 – How to Read Scale Charts and How to Play Scale 1
03:19 min Guitar Scale 2 – How to Play Scale 2 and Extra Tips
05:02 min How to Use These Two Guitar Scales in Country Music
09:45 min One More Example of How to Use These Two Guitar Scales

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the scales!

Fill Riffs

Video Start Time Lesson Topic
00:00 min Fill Riff 1
01:06 min How to Use the Fill Riffs in a Progression
04:38 min Fill Riff 2
06:17 min Fill Riff 3
08:21 min Fill Riff 4
10:04 min Fill Riff 5
13:38 min Fill Riff 6
15:04 min Fill Riff 7
17:50 min Fill Riff 8

Member Content

Log in or register to learn the fill riffs!

https://woodtonestrings.com/product/classic-triangle-pick-88mm-3-pack

The Best “G Lick” to Play Over a D Chord

the-best-g-lick-to-play-over-a-D-chord-bluegrass-lesson-fl0003
Lesson ID: FL0003

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn one of the best country and bluegrass guitar licks to play over a D major chord when you have a song in the key of G. The guitar lick we’re working on today sounds best when you play it over two measures of D major chord followed by two measures of G major chord. You’ll be able to use this guitar lick all the time because this four measure chord grouping (D/D/G/G) is extremely common in country and bluegrass chord progressions.

After you learn how to play the guitar lick, I’ll show you how to use the guitar lick, and then we’ll play the lick in a simple country and bluegrass guitar solo. Near the end of this lesson, you can practice the guitar solo while I play the rhythm guitar chord progression at a couple different speeds.

Video Start TimeLesson Topic
00:00 minLesson Overview
01:36 minPlay Through Lick Slowly with Tablature
03:01 minFull Breakdown (Measure 1 over D Chord)
04:32 minFull Breakdown (Measure 2 over D Chord)
06:06 minUsing the Two Measure Lick Over a D Chord
06:36 minFull Breakdown (Measure 3 over G Chord)
07:39 minFull Breakdown (Measure 4 over G Chord)
09:10 minLearn the Practice Guitar Solo
14:04 minPractice the Solo with Me
14:59 minRhythm Backing Track (Slower Speed)
16:32 minRhythm Backing Track (Faster Speed)
17:44 minThanks for watching!