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Johnny Cash Style Rhythm and Fills

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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

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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

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

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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.

Bluesy Country Licks for Acoustic Guitar in D

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Lesson ID: FL0002

In this country guitar lesson, I’ll teach you how to play three bluesy country licks on acoustic guitar in the key of D. The first two guitar licks are great to play as fill riffs when you switch between chords. The third lick is a little longer and it sounds nice as a fill riff or as part of a full-length country guitar solo. Later in the lesson, you’ll also learn a more advanced country strumming pattern that works really well for playing country rhythm guitar in the key of D.

Country & Bluegrass Lick in G and How to Use It

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Lesson ID: FL0001

In this guitar lesson video, I’ll teach you one of my favorite country & bluegrass guitar licks that sounds great on acoustic guitar. First I’ll play through the lick a couple times, then one time slowly with the tablature, and then I’ll break it down measure by measure. I’ll also show you how to play the rhythm guitar part that you heard me play at the beginning of the video and we’ll get some practice playing this G lick as a fill riff with rhythm.