Rhythm Guitar – Page 18 – Country Guitar Online

Whiskey Before Breakfast

April 13, 2025February 27, 2017 by Devin

Lesson ID: A0116

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play the standard bluegrass tune “Whiskey Before Breakfast“. Many believe this song is an old tune from the Appalachians or the British Isles. We’ll teach you a nice bluegrass flatpicking instrumental break and we’ll also go over the chords and lyrics for those of y’all that want to sing along. After you watch the lesson, prepare for your next bluegrass jam with Devin’s jam track!

Instrumental Break

Video 1 – Overview

Video 2 – Learn the A Part

Video 3 – Learn the B Part

Member Content

Video 4 – Practice Along

Member Content

Rhythm & Lyrics

Member Content

Backing Track

Instrumental Break Tablature Rhythm Tablature Chords & Lyrics Woodtone Strings

Wayfaring Stranger in the Style of Johnny Cash

April 13, 2025February 18, 2017 by Devin

wayfaring stranger guitar lesson johnny cash country bluegrass

Lesson ID: A0115

Learn how to play the traditional American folk song “Wayfaring Stranger” in the style of Johnny Cash. First, we’ll break down all the chords and show you some strumming patterns that will make your rhythm sound country and bluegrass. Then, we’ll teach you the chord progressions along with the lyrics. For those of y’all that aren’t interested in singing this song, we’ll also have a nice acoustic guitar arrangement that incorporates the song’s melody. PDF files are available for download below the video! If you like this lesson, you might also like our Classic Country & Bluegrass Strumming Course.

Overview

Chords & Strumming

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	“Boom Chick” Strumming Pattern
02:06 min	Alternating Bass Line over Am Chord
03:01 min	Alternating Bass Line over Dm Chord
03:59 min	Alternating Bass Line over E7 Chord
05:19 min	Alternating Bass Line over F Chord
07:41 min	Alternating Bass Line over C Chord
09:34 min	Two More Strumming Patterns

Chords with Lyrics

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Intro Chord Progression
02:11 min	Verse 1 with Lyrics
05:33 min	Chorus 1 with Lyrics
07:31 min	Instrumental Break Chord Progression
07:57 min	Verse 2 with Lyrics
08:53 min	Chorus 2 with Lyrics
09:36 min	Song Ending

Member Content

Song Intro

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Listen to the Intro with Tablature
00:50 min	Pickup Measure and Random Tips
02:11 min	First Half of the Intro – Breakdown with Tablature
04:44 min	Second Half of the Intro – Breakdown with Tablature
06:41 min	Make the Intro Fancier with Some Accent Strums

Member Content

Instrumentals

Short Instrumental Break (over verse progression):

Johnny Cash played “Wayfaring Stranger” with the short instrumental break that you’ll learn in this video. This short instrumental break is basically the verse progression played in a fancier way to incorporate the song’s melody.

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Overview
00:39 min	Listen to the Short Instrumental
01:59 min	Measures 1 through 5 – Breakdown with Tablature
03:55 min	Measures 6 through 10 – Breakdown with Tablature
06:33 min	Measures 16 and 17 – Breakdown with Tablature
07:06 min	Practice Along with Me

Member Content

Long Instrumental Break (verse + chorus):

In this next video, we’re going to play a longer instrumental arrangement over the song’s verse and chorus. The first half will be the exact same as the Johnny Cash “verse” instrumental taught in the previous video. Then, we’ll break down the second half that’s played over the chorus.

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Structure of the Long Instrumental
01:10 min	Listen to the Long Instrumental
02:23 min	Play Through the “Short Verse Instrumental”
03:19 min	Instrumental over the Chorus – Breakdown with Tablature
10:38 min	Practice Along with Me

Member Content

Backing Track

Member Content

Chords & Lyrics Song Intro TAB Short Instrumental TAB Long Instrumental TAB Woodtone Strings

Nine Pound Hammer with Tony Rice Style Solo Breaks

April 13, 2025January 23, 2017 by Devin

nine pound hammer guitar lesson bluegrass style of tony rice flatpicking licks

Capo 2nd Fret – Key of A

Lesson ID: A0111

In this guitar lesson, I’ll teach you how to play the traditional bluegrass song “Nine Pound Hammer” with some instrumental solo breaks in the style of Tony Rice. First we’ll go over the chord progression and a strumming pattern that you can play behind your vocals. Then I’ll teach you four different instrumental breaks — the first break will be nice and easy for the beginner pickers, the second break will mix the melody line with strumming, and the last two advanced instrumental breaks will be in the style of Tony Rice.

Overview

Rhythm

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Chord Progression
02:18 min	Chord Progression with Lyrics
03:53 min	Song Structure
04:42 min	Strumming Pattern Options

Member Content

Basic Break

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Bass Line Walk-ups Overview
01:25 min	Instrumental Break Chord Progression
02:33 min	Playthrough with Tablature
03:47 min	Extra Detail and Tips

Member Content

Melodic Break

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Listen to the Melodic Break
01:21 min	Measures 1 to 5 – Breakdown
04:58 min	Measures 6 to 8 – Breakdown
06:06 min	Practice the First Half
06:35 min	Measures 9 to 13 – Breakdown
09:56 min	Measures 14 to 19 – Breakdown
11:43 min	Practice the Entire Instrumental Break

Member Content

Tony Rice Break 1

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Listen to Tony Rice Break 1
00:58 min	Measures 1 to 5 – Breakdown
03:54 min	Measures 6 to 8 – Breakdown
06:01 min	Practice the First Half
06:39 min	Measures 9 to 13 – Breakdown
09:23 min	Measures 14 to 19 – Breakdown
11:40 min	Practice the Entire Instrumental Break

Tony Rice Break 2

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Listen to Tony Rice Break 2
01:02 min	Measures 1 to 5 – Breakdown
02:29 min	Measures 6 to 9 – Breakdown
04:22 min	Practice the First Half
05:01 min	Measures 10 to 12 – Breakdown
06:46 min	Measures 13 to 15 – Breakdown
08:49 min	Measures 16 to 19 – Breakdown
09:09 min	Practice the Entire Instrumental Break

Member Content

Jam Track

Member Content

Chords & Lyrics Chord Progression TAB Basic Break TAB Melodic Break TAB Tony Rice Break 1 TAB Tony Rice Break 2 TAB Woodtone Strings

Shady Grove in the Style of Doc Watson

April 13, 2025January 10, 2017 by Devin

shady grove doc watson chords guitar lesson with tablature bluegrass flatpicking

Lesson ID: A0110

In this guitar lesson, I’ll teach you how to play the traditional Appalachian folk song “Shady Grove” in the style of Doc Watson. First we’ll go over the chord progression and a strumming pattern that you can play behind your vocals. Then I’ll teach you two variations of the instrumental break — the first instrumental break will mix a nice melody line with strumming and the second instrumental break will sound more like a bluegrass flatpicking guitar solo.

Lesson Overview

Basic Rhythm

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Chord Progression
00:45 min	Strumming Pattern
01:18 min	Alternating Bass Notes
03:42 min	Progression with Vocals
05:18 min	Song Structure

Member Content

Melodic Rhythm

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Melodic Rhythm Example
00:47 min	Measures 1 through 4 – Breakdown
03:49 min	Measures 5 through 8 – Breakdown
08:00 min	Practice Along with Me
08:39 min	Instrumental Breaks and Song Structure

Member Content

Flatpicking Solo

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Flatpicking Solo Example
00:52 min	Measures 1 through 4 – Breakdown
03:24 min	Measures 5 through 8 – Breakdown
04:52 min	Practice the First Half
05:54 min	Measures 9 through 12 – Breakdown
07:10 min	Measures 13 through 16 – Breakdown
08:53 min	Practice the Second Half
09:41 min	Practice the Full Flatpicking Solo

Member Content

Backing Track

Member Content

Basic Rhythm TAB Melodic Rhythm TAB Flatpicking Solo TAB Chords & Lyrics Song Lyrics Only Woodtone Strings