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Ten Different Ways to Play the Bluegrass “G Run”

April 13, 2025May 25, 2019 by Devin

standard-bluegrass-g-run-guitar-lesson-a0170

Lesson ID: A0170

The classic “G run” is the most important part of bluegrass guitar. Learning different variations of the G run will improve your soloing and backup rhythm guitar. In this guitar lesson, we’ll work through ten different examples of how to play the standard bluegrass G run on guitar. All of the bluegrass G run examples in this lesson come with tablature. The first G run we’ll cover is the most common G run that guitar players use at bluegrass jams. We’ll also look at different signature G runs used by the great bluegrass pickers over the years — Del McCoury, Tony Rice, Norman Blake, and Doc Watson. Later in this bluegrass guitar lesson, we’ll get some practice using G runs with the chord progression to “Will the Circle be Unbroken” .

Lesson Overview

G Run Examples

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	The Most Common Bluegrass “G Run”
03:49 min	Using the G Run in Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar
07:56 min	A Shorter Variation of the G Run
10:08 min	One More Example of the Shorter G Run
11:31 min	Combining the Standard and the Shorter G Runs
12:58 min	Del McCoury Style G Run #1
15:00 min	Del McCoury Style G Run #2
16:09 min	Tony Rice Style G Run
17:45 min	Norman Blake Style G Run
18:35 min	Doc Watson Style G Run #1
19:48 min	Doc Watson Style G Run #2
20:15 min	Doc Watson Style G Run #3
21:11 min	Using G Runs with “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”

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The Year That Clayton Delaney Died

April 13, 2025April 21, 2019 by Devin

Lesson ID: A0168

In this country guitar lesson, we’ll work on a traditional country strumming pattern in the style of Tom T. Hall. First, I’ll show you a few common chords that are used all the time in classic country. Then, we’ll work on the country strumming pattern using these chords. After that, we’ll work through a chord progression that we’ll borrow from Tom T. Hall’s song called “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died“. Overall, this is a great guitar lesson to help you smooth out your traditional country strumming on an acoustic guitar.

Overview

Chords & Strumming

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	C/G Chord Explanation
01:16 min	Strumming Pattern Breakdown
03:16 min	F/C Chord Explanation
04:31 min	Alternating Bass Line Notes over G Chord
05:21 min	Practice Chord Progression
06:51 min	Extra Tips

Guitar Riffs

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Intro Riff in the Style of Tom T. Hall
06:11 min	Transitioning from Intro Riff to Main Chord Progression
08:10 min	Bass Line Walk over C Chord
11:13 min	Ending Riff in the Style of Tom T. Hall

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Example with Vocals

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Guitar Solo

Here’s a bonus guitar solo that you can play over the main progression from “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died”. Pay attention to how the licks are structured over the C, F, and G chords. Also, remember that you can slow down the Playthrough with Tablature video with the speed control feature on the video play bar.

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Listen

Listen to Tom T. Hall playing “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died”

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Red Dirt Country Blues Strumming and Fills

April 13, 2025April 12, 2019 by Devin

red-dirt-country-blues-strumming-guitar-lesson

Lesson ID: A0166

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn a country blues progression in the key of D. The main goal of this lesson is to give you some extra practice switching back and forth between playing rhythm guitar and lead fills. First, we’ll break down the main country strumming pattern in the progression. Then, we’ll work through the red dirt country blues progression and fill riffs with tablature. After you watch the guitar lesson, practice your country rhythm and fills with our backing track in the key of D. Overall, this is a great lesson for learning some useful country rhythm techniques that you can apply to a ton of other country songs.

Overview

Playthrough with Tablature

Full Breakdown

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Strumming Pattern Breakdown
03:27 min	Breakdown – Measures 1 through 4
06:59 min	Breakdown – Measures 5 through 8
09:59 min	Breakdown – Measures 9 through 12
15:03 min	Breakdown – Measures 13 through 16
18:16 min	Breakdown – Measures 17 through 20
22:20 min	Breakdown – Measures 21 through 24
25:28 min	Practice the Progression with Me
27:10 min	Ending Riff
27:59 min	Intro Riff

Backing Track

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Guitar Tablature Woodtone Strings

Cripple Creek Traditional Guitar Breaks

April 13, 2025December 16, 2018 by Devin

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Lesson 8 – Bluegrass Guitar Solo Improvising Course

Course Outline Previous Lesson Next Lesson

Lesson ID: A0162

This is Part One of a two-part lesson series where we’ll work on lead guitar improvising in a country & bluegrass style. In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play two guitar breaks for “Cripple Creek” using the song’s traditional melody.

Then, in the Part Two of this “Cripple Creek” lesson series (coming soon), I’ll show you several different ways that you can use bluegrass guitar licks and crosspicking to modify the traditional melody to make your guitar solo breaks sound more interesting. Both of the guitar lessons in this two-part series will help you add that hard-driving bluegrass sound to your bluegrass guitar breaks.

Overview

Melody 1

Video 1 – Playthrough with Tablature

Video 2 – Full Breakdown

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Breakdown – Measures 1 through 5
05:35 min	Breakdown – Measures 6 through 9
07:31 min	Recap – A Part
08:12 min	Breakdown – Measures 10 through 13
11:09 min	Breakdown – Measures 14 through 17
12:05 min	Practice the Entire Break with Me
13:46 min	Your Homework

Melody 2

Video 1 – Playthrough with Tablature

Video 2 – Full Breakdown

08:02 minBreakdown – Measures 10 through 13

Video Start Time	Lesson Topic
00:00 min	Listen to the Entire Break
00:50 min	Breakdown – Measures 1 through 5
05:30 min	Breakdown – Measures 6 through 9
10:44 min	Breakdown – Measures 14 through 17
12:44 min	Practice the Entire Break with Me
14:53 min	Backing Track Practice Tip

Backing Track

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