All Guitar Lessons
Search, filter, sort—or hit “Surprise Me” to jump into one of CGO’s 300+ lessons 🎸Some content lives in its own sections, and some is organized a little differently…
Hundreds of mini lick lessons with demo video & tablature
Speed adjustable country & bluegrass jam tracks to play along to (recorded by me here in the Woodshed)
Shortcut to step-by-step flatpicking lessons on songs played at real bluegrass jams
Build improvisation skills with structured paths through lessons, with a few exclusive videos to guide you
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Another 12 Bar Picking Workout in G (SHORT)
Lesson ID: A0229 Here’s another 12 bar country bluegrass jam from the Woodshed — full of useful hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides that you can use to improvise in the key of G. Helpful Tips: • Relax your picking hand and use a light touch...
Wildwood Flower in G
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...
Smooth Flowing Bass Line w/ Hammer-Ons (SHORT)
Lesson ID: A0227 Download the guitar tablature below! There are many ways to add accents to your country & bluegrass guitar rhythm, but here’s how you can do it by combining bass line notes with hammer-ons. This style of guitar playing is heavily influenced...
Laid Back Flatpicking Jam in C (SHORT)
Lesson ID: A0225 Download the guitar tablature below! Here’s a mellow flatpicking jam in the key of C — perfect if you’re learning to blend rhythm guitar and melody in a traditional style. This simple strumming pattern combined with a few classic guitar licks...
Country Blues Travis Picking – 12 Bar Fingerstyle Workout (SHORT)
Lesson ID: A0224 This 12-bar fingerstyle guitar workout is a great way to develop your Travis picking skills in the country and blues style. It’s a fun and challenging Travis Picking riff with that classic country blues feel—perfect for players who love the sounds...
Country Bluegrass Jam in G – 12 Bar Picking Workout (SHORT)
Lesson ID: A0223 Looking to improve your acoustic guitar chops for country and bluegrass? Here’s a 12-bar picking workout that’s perfect for building your flatpicking technique and rhythm skills. This short guitar lesson features a classic 12-bar progression in a traditional country and bluegrass...
“Dear Mr. Arizona” Cowboy Waltz by Soonka
Video lesson coming soon! In the meantime, find the guitar tablature for Instrumental Breaks 1 and 2 below. Click the download button in the top right corner of the PDF viewer to download a print-friendly tab sheet. IMPORTANT NOTE: There’s an unusual B7/F# chord...
Fingerstyle Delta Blues in Double Drop D Tuning
Lesson ID: A0207 In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn a 12 bar fingerstyle delta blues progression in double drop D tuning (DADGBD). This progression is best played at a slow speed and it has a really nice bluesy sound. We’ll work through the tablature...
Easy Flatpicking Intro – Grateful Dead
Lesson ID: A0197 In this guitar lesson, we’ll take a look at some simple rhythm and lead from the song “Ripple” by Grateful Dead. First, we’ll work through two basic chord progressions in G and we’ll add some vocals for those of y’all wanting...
“Walk On Boy” in the Style of Doc Watson
Lesson ID: A0192 In this guitar lesson, we’ll work through a progression from the classic song “Walk On Boy.” The original version of this song was written by Mel Tillis and Wayne Walker. The flatpicking arrangement that you’ll learn in this lesson is similar...
Johnny Cash Style Intro and Bass Walks
Lesson ID: A0186 In this guitar lesson, we’ll work on some Johnny Cash style rhythm guitar. First we’ll take a look at an intro progression and learn a few bass line walks that will give your playing that Johnny Cash country sound. Then we’ll...
12 Bar Blues in the Style of Merle Haggard
Lesson ID: A0181 In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a 12 bar blues progression in the style of Merle Haggard. This is a progression that we’re borrowing from the old classic song “Blues Stay Away From Me” originally recorded by The...
Johnny Cash Style Rhythm and Fills
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...
The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
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...
Jimmy Brown the Newsboy
In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play the traditional country & bluegrass song called “Jimmy Brown the Newsboy”. This song was originally written by William Shakespeare Hays in the late 1800s and it has been recorded by several country…
You Are My Sunshine in the Style of Gene Autry
In this country guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a country & bluegrass version of the old classic melody “You Are My Sunshine”. This is a Carter style arrangement where we’ll combine “boom chick” country strumming with the…
Country Strumming & Fills in the Style of Willie Nelson
In this guitar lesson, I’ll teach you a classic country strumming pattern in the style of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” by Willie Nelson. First I’ll break down the strumming pattern and give you some strumming…
Merle Haggard Style Classic Country Intro & Fills
In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a classic country intro in the style of Merle Haggard along with some nice country fill riffs that’ll spice up your country rhythm guitar. First we’ll work through the intro with…
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
“Bury Me Beneath the Willow” is an old traditional folk song that was first archived in 1906 by an English professor at the University of Missouri. The song was made popular by The Carter Family and it has been recorded by several different artists…