Lesson 1 – Country & Bluegrass Rhythm Course
Lesson ID: A0102
This is the first lesson in a series of videos where I’ll be teaching y’all a ton of my favorite classic country and bluegrass strumming patterns. In this lesson, we’re going to start with the basics and learn one of the most important strumming patterns used in country and bluegrass music. We’ll break down the pattern in detail and then I’ll show you how to use it with several common open chords. After that, I’ll give you some info on the chord numbering system, and finally, we’ll practice the strumming pattern using a really common country and bluegrass chord progression in four different keys.
| Video Start Time | Lesson Topic |
|---|---|
| 00:00 min | Lesson Overview |
| 01:19 min | The Basic Strumming Pattern |
| 02:07 min | Alternating Bass Notes |
| 04:29 min | Country and Bluegrass G Chord Hammer-On |
| 06:42 min | Using the Pattern with Common Guitar Chords |
| 09:32 min | How to Count the Strumming Pattern |
| 11:48 min | Let’s Use the Pattern with a Country and Bluegrass Chord Progression |
| 16:29 min | Practice Along with Me |
| 17:51 min | Changing Keys Using the Chord Numbering System |
Hey Devin – I just wanted to say you have some of the best country/bluegrass lessons I’ve seen online, and very nice professional website. I’m glad I stumbled upon your lessons! Looking forward to learning with you.
Randy
Nice lesson 🙂
Wow, always impressed with your lessons, Devin. Great instruction and fantastic video work.
Awesome lesson. Thanks Devin!
Thank you! This is what I needed.
Good stuff!
Great lesson Devin I especially liked the technique comments on the light touch and loose hold on the pick. Would it be possible to get some advise on maybe string gauge or any other equipment issue,s that might help. Any discovery’s you have made along the way or through other bluegrass contacts.
Thanks so much Devin
Frederick
Hey Frederick,
I use Elixer Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze strings in a medium gauge — nicest strings I’ve ever tried. I think medium gauge has a richer tone for bluegrass but the lights of that brand still sound great. Also check out BlueChip Picks. They’re expensive but worth it. I use a TP55 or a TP50 from BlueChip Picks. Between having your guitar set up to lower the action, Elixer strings, and a BlueChip pick, your guitar should sound great for bluegrass.
Hope that helps!
Devin
Is there a way, within the courses, to keep track of the lessons done?
I just added a “MARK LESSON AS COMPLETED” button on the bottom left just below the tablature downloads. This button will appear under the course lesson videos when you’re logged in. Hope this helps you track the lessons you’ve watched…I’m working on adding some sort of completion tracking to the lesson outline pages…I’ll try to get that working sometime this month. Thanks for the suggestion! – Devin
Quick update…now you can complete each lesson in the courses by clicking the button below the video and it’ll update the competed status on the lesson outline. Hope that helps!
Hey Devin, I just found your site and love it so far. I wanted to ask what you think about doing a C chord alternating base line with the C note (5th string 3rd fret) and the G note (6th string 3rd fret)? Thanks, Adrian
Hey Adrian, Thanks! Really glad you’re liking the lessons so far. I think you’re right on about the C chord. That’s another common way to alternate the bass line in country & bluegrass..between the 5th string and 6th string. Sometimes I’ll shift my left ring finger between the two strings, or sometimes I’ll use the fingering in the chart below. Let me know if you have any other questions – Devin
Cool, thanks!
Devin, I really like your style of teaching, looking forward to learning even more rhythm styles.
Well taught…great way to learn Blue Grass
The organization and the way you teach guitar are exceptional. All is well structured and progressive and it’s up to us to take advantage of it…..thank you so much Devin.
Good catch on adding the fifth string C note to the F chord. Actually makes the chord easier to do. Thanks.
I I I I IV IV I I V V I I: regarding the numbering sequence that you have used. Will most country songs be in this sequence of 12 measures?
This could be considered a fairly common progression but it really just depends on the song. I do see a lot of progressions that are 12 measures long or 16 measures long. This seems like a good length for jamming because it makes it easy to repeat over and over similar to the 12 bar blues concept.
Thanks Devin, good lesson on key change formula
Hey Devin! I just wanted to ask you a question about the 4th string in C-chord. I think when we use the alternating bass on the 4th string in this chord we can do the hummer-on as well as playing G-chord, when you show it on the 6th string. Is it so? And what about hummer-ons on A or E-chords? 4th or even 5th string in E? I think it sounds quiet good. But i don’t know what can i do with F or D chords and if i needed to do something special with them in country/bluegrass in this… Read more »
Hey Vladigor – Exactly, you’re looking at the hammer-ons correctly. There are a ton of different ways to add hammer-on embellishments over these type of country & bluegrass patterns and we cover several of them later in this strumming course. I like to hammer-on from open 4th string to 2nd fret with my left middle during the C chord. G chord — you could hammer from open low E string to the G root note with your left middle, or for the G chord you could hammer from 2nd fret to 3rd fret low E string (pointer to middle). F… Read more »
Hey Devin, I have seen the video clips of all of your lessons on country and bluegrass Lead/Rhythm music.I appreciate your approach of teaching guitar lessons in an easy to understand step by step method with important tips and techniques that has helped me in learning guitar . I am looking forward to practicing all of your lessons though it’s a long journey for me to become a perfect guitarist.
I would like to learn from you how to play the song “The Long Haired Country Boy” one of my favorite songs..
Have a nice day
Ashok
Hey Devin. I stumbled today over your site, entered the test period and am very much impressed! Great and so non-nervous and clear this introduction into the boom-chick! Confirmed also my own recent change to the 5-string F.
I feel very much motivated to follow your guidance and develop my several decade old, but still quite limited “cowboy playing”.
As to song wishes, I’m a big fan of Don Edwards and his working with old cowboy songs. Would be great to learn some of them!
Thanks Doelf! Glad to have you as a member here at CGO. I’ll try to work in some Don Edwards style lessons as soon as I can. If you have a certain song you’re interested in, you can send the request here https://countryguitaronline.com/request-a-lesson/ and it’ll save your request into a database that I search through when we’re coming up with new lesson topics. Have a good week! – Devin
Can we get some Jim Croce goodness in here?
That would be a cool lesson. If you find a song you’re interested in, send me a YouTube link through the lesson request form at the top menu under Contact > Request a Lesson. Thanks!
I’m curious why the sharps are not included in the numbering?
You’re right… the sharps and flats will be included depending on the key that you’re in. The key of G is a simplified example since the 1-4-5 chords are just G-C-D. Here’s a page that we have showing all of the chords in each key https://countryguitaronline.com/chords-in-each-major-key/ so you can see all the sharps and flats. You can find this page at the top menu under Resources > Guitar Chords > Major Key Chords.
So when I hammer the E string it doesn’t have a nice ring out tone like your guitar does. I can barely hear it. Is it because my guitar isn’t a good quality one. I have a Fender FA-100
I think that your computer has a grudge against my MacBook. I’m doing the strumming course. Lesson two tells me that due to privacy rules, I can’t see lesson 2. I click ‘next lesson’ and it switches me to the next course on my favorites list,
By the way, I very happy to be back taking the course. I enjoy listening to you.
Devin thanks much, your an awesome teacher, just what i needed to play country….keep up these great lessons.
Day 2 ever on bluegrass guitar. Saw your video on YouTube and signed up. Looking forward to learning from you and your site!! Blessings!! Bear!!
Can you guys develop a lesson series on song writing , basics , techquies etc
when i pick the Low E string i dont pluck it again on the down stroke right? so in other words if i plug the six string i only strum 1-5 assuming its a G chord
Again so happy to have found you guys. This lesson is exciting knowing there’s more to come!
Hey Devin – Great intro to country rhythm guitar. I especially appreciated your use of pick instead of finger picking. Although country is not my main genre I can get by with finger picking, kinda jazzy way, but string skipping with the pick which is required for this style is challenging for me. This lesson got me started the right way, so thanks very much!
Just picked up your course after watching some of your videos on YouTube and, I’m really happy with the way you provide instructions. The entire catalog looks like a big picnic table in summertime, with tons of with delicious food, I want to taste everything!.
I have a question, after the bass note pick on the down strum are you hitting all strings within the chord are just the ones beneath the bass notes?
So are you just not interactive with your students?
Sorry for the late reply Steven! I try to answer all the questions that people post on the site but sometimes it can take me a week or so..I get a ton of messages and it’s tough to keep up with them all sometimes!
In most cases, I’d say I focus my strum on the strings beneath the bass notes, so the bass note only gets played on the “picks” but I think it’s fine if you hit the bass note a little on your strums. It also kind of depends on the chord I’m playing…I think sometimes when I do this type of strumming, over a D chord, for example, I might pick 4th string (the D string) as a bass note, but then also strum the 4th string on the down strum just because the chord would sound a little thin if… Read more »
Gotya and I apologize I do understand and if you have any setup for private lessons that would be awesomr
I’d try an teach myself this and you are adding so much nuance – my picking’s getting cleaner already. Can’t wait to mix it up after this lesson (2); gotta be sure I practice this stuff good first. :). Thanks so much, Devin.