Fingerpicking the blues is a ton of fun!

Now, I love Chet Atkins and the boom-chick style that he played.

And this style has been carried on by players like Tommy Emmanuel and many others…

But what a lot of people don’t know about, is how the blues players played differently than this classic Chet style.

Sure, they didn’t use a flatpick and had alternating bass movements etc. 

But there is much more to getting the sound. 

And it’s quite different from any other style of fingerpicking. 

Today I want to share with you some of these differences. 

And also break down how to play like Mississippi John Hurt using my 2-step method.

So put away those picks for today and let’s get started with this fingerstyle blues guitar lesson!

Fingerstyle Blues Guitar Lesson Step 1:

Let’s begin with learning the chord progression and alternating bass line. There are only 3 chords we’ll use in this song D, G, and A. We’ll play them in...

Today I want to share with you how to play “Can’t Find My Way Home” on guitar. This song has a beautiful chord progression to it that has been used in countless classic rock songs. Once you learn this progression you’ll immediately start to recognize it as a familiar sound from other songs as well.

There are many ways to approach the guitar part in this song, in fact, all of the other lessons online focus on playing this song with a flatpick. However, to me, it sounds like fingerstyle on the recording. So for this lesson, I will be focusing on a fingerpicking approach. This approach is very similar to how Eric Clapton later played many tunes from his iconic Unplugged record. 

Who wrote Can’t Find My Way Home?

"Can't Find My Way Home" is a timeless classic, written by Steve Winwood and originally performed by the band Blind Faith. It was first released on their self-titled album in 1969. "Can't Find My Way Home" has been covered by a ton of great...

Today I want to share with you how to play “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman on guitar. If there's one song that beautifully encapsulates the essence of Tracy Chapman's profound storytelling and soul-stirring melodies, it's undoubtedly "Fast Car." 

This timeless fingerpicking tune resonates with people from all walks of life, and you only need 4 chords to play it. Whether you're new to this style or a seasoned player looking to add this classic to your repertoire, this post will guide you through the fingerpicking and strumming for "Fast Car". Plus show you to harness the emotive power of this remarkable tune.

So make sure you’re tuned up and let’s dive in!

Who wrote Fast Car? 

"Fast Car" was written by Tracy Chapman, an American singer-songwriter and musician. Born on March 30, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio, Chapman rose to fame in the late 1980s with the release of her self-titled debut album, which included the iconic hit song "Fast Car."

Released in 1988,...

Today I want to share with you how to play “People Are Strange” as recorded by The Doors on guitar.

This song is a great one to help elevate your fingerpicking guitar skills. However, it can also be played with a flatpick as well, but Robby Krieger played it without a pick. He used his fingers instead.

Krieger developed a distinctive and influential guitar style that has had a lasting impact on rock music. His approach blended various genres, including blues, rock, flamenco, and jazz, resulting in a unique sound that helped define The Doors’ music. 

Krieger's playing incorporated fingerpicking, flamenco-inspired techniques, and occasional slide guitar parts. Plus his jazz background allowed him to explore complex chord progressions and voicings, expanding the harmonic palette. 

Overall, Krieger's guitar style was a fusion of diverse influences, making him a highly influential guitarist in the world of rock music. In this lesson, I’ll be taking a...

Looking to add a beautifully hypnotizing fingerpicking song to your repertoire? 

Well, this guitar lesson for “Shape Of My Heart” has you covered. 

Who wrote Shape of My Heart?

"Shape of My Heart" was co-written by two incredible musicians Sting and Dominic Miller. It was first released as the fifth single from Sting’s fourth solo album, Ten Summoner’s Tales in August of 1993. 

The song features a captivating chord progression and also incredible harmonica playing from Larry Adler. The following year the song even landed itself in the French action-thriller film Léon: The Professional.

How hard is it to play Shape of My Heart on guitar?

Let’s get straight to it, in this post I’ll break down the main 8-bar chord progression and fingerpicking patterns used by Dominic Miller in the nylon string guitar part.

Dominic Milled uses a classical guitar and spread chord voicings, which we’ll dive into below, to create a big...

Today I want to share with you a guitar lesson on how to play “Deep River Blues”. This song goes back far into the roots of blues music. But it is a timeless classic that audiences have loved for generations. My goal is to peel back the layers on this song and show you how to play this classic blues all by yourself.

I will be taking a fingerstyle approach for this guitar lesson. Following in the footsteps of Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and Tommy Emmanuel. 

So make sure you’re tuned up and let’s get started!

Who Wrote Deep River Blues?

"Deep River Blues" is a classic traditional blues song that has been covered by a number of great artists over the years. It is a spinoff and essentially the same song as "Big River Blues". It is a traditional blues song that has been recorded and performed by various artists over the years. The origins of the song are unclear, as it has been passed down through oral tradition and adapted by many different...

Looking for a great song to elevate your fingerpicking skills and jam with friends?  

This “Ain’t No Sunshine” Guitar Lesson has got you covered.

Who wrote "Ain’t No Sunshine"?

“Ain’t No Sunshine” was written by Bill Withers and was first released as a single off his 1971 album Just As I Am. The record was produced by Booker T. Jones and features some fantastic musicians, including Stephen Stills on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums.

It was recorded in Los Angeles with overdubs later done in Memphis Tennesee, and became a breakthrough hit for Withers’ career.

What is the key of Ain't No Sunshine?

“Ain’t No Sunshine” is in the key of Am and features a looping 8-bar chord progression. The song is blues-based and is a great one to know because it's frequently played at jam sessions. Additionally, the chord progression is relatively simple and easy to pick up, as it's just 8 bars...

Improve your fingerpicking with this guitar lesson on how to play “Lonely Stranger” as recorded by Eric Clapton. 

This song is a unique hybrid of rhythm & blues, piano-style gospel chord progressions, and fingerpicking. 

Lonely Stranger" is a heartfelt ballad featured on Eric Clapton's iconic "Unplugged" album, released in 1992. The song showcases Clapton's ability to evoke deep emotions through his soulful guitar playing and heartfelt lyrics.

As part of the "Unplugged" session, "Lonely Stranger" stands out for its intimate atmosphere, recorded live in front of a small audience. The song reflects themes of longing, isolation, and the struggles of being a wandering soul in search of connection.

Clapton's delicate fingerpicking technique and subtle chord progressions contribute to the song's melancholic tone. In this post, I’ll share insights into his guitar style, and break this tune down step-by-step.

What key is Lonely Stranger in? 

...

When it comes to playing fingerstyle blues guitar or just fingerstyle guitar in general, one of the most important areas to develop is the fingerpicking hand thumb. You want to focus on independence with this finger. The more a player develops this the more full sounding they are able to play. It takes time, but step-by-step is the best way to put this together.

In this post, I want to share with you 5 beginner fingerpicking blues licks. Each lick can be practiced like a fingerpicking exercise and will help you develop this exact type of thumb independence. 

This style has been used in the blues by many great players like John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin, to even rock n roll musicians like John Fogerty with CCR. Have a listen to tunes like Suzie Q. or Green River to hear this style in rock as well.

Playing this pedal tone blues style is a captivating technique that adds depth and character to your blues playing. By maintaining a steady bass note (pedal tone) while...

Ready to ramp up your fingerstyle guitar and add an awesome crowd-pleasing song to your setlist?

Well if that sounds fun this "Suspicious Minds" guitar lesson is the place to be.

So grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s get started!

Who wrote Suspicious Minds?

"Suspicious Minds" was originally written and recorded by the American songwriter Mark James. After his first recording of this song failed commercially it was picked up by Elvis Presley. Presley’s version reached No. 1 on the US Billboard charts one year later in 1969.

Suspicious Minds Guitar Chords

To play the majority of the song you’ll just need 5 chords. This will get you until the bridge which we’ll discuss more on that later in this post. The 5 chords are G, C, D, Bm, and Em.

Each of these shapes I would play as bar chords. This is going to set you up for success to build more rhythm and the riff of the chord shape later.

Here’s how I would play each of these shapes.

G would be played at...