Free Guitar Lessons, Tips, and Arrangements
You can find links to all my YouTube videos here. They are organized by category: technique and tips, chords and strumming patterns, music reading and theory, scales and arpeggios, solo guitar arrangements, solo guitar arranging tips, performances/recordings and a crash course in moveable guitar chords. Click here a free video music theory course specifically for guitar players.
MOST RECENT
TECHNIQUE AND TIPS
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1-2-3-4 Finger Exercise : Easy Guitar Warm-Up
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5 Ways to Level Up Your Guitar Playing
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6-Day Plan for Preparing a Lot of Music in a Short Amount Time
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11 Reasons Guitar Players Quit
Basic Music Terms (Lots of Them!)
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Dealing with a Bad Practice Day
Finger Independence Exercises (16 Total)
Finger Independence 1 (pages 1-2, exercises 1-6)
Finger Independence 2 (pages 3-4, exercises 7-14)
Finger Independence 3 (pages 5-6, exercises 15-22)
Finger Independence 4 (pages 7-8, exercises 23-28
Finger Independence 5 (pages 8-9, exercises 29-34)
Finger Independence 6 (pages 10-11, exercises 35-40)
Finger Independence 7 (pages 11-13, exercises 41-49)
Finger Independence 8 (pages 13-15, exercises 50-56)
Finger Independence 9 (pages 15-16, exercises 57-62)
Finger Independence 10 (pages 17-18, exercises 63-70)
Finger Independence 11(pages 19-20, exercises 71-78)
Finger Independence 12 (pages 21-22, exercises 79-84)
Finger Independence 13 (pages 22-23, exercises 85-90)
Finger Independence 14 (pages 24-25, exercises 91-96)
Finger Independence 15 (pages 25-27, exercises 97-103)
Finger Independence 16 (pages 27-28, exercises 104-110)
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Finger Pressure (Exercise for Finding Just the Right Amount of Pressure)
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A strategy for covering scales and arpeggios in all keys while still leaving plenty of time to practice repertoire and new material.
Learn Guitar String Names the Easy Way
Start off Right on Guitar (12 Tips)
Alternate Picking for Speed
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Free Capo Transposition Chart PDF
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Developing Efficient Finger Movement
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Find the Right Guitar Teacher for You
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First Guitar Lesson: What to Expect
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Getting Ready for Your First Gig
How to Maintain Your Repertoire
How to Overcome Stage Fright
How to Play Hammer-Ons
How to Play Octave Doublestops
How to Play Pull-Offs
How to Play Swing Rhythms
How to Sing and Play Guitar at the Same Time
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Improve Your Timing and Rhythm with a Metronome
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Octave Patterns on the Fretboard
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Organizing Your Guitar Practice
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Staying Motivated to Practice: 6 Ideas
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The Real Book as a Practice Tool
How to use the Real Book to improve your sight-reading and chord playing.
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String-Skipping Exercise for Newer Players
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Swing 8th Notes (Difference between Swing and Straight 8th Notes)
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Where Do I Start? (Beginning Guitar Advice)
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CHORDS, STRUMMING, AND FINGERSTYLE PATTERNS
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6 Easy Travis Picking Patterns
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14 Strumming Patterns in 4/4 Time
14 patterns from the reference section of Rhythm Guitar Book 2.
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11 Strumming Patterns in 3/4 Time
11 patterns from the reference section of Rhythm Guitar Book 2.
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17 Fingerstyle Patterns in 4/4 Time
17 patterns from the reference section of Rhythm Guitar Book 2.
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12 Fingerstyle Patterns in 3/4 Time
12 patterns from the reference section of Rhythm Guitar Book 2.
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Add Moving Bass to Swing Chords
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Autumn Leaves Shell Voicing Lesson
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Basic Jazz Chords with 5th String Roots
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Basic Jazz Chords with 6th String Roots
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Choosing a Fingerstyle Pattern
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Colorful Cowboy Chords (Open Chord Variations)
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Diminished 7 Chords (Moveable)
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Finding Roots and 5ths in Moveable Chords
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Two Simple Exercises for Forming Chords with All Fingers at Once
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Five Ways to Play an A Major Chord
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Harmonize Major Scales with 4th String Roots (D Shapes)
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Harmonize Major Scales with 5th String Roots (A Shapes)
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Harmonize Major Scales with 5th String Roots (C Shapes)
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Harmonize Major Scales with 6th String Roots (E Shapes)
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Harmonize Major Scales • Root Position Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Major Scales • 1st Inversion Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Major Scales • 2nd Inversion Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Major Scales • Root Position Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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Harmonize Major Scales • 1st Inversion Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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Harmonize Major Scales • 2nd Inversion Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales with 6th String Roots
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • Root Position Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • Root Position Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • 1st Inversion Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • 1st Inversion Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • 2nd Inversion Triads • Strings 1-2-3
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Harmonize Harmonic Minor Scales • 2nd Inversion Triads • Strings 2-3-4
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How to Learn Jazz Guitar Chords
How to Read a Guitar Chord Diagram
House of the Rising Sun: Chords and Patterns
Learn These Chords First (G, C, D, and E Minor)
Beginning Guitar Strumming Patterns (4/4)
Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar Patterns (4/4)
Beginning Guitar Strumming Patterns (3/4)
Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar Patterns (3/4)
Guitar Strumming Variations
Beyond Boom Chick
Better Guitar Strumming Patterns with Alternate Bass Notes
Faster Chords Part 1 (Common Fingers and Guide Fingers)
Faster Chords Part 2 (4-3-2-1 Exercise)
How to Play Bass Runs on Guitar
How to Play Slash Chords
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Shell Voicing Inversions: Dominant 7
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Shell Voicing Inversions: Minor 7
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Shell Voicing Inversions: Minor 7b5 (Half-Diminished)
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Stairway to Heaven Minor Line Cliché
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Strengthen Your Hand for Bar Chords
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Symmetrical Chords: Augmented Triad
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Symmetrical Chords: Diminished 7
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Using a Capo to Build Up to Bar Chords
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MUSIC READING AND THEORY
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Music Theory Roadmap for Guitar Players
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7b9 and Diminished 7 Relationship
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9th Chords vs Add 9 Chords (Explaining the Difference)
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Chords Labels and What They Mean
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Closed Voicing vs Open Voicing
Difference Between Root and Tonic
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Enharmonic (What Enharmonic Means)
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Flat vs Minor: What's the Difference?
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Four Common 7th Chords and How to Play Them on the Guitar
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How to Identify the Key of a Song
How to Play Dotted Quarter Notes
How to Read a Lead Sheet
Learn the Guitar Fretboard
Guitar Fretboard Memory Exercises
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 1: The Music Staff
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 2: Treble Clef Notes
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 3: Rhythms, Ties, and Time Signatures
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 4: 8th Notes, 16th Notes, Dotted Quarter, Tempo
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 5: 3/8 and 6/8 Time Signatures
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 6: Repeat Signs
Music Reading for Guitar Players Part 7: Dynamics, Articulations, Tempo Changes, Holds, Multi-Measure Rests
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Triads 2: How to Play Triads on Guitar
Triads 3: Unlock the Fretboard with Triads
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Triads 4: Triad Improvisation Exercise
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Where Does the "7" in a 7th Chord Come From?
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Why Do We Have Both Sharps AND Flats?
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SCALES and ARPEGGIOS
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Comparing Scales and Modes Side by Side
How to Read a Guitar Scale Chart
Connect Scale Forms on the Guitar
Double Stop Major Scales in 3rds
Double Stop Major Scales in 6ths
Double Stop Major Scales in 10ths
First Three Guitar Scales (Major, Minor Pentatonic, and Blues)
Two Ways to Play a Diminished Scale
Three Ways to Play a Chromatic Scale
Three Ways to Play a Whole Tone Scale
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Five Ways to Play a Major Pentatonic Scale
Five Ways to Play a Major Scale
Five Ways to Play a Minor Pentatonic Scale
Five Ways to Play a Blues Scale
Five Ways to Play a Minor Scale
Five Ways to Play a Harmonic Minor Scale
Five Ways to Play a Melodic Minor Scale
Major Scale vs Major Pentatonic Scale (Side by Side Comparison)
A side by side comparison of major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales.
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Major Scale Patterns 1 of 5: Playing in Thirds
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Major Scale Patterns 2 of 5: 1-2-3-1 Pattern
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Major Scale Patterns 3 of 5: 1-3-2-1 Pattern
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Major Scale Patterns 4 of 5: 1-2-3 Triplet Pattern
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Major Scale Patterns 5 of 5: 1-2-3-4 Pattern
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Minor Pentatonic Patterns 1 of 3: 1-2-3-1 Pattern
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Minor Pentatonic Patterns 2 of 3: 3-1-2-3 Pattern
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Minor Pentatonic Patterns 3 of 3: 1-2-3 Triplet Pattern
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Minor Pentatonic vs Blues Scale (Side by Side Comparison)
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Natural Minor Scale vs Minor Pentatonic Scale (Side by Side Comparison)
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1st MOVEABLE CHORDS BOOKLET
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Lesson 1: Chord Overview and Notes on the 5th and 6th Strings
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Lesson 2: Two Moveable Major Chord Shapes
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Lesson 3: Two Moveable Minor Chord Shapes
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Lesson 4: Two Moveable 7th Chord Shapes
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Lesson 5: Early One Morning (Using Moveable Chords in Songs)
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Lesson 6: Summertime (Using Moveable Chords in Songs)
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Lesson 7: Go, Tell It on the Mountain (Using Moveable Chords in Songs)
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Lesson 8: My Blue Heaven (Using Moveable Chords in Songs)
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Lesson 9: Moveable Power Chords
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Lesson 10: Moveable Power Chord Exercises
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Lesson 11: Chord Review and Other Moveable Chord Diagrams
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SOLO GUITAR ARRANGING TIPS
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Arranging 1: Get Started Arranging for Solo Guitar
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Arranging 2: Divide (the Strings) and Conquer
Tips for dividing up the strings to cover the melody, harmony, and bass at the same time.
Arranging 3: Putting the Melody in the Bass
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Arranging 4: Picking a Key for Your Solo Guitar Arrangement
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Arranging 5: Playing Melodies and Open Chords at the Same Time
Highlights three common chords and how you can alter them to accommodate a melody. You can apply these ideas to any chord.
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Arranging 6: Making the Melody Stand Out
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Arranging 7: Adding Tempo Changes for Variety
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Using Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to demonstrate different ways you can treat melodies in your own guitar arrangements.
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Arranging 9: Three general tips to help your arranging process go more smoothly.
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Arranging 10: Arranging Exercise – Add a bass line to a melody.
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SOLO GUITAR ARRANGEMENTS
Easy Guitar Solo Lesson
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Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Solo
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Easy Guitar Solo Lesson
Away in a Manger
Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Solo
Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella
Easy Solo Guitar Lesson
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Solo
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Can't Help Falling in Love – Tutorial
Deck the Halls
Easy Solo Guitar Lesson
Order the arrangement.
Good King Wenceslas
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
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Greensleeves/What Child Is This
Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Happy Birthday
Easy Guitar Solo and Lesson
Free PDF available on my free downloads page.
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Solo and Lesson
Free PDF available on my free downloads page.
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Easy guitar solo demo.
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Easy Solo Guitar Lesson
Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar
Kumbaya
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
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Listen Before I Go (Billie Eilish)
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar
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Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
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Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Free PDF available on my free downloads page.
Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Late Intermediate/Early Advanced Guitar Lesson
Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Solo
Easy Guitar Lesson
Order the arrangement.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
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Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar
Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar
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Easy Fingerstyle Guitar
Free PDF available on my free downloads page.
Easy Guitar Lesson
Order the arrangement.
Silent Night
Easy Guitar Lesson
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Early Intermediate Solo
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Early Intermediate Solo
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Easy Fingerstyle Lesson
Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
Order the arrangement.
Wonderful Tonight
Intermediate Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
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PERFORMANCES/RECORDINGS
Jazz Combo
Tenderly
Jazz Combo
Quickly learn the names and numbers of the guitar strings.