Hot Acoustic Guitar How-Tos

How To: Play the minor pentatonic scale on your guitar

Justin teaches us how to play the minor pentatonic scale in this tutorial. This is a useful scale that you will use as long as you play the guitar. Start with your first finger in the fifth fret of the thickest string. Play A, then reach up with your fourth finger in the eight fret. All fingers should be in ascending order with the different frets. Move onto the next string, playing first finger and third finger. Go onto the next string with the fingers changing in between the frets as you go...

How To: Play "Leaving on a Jetplane" by John Denver on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Leaving on a Jet plane" by John Denver on guitar. This is a very easy song to sing and it's recognizable so that a group of people will be able to sing along with you. The chords you will need are a G, C, A minor, and D. These are the only chords you will need for the entire song. Start out by playing these chords for the intro twice in a row. After you have done this, play the chords throughout the rest of the verses. Make sure you pause and go down and u...

How To: Play "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis on guitar

In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis on guitar. Start out with the chords E, A, D, G, B, and e. After this, you will have learned how to play the intro to the song. Once finished, you will play Asus2x0220, then Asus 2/g-302200. As you continue to play the different verses of the song, start singing the lyrics that go along with them. It's easiest if you break the song up into different parts so you can master each of them before you bring at all together. Afte...

How To: Build a classical acoustic guitar from scratch

If you've always wanted to build your own Classical Acoustic guitar, this video series can get you started! You will watch he starts with some simple blocks of wood and an idea and crafts a great classical guitar! He will also show you his mistakes along the way and his own fixes, so that way if you make the same mistake, you will have an answer right there!

How To: Play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles

In this video, we learn how to play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles. Start out with the intro in E minor, then A minor, and G. Continue to play this and make sure your fingers are on the correct frets. As you continue to play the rest, play all the different verses on the song. There will be different chords throughout the entire song, just make sure to follow the music as you are playing along. Start to sing in the lyrics while you are playing the different verses, then end the...

How To: Improvise and play over Giant Steps on the guitar

Giant Steps is quite popular for being an incredibly difficult song to play seeing as it's a string of II, V, I chord changes in three different keys, among other changes that are inherent in the song. Thanks for making our lives more difficult Coltrane! If you're having trouble making your way around the neck and improvising this video can help! He talks about similar tonalities out of each chord change and scale connection between different keys. Just be careful because the audio goes out o...

How To: Play "Soul Meets Body" by Death Cab for Cutie on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of Death Cab for Cutie's "Soul Meets Body"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Soul Meets Body" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!

How To: Play "Decode" by Paramore on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of Paramore's "Decode"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Paramore" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!

How To: Play "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson of American Idol fame? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Breakaway" (sometimes written "Break Away") on your own a...

How To: Play "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas? I've got a feeling you're going to like this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "I Gotta Feeling" on your own acoustic guitar, just ...

How To: Play "California Gurls" by Katy Perry on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of "California Gurls" by Katy Perry? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "California Gurls" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!

How To: Play "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus on acoustic guitar

Want to perform an unplugged version of "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing this song from the Hannah Montanna movie on your own acoustic guitar, just take a l...

How To: Play "Real Love" by John Lennon / Beatles on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Real Love" by John Lennon / Beatles on guitar. Start out playing the intro to the song. As you continue on with the intro, you will start to lead into the first verse of the song. Start to sing the words to the song to fit them into place with the chords and melody of the song. Once finished with the verses, start to sing the chorus of the song and then go into the rest of the verses. While playing, pay attention to where your finger placement is on the st...

How To: Play "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift on guitar

In this tutorial, we learn how to play "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift on guitar. The four chords you will need for this song are: D, A, E minor, and G. You will play these chords in that order when you play the song, to match the verse in the beginning. You can vary this up if you have a guitar that doesn't have steps, but stick with these if you don't. Play these chords to hear what it sounds like, then add in the lyrics as you go to get a feel for the song. Once you reach the end, you...

How To: Play easy slash chords on an acoustic guitar

In this tutorial, we learn how to play easy slash chords on an acoustic guitar. The D/F# base chord is different because your thumb will be touching the strings to make a different sound when the bass comes. If you move your thumb to play the bass note, you will have another way to play this chord. The G/B chord has a few different options to play, where you can place your fingers on the different strings to accomplish different noises while you are playing. By practicing the different variat...

How To: Play "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus on guitar. Start out by playing an E minor 7, then put your middle finger on the third fret. Next, play the G chord and then a D/F#, which is a D chord that ends with an F# note instead. Move from this to the rest of the chords, continuing to play the entire song together. Practice playing the different chords until you get the sounds that fit in the song, then you can add in the lyrics once you are used to how the melo...

How To: Play "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam on guitar. Start with a G chord, then Em, C, and D. Once you have these, put them together to start the introduction to the song. You will move up and down with the chords of the song to create a different sound on the notes. On the breaks, play a G chord, then wait for a few counts and start the intro chords over again. This will make the melody for the song. Add in the lyrics to the melody, then you will have learned this Pearl Ja...

How To: Play "The Masterplan" by Oasis on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "The Master Plan" by Oasis on guitar. First, play the A minor at 9 with G sharp and with G. Continue to play the A minor at 9 with F and D, then you will have the introduction to the song finished. Continue to break the song down into different sections, playing out each part until you have the chords memorized. You may need to take more time with others in the middle of the chorus because the finger placement becomes tricky. Once you have this mastered, mo...

How To: Play "That's Entertainment" by The Jam on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "That's Entertainment" by The Jam on guitar. Start with a B flat for the intro, then go down to a G minor, followed by a C minor, and A flat. An easier way to play this is with a capo on the third fret. With this, replace the chords with a G, E minor 7, A7, and F major 7. As you play this, you will feel the melody that will be the same through the rest of the song. The sounds will go up and sown as you play, just add in the words and feel the song to get th...

How To: Do funky grooves on your guitar

In this video, we learn how to play guitar: Funk Grooves. First, learn how to slide your finger from the ninth chord using the third bar. As you do this, it will create a groove in your music that is unique and very "funky". Once you learn how to do this, you will be able to make funk groove music easily. Don't forget to mix things up with other chords to make up your own unique sounds as well. Remember to make sure you keep your right hand moving as you play, so you don't create any squeaky ...

How To: Play "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M. on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M. on guitar. This song will be done in the open position. Start out with the intro, which will have the chords: F, A minor, G, D minor, D, E minor, and C. This song does not have any split measures, so every chord should get one to two measures as you play. Play this slowly, then when you have it repeat this four times and change up on the fifth time. Once you are finished, you can breeze through the song and simply learn the ch...

How To: Play "Songbird" by Oasis on acoustic guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Songbird" by Oasis on acoustic guitar. Start out by playing the intro to the song, then continue on until you reach the first verse of the song. As you play, you might want to break the song down into different sections so you fully understand how each of the sections are supposed to be played. Once you reach the chorus, it should be played slightly different than the verses. Once you reach the last verses, they should sound like the first parts of the son...

How To: Play funk chords on the guitar

In this video, we learn how to play the funk chords on the guitar. These chords are more E dominant and require riffs that you may not be used to. The first chord you will use is an E7 chord, starting with the first finger on the root note. Go to the second, fourth, then third fret as you play it. Another good chords is to move the finger forward one fret to get an E7-4 chord. These are both funky sounding chords that you can play with. After this play an E13 chord with a D in the base, being...

How To: Use functioning & static dominant chords in jazz guitar

In this video, we learn how to play Jazz guitar: Functioning & Static Dominant Chords. When you play an A7 going to a D chord, you are playing a functioning dominant, because a five chord always wants to go to a one chord. This is because of the tension in the five chord and how it resolves to the one chord. You will hear that the chord wants to go to a different chord, so make sure you understand this concept as you are playing. If the chord does go to the other, it's referred to as a functi...

How To: Play "I Don't Love You" by My Chemical Romance on the guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "I Don't Love You" by My Chemical Romance. The basic chords of this song are: C, C suspended, C7, A minor, G suspended, and many others. Once you learn how to do the basic chords in each of the different verses of the song, you will be able to star to play in one fluid song. The fret of the song is tricky to play, so this may take some getting used to. Once you have these figured out, start to add in the lyrics as you go between the different verses. When f...

How To: Play 12-bar blues variations on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play 12-bar blues variations on guitar with Justin. You will simply be taking the regular pattern and adding in variations you can do. You will end up with the ability to improvise with different songs, which will make you have a unique sound to all your music. One of the things you can do is to start to play notes on a different string, or move the sound of the note up and down as you are playing it. Changing up the pattern can add a cool blues sound to your mu...

How To: Play "Married with Children" by Oasis on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Married with Children" by Oasis on guitar. The intro starts with B, G# on the fourth fret, then C# minor, A on the fifth fret, C, B, and E. Play these separately, then play all together twice. After you do this, you can go into the body of the song with the verse and second verses. The chords include: A, E, E7, and D. These are the basic chords that you will be playing throughout the entire song. Once you reach the chorus, incorporate the lyrics into the s...

How To: Play country rhythm guitar patterns

In this video, we learn how to play country rhythm guitar patterns. The sound will have a little bit of a bass pickup when you play it to get a country sound. First, hold down an open G chord and on beat one pick the first string. Continue to move the pick down the strings and move back up. As you go, you will move slowly and keep the same noise of the strings as you go around. This will take a little bit of practice, but is a great exercise to get the right country sound for the guitar pattern.

How To: Play "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups on guitar. This is a riff based song, so you will need to learn how to use a lot of riffs to play it. First, play the open 11 and open 9 chords, which are going to be the most common in the entire song. The riffs are structured as two measures each with four beats. Each should be almost identical, so play it out to see if you have the sound correct while you are playing. Continue to play the song all the way through, keeping ...

How To: Play "Fifteen" by Taylor Swift on acoustic guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Fifteen" by Taylor Swift on acoustic guitar. You will need: a G cord, E minor 7, D, and D/F # to play this song. There are four beats for the verses of each song, so start off doing this with a G chord, then C at 9. After this, do an E minor 7, then C at 9 again. This is a very easy song for beginners to learn, because the fingers at the base don't move that much and create an anchor. Start to learn the different chords and sing along as you go, then learn...

How To: Play "Halo" by Beyoncé on acoustic guitar

In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Halo" by Beyoncé on acoustic guitar. This is a simple song to play, because it uses the same chords throughout the entire thing. Start out with a G Am Em C twice, then continue to do this three more times. Then, do a G and C, then again with an Am and Em. You want the song to raise up then lower down as you continue to play. There will be stops in the song where the lyrics stop and so does the music, just learn these along with the rest of the song and ...

How To: Play "You Found Me" by The Fray on guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "You Found Me" by The Fray on guitar. Start off with your capo on the fourth fret off your guitar. The intro is E, B, G, D, A, and E. When you finish repeating the intro as necessary, you will move on to the first verse. This starts with an E, C, G, D, C, and E. After this, you will play the second verse which uses the same chords as the first verse. The chorus comes after this, followed b the last verse. Play through, then add in lyrics to practice where t...

How To: Play "Numb" by Linkin Park on acoustic guitar

In this video, we learn how to play "Numb" by Linkin Park on acoustic guitar. Start out with putting your middle finger on the second fret of the A string and play an E minor. Now, move your ring finger to the third fret of the A string and your pointer finger on the E string. Now, play a G with your middle finger on the first fret and your ring finger on the third fret. Learn how to get your finger movements correct while doing this, then start to play the intro and the rest of your song. As...

How To: Improve your chord changes on acoustic guitar

In this video, we learn how to improve your chord changes on an acoustic guitar. Start off by playing slowly so you figure out exactly where each of the chords are. Then, start to play in faster and faster, making sure your chord changes are clean and not messed up. After you do this, start to play a simple song on the guitar that requires small chord changes. Practice doing this song over and over until you become familiar with where the fingers go on the guitar. Once you have this down, you...

How To: Play "I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio" by Stereophonics

In this tutorial, we learn how to play "I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio" by Stereophonics. Start out by playing the introduction with an A, C, and G chord. After you do this, you will start to play the 5,4, and 3 softly. Once you have done these, your intro to the song will be finished. Practice doing these all together, then play all at once to hear the full effect of the song. After this, continue to play the rest of the song notes, changing in between the different chords. After this, add in...

How To: Play "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley on acoustic guita

In this video, we learn how to play "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley on acoustic guitar. You will need a C chord, G chord, A minor, and an F chord. These are the only chords you will need to play the entire song. You can add in your own unique lick while you are playing to give the song a personal touch as you are playing. The lick is based off of a G minor chord where you will hit the open A string with your finger off of the strings. Once you finish this, you will complete the song, enjoy!