Who hasn't been influenced by Mississippi Fred McDowell ? Imitated by just about everyone that has picked up a slide his impact has spread the world over. With so many trying to figure out exactly how he played we are so fortunate to have a lesson like this one where we get to learn from the man himself. The footage of Fred McDowell seen in this lesson is a treasure because it's as if it was filmed with us the students of McDowell's style in mind. With clear shots of his left and right hands it's like your own private lesson with the master himself. DISC ONE is devoted to footage of Fred McDowell performing many of his classic tunes inOpen E tuning. After each performance Tom Feldmann breaks down Fred's techniques and then goes to the split screen playing the song slowly as you play along. DISC TWO is devoted to the recordings of McDowell in Open A tuning. Tom performs this time around as none of the available footage has McDowell performing in Open A. A detailed tab/music booklet is included as a PDF file on each DVD. In addition the original recordings of all the tunes in lesson two are included. On Disc Two there is 51 minute interview with Tom Feldmann where he talks about his influences as well as performing a wide variety of tunes. Titles Include: OPEN E TUNING: When I Lay My Burden Down Keep Your Lamp TrimmedAnd Burning John Henry Break 'Em On Down Louise Mojo Hand I Heard Somebody Call OPEN A TUNING: Write Me A Few Lines Been Drinking Out of A Hollow Log Fred's Worried Life Blues The Train I Ride Kokomo Blues

Jackson Mississippi attracted a host of blues musicians in the period 1910-1940. Many players from small towns made their way to Jackson which as the capital of Mississippi and a much larger city held forth the promise of moreand better work opportunities and the possibility of making a living playing music rather than driving a mule or chopping cotton. The Jackson Blues scene was an unusually rich one stylistically spanning the gap from thesophisticated Pop blues of Bo Carter to the low-down blues of Rube Lacy and a host of players working between those two extremes. Included on this DVD are transcriptions and teaching of recorded performances from TommyJohnson one of the fountainheads of the Mississippi blues Itta Bena natives Rube Lacy and Ishmon Bracey with their distinctive vocal head tones and intense playing the great Geeshie Wiley a woman who played and sang asstrongly as any man Walter Vinson guitarist and lead singer for the Mississippi Sheiks and Bo Carter a player with a rich chordal vocabulary and Jazzy sound. The songs presented offer a wide range of left and right handapproaches and ways of keeping time and will expand your your ability to play blues moving far afield from the simple alternating bass. A detailed tab/music booklet is included as a PDF file on the DVD and contains all ofthe songs' lyrics as well as transcriptions of the Guitar parts. Also included are the original source recordings from which the transcriptions taught in the lesson were taken. Titles include: Tommy Johnson: LonesomeHome Blues Walter Vinson: Overtime Blues Geeshie Wiley: Eagles On A Half Rube Lacy: Ham Hound Crave Ishmon Bracey: Four Day Blues Bo Carter: Honey

Strumming chords to back up singing is fun but there's more to the Ukulele than that! If you've seen Jake Shimabukuro or some other contemporary Uke wizards playing amazing instrumentals you know the little 4-string jumping flea is capable of anything. If you'd like to learn how to play solos (with other people or by yourself) this lesson will show you several approaches to doing just that. You'll learn two moveable blues boxes chord based licks Steve Cropper licks first position and moveable major scales...and how and when to use them. These soloing ideas work for songs of just about any genre: rock pop blues country R&B you-name-it! Fred takes you through all thesetechniques using diverse musical examples like Jamaica Farewell Corrine Corrina Feeling Alright St. James Infirmary Amazing Grace Careless Love Chilly Winds Louie Louie and more. His easy-going instructional style makes it all clear and understandable and all the scales licks and many of the songs are written out in tab and music in the accompanying PDF file/book. Get together with other players and prepare to shred! 80 minutes - Level 3 - Detailed tab/music PDF file on the DVD. DVD is region 0 playable worldwide. Strumming chords to back up singing is fun but there's more to the Ukulele than that! If you've seen Jake Shimabukuro or some other contemporary Uke wizards playing amazing instrumentals you know the little 4-string jumpingflea is capable of anything. If you'd like to learn how to play solos (with other people or by yourself) this lesson will show you several approaches to doing just that. You'll learn two moveable blues boxes chord based licks 'Steve Cropper licks ' first position and moveable major scales...and how and when to use them. These soloing ideas work for songs of just about any genre: rock pop blues country R&B you-name-it! Fred takes youthrough all these techniques using diverse musical examples like Jamaica Farewell Corrine Corrina Feeling Alright St. James Infirmary Amazing Grace Careless Love Chilly Winds Louie Louie and more. His easy-goinginstructional style makes it all clear and understandable and all the scales licks and many of the songs are written out in tab and music in the accompanying PDF file/book. Get together with other players and prepare toshred! 80 minutes - Level 3 - Detailed tab/music PDF file on the DVD. DVD is region 0 playable worldwide.

Fred Sokolow takes you from tuning up and your first chords to rockin' the Blues in one 70-minute tutorial! Sokolow teaches the Blues in several keys including Boogie Woogie basslines Blues turnarounds and simple fingerpickingpatterns. You will discove the elements of Blues soloing and lick-building in the styles of Lightnin' Hopkins Big Bill Broonzy and Mississippi John Hurt. The lesson is complete with some classic Blues standards for you to developyour new techniques and knowledge including Key To The Highway and Hesitation Blues .

In this second DVD lesson devoted to the styles techniques and music of Merle Travis Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed Buster B. Jones explores five instrumental arrangements that have become trademarks for these legends.

This DVD lesson has been designed to help beginner and intermediate students of fingerpicking country blues guitar improve their playing skills and increase their repertoires using an alternating bass technique. Stefan Grossmanillustrates and explains in detail ten fingerstyle arrangements in the keys of C D E A G and F. These popular blues and ragtime songs come from the playing of the Mississippi John Hurt Rev Gary Davis Mance Lipscomb andElizabeth Cotten. Each tune is discussed and taught phrase by phrase and played slowly on a split screen so that you can clearly see what each hand is doing. A detailed 44 page tab/music PDF booklet is included with this lesson.

In this unique lesson Bob Brozman and Woody Mann describe and teach in detail duet arrangements in the styles of the great Delta blues guitarists: Charley Patton Robert Johnson Willie Brown Tommy Johnson and Son House. Techniques and ideas for creating a cohesive guitar part that compliments rather than competes or conflicts are discussed. Each part is taught separately and presented in tablature and music notation. Woody and Bob alsopresent effective techniques for improving improvisation skills while jamming with other musicians. The tunes presented in this lesson can be used as repertoire pieces for either solo or duet situations. All in all avery unique lesson giving you twice the amount of ideas and challenges from two of today’s blues guitar masters. Titles include: Banty Rooster Moon Goin’ Down Bye Bye Blues Robert Johnson’s Blues and Big Road Blues.

In this celebratory feel-good DVD Buster B. Jones demonstrates the versatility of the guitar with a host of inspirational songs arranged in a range of styles. From a classical-style arrangement of God Rest Ye MerryGentlemen to a spirited Country-picking version of Jingle Bell Rock and the quiet serene ballad Do You Hear What I Hear you will be treated to a compendium of techniques that help capture the special essence ofeach song. These spiritual and gospel favourites are guaranteed to bring new elements to your own playing style introducing changes and and ideas that will be both challenging and useful whatever your style.

Arranged For Fingerstyle Guitar-Woody Guthrie 's songs gave direction and purpose to a generation of songwriters in the 1950s and 1960s and they continue to move millions of people today. This Land Is Your Land has become an alternate national anthem! In this 101 minute lesson Fred Sokolow teaches you how to play backup and solos to ten of Woody's best known songs. It's a great lesson in fingerpicking as well as an intro to some moving classic tunes from America's legendary poet/songwriter. Fred makes it easy to learn with split-screen slowed down versions of the songs and helpful hints about the licks and picking styles. All the songs are written out in tab and music notation in the PDF file thatcomes with the lesson. All lyrics are also included. Titles include: Pastures of Plenty So Long It's Been Good to Know Yuh Bound For Glory (This Train) Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee) Do Re Mi Philadelphia Lawyer Oklahoma Hills My Daddy (Flies A Ship In The Sky) Hard Travelin' and Pretty Boy Floyd . 101 minutes • Level 2 • Detailed tab/music PDF file on the DVD Woody Guthrie 's songs gave direction and purpose to a generation of songwriters in the 1950s and 1960s and they continue to move millions of people today. This Land Is Your Land has become an alternate national anthem! In this 101 minute lesson Fred Sokolow teaches you how to play backup and solos to ten of Woody's best known songs. It's a great lesson in fingerpicking as well as an intro to some moving classic tunes from America's legendary poet/songwriter. Fred makes it easy to learn with split-screen slowed down versions of the songs and helpful hints about the licks and picking styles. All the songs are written out in tab and musicnotation in the PDF file that comes with the lesson. All lyrics are also included. Titles include: Pastures of Plenty So Long It's Been Good to Know Yuh Bound For Glory (This Train) Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee) Do Re Mi Philadelphia Lawyer Oklahoma Hills My Daddy (Flies A Ship In The Sky) Hard Travelin' and Pretty Boy Floyd . 101 minutes • Level 2 • Detailed tab/music PDF file on the DVD

Celtic Music offers the fingerstyle guitarist many beautiful and haunting melodies as well as intriguing dance rhythms and exciting tunes. Duck Baker is one of the leading fingerstyle guitarists arranging melodies from thevast Celtic repertoire. In this DVD Duck explores the possibilities of playing a wide variety of Celtic music on your guitar. The character and feel of the Celtic style is expertly conveyed here and with a selection ofpieces to learn and practice the skills you will soon be adding melodic picking and arpeggios to your own playing. With a 24 page PDF music booklet.

Bert Jansch was one of the most influential and unique guitarists to emerge from the British folk music scene of the sixties.His influence can be traced in the playing of Neil Young Jimmy Page Johnny Marr and countless others. Over the course of nearly fifty years he produced a prodigious body of work as a solo guitarist singer and songwriter as a member of the seminalfolk-baroque band Pentangle as a duo with his equally revered friend John Renbourn and in a variety of other ensemble situations. On The Guitar Of Bert Jansch Taught By Rolly Brown we explore a representative selection from the folk traditional and blues segment of his Guitar arrangements rangingfrom simple early folk Guitar settings like Running From Home to his most iconic sophisticated and original accompaniments(e.g. Reynardine Black Waterside). These are carefully arranged little gems and his virtuosity as a guitarist allowed him to have a very specific and beautifully wrought arrangement while still showing an ability to create a number of subtle variations which occurred in his recordings over the years. Rolly Brown first heard Bert's playing in the mid-60s and has been a fan ever since. Along with basic arrangements Rolly discusses variations introductions and endings where appropriate. Titles include Running From Home Blues Run The Game Strollin' Down The Highway In The Bleak Midwinter and more. Bert Jansch was one of the most influential and unique guitarists to emerge from the British folk music scene of the sixties.His influence can be traced in the playing of Neil Young Jimmy Page Johnny Marr andcountless others. Over the course of nearly fifty years he produced a prodigious body of work as a solo guitarist singer and songwriter as a member of the seminal'folk-baroque' band Pentangle as a duo with his equallyrevered friend John Renbourn and in a variety of other ensemble situations. On The Guitar Of Bert Jansch Taught By Rolly Brown we explore a representative selection from the folk traditional and bluessegment of his Guitar arrangements ranging from simple early folk Guitar settings like 'Running From Home' to his most iconic sophisticated and original accompaniments(e.g. Reynardine Black Waterside). These are carefullyarranged little gems and his virtuosity as a guitarist allowed him to have a very specific and beautifully wrought arrangement while still showing an ability to create a number of subtle variations which occurred in hisrecordings over the years. Rolly Brown first heard Bert's playing in the mid-60s and has been a fan ever since. Along with basic arrangements Rolly discusses variations introductions and endings whereappropriate. Titles include Running From Home Blues Run The Game Strollin' Down The Highway In The Bleak Midwinter and more.

The style of Jerry Reed is a unique blend of syncopated rhythms banjo-style rolls and brilliant chord voicings that brings a whole new dimension to fingerstyle guitar. Walking bass-lines chromatic runs double stops andcounterpoint melodies are seamlessly joined by Jerry's unique 'claw' style right-hand technique whcih is essential to getting his sound. In this lesson Buster B. Jones teaches you all the neccesary elements to play like JerryReed. A detailed 44 page tab/music booklet is included. Featuring Reedology The Claw Jiffy Jam Jerry's Breakdown Down Home Papa's Knee and Lord Mr. Ford.

In these three audio lessons Duck Baker Stefan Grossman and John Renbourn teach six Celtic fingerstyle guitar solos. The three compact discs offer three full hours of note-by-note phrase-by-phrase instruction and all of the arrangements appear in the book in notation and tablature. Lesson One by Duck Baker teaches Planxty Irwin in Drop D tuning and Hewlett in standard tuning. Lesson Two by Stefan Grossman introduces Open G minor tuning for Logan Water and Captain Magan. Lesson Three by John Renbourn continues G minor tuning with arrangements of Mist Covered Mountains and The Orphan. This lesson concludes with five bonus tracks featuring performances by Davey Graham andDave Evans. In these three audio lessons Duck Baker Stefan Grossman and John Renbourn teach six Celtic fingerstyle guitar solos. The three compact discs offer three full hours of note-by-note phrase-by-phrase instruction and all of the arrangements appear in the book in notation and tablature. Lesson One by Duck Baker teaches Planxty Irwin in Drop D tuning and Hewlett in standard tuning. Lesson Two by Stefan Grossman introduces Open G minor tuning for Logan Water and Captain Magan. Lesson Three by John Renbourn continues G minor tuning with arrangements of Mist Covered Mountains and The Orphan. This lesson concludes with five bonus tracks featuring performances by Davey Graham andDave Evans.

Mississippi John Hurt's appeal was universal he was very much a musician of his time and place playing within a tradition but mapping out his own territory with subtleties of touch phrasing and use of the guitar that were all his own. In this DVD contemporary guitar legend John Miller presents instruction in John Hurt's repertoire with songs chosen to showcase his playing in different keys. The accompanying booklet includes TAB/standard notation transcriptions and lyrics of the songs. Click Here to view and download the booklet.

The second lesson in this series focuses on the playing techniques of Blind Lemon Jefferson Rev. Gary Davis Tommy Johnson and Lonnie Johnson as well as many facets of fingerpicking in these keys. Focusing on the keys of D and G this is a challenging lesson that will illustrate different right and left hand techniques. As in the first lesson the aim is to give you a freedom to improvise playing a blues in these keys with each tune taught phrase by phrase and played slowly on a split-screen. As a bonus feature audio tracks are included featuring rare recordings of the songs and styles presented on the DVD. A detailed tab/music booklet is included as a PDF file on the DVD which includes lyrics to the songs as well as tab/music transcriptions of the guitar playing. The second lesson in this series focuses on the playing techniques of Blind Lemon Jefferson Rev. Gary Davis Tommy Johnson and Lonnie Johnson as well as many facets of fingerpicking in these keys. Focusing on the keys of D andG this is a challenging lesson that will illustrate different right and left hand techniques. As in the first lesson the aim is to give you a freedom to improvise playing a blues in these keys with each tune taughtphrase by phrase and played slowly on a split-screen. As a bonus feature audio tracks are included featuring rare recordings of the songs and styles presented on the DVD. A detailed tab/music booklet is included as a PDFfile on the DVD which includes lyrics to the songs as well as tab/music transcriptions of the guitar playing.

Two of the world's premiere acoustic guitarists join forces in this concert recorded in 1982 to define and explore the parameters of American and European folk blues jazz and ragtime music - from a medieval English dance tune to a Charles Mingus composition. Guitarists Stefan Grossman and John Renbourn play both solo and as a duo on this incredible DVD. Titles include: Looper's Corner The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers Struttin' Rag The Assassination of John Fahey Tightrope Judy Angie White House Blues The English Dance Trotto Goodbye Porkpie Hat Candyman Spirit Levels and Take A Whiff On Me.

In Spanish and Vestapol Tunings-The use of open tunings on the guitar to accompany singing is one of the hallmark sounds of the Country Blues. Unquestionably the two open tunings that have been used most commonly in the Country Blues have been Spanish tuning often called Open G tuning and Vestapol tuning quite often called Open D tuning. For this 2-DVD lesson we've chosen the names Spanish and Vestapol to designate these tunings because in practice Spanish tuning was not always tuned exactly to an open G chord and Vestapol tuning was not always tuned to an open D chord. Each one of these tunings represents its own sort of sound universe but what is really interesting to hear is the different approaches that different players took to the same tunings and the different sounds that resulted. In each of these tunings you'll encounter players whose approach was so melody-driven that it ends up sounding almost like slide guitar played without a slide and at the opposite end of the spectrum high concept chordally sophisticated arrangements. We've purposely chosen the songs that are taught on the lesson to encompass as much of that sound spectrum as possible. On Disc 1 the Spanish tuning lesson we start by presenting an overview to the tuning how it is set up and where the foundational chord positions needed to play Country Blues in that tuning are located. Then we launch into the repertoire: Elizabeth Cotten's serene rendition of the hymn When I Get Home Mississippi John Hurt's danceable Boys You're Welcome Teddy Darby's hypnotic Built Right On The Ground Clifford Gibson's uptown Bad Luck Dice Mance Lipscomb's ancient-sounding Willie Poor Boy and Kenny Baker's haunting Legend of the Whistling Brakeman. On Disc 2 the Vestapol tuning lesson we begin with the an overview that provides the sound of the tuning the approach that is best suited to it and the

In this unique lesson Woody Mann explores the ideas techniques and styles of this legendary guitarist. A 48 page tab/music booklet is included as a PDF on the DVD as well as bonus audio tracks of all the original Blind Blakerecordings of the tunes taught.

Nine Original Pieces in Classical Ragtime Style for Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar. TAB/Music of all the tunes on this CD is included as PDF files. You will need Adobe Acrobat (a free download) to open and print this file from your computer.

The body of sacred music takes many forms and except for the area of Gospel music has not been routinely explored by fingerstyle guitarists. Yet there are techniques available to the fingerstyle player that can be used tocreate evocative and beautiful arrangements of religious music. In this DVD lesson El McMeen demonstrates the use of various techniques including harp style arpeggios and alternating bass lines as well as the open string tuningof CGDGAD to make the power and beauty of this music accessible and exciting to the fingerstyle player. Includes a 24 page tab/music PDF booklet containing all the music and examples found within the lesson. Thoroughlypractical interesting and a wonderful learning tool El McMeen's arrangements and playing bring a unique sensitivity to this music that encourages and inspires guitar students.