Beginner
Folk: Beginner (6 weeks)
Strum open chords through a song with the folk strum, hammer-ons and bass runs, then take your first steps in fingerpicking. For acoustic beginners starting from zero.
Week 1: Read tab and play your first chords
3 sessions
Week 1: Read tab and play your first chords
3 sessionsSession 130 min
- Read: Reading tab5 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab60 bpm · 5 min
- Read: E minor and A minor8 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor50 bpm · 6 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor50 bpm · 6 min
Session 229 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab65 bpm · 5 min
- Read: Chromatic warm-up5 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up60 bpm · 5 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor55 bpm · 7 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor55 bpm · 7 min
Session 330 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up65 bpm · 5 min
- Read: A, D and E major8 min
- Pick through A, D and EA, D and E major50 bpm · 6 min
- A-D-A-EA, D and E major50 bpm · 6 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor60 bpm · 5 min
Week 2: Major chords and steady downstrokes
3 sessions
Week 2: Major chords and steady downstrokes
3 sessionsSession 130 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up70 bpm · 5 min
- Read: Quarter-note downstrokes6 min
- Steady EmQuarter-note downstrokes60 bpm · 7 min
- A-D-A-EA, D and E major55 bpm · 7 min
- Pick each stringE minor and A minor60 bpm · 5 min
Session 231 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab75 bpm · 5 min
- Read: C and G8 min
- Pick through C and GC and G50 bpm · 6 min
- G-C-G-DC and G50 bpm · 6 min
- Rest on beat 4Quarter-note downstrokes60 bpm · 6 min
Session 330 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up75 bpm · 5 min
- Pick through A, D and EA, D and E major60 bpm · 6 min
- G-C-G-DC and G55 bpm · 7 min
- Steady EmQuarter-note downstrokes70 bpm · 6 min
- Pick through C and GC and G55 bpm · 6 min
Week 3: Clean chord changes
3 sessions
Week 3: Clean chord changes
3 sessionsSession 133 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up80 bpm · 5 min
- Read: One-minute changes8 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes50 bpm · 7 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes50 bpm · 7 min
- A-D-A-EA, D and E major60 bpm · 6 min
Session 231 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab80 bpm · 5 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes55 bpm · 7 min
- G-C-G-DC and G60 bpm · 7 min
- Pick through C and GC and G60 bpm · 6 min
- Rest on beat 4Quarter-note downstrokes70 bpm · 6 min
Session 332 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up85 bpm · 5 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes55 bpm · 7 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes40 bpm · 7 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes60 bpm · 7 min
- Four strums eachE minor and A minor70 bpm · 6 min
Week 4: Eighth notes and the folk strum
3 sessions
Week 4: Eighth notes and the folk strum
3 sessionsSession 131 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up85 bpm · 5 min
- Read: Eighth-note strums6 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums60 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums60 bpm · 7 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes60 bpm · 6 min
Session 231 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab85 bpm · 5 min
- Read: The folk strum6 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-up on GThe folk strum70 bpm · 7 min
- Down-up on every eighthEighth-note strums65 bpm · 7 min
- Change every two beatsOne-minute changes65 bpm · 6 min
Session 332 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up90 bpm · 5 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-up on GThe folk strum75 bpm · 7 min
- The strum through G, C, G, DThe folk strum70 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums65 bpm · 7 min
- Change on every beatOne-minute changes45 bpm · 6 min
Week 5: Hammer-ons, sus chords and bass runs
3 sessions
Week 5: Hammer-ons, sus chords and bass runs
3 sessionsSession 132 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up90 bpm · 5 min
- 🔒 Read: Hammer-ons and sus chords7 min
- 🔒 Dsus4 and Dsus2 resolving to DHammer-ons and sus chords60 bpm · 7 min
- The strum through G, C, G, DThe folk strum75 bpm · 7 min
- G-Em-C-D loopOne-minute changes65 bpm · 6 min
Session 232 min
- Open strings, low to high and backReading tab90 bpm · 5 min
- 🔒 Read: Bass runs between chords7 min
- 🔒 Runs up from G to C and back downBass runs between chords60 bpm · 7 min
- 🔒 Hammer-ons through C, Am, G, DHammer-ons and sus chords60 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-up on GThe folk strum80 bpm · 6 min
Session 332 min
- 4-3-2-1 back downChromatic warm-up75 bpm · 5 min
- 🔒 Dsus4 and Dsus2 resolving to DHammer-ons and sus chords70 bpm · 7 min
- 🔒 Runs up from G to C and back downBass runs between chords65 bpm · 7 min
- The strum through G, C, G, DThe folk strum80 bpm · 7 min
- Down, down-up, up-down-upEighth-note strums70 bpm · 6 min
Week 6: First fingerpicking
3 sessions
Week 6: First fingerpicking
3 sessionsSession 132 min
- 1-2-3-4 across all stringsChromatic warm-up90 bpm · 5 min
- Read: Thumb and fingers8 min
- Thumb alone: bass notes of C and GThumb and fingers60 bpm · 7 min
- Add i, m and a between the bass notesThumb and fingers60 bpm · 7 min
- The strum through G, C, G, DThe folk strum85 bpm · 5 min
Session 232 min
- Pick through C and GC and G70 bpm · 5 min
- Thumb alone: bass notes of C and GThumb and fingers70 bpm · 6 min
- Add i, m and a between the bass notesThumb and fingers65 bpm · 7 min
- 🔒 Read: Arpeggio patterns7 min
- 🔒 Forward roll p-i-m-a on Am and EmArpeggio patterns60 bpm · 7 min
Session 332 min
- Pick through C and GC and G75 bpm · 5 min
- 🔒 Forward roll p-i-m-a on Am and EmArpeggio patterns65 bpm · 7 min
- Add i, m and a between the bass notesThumb and fingers70 bpm · 7 min
- 🔒 Hammer-ons through C, Am, G, DHammer-ons and sus chords70 bpm · 7 min
- 🔒 Runs up from G to C and back downBass runs between chords75 bpm · 6 min