Walk Right In

by The Rooftop Singers • Lesson #277 • Jan 16, 2020

Video lesson

Song Sheet with Lyrics 2 pages

A printed arrangement with the lyrics, chords, and other guitar parts taught in my video lesson. Available for purchase through Musicnotes.com.

Have questions? Read this help page to learn how buying & printing works, with answers to many common questions about my song sheets.

Buy at Musicnotes.com

Save 50% on this song sheet by applying the September 2026 code at Musicnotes checkout: 2EA4MT7KEH (click to copy). Thanks for being a Premium supporter!

Song Notes Premium includes a 50% discount code you can use when buying any of my licensed song sheets. For the current month's code, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

In this lesson I’ll teach you how to play “Walk Right In” by The Rooftop Singers (1962). This is a classic folk/bluegrass song that combines easy-going strumming with very distinctive acoustic walk-ups and walk-downs between various chords. It can be tricky to combine it all together… but in this lesson I’ll guide you through things step-by-step to help you learn it. I should note that this lesson is steered slightly toward an “easy” version of the song – I’ll be cutting a few corners to keep things simpler with some of the runs & fills, even if it’s not 100% what the Rooftop Singers play in all cases.

I begin with the basics: the chords, progression, easy strumming (all used in the verse)… and then show you how to bring in the slightly more difficult bass-line fills that connect everything together (specifically in the intro). Here’s what I teach, with timestamps if you want to jump ahead:

  • 0:00 Lesson overview
  • 2:35 Chord shapes & progression
  • 6:29 Strumming the verse
  • 9:51 How to play the intro (w/ tab)
  • 20:36 Intro playthrough (simple strumming)
  • 21:43 Intro playthrough (moderate strumming)
  • 22:15 Farewell

I came to know this song from the Forrest Gump soundtrack back in the 90s, which introduced me to so much music I’d grow to love. Recently, it was Patreon supporter Karl who wrote in with a request for this song –– bringing it back to mind. It’s been a pleasure to make this lesson, and I hope you find it helpful!

Quick note about capo and tuning

I’m playing this song using chords in the key of G (to keep things simple), with a capo on the 1st fret. This allows you to play the song along with the album version while being in the same key. I should note that I’ve seen some lessons teach this in the key of A, with the guitar tuned down 1/2 step. I’m not taking that approach, even if that’s the “real” way The Rooftop Singers play this song… simply because I’d rather keep things slightly more beginner-friendly and accessible to more of my audience.

Rooftop Singers version of this song

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 318 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!


Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • August 28, 2026

    Learn Riffs Faster with Chunking (ft. Johnny Cash)

    Here's a must-know technique that will help you learn any riff, solo, or extended tab much more quickly! The secret is breaking things into manageable chunks. I demonstrate using Johnny Cash's classic I Walk The Line.

  • August 20, 2026

    [Updated] Chord Changes & Learning New Chords

    Over in my Beginner Chord Guide, I've updated the Chord Changes lesson page to include a ton of new written detail giving context to my video lesson. If you struggle with learning new chords or changing chords smoothly, check it out!

  • August 19, 2026

    Practice Guide for "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash

    Check out my brand new visual companion to help you learn Johnny Cash's 1956 classic! 6 pages, including step-by-step tips for chords, strumming, walking bass lines, and more.

  • August 14, 2026

    Strum & Sing "Runaway" by Del Shannon

    Learn to play this #1 hit from 1961! This song is a blast to play, as it features a fun key change and plenty of strumming flourishes to include. I teach it all, step by step!

  • August 7, 2026

    Practice Guide for "Brown Eyed Girl"

    I've created a brand new Practice Guide to accompany my popular Brown Eyed Girl lesson! Enjoy an updated visual companion helping you with chord shape finger positions, various ways to play the melodic intro riff, strumming, and much more.

  • July 31, 2026

    "Ohio" by Crosby Stills Nash & Young

    Learn to play this CSNY protest classic from 1970! Features an iconic rock riff, which I'll teach you to play a few different ways. I also include strumming tips for the chorus, along with options for standard and Drop-D tunings.

  • July 17, 2026

    Travis Picking Essentials: 10 New Pages of PDF Guides!

    This week I finished a batch of 5 new PDF guides for my in-progress Travis Picking Essentials course... and they're ready for you to download and print!

  • July 16, 2026

    [Updated] How I Learned to Travis Pick with John Prine ft. Clay Pigeons

    I totally overhauled my 7 page PDF guide for this lesson! Plus, I recorded six zoomed videos showing the step-by-step exercises I recommend.

  • July 3, 2026

    "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin (full song lesson)

    Learn to play each seciton of Led Zeppelin's 1969 classic! For each section, I teach several easier ways to play things – allowing you to strum & sing without worrying about copying Jimmy Page in all cases.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage


Title (short)
Walk Right In by The Rooftop Singers
YouTube URL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXSSTPAEGdA
Thumbnail (video)
Video thumbnail for
Thumbnail (pdf)
PDF thumbnail for
Slug
277
Lesson URL
/lessons/277/
PDF num pages
2
Patreon URL
https://www.patreon.com/posts/33200047
Discussion URL
n/a
Add to Favorites
List of Favorites