2016: The Year I Started Making Videos Again

Dec 30, 2016

Here’s a “behind the scenes” entry in which I talk briefly about everything I accomplished in 2016: milestones hit, lessons learned, and takeaways for 2017.

In summary, 2016 was the year I came back to making videos after taking an unexpected 2-3 year break. I made 19 new full song lessons between April–December 2016, and plan to keep up this pace for all of 2017. I even plan on adding some smaller, shorter, non-song guitar lessons into the mix as well - so keep on watching in the new year!

Lastly, a big thanks to all my viewers / fans / followers / subscribers. The kind comments you have left & the generous tips some of you have sent truly are humbling & appreciated. Here’s wishing you a happy new year!

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 325 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


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

  • October 23, 2026

    [NEW] Metronome & Tempo Timer Tool!

    I'm excited to unveil a brand new tool to help you with your rhythm! Metronome, tap tempo, drum machine, and beat visualizer all rolled into one easy-to-use tool.

  • October 12, 2026

    "Love Me Two Times" by The Doors

    Learn to play this bluesy classic from 1967! This tune features ~4 guitar riffs, each of which is tricky to learn... but I'll walk you through it all, step by step, as per usual.

  • September 30, 2026

    Shuffle vs. Straight Rhythm... Hear the Difference!

    Learn to identify the rhytmic feel of a song, just by listening! In this lesson I break down the straight vs. shuffle rhythm, using 5 different riffs... each of which is played both ways.

  • September 25, 2026

    Red River Valley - Travis Picking Deep-Dive!

    Behond! 10 new videos from my Travis Picking Essentials course, focusing on the classic tune Red River Valley. Includes print-friendly tabs for everything taught in each of the videos.

  • September 16, 2026

    "Sweet Jane" by Velvet Underground

    Let's dive into the 1970 classic by the Velvet Underground! This one mostly uses a two-measure progression from start to finish, but there's a ton of strumming & rhythm nuance you'll need to capture the sound. I teach it all, including several different ways to play the chords needed.

  • September 14, 2026

    Practical Music Theory: 1-4-5 Chords & Why They're Important

    An explanation of the three most commonly used chords in each musical key, and why they're important. Say hello to the one, four, and five chords!

  • September 9, 2026

    Q&A: Understanding Secondary Dominants (ft. Sierra Ferrell)

    I answer a member question about chords that seem to fall outside the key, using secondary dominants to explain what’s happening. Featuring the catchy opening riff to Sierra Ferrell's Bells of Every Chapel.

  • 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!

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage


YouTube URL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ipMnKXHlAo
Thumbnail (video)
Video thumbnail for 2016: The Year I Started Making Videos Again
Thumbnail (pdf)
n/a
Slug
36
Lesson URL
/lessons/36/
Patreon URL
n/a
Discussion URL
n/a
Add to Favorites
List of Favorites