Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
Hey there, friends! Lesson today for the much-requested Southern Cross, the 1982 classic from Crosby, Stills and Nash. This is a song that’s fairly easy to approach (using only A, G, and D for the most part) but can likewise be quite tricky when it comes to capturing the “feel” of the CSN album recording. Fear not, I’ll teach you how to approach it – starting with beginner-friendly basics, and then show various ways to add color using intermediate strumming skills.
I’ve also included an extended video lesson (see below), which slowly plays through each section of the song along with tabs & strumming diagrams on the screen. This additional lesson also shows you a few alternative ways to play the main riff, different from what I teach in the main lesson. Likewise, I’ve posted by beginning-to-end cover of the song as well — in case you want to hear how it sounds when you put it all together. Enjoy!
Free Video Lesson
Timestamps for my free video lesson:
- 0:00 Lesson Overview
- 1:10 Chord Shapes
- 2:57 Main Riff
- 7:43 Verse
- 9:52 Pre-Chorus & Chorus
- 12:38 Add’l Strumming Tips
Extended Video Lesson For Premium Members
Play-Along Cover For Premium Members
Licensed Song Sheet 3 pages
Follow along with my print-friendly guide for this song! It’s available for purchase at Musicnotes.com, the web’s leading provider of licensed sheet music.
On the fence? Here's a guide I made showing the purchase & print process, including answers to common questions about my song sheets.
Buy at Musicnotes.comLesson Discussion
Crosby, Stills & Nash’s Recorded Version of Southern Cross
Additional Lessons To Help With This Song
Here’s instructional lessons I’ve made teaching concepts that are useful in this song.
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!
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
-
June 12, 2026
"Ramble On" Acoustic Bassline Groove (Led Zeppelin)
-
June 6, 2026
Melody, with Chords: "Love Me Tender"
-
June 5, 2026
"Love Me Tender" as played by Elvis Presley
-
May 29, 2026
Learning Triads with "Happy Birthday" (Key of G)
-
May 19, 2026
Guitar Jam Tracks: How I Make Them!
-
May 4, 2026
New and Improved! Song List Update.
-
April 24, 2026
Country Fingerstyle, Melody + Bass (feat. "Live Forever" by Billy Joe Shaver)
-
April 21, 2026
Sneak Peek! Step-by-Step Travis Picking Course
-
April 10, 2026
"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty
