Reading Music for Guitarists - Chord Charts vs. Tabs

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Recent Lessons

• 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!

• 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!

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