Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
About This Lesson
In this lesson I’ll teach you to play Jimmy Buffett’s 1977 classic Margaritaville on an acoustic guitar. While this song uses just three chords, there’s plenty of opportunity for extra flourish using 7th chord variations and melodic strumming fills. I’ll teach all this using two different approaches: one more simple, and the other a bit more intermediate. I’ll even show you a fun way to play the intro riff on the guitar using harmonized thirds, which sounds great! Many of you have requested this song over the past few years… so I very much hope you enjoy the lesson!
- 0:00 Lesson Overview
- 1:07 Intro Riff
- 2:48 Practice Track
- 4:14 Verse & Chorus Chords
- 8:03 Strumming
- 8:51 Verse Filler Strums
- 13:59 Chorus Filler Strums
- 17:29 Farewell & Final Tips
Quick Links
- Official Album Recording from Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
- Song Wikipedia page
- Recommended lyric & chords
Practice Notes 5 pages
Lesson Discussion
Extended Video Lessons
Here’s a few extra videos, made in thanks to those supporting me with Premium membership here on my Song Notes website. To those showing your support, you have my true thanks and appreciation — and I hope you find these additional videos helpful!
Slow Play-Along with simple strumming fills
After counting in for two measures, I play through the verse and chorus… first with singing, and then again without singing. Played at 108bpm, which is a bit slower than Buffett’s 124bpm album recording. This includes the simplified strumming fills during the verse (using Dsus2, Dsus4, Asus2, and Asus4).
Slow Play-Along with intermediate strumming fills
Same approach as the prior video, but I use more complicated strumming fills during the verse. This also includes the chorus strumming fills I teach, which are trickier to play but go a long way in capturing the vibe of Buffett’s album recording.
Intro Riff Practice Track
Here’s a 4-5 minute play-along practice track I made to help when learning the intro riff. This plays through the D-G-A-D progression, followed by four full measures of D (where you can practice strumming and/or D major licks & fills). Then, things repeat the two-measure count-in before repeating again from the beginning. Chord changes are shown on screen, so you can easily keep track of where you are in the practice track.
Related Lessons
Here’s lessons on some of the techniques I use & mention in my main tutorial:
And if you’re after more Jimmy Buffett tunes, here’s the other lessons I have. This includes songs he has covered, such as Uncle John’s Band (from Fruitcakes) and Pacing the Cage (from Beach House on the Moon).
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
