David Hamburger – Acoustic Guitar https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:20:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/AG_Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 David Hamburger – Acoustic Guitar https://acousticguitar.com 32 32 103806923 Blues Soloing Basics: Learn to Improvise on the 12-Bar Minor Pentatonic Scale https://acousticguitar.com/blues-soloing-basics-learn-to-improvise-on-the-12-bar-minor-pentatonic-scale/ https://acousticguitar.com/blues-soloing-basics-learn-to-improvise-on-the-12-bar-minor-pentatonic-scale/#comments Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=142719 blues solo played on acoustic guitar Understanding these few simple ideas will help make your blues playing more satisfying and musical.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/blues-soloing-basics-learn-to-improvise-on-the-12-bar-minor-pentatonic-scale/feed/ 3 142719 Acoustic Guitar Basics: A Gentle Introduction to Barre Chords https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-basics-a-gentle-introduction-to-barre-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-basics-a-gentle-introduction-to-barre-chords/#comments Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:19:20 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=141117 david hamburger barre chords guitar lesson In this lesson you’ll learn a handful of essential barre chord shapes and use them to play the swing favorite “After You’ve Gone.”]]> https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-basics-a-gentle-introduction-to-barre-chords/feed/ 3 141117 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 12: Improvising on the 12-bar Form https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-12-improvising-on-the-12-bar-form/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-12-improvising-on-the-12-bar-form/#respond Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128411 David Hamburger-12 Ways #12 – Improv.00_00_10_01.Still001 Learn how to use the form of the 12-bar blues as a roadmap for your improvising and give your blues solo a sense of logic and musical development.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-12-improvising-on-the-12-bar-form/feed/ 0 128411 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 11: Developing Satisfying Solos https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-11-developing-satisfying-solos/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-11-developing-satisfying-solos/#respond Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128565 david hamburger 12 Ways #11 - Developing Satisfying Solos.00_00_08_25.Still001 Learn to create a solo that has a certain kind of connectedness and unity, because it’s based around some related ideas instead of just whatever lick you happen to come up with at the moment.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-11-developing-satisfying-solos/feed/ 0 128565 Guitar Lesson: Add Some Swing to Your Fingerstyle Blues with Walking Bass Lines https://acousticguitar.com/add-some-swing-to-your-fingerstyle-blues-with-walking-bass-lines/ https://acousticguitar.com/add-some-swing-to-your-fingerstyle-blues-with-walking-bass-lines/#respond Sun, 25 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134225 guitar teacher david hamburger In this guitar lesson you will learn to play a 12-bar walking-bass blues in the key of E major, adding some swing to your blues playing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/add-some-swing-to-your-fingerstyle-blues-with-walking-bass-lines/feed/ 0 134225 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 10: Creating Contrast https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-10-creating-contrast/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-10-creating-contrast/#respond Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128575 David Hamburger 12 Ways #10 – Creating Contrast.00_00_07_19.Still001 Space can be good, but if you want to create a bigger sense of dimension, adding in chords as responses to single-note licks can give you a new depth and texture, while creating an additional level of call-and-response.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-10-creating-contrast/feed/ 0 128575 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 9: Playing Into the Downbeat https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-9-playing-into-the-downbeat/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-9-playing-into-the-downbeat/#respond Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128582 David Hamburger 12 Ways #9 – Playing Into the Downbeat.00_00_08_09.Still001 Look at how to play into the downbeat to create momentum in your fingerstyle blues soloing and explore different kinds of resolutions—short, long, and delayed.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-9-playing-into-the-downbeat/feed/ 0 128582 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 8: Adding Motion and Color With Jazz Chords https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-8-adding-motion-and-color-with-jazz-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-8-adding-motion-and-color-with-jazz-chords/#respond Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128604 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 8: Adding Motion and Color With Jazz Chords Explore how you can add motion and color to your blues playing by using compact chord voicings inspired by the great jazz guitarist Freddie Green.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-8-adding-motion-and-color-with-jazz-chords/feed/ 0 128604 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 7: Building Call-and-Response Patterns with Western Swing Chords https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-7-building-call-and-response-patterns-with-western-swing-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-7-building-call-and-response-patterns-with-western-swing-chords/#respond Thu, 08 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=128598 David Hamburger 12 Ways #7 - Building Call-and-Response Patterns with Western Swing Chords.00_00_41_09.Still001 Create call-and-response statements using Western swing chords. You’ll learn to play single-note licks on the I chord in the key of A major, answered by different combinations of sixth and ninth chords.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-7-building-call-and-response-patterns-with-western-swing-chords/feed/ 0 128598 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 6: Harmonizing a Scale https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-6-harmonizing-a-scale/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-6-harmonizing-a-scale/#respond Thu, 04 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127354 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 6: Harmonizing a Scale Learn how to create interesting harmonies derived from a scale—specifically, the ascending form of A melodic minor (A B C D E F# G#).]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-6-harmonizing-a-scale/feed/ 0 127354 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 5: Playing Chords up the Neck https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-5-playing-chords-up-the-neck/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-5-playing-chords-up-the-neck/#respond Tue, 05 Jul 2022 03:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127346 David Hamburger-12 Ways to play better blues guitar-#5 – Chords Up The Neck.00_00_09_27.Still001 Explore a bunch of different ways of playing E7 and A7 chords up the neck and ways of combining these ideas with single-note licks for a cohesive statement.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-5-playing-chords-up-the-neck/feed/ 0 127346 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 4: Accenting the Backbeats https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-4-accenting-the-backbeats/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-4-accenting-the-backbeats/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:25:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127339 david hamburger 12 ways to play the blues accent the backbeat Learn how to improve your blues playing by accenting the offbeats and keeping rock-steady bass notes, all on a one-chord groove. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-4-accenting-the-backbeats/feed/ 2 127339 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 3: Accenting the Offbeats https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-3-accenting-the-offbeats/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-3-accenting-the-offbeats/#respond Tue, 03 May 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127315 David Hamburger 12-Ways-3-–-Accent-The-Offbeats.00_00_05_13.Still001-1 Work on some country-blues patterns and see how emphasizing the backbeat—or beats 2 and 4—improves your blues playing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-3-accenting-the-offbeats/feed/ 0 127315 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 2: Creating Rhythmic Contrast https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-2-creating-rhythmic-contrast/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-2-creating-rhythmic-contrast/#respond Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:35:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127306 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar — Lesson 2: Creating Rhythmic Contrast Learn how to use rhythmic contrast in playing blues—mixing up quarter notes, eighth notes, and eighth-note triplets.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-2-creating-rhythmic-contrast/feed/ 0 127306 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Guitar – Lesson 1: Syncopation https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-1-syncopation/ https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-1-syncopation/#respond Tue, 01 Mar 2022 14:20:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127288 Acoustic Guitar Blues Lesson 12 Ways to Play Better Blues Lesson One Syncopation David Hamburger with guitar Explore syncopation—playing around with a melody’s rhythmic placement over the bass notes to make the music sound cooler.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/12-ways-to-play-better-blues-guitar-lesson-1-syncopation/feed/ 0 127288 What is Travis Picking? https://acousticguitar.com/what-is-travis-picking/ https://acousticguitar.com/what-is-travis-picking/#respond Sat, 01 May 2021 11:20:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=123082 guitar teacher david hamburger Travis picking is an accompaniment style you'll learn in this basics lesson excerpted from the Acoustic Guitar Fingerstyle Method.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/what-is-travis-picking/feed/ 0 123082 Easy Fingerpicking Lesson: How to Play “House of the Rising Sun” https://acousticguitar.com/easy-fingerpicking-lesson-how-to-play-house-of-the-rising-sun/ https://acousticguitar.com/easy-fingerpicking-lesson-how-to-play-house-of-the-rising-sun/#respond Sat, 10 Apr 2021 23:20:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=118448 close up of hand picking strings over the soundhole of an acoustic guitar "House of the Rising Sun" is surprisingly easy and fun to play on guitar. Learn a basic picking pattern and get rocking!]]> https://acousticguitar.com/easy-fingerpicking-lesson-how-to-play-house-of-the-rising-sun/feed/ 0 118448 Play an Easy Version of the Traditional Song “Darling Corey” https://acousticguitar.com/play-an-easy-version-of-the-traditional-song-darling-corey/ https://acousticguitar.com/play-an-easy-version-of-the-traditional-song-darling-corey/#respond Fri, 03 Apr 2020 23:27:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=114777 Play the Traditional Song “Darling Corey” Here is a simple version of "Darling Corey" using two chords, A and G, that will give you plenty of practice switching between those two chords.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/play-an-easy-version-of-the-traditional-song-darling-corey/feed/ 0 114777 Learn to Easily Switch Between Acoustic Guitar Chords by Pivoting on an Anchor Finger https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-easily-switch-between-acoustic-guitar-chords-by-pivoting-on-an-anchor-finger/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-easily-switch-between-acoustic-guitar-chords-by-pivoting-on-an-anchor-finger/#respond Sat, 21 Dec 2019 09:00:52 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112200 guitar teacher david hamburger When switching between some chords, like A and D, you are able to pivot around the index finger, holding it down while you move your other fingers around it.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-easily-switch-between-acoustic-guitar-chords-by-pivoting-on-an-anchor-finger/feed/ 0 112200 Country Backup Basics https://acousticguitar.com/country-backup-basics/ https://acousticguitar.com/country-backup-basics/#respond Sun, 01 Oct 2017 18:00:44 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98267 Country Backup Basics So here it is, our first bass/strum move. It’s not so different from doing four straight downstroke strums, except that the first strum is replaced with a single note, the root of the chord.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/country-backup-basics/feed/ 0 98267 Seventh Chords https://acousticguitar.com/seventh-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/seventh-chords/#respond Sat, 10 Jun 2017 18:00:05 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98229 photograph of david hamburger smiling while playing an acoustic guitar The G7 chord, as you might guess, is closely related to G...]]> https://acousticguitar.com/seventh-chords/feed/ 0 98229 How to Combine Fretted Notes with Slide Notes https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-combine-fretted-notes-with-slide-notes/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-combine-fretted-notes-with-slide-notes/#respond Sun, 14 May 2017 19:10:06 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98206 How to Combine Fretted Notes with Slide Notes Learn how to employ this classic blues technique with this excerpt from Acoustic Guitar Slide Basics]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-combine-fretted-notes-with-slide-notes/feed/ 0 98206 PRIVATE LESSON: How to Play Bluesy, Single-Note Licks on Acoustic Guitar https://acousticguitar.com/private-lesson-how-to-play-bluesy-single-note-licks-on-acoustic-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/private-lesson-how-to-play-bluesy-single-note-licks-on-acoustic-guitar/#respond Sun, 27 Nov 2016 19:00:49 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98144 black and white photograph showing close up of hands playing blues guitar Thumping out a steady bass drone with your thumb lets you spin bluesy, single-note licks over the top with your fingers as an improvised alternative to the folkier-sounding alternating-bass style.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/private-lesson-how-to-play-bluesy-single-note-licks-on-acoustic-guitar/feed/ 0 98144 Learn to Play the Classic Jazz Tune “After You’ve Gone” https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-classic-jazz-tune-after-youve-gone/ https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-classic-jazz-tune-after-youve-gone/#respond Sun, 13 Nov 2016 19:00:50 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98140 Learn to Play the Classic Jazz Tune “After You’ve Gone” My initial exposure to this tune was through the version by Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-classic-jazz-tune-after-youve-gone/feed/ 0 98140 Republic of Texas Offers Affordable Resonators Steeped in Tradition https://acousticguitar.com/republic-of-texas-offers-affordable-resonators-steeped-in-tradition/ https://acousticguitar.com/republic-of-texas-offers-affordable-resonators-steeped-in-tradition/#respond Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:58:22 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=36727 Several resonator guitars arranged in a pattern Republic Guitars has caught the attention of the late Texas blues legend Johnny Winter, as well as members of the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/republic-of-texas-offers-affordable-resonators-steeped-in-tradition/feed/ 0 36727