Every week we add a brand-new free guitar lesson, covering everything from songs, riffs and rhythm to fingerstyle, blues, technique, theory and more.
Lessons include video tuition together with free TAB, music notation, exercises and downloadable materials where available.
Whether you have 10 minutes to learn a new riff or want to spend longer developing a particular technique, there’s always something new to explore.
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Strumming is something almost every guitarist does, but small changes to your technique can make a huge difference to how your playing sounds. In this 25-minute lesson, we look at how you hold the pick, how your arm and wrist move, which strings you’re actually hitting and how to develop better timing and accuracy. We’ll also explore dynamics, accents and musical feel, as well as ways to create your own rhythms rather than always relying on set strumming patterns.
There’s also a free five-page PDF with exercises, TAB and practice ideas to work through alongside the video.
Learn a complete fingerstyle blues piece in E Major, combining rhythm, chords, bass lines, fills and lead guitar into one standalone arrangement. Starting with the 12-bar blues, we’ll explore a shuffle feel, triads, an intro lick, turnarounds, walking bass and blues lead ideas before bringing everything together into the complete piece. We’ll also look at some of the fundamentals that make it sound good – including keeping the pulse, fretting notes clearly and playing with a relaxed technique.
The lesson includes the complete four-page PDF, giving you the music and TAB to continue working through the piece at your own pace.
Learn the infectious opening guitar riff from Luther Vandross’s Never Too Much.
We’ll break the part down into manageable sections and look at the notes, rhythm, timing and feel that make the riff work.
A huge part of playing this style convincingly is understanding that the spaces can be just as important as the notes, so we’ll pay particular attention to the rests and rhythmic accuracy within the part.
It’s a great little riff to add to your repertoire and an excellent workout for your timing, groove and plectrum control.
Continue learning our guitar arrangement of Laufey’s beautiful Promise.
In Part 2 we develop the arrangement further, combining chord shapes, melody and fingerpicking to capture more of the character and movement of the original song.
We’ll break the new sections down gradually, looking at the fingerings and picking patterns needed to keep everything flowing smoothly and musically.
If you haven’t worked through Part 1 yet, we’d recommend starting with Episode 1 before continuing here.
Our Free Guitar Lesson series begins with Laufey’s beautiful song Promise.
In Part 1, we’ll begin building the guitar arrangement, looking at the chords, picking patterns and melodic details that give the song its distinctive sound.
We’ll break the part into manageable sections and look at how the fretting and picking hands work together to create a smooth, musical performance.
Once you’ve worked through Part 1, continue into Episode 2 to develop the arrangement further.
Our free lessons are just one way to learn with Guitar Weekends.
You can continue developing your playing with our recorded online masterclasses, join one of our live online lessons, spend a full day playing with us on a Day Course, or immerse yourself in one of our Residential Guitar Weekends.
Whatever stage you’re at, the aim is the same: