Few guitarists have influenced acoustic playing quite like James Taylor. His beautifully crafted fingerstyle arrangements, rich chord voicings and unmistakable groove have inspired generations of guitarists.
Using two of his best-loved classics – Fire and Rain and Carolina In My Mind – this lesson explores the techniques that make his playing so distinctive, from flowing fingerpicking patterns and subtle bass movement to syncopation, chord embellishments and the effortless blending of melody and accompaniment.
The live session has now taken place, but the complete 75-minute lesson recording and course materials are still available.
LESSON RECORDING & MATERIALS AVAILABLE
This live online session has now taken place, but you can still purchase the complete 75-minute James Taylor lesson, including the full session recording and detailed course materials.
Explore two classic songs – Fire and Rain and Carolina In My Mind – and work through the lesson at your own pace.
James Taylor Lesson – £22.50
Or purchase the complete four-part Acoustic Heroes series for £75, including this James Taylor lesson plus the upcoming live sessions featuring Eva Cassidy, Sting and Radiohead.
Full Series – £75 (saving £15)
Run by:
Andy Moore
Venue:
ONLINE,
Few guitarists have influenced acoustic playing as much as James Taylor. His beautifully crafted fingerstyle arrangements, rich chord voicings and unmistakable groove have inspired generations of players.
Using two of his best-loved classics, Fire and Rain and Carolina In My Mind, this lesson explores the techniques that define Taylor’s playing. You’ll learn how his fingerpicking patterns create a flowing rhythm, how he blends melody and accompaniment, and how subtle bass movement and syncopation bring his songs to life.
The James Taylor live online session took place on Tuesday 22 September, but you can still purchase the complete 75-minute lesson recording and accompanying course materials and work through the session in your own time.
James Taylor is the first lesson in our four-part Acoustic Heroes series. The remaining sessions – Eva Cassidy, Sting and Radiohead – are still to come live, so you can also purchase the complete series and join us for those sessions as they happen.
James Taylor lesson – £22.50
Complete four-part Acoustic Heroes series – £75
Here’s a short extract from the original live session, looking at Verse 1 of Fire and Rain and some of the fingerstyle ideas that give James Taylor’s playing its distinctive sound.
The complete lesson goes much further, covering both Fire and Rain and Carolina In My Mind, with the full session recording and accompanying learning materials included.
This is a wonderful fingerpicking tune with lots of ideas you can use and apply to other songs. It uses strong fingerstyle techniques with plenty of syncopation, particularly James Taylor’s distinctive placement of pushed bass notes.
Mixing fingerstyle with strumming, Taylor created one of his most famous songs. The sliding 6ths are a signature embellishment and help create one of the most recognisable acoustic guitar intros around.
Standard chords mixed with slash and passing chords, double stops, triads and alternating bass – they’re all in there.
In this song you’ll learn the iconic picking patterns, flowing bass lines and rich chord voicings that give Carolina In My Mind its unmistakable sound.
More than simply learning the song, you’ll gain useful fingerpicking skills and musical ideas that you can apply to countless other acoustic arrangements.
James Taylor was the first of four Acoustic Heroes sessions.
If you purchase the complete series, you’ll receive the James Taylor recording and materials straight away and can then join us live for the remaining sessions:
Eva Cassidy – 20 October
Fields of Gold • Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Sting – 17 November
Fragile • Shape of My Heart
Radiohead – 15 December
Street Spirit (Fade Out) • No Surprises
Complete series: £75
This online lesson is aimed at Late Beginner to Intermediate guitarists.
It is primarily designed for acoustic guitar, although electric guitarists are very welcome. Some previous fingerpicking experience will be helpful.
Your James Taylor purchase includes:
Once purchased, you can work through the lesson and materials in your own time.