New Lessons for July 2026

New tunes, techniques, and exercises from our Peghead Nation instructors!

By: Dan Gabel

July 1, 2026

Peghead Nation instructors have released hours of new instruction in their courses, and here are the tunes and lessons we’ve just published for July 2026. Join us in any course and get your first month free. Just use promo code Learn26 at checkout!

GUITAR COURSES

Norman Blake-Style Guitar with Greg Schochet

Last Train from Poor Valley: This plaintive elegy for a fading way of life in the mountains is among the most frequently covered Norman Blake songs. It’s a simple, three-chord song in verse-verse-chorus format in the key of G.

Irish Guitar with John Doyle

The Banks of the Ilen: This month you’ll stretch your skills playing in the key of D with another popular seisiún tune. John shows you a basic backup pattern and then an embellished version with additional runs, alternative chords, and melodic quotes.

Contemporary Flatpicking Guitar with Grant Gordy

“Whiskey Before Breakfast” with Floating Scales: Matt applies the floating-scale technique to “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” a great fiddle tune in the key of D that’s popular with bluegrass and old-time flatpickers.

Irish Flatpicking Guitar with Flynn Cohen

Tatter Jack Walsh: Flynn teaches this popular jig in D Mixolydian, where it is most-often played. In this typical setting, there are some C# accidentals, and look for a few fretting-hand ornaments in the second half.

Western Swing Guitar with Matt Munisteri

Sugar Moon: “Sugar Moon” was recorded by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1947. Matt teaches a chord-melody version in the friendly key of C, and shows you a few variations to add spice to your new solo.

MANDOLIN COURSES

Weekly Mandolin Workout with Ethan Setiawan

The Key of A: Ethan caps this series of exercises with a deep dive into the key of A, with a number of major and pentatonic scales, scale patterns, and chord arpeggios. Ethan ties it all together with “Bill Cheatham” to put your new skills to practical use.

Monroe-Style Mandolin with Mike Compton

Master Builder: Monroe’s solo on this less-common gospel number in the key of E is very bluesy. Mike takes you through the solo phrase-by-phrase and points out embellishments including hammer-ons, slides, double-stops, and tremolo.

Gypsy Jazz Mandolin Essentials with Aaron Weinstein

Bei Mir Bist Du Schön: This jazz and swing standard became an international hit when the Andrews Sisters recorded an English setting by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin. Benny Goodman also had a hit version, and it remains popular with string-jazz ensembles. Aaron teaches the chords and solo in Em.

The Advancing Mandolinist with Joe K. Walsh

Riley’s Run: Fiddler Nate Leath penned this month’s contemporary bluegrass tune and recorded on the Sam Grisman Project album. The tune shifts between “D ambiguous” abd the key of C, and the B part is crooked, just to keep it interesting..

Octave Mandolin with Joe K. Walsh

Poem for Eva: This entrancing Bill Frisell piece hast a perpetual-motion loop of I, vi, IV, and V chords in the key of C. The melody comprises five simple phrases, and the emphasis is on performing each with clarity, sustain, and expression.

FIDDLE COURSES

Jazz Violin with Aaron Weinstein

Minor Swing: Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing” is a popular jam favorite among jazz musicians as well as bluegrass and string-band players. Aaron’s solo in A minor includes melodic phrases, arpeggios, chord tones, and approach notes.

Old-Time Fiddle with Bruce Molsky

Billy in the Lowground: Music guru Jody Stecher calls this tune the “mother of all C tunes.” Part of its appeal derives from the prominent relative minor (Am) chords in the second and fourth phrases which give the melody a plaintive feel.

BANJO COURSES

Beginning Banjo by Ear with BB Bowness

Cripple Creek: The basic melody of this great tune is quite simple, but it offers plenty to keep you busy. BB shows you the tune in the key of G and introduces some new techniques for both picking and fretting hands.

Creating Bluegrass Banjo Solos with Bill Evans

Worried Man Blues: This bluegrass classic was recorded by Earl Scruggs, Sonny Osborne, and many others. Bill teaches the song in the key of G, and shows you how to incorporate several rolls and three new licks.

Clawhammer Banjo with Evie Ladin

Fortune: This driving dance tune is associated with musicians in the Round Peak area of North Carolina. Like many fiddle and banjo tunes, there are lyrics that go with the melody, and “Fortune” is sometimes performed as a full song.

PLAY-ALONG RHYTHM TRACKS – Available to all subscribers. Guitar accompaniment video, downloadable audio, and chord charts for popular bluegrass, old-time, and roots tunes and songs.