Peghead Nation instructors have released hours of new instruction in their courses, and here are the tunes and lessons we’ve just published for October 2023. Join us in any course and get your first month free. Just use promo code Learn23 at checkout!

GUITAR COURSES

Bluegrass Guitar Fingerboard Mastery with Stash Wyslouch

Position 4A Arpeggios In this lesson, you’ll learn D major seven and D dominant seven arpeggios using pattern 4A, as well as G major seven and G dominant seven arpeggios in pattern 4A.

Maybelle Carter-Style Guitar with Cathy Fink 

I Never Will Marry “I Never Will Marry” is a very sad song, but the guitar part is really fun. Cathy shows you Maybelle’s lead as well as a couple of chromatic bass lines she plays under the vocal.

Irish Flatpicking Guitar with Flynn Cohen

The Connachtman’s Rambles The popular seisiún tune “The Connachtman’s Rambles” is a jig in the keys of D and B minor. The A part is in D major and the B part is in B minor. The B part includes some stretches and cuts on the top string.

Western Swing Guitar with Matt Munisteri

We’re happy to announce the latest Peghead Nation course, Western Swing Guitar, taught by the great Matt Munisteri. In this course, you’ll learn to play the classic western swing rhythm style pioneered by Eldon Shamblin, as well as “twin guitar” solos from Bob Wills’s guitarists and the soloing styles of greats like Junior Bernard, Jimmy Wyble, and others.

The extensive lessons in Western Swing Guitar include transcriptions of Shamblin’s groundbreaking chordal work, as well as transcriptions of twin guitar solos from songs like “Roly Poly,” “Bob Wills Special,” and “I Hear You Talking.” You’ll learn Western swing classics from Bob Wills, Leon McAuliffe, and others, with arrangements of classic songs like “Faded Love,” “Panhandle Rag,” “Right or Wrong,” and more. Matt will add new lessons to the course each month, and all lessons include detailed notation and Play-Along Track videos and audio downloads so you can play along with Matt.

“Right or Wrong” Chord Melody It’s rare to hear Eldon Shamblin play a chord melody solo, but he plays a great chord melody version of “Right or Wrong” in a YouTube clip. You’ll learn Matt’s chord melody version, inspired by Eldon’s, in this lesson.

MANDOLIN COURSES

Swing and Jazz Mandolin with Joe K. Walsh

Learn to play swing and jazz melodies and classic solos from jazz legends like Lester Young, Miles Davis, and Django Reinhardt, as well as swing mandolinists like Tiny Moore and Jethro Burns. For each song, you’ll learn the melody and a solo, along with tips on technique, phrasing, and improvisation.

Indiana The jazz standard “Indiana” is one of the earliest jazz songs to be recorded and there have been innumerable versions. In this lesson, you’ll learn the melody and chords as well as a solo by jazz mandolin great Don Stiernberg.

Monroe-Style Mandolin with Mike Compton

Time Changes Everything Bill Monroe’s solo on his recording of the western swing song “Time Changes Everything” is unlike anything he ever recorded. He strums odd chord shapes and finishes with his typical key-of-G phrases.

Old-Time Mandolin with John Reischman

Twin Sisters The hoedown “Twin Sisters” comes from West Virginia fiddler Melvin Wine. John learned it from Nick Hornbuckle, who plays banjo in John Reischman and the Jaybirds, and Nick learned it from fiddler Chance McCoy.

The Advancing Mandolinist with Joe K. Walsh

Big Sam Thompson There are two sections to Chris Thile’s tune “Big Sam Thompson,” a slow section reminiscent of a Celtic air, and a faster fiddle tune–like section. You’ll learn the fast section, which is a good workout for your pinky.

Brazilian Choro Mandolin with Ian Coury 

Perigoso The choro “Perigoso” (“dangerous”) was written by Orlando Silveira and Esmeraldino Salles. It’s a beautiful but advanced-level choro with numerous 32nd notes. There are two parts, both in the key of G.

Chord Melody Mandolin with Aaron Weinstein

Makin’ Whoopee “Makin’ Whoopee” was written in 1928 for the musical Whoopee! Notable recorded versions include those by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald (on their duet album).

Octave Mandolin with Joe K. Walsh

The Crooked Road to Buffalo “The Crooked Road to Buffalo” is a fiddle tune written by fiddler Darol Anger. It’s in the key of A, but it lays out well on the octave mandolin with key-of-G fingerings and a capo at the second fret.

BANJO COURSES

Old-Time Banjo with Bruce Molsky

Sourwood Mountain Bruce’s version of the square dance tune “Sourwood Mountain” comes from the playing of Glen Smith, who recorded it on a fretless banjo in eBEBE tuning, which puts it in the key of E.

FIDDLE COURSES

Western Swing Fiddle with Chad Manning

Miss Molly “Miss Molly” is another classic from Bob Wills, written by Cindy Walker. You’ll learn the melody as well as solos by fiddlers Randy Elmore (verse) and Johnny Gimble (chorus) from Willie Nelson’s recording of “Miss Molly.”

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.

New Lessons for March 2024 Peghead Nation instructors have new lessons, techniques, and tunes to keep your musical journey on track! Read More

New Lessons for November 2023 New lessons, tunes, and techniques from Peghead Nation instructors! Read More