“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 1: Basic Version

This lesson is part of the course Irish Guitar with John Doyle.

Get immediate access to this lesson and all of the lessons in this course when you subscribe.

Start Course
Browse Courses

About This Course

Guitar master John Doyle teaches you how to play traditional and contemporary Irish music. With lessons on essential technique, playing backup on traditional tune forms, melodic picking, and more, you’ll learn John’s driving rhythmic style and his authentic approach to traditional melodies and his own tunes and songs.

Try a Sample Lesson

“Mooney’s Reel” Backup

John shows you a more complex approach to backing up “Mooney’s Reel” in this video.

Try a sample lesson

The Irish Guitar Subscription Includes:

New lessons each month
A step-by-step approach to mastering Irish guitar in the style of John Doyle
Extensive video lessons on essential picking and backup technique
Lessons on accompanying traditional Irish tune forms, including reels, jigs, hornpipes, and more
Sections on playing in Dropped-D, DADGAD, CFCGCD. and other tunings
Instruction in traditional Irish tunes and songs and John’s original compositions
Tab/notation and/or chord charts for all lessons
High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see closeups of both hands in action
Play-Along Tracks so you can practice what you’ve learned

$25/Month For One Course

Additional courses only $15/month each! • Save 20% with an annual subscription

Start Course

Get started now!
Use promo code at checkout

and get your first month free or $20 off an annual subscription.

“The Mountain Road” Backup

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 1: Basic Version

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 2: Basic Version Play-Along Track

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 3: Embellished Version

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 4: Embellished Version Play-Along Track

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 5: Embellished Version #2 Play-Along Track

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 1: Basic Version

Written by Sligo fiddler Michael Gorman, “The Mountain Road” was originally a six-part tune. In most sessions today, it’s played as a single, two-part tune in the key of D, with each part played just once. John demonstrates a basic accompaniment pattern for “The Mountain Road” and follows that with a more embellished version. In this video, you’ll learn the basic version of the chord progression.

“The Mountain Road” Notation/Tab PDF Download (Available to subscribers)

Previous Lesson

← Key of D Chords, Part 3: Two-Octave Scale Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 2: Basic Version Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Key of D Chords, Part 3: Two-Octave Scale Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 2: Basic Version Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Key of D Chords, Part 3: Two-Octave Scale Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 2: Basic Version Play-Along Track →

Guitar Articles

The Legendary Shubb Capo, Now in Gold

The Shubb Capo Royale’s high-tech titanium finish has all the beauty of real gold, but is incredibly durable.

John Reischman and Kenny Smith: “A Prairie Jewel”

Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays an original tune from the album “Walk Along John” with flatpicking guru Kenny Smith, fiddler Nate Lee, and bass player Max Schwartz.

“The Mountain Road” Backup, Part 1: Basic Version

About This Course

Guitar Articles

Guitar Videos