When it comes to playing fingerstyle blues guitar or just fingerstyle guitar in general, one of the most important areas to develop is the fingerpicking hand thumb. You want to focus on independence with this finger. The more a player develops this the more full sounding they are able to play. It takes time, but step-by-step is the best way to put this together.

In this post, I want to share with you 5 beginner fingerpicking blues licks. Each lick can be practiced like a fingerpicking exercise and will help you develop this exact type of thumb independence. 

This style has been used in the blues by many great players like John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin, to even rock n roll musicians like John Fogerty with CCR. Have a listen to tunes like Suzie Q. or Green River to hear this style in rock as well.

Playing this pedal tone blues style is a captivating technique that adds depth and character to your blues playing. By maintaining a steady bass note (pedal tone) while...

Ready to ramp up your fingerstyle guitar and add an awesome crowd-pleasing song to your setlist?

Well if that sounds fun this "Suspicious Minds" guitar lesson is the place to be.

So grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s get started!

Who wrote Suspicious Minds?

"Suspicious Minds" was originally written and recorded by the American songwriter Mark James. After his first recording of this song failed commercially it was picked up by Elvis Presley. Presley’s version reached No. 1 on the US Billboard charts one year later in 1969.

Suspicious Minds Guitar Chords

To play the majority of the song you’ll just need 5 chords. This will get you until the bridge which we’ll discuss more on that later in this post. The 5 chords are G, C, D, Bm, and Em.

Each of these shapes I would play as bar chords. This is going to set you up for success to build more rhythm and the riff of the chord shape later.

Here’s how I would play each of these shapes.

G would be played at...

If you're a Beatles fan, you know that the iconic band has created some of the most unforgettable tunes in the history of music. One of these tunes is "And I Love Her," a song that has captured the hearts of millions with its beautiful melody and romantic lyrics. 

If you're a guitar player, you might have tried playing this tune before, but finding the right chords and techniques to master it can be challenging. That's why I’m here to help! 

In this guitar lesson, I'll take you through the steps to master "And I Love Her" on the guitar. From the basic chords to the fingerpicking patterns, I'll break down the song into manageable sections, so you can learn and play it with ease. 

So, grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s get started!

Who wrote And I Love Her?

"And I Love Her" was written by primarily Paul McCartney however it is credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is the 5th track of the album A Hard Day’s Night and it was...

Today’s song has an unusually long and winding history.

It’s a magical performance from a legendary band.

Now, for years I just assumed it was written by Led Zeppelin…

But I didn’t find out until much later that my assumptions were wrong.

Nonetheless… Jimmy Page’s guitar parts on it are brilliant, and I’m going to break down their cover of it step-by-step.

So tune up, and let’s dive into this “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Babe I'm Gonna Leave You?

"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" was actually written by Anne Bredon, a folk singer-songwriter, in the late 1950s. 

But, it was popularized by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. They recorded a well-known version of the song for their debut album (Aka Led Zeppelin 1) released in 1969.

The song is about the emotional turmoil of someone contemplating leaving a romantic relationship. The lyrics convey the internal struggle of someone who is torn between...