New Lessons Released for May 2022

New tunes, techniques, and exercises just released in Peghead Nation courses.

By: Dan Gabel

May 2, 2022

Peghead Nation instructors have released hours of new instruction in their courses, and here are the tunes and lessons we’ve just published for May 2022. Join us in any course and get your first month free. Just use promo code Learn22 at checkout!

GUITAR COURSES

Roots of Jazz Guitar with Matt Munisteri

“My Blue Heaven,” Chord Melody Version, Part 2: Variations In this lesson, Matt shows you some variations on his chord melody arrangement of “My Blue Heaven,” including fills with contrary motion and drop-two voicings.

Alternate Tunings Fingerstyle Guitar with Doug Young

Open-D Tuning Doug introduces you to open-D tuning (DADF#AD), shows you some of the ways it’s similar to open-G tuning and DADGAD, and teaches you the old Scottish dance tune “Flowers of Edinburgh.”

MANDOLIN COURSES

Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites with Joe K. Walsh

Midnight on the Water “Midnight on the Water” is a beautiful waltz in the key of D that comes from Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson and his father, Luke.

Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist

Big Sciota The old-time fiddle tune “Big Sciota” was introduced to the bluegrass world with the 1993 recording Skip, Hop and Wobble by Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, Edgar Meyer, and Sam Bush. Since then it has become a bluegrass jam session favorite.

Monroe-Style Mandolin with Mike Compton

Panhandle Country The twin-fiddle instrumental “Panhandle Country” was recorded in April 1958 with Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks on fiddles. In this lesson, you’ll learn Bill Monroe’s half solo, which he plays in open position, from that recording.

Old-Time Mandolin with John Reischman

Happy Hollow “Happy Hollow” is played by fiddlers in AEAC# tuning (often called calico tuning or “Black Mt. Rag” tuning). Since it’s difficult to tune the bottom strings of a mandolin up a whole step, John plays “Happy Hollow” in GDGB tuning.

The Advancing Mandolinist with Joe K. Walsh

Blackbird Joe’s band Mr Sun recently recorded a version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” In this lesson, Joe shows you how to approach playing the song on the mandolin, including learning the melody, voicing the chords, and improvising over the chord changes.

Irish Mandolin with Marla Fibish

Paddy Fahy’s Jig #2 Paddy Fahy was an Irish fiddler and composer who wrote beautiful, intricate, and mysterious tunes but never titled them. “Paddy Fahy’s Jig #2” is a jig in the key of C that gives your fingers a good workout on arpeggios in C.

Brazilian Choro Mandolin with Ian Coury – NEW COURSE!

Learn to play Brazilian choro music on the mandolin with young Brazilian virtuoso Ian Coury, from the classic sounds of Jacob do Bandolim to the modern style of Hamilton Holanda. Includes play-along tracks with Ian’s Brazilian backing band. Take a look at his course introduction video here!

Chord Melody Mandolin with Aaron Weinstein

“Honeysuckle Rose” Intros Aaron shows you four different intros you can use for “Honeysuckle Rose” and tunes like it. Each intro takes a different approach: using a piece of the melody, playing a “shout chorus,” and more.

Octave Mandolin with Joe K. Walsh

Chinquapin Hunting The three-part fiddle tune “Chinquapin Hunting” that you’ll learn in this lesson is in the key of A and is a different tune than the other, more popular fiddle tune with the same name, which is in the key of D.

BANJO COURSES

Bluegrass Banjo with Bill Evans

Will the Circle Be Unbroken In this lesson on creating solos, Bill uses the Carter Family classic and bluegrass jam session “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” to show you a method of working up solos called “playing the syllables.”

Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo with Wes Corbett

Freight Train “Freight Train” is a guitar instrumental and folk song written by guitarist Elizabeth Cotten. It’s a great tune to jam on and also a great example of how to embed a melody in roll patterns.

Old-Time Banjo with Bruce Molsky

Tommy Jarrell’s “Cripple Creek” “Cripple Creek” is one of the most popular old-time tunes and there are many versions. In this lesson, you’ll learn a version that comes from Tommy Jarrell, who is more commonly known for his fiddling.

FIDDLE COURSES

Old-Time Fiddle with Bruce Molsky

Nancy Dalton The dance tune “Nancy Dalton” comes from south central Kentucky fiddlers such as Jim Bowles, Isham Monday, and Pat Kingery. It’s a straightforward tune in the key of D, in standard tuning.

Beginning Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle with Chad Manning

Eighth of January “Eighth of January” may be the only old-time fiddle tune that made it to the top of the pop charts—as “The Battle of New Orleans,” in 1959. But, of course, it’s also a popular tune at bluegrass and old-time jams.

Beginning Celtic Fiddle with Emerald Rae

In Beginning Celtic Fiddle with Emerald Rae, you’ll learn to play the fiddle from scratch using traditional Scottish and Irish melodies. Emerald starts at the very beginning, showing you how to hold the fiddle and bow and breaking down essential techniques for both hands. She then moves into teaching easy versions of popular Celtic tunes and songs, building your skills as you go.

The Stool of Repentance Although the Scottish jig “The Stool of Repentance” is named for a stool used for public humiliation in Scottish Reformation churches, it’s a bright happy tune in the key of A, and is popular in Scotland and Cape Breton.

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.