Doesn't modern life feel busy? At times there seem to be so many competing priorities that making space in our day to play and learn can be tough. Therefore, when we do get the time, we really want to make it count.

With so much free lesson content out there for guitarists, in many ways we’ve never had it better. That said, it can be a challenge to sift through everything and find the right lesson that resonates for your level and interests. This being the case, as far as we’re concerned a good recommendation is gold!

For us at Minim some of our favourite lessons are taught directly by the artists that have actually written the songs. Here are some of our favourites from the Americana genre;

Green Green Rocky Road, Dave Van Ronk

You may have seen the Cohen brothers film ‘Inside Llewin Davis’, staring Oscar Isaac. This movie tells the tale of a talented but frustrated songwriter trying to make his way in the music world of NYC. The performances are mesmerising and the songs are beautiful.

So where did the songs from the film actually originate? They were written by folk legend Dave Van Ronk and while perhaps Dave wasn't as pretty as Oscar, his songwriting ability was exceptional.

One of our favourite Dave Van Ronk songs is Green Green Rocky Road. It features melodic fingerpicking with lyrics that are evocative (“promenade of green, tell me who ya love, tell me who you love”) and original (“If your mama chew tobacco, Hooka tooka soda cracker”).

If you like this song as much as we do check out this lesson where the great man himself breaks it down beautifully.

Justin Townes Earle - They Killed John Henry

Justin Townes Earle carries the names of his father (country/folk icon Steve Earle) and his fathers mentor, Townes Van Zant. He’s certainly not riding on anyones coat tales though as he’s proven himself a unique and outstanding talent in his own right. 

On the topic of his father; the audience was enthralled during one of his compelling monologues at the Caravan Club in Melbourne recently.  "I ain't afraid of anything, not even my old man" he declared. Life can be complex.

One of Justin’s earlier songs, is “they Killed John henry”.  The song was written about his inspiring Grandfather (on his Mums side). The fingerpicking intro to this song is a joy to play, while the chord structure is as effective as it is simple. This is a great lesson which we were delighted to come across.

C.W. Stoneking - Get on the floor

What did you think the first time you heard C.W. Stoneking? Did it evoke thoughts of a distant bluesman from another time willing jungle voodoo spirits to life while telling legendary tales of old? It’s hard to believe that Stoneking is both of our time and local to Australia.

Stoneking’s guitar work is not only of a high technical level, but the sound emitted from his guitar conveys such emotion and  feeling. For those lucky enough to see him live, his charisma and presence is captivating.

So when we stumbled across this video of C.W. Stoneking, sitting on his bed with a bow-tie and crinkled white shirt teaching his electrifying song “get on the floor” we were seriously excited.

The chord progressions and finger work with this song take you all over the guitar in the most fun and lively way. Chucking on a bit of distortion and letting your fingers walk the frantic path of C.W. is a serious thrill.

We hope you enjoy these lessons. If you come across any other lessons that you’ve loved be it simple, advanced, pop or punk, we’d love to hear from you! Don’t hesitate to reach out via the socials or via email.