Everly Brothers Volume 2

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers - Guitar Lesson

  Bird Dog is a song written by Boudleaux Bryant and recorded by The Everly Brothers. It was released in 1958 and topped the charts in many countries around the world.
  
  The lesson covers the progression, which is mainly a 12-bar blues progression, in the key of A, where the guitar is capoed on the 2nd fret, as done on the original recording.
  
  We take a look at a few options for the chords as well as for the strumming.
  
  The latter is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the song. It can be done at the speed of 8th’s, like the brothers do, or in double time, to give it its driving feel. This is, in my opinion, in particular important when it’s just you and your guitar, so a few ideas for that are presented.

• Lesson 2: So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) - The Everly Brothers - Guitar Lesson

  So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) is a song written by Don Everly and released by The Everly Brothers in 1960.
  
  This lesson covers the progression in the five guitar friendly keys, starting with E, as the original recording, and moves on to the key of G, C, D (including Dropped D-tuning) and A.
  
  It breaks down the strumming, which should be done with swing feel, and shows how to pick alternating bass notes, going back and forth between the root of the chord and its 5th.
  
  The song starts out with its signature descending bass line, so we take a look at that as well.

• Lesson 3: Devoted To You

  Devoted To You is a song by country music and pop songwriting team and couple Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who have written many songs for numerous artists.

  The best-known recording was by The Everly Brothers. It was released in 1958 as the B-side of their single ‘Bird Dog’, but reached the charts on its own.

  This lesson teaches a fingerpicking arrangement in the key of C (Capo IV). It is encouraged to vary it up, and for that we take a look at several ways of how to do so.

  We also discuss a few techniques in order to transition from one chord to the other smoothly. This is in my opinion crucial for any finger picking song, no matter if it's an easy or a complex one. 

  Personally I do like to play both the intro and outro in a way that sounds similar to the original recording, so we break that down as well.

   

• Lesson 4: ('Til) I Kissed You

  ('Til) I Kissed You, released in 1959, is a sing written by Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. 

  It's the perfect beginners song since the arrangement features only three chords, the I, IV en vi. 

  The absolute key of the original recording is F#. However, we take a look at how to play it with chord shapes in the key of G instead. This is how the brothers have done it as well, either with all six strings tuned down a half step or not. In another version they've played it with shapes in the key of C (Capo VI), which could be a good option too. 

  We of course take a look at the strumming. This should be done at the speed of 8th's and with swing feel.

  Even though the chords, strumming and progression are relatively easy, the timing for the middle eight could be tricky. In particular when to start and end it. For that we break it down thoroughly. 

   

• Lesson 5: Crying In The Rain

  Crying In The Rain is a song written by Carole King and Howard Greenfield, originally recorded by The Everly Brothers.

  This lesson teaches the arrangement with chord shapes in the key of C, as done by the brothers during their 1983 reunion concert. For the album version one would need to capo the guitar on the 2nd fret, which puts it in the absolute key of D. 

  We take a look at the chords, the strumming at the speed of 8th’s including a bounce, the progression and the little arpeggio in the outro.