Female Singer-Songwriters 15-Pack

Lessons

• Lesson 1: When You Say Nothing At All - Alison Krauss - Guitar Lesson

  This was originally done by country singer/songwriter Keith Whitley in 1988 and covered on a tribute album to him by Alison Krauss in 1994. The two versions are very similar, just using different accompaniment techniques. The lesson starts with a ‘Listen’ segment for the student to try to hear the chord changes. This is followed by a couple of segments breaking down both Keith’s version and Alison’s, which was played by Union Station guitarist Dan Tyminski.

• Lesson 2: Closer To Fine

  *Closer To Fine *was one of the first hits for The Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, and has remained one of their most popular for over 20 years. The song features some quick strumming using a fairly easy set of chords, which act as a perfect accompaniment to their tightly woven harmonies

• Lesson 3: Gold Dust Woman

  *Gold Dust Woman,*by Stevie Nicks and from Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album, is a song that can be played many ways. This lesson looks at fingerpicking it in Dropped D Tuning as well as a simplified way, strumming it in standard tuning. The fingerpicking version is mostly a basic pattern but includes a couple of more sophisticated techniques as well.

• Lesson 4: Fields Of Gold - Guitar Lesson

  Eva Cassidy has become widely known as a phenomenal interpreter of songs from many eras. Unfortunately, this has all been after her untimely passing at the age of 33 in 1996. She had the ability to create simple guitar arrangements to act as the perfect backdrop to her incredible voice. In this lesson we look at her take on Fields Of Gold, written by Sting and originally done on his album Ten Summoner’s Tales.

• Lesson 5: Strong Enough Guitar Lesson - Sheryl Crow

  Sheryl Crow is the author of many great tunes over the since the early 1990s. Strong Enough was released in 1994 on her album Tuesday Night Music Club and features some slightly unusual chords in the unusual time signature of 6/4. Otherwise, it is a pretty straightforward fingerpicking song.

• Lesson 6: Love Story Guitar Lesson - Taylor Swift

  TG is pleased to enter the contemporary-country-pop world with a song that Neil has taught many of his younger students, particularly teenaged girls, Love Story by Taylor Swift. Taylor writes most of her songs and many feature the banjo. This lesson looks at playing the banjo part on the guitar in an alternate tuning and strumming as well.

• Lesson 7: Soulmate

  Soulmate is a song by British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield and appears on her second studio album 'N.B.' (2007)

  The arrangement features a nice combination of picking and strumming, with chords in the key of Dm (Capo I), which are likely doable for most guitar players. 

  We of course take a look at both hands and go through the progression. 

  Note that the lesson is based on how her guitar player plays it. But there is another one with whom she also regularly performs, who plays it in drop D-tuning.

   

• Lesson 8: The Circle Game

  Joni Mitchell came on the scene in the late 1960s with an approach to songwriting using unusual open tunings. These made for interesting sounds and were not too difficult to play, once you were in the right tuning. The Circle Game is from her 3rd album, Ladies Of The Canyon, and is done in Open G Tuning with a capo at the 4th fret.

• Lesson 9: Love On Top - Electric Guitar Lesson

  This is one shining example of how cool pop music can be. From a chordal standpoint, this tune is a really fun one to play. By staying mostly diatonic in the chord changes, you can play freely in one (or two) keys, all while there is some really sweet R&B flavored harmony moving below. 

• Lesson 10: Dead Flowers by Miranda Lambert

  Miranda Lambert, country singer/songwriter from Texas, came on the scene as a teenager in the early 2000s, winning talent contests and taking up the guitar. Her third album, Revolution was released in 2009 and included Dead Flowers,

  Miranda plays a very basic strumming accompaniment in the key of D with a capo at the 2nd fret but the main guitar part is driven by a droning low E string with a slow moving melody played on the 5th string. This lesson covers both parts, as well as a way to combine the two parts into a one-person accompaniment.

• Lesson 11: Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Acoustic Guitar Lesson

  This Pat Benatar hit comes straight from the school of 80’s rock. Full of pop-rock riffs and a blazing solo, this lesson will surely get your fingers flying!

• Lesson 12: Bubbly - Colbie Caillat - Guitar Lesson

  Bubbly is a major hit single by American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat and taken from her best selling 2007 debut album ‘Coco’.
  
  This lesson primarily covers how Colbie plays it by herself, which is in the key of D, using Open D-Tuning, DADF#AD, where the guitar is capoed on the 7th fret.
  
  It also shows an alternative version in the key of G, with the guitar capoed on the 2nd fret, for the ones who would rather play it in standard tuning.
  
  We break down the percussive style of playing which is a great technique to carry over to other songs. It includes syncopation and should be done with swing feel.

• Lesson 13: Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough - Patty Smyth - Guitar Lesson

  Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough is a ballad written by American singer-songwriter Patty Smyth and Glen Burtnik (fomer member of Styx).
  
  It was recorded as a duet by Smyth and Eagles’ frontman Don Henley, and appears on her self-titled 1992 album.
  
  This lesson shows how to play the song in the key of G, where the guitar should be capoed on the 3rd fret, to put it in the absolute key of Bb as done on the original recording.
  
  It uses all the chords in the key, with the exception of chord VII, and one out of the key.
  
  The arrangement features a nice melodic intro, which re-appears a few times, and a relatively easy progression.
  
  The most important aspect of the playing is the use of the right hand. One could strum through the song, or flatpick it, or do a combination of both. Personally I prefer the latter.

• Lesson 14: Manic Monday by The Bangles - Guitar Lesson

  Manic Monday is a song by the American pop rock band The Bangles. It was written by the artist Prince who gave it to them, and the first single to be released from their second studio album ‘Different Light’ (1986).
  
  The song features for the most part an easy progression with only four chords in the key of D. There are a few more in the bridge, including a barre chord, making it a little more challenging for beginners.
  
  For the strumming we both discuss the speed of 8th’s, as well as 16th’s. The latter is how Susanna Hoffs sometimes tends to play it.
  
  All in all, a great and fun song for guitar players at any level.

• Lesson 15: Eternal Flame by The Bangles - Guitar Lesson

  The Bangles are an American pop rock band, who scored several major hit singles during the 1980s.
  
  One of those is the love song Eternal Flame, taken from their 1988 studio album ‘Everything’, and was released in 1989.
  
  This lesson mostly takes a look at how the Bangles’ singer/rhythm guitar player Susanna Hoffs, who co-wrote the song, performs it acoustically.
  
  The arrangement was done in the key of D, where the guitar is capoed on the 4th fret. It features almost all the chords in the key, including two barre chords, and a few outside the key by changing them from minor to major or vice versa.
  
  While some of the chords might be a bit of a challenge to some, the strumming in double time is relatively easy and straightforward.
  
  Since the song is in the absolute key of F#, we also take a quick look at the key of G, where the guitar is tuned down a half step. The chords and their voicings sound different, but are probably a bit easier to play.