Intermediate Acoustic Course

16 tunes | 128 step-by-step Guitar Lessons

In the intermediate acoustic guitar course, we don’t settle for just the basic open-position chords. Instead, we move up the fretboard to play what is called barre chords.

We also include bass lines, play vocal melodies, pentatonic scales, and extended chords in these guitar arrangements.

Learning from these 16 songs will unlock the guitar fretboard as we use the CAGED system to explore the fretboard in the context of each song.

We discover how to use scales in an arrangement and, perhaps most importantly, understand how to write our own guitar parts. First, you’ll learn what I play, then we build a 2nd guitar part so you can play with me and the singer.

Studying songs in depth like this will help you understand how music works theoretically and practically, on the guitar fretboard.

Even though you as a member have unlimited access to all these lessons, I recommend you experience them in the order displayed below and practice all material in the 8 step-by-step lessons per tune.

#1 – Hey There Delilah

Hey There Delilah 8 step by step lessons

In this first series of lessons in the intermediate acoustic course, we learn how to play Hey There Delilah by Plain White T’s, fingerstyle.

We do this alongside learning about the CAGED system and how it helps us play all over the fretboard.

#2 – Mad World

To learn how to play Mad World, we break the song down into smaller sections and practice along with loops.

This is followed by playing in all areas of the neck using the CAGED system. Finally, we’ll design a 2nd guitar part so we can play the song together.

#3 – Whistle For The Choir

Whistle For The Choir 8 step by step lessons

Before you learn how to play Whistle For The Choir, there’s a series of CAGED fretting exercises to complete.

This is essential since the song may only have four chords, but we play it in four keys, all over the neck, with two different singers.

#4 – Blowin’ In The Wind

Blowin' In The Wind 8 step by step lessons

Bob Dylan’s first hit, Blowin’ In The Wind, was originally played using a capo on fret 7, thinking in the key of G.

During the 8 lessons, you’ll learn it just like Bob played it but why stop there? We also play it with a capo on fret 2 (key of C) as well as without a capo (key of D).

#5 – Kiss Me

Learn the sugar-sweet Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer and you’ll also learn about maj7 and dom7 chords, open position as well as using CAGED shapes.

As if this wasn’t enough, there’s a 2nd guitar part to learn as well, when you know this, we can play this tune together.

#6 – Babylon

Babylon by David Grey has a very tricky verse lick that uses hammer-ons and pull-offs. To play this well, we must first practice a few exercises.

Once you can do this, we learn the song step by step, including a unique 2nd guitar part so we can perform it together.

#7 – Fast Car

The epic Fast Car is a fingerstyle masterpiece by Tracy Chapman. The seemingly never-ending verse is sung over just two bars of music.

Once we’ve worked this out and developed it, we’ll look at the chorus as well as how we can design a 2nd guitar part to go with the original part.

#8 – Angie

The intro, verse, instrumental, tag, and outro of Angie all use the same chords but vary in rhythm and note choices.

The chorus and m8 have been created using the whole band as inspiration. Once you can play it on one guitar, we move on and play the vocal melody.

#9 – American Pie

What’s more epic than American Pie?!? This lyrical masterpiece must be played to be fully appreciated.

Let’s break down each section, practice to loops, and then finally, invent a 2nd guitar part so we can play this tune together.

#10 – A Change Is Gonna Come

A Change Is Gonna Come 8 step by step lessons

To learn A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke may not be that difficult if you disregard the intro.

Let’s learn all sections step by step, before we go further and learn more about scales, play the vocal melody, and finally, construct a 2nd guitar part.

#11 – Sunny Afternoon

If you want to play Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks on one guitar, it is best to do so using a capo, the bass line is best included with a capo on fret 5.

This enables the 2nd guitar part (played without a capo) to make this song come alive, let’s play it together!

#12 – Dreadlock Holiday

Dreadlock Holiday 8 step by step lessons

Dreadlock Holiday by 10cc is a hilarious pop-reggae tune that is almost impossible to play on one acoustic guitar.

You’ll have to go all the way to step 8 to realize how this can be achieved without using an assistant.

# 13 – I’m Yours

There’s plenty to learn from playing I’m Yours by Jason Mraz. Before we get into the song itself we look at hit melody writing in general and then 6 specific songs using the same chord progression as I’m Yours.

This is followed by a step-by-step guide, finished off with a 2nd guitar part.

#14 – Red

The relatively unknown Red by Daniel Merriweather and famed producer Mark Ronson have some fantastic vocal melody secrets to teach us more about music.

To fully understand this song, we learn about and compare the major modes before playing the vocal melody.

#15 – Starman

It’s not just the opening chord of Starman that is unique, the open-position Gm chord is pretty unusual too.

After we learned the song in three steps we’ll continue by digging deeper using the CAGED system as we study both chords and vocal melody.

#16 – I Can’t Stand The Rain

I Can't Stand The Rain 8 step by step lessons

The final song in the intermediate acoustic course, I Can’t Stand The Rain, is learned in just five steps by practising loops for each section.

Following this, we create a 2nd guitar part and play the vocal melody for both the verse and the chorus.

96 Intermediate Tunes | Guitar Lessons + TAB

When you complete the 16 tunes above using the step-by-step lessons, you may want more of the same, rather than move on to songs that are more complicated.

To cater for this, I’ve transcribed 96 more intermediate songs. here’s a list (with links) to all of them. These are free to access for all.