How to Play Folk Music on Guitar

You don’t need to be a virtuoso to play folk music on guitar. In this post, we’ll show you how to get started with some simple tips and tricks.

Select an Appropriate Guitar

Any guitar can be used for playing folk music, but some are better suited than others. The best guitar for folk music is typically an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you will need to select one that is comfortable for you to play. You will also want to consider the type of music you want to play. For example, if you want to play folk music from a certain region, you will want to select a guitar that is commonly used in that region.

Choose the right size

The right-sized guitar is the one that fits you in every way. Your height, weight, age, and hand size all factor in to what size guitar is right for you. If you are a child or have small hands, you will want to purchase a ¾ size or smaller guitar. If you are an average-sized adult with large hands, you will want to purchase a full-size guitar. You can always adjust the string gauge and action to make a guitar easier or harder to play.

If you think about it, every object has an ideal size for the person using it. A too-small hammer will tire out your hand and make it difficult to drive nails; a too-large hammer may never feel comfortable and will be unwieldy to use. The same goes for guitars. Different people have different ideas about what feels comfortable to them in terms of both the actual measurements of the guitar and how it feels when they hold it and play it. But there are some basic guidelines that can help you zero in on an appropriate size.

Consider the type of guitar

There are many different types of guitars, and each one is best suited for a particular style of music. If you want to play folk music, you will need to select an acoustic guitar.

Acoustic guitars come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small body guitars to large jumbo guitars. The type of guitar you select will depend on your playing style. If you are a fingerstyle player, you will want a guitar with a smaller body so that your fingers can reach the strings more easily. If you are a strummer, you will want a guitar with a larger body so that you can produce a louder sound.

There are also different makes of acoustic guitars, from budget instruments to high-end instruments. Again, the type of guitar you select will depend on your playing style and budget. If you are just starting out, it is best to choose a budget instrument so that you can learn how to play without spending too much money. Once you have mastered the basics, you can then upgrade to a better quality guitar.

Learn Basic Folk Chords

Folk music is a great genre for beginning guitarists. The chords are usually pretty simple, and the songs are usually pretty short. In this lesson, we’ll learn some basic chords that you can use to play a variety of folk songs.

A minor

A minor is a popular chord used in folk music. To play this chord, place your left hand in the middle of the strings and use your fingers to pluck the following notes: A (open fifth string), C (second fret, fourth string), and E (second fret, first string).

E minor

E minor is a very popular key for folk and traditional songs. Many tunes you know and love are written in this key, so it’s a good one to start with if you’re new to folk guitar.

There are a few different ways to play an E minor chord on guitar, but the most common way is to use your first finger on the second string, your second finger on the third string, and your third finger on the fourth string. You can also play an E minor chord using just two fingers: your first finger on the second string and your third finger on the fourth string.

Once you’ve got the hang of E minor, try moving on to some other basic chords like D, G, and A.

D major

D major is a very popular key for folk, country, and pop songs. If you’re just starting out, D major is a great key to learn. The chords in D major are D, G, and A.

G major

G major is probably the most common chord you’ll need to know how to play on the guitar. It’s often the first “real” chord students learn in guitar class, after they master a few basic chords like C, A minor, and D.

G major has three chords in it: G, B, and D. These are sometimes called the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of the G major scale. If you’ve ever heard someone say “play a G chord” they are referring to playing all three of these notes together.

Here are some easy fingerings for G major:

E|-3-
B|-0-
G|-0-
D|-0-
A|-2-
E|-3-

E|-3-
B|-4-
G|-“x” (muted string)
D|-“x” (muted string) < – can also be played as open D string A|-"x" (muted string) < – can also be played as open A string E|-"x" (muted string) < – can also be played as open high E string

Folk Guitar Strumming Patterns

Folk music is a genre of music that is often passed down through generations. It is a type of music that is meant to be played on acoustic guitars. Folk music often has simple strumming patterns that are easy to learn. In this article, we will be going over some of the most common strumming patterns for folk music.

The 4/4 Strum

The most common strumming pattern in folk music is known as the 4/4 strum. This simply means that you will strum four times for each beat in the measure. The notation for this pattern looks like this:

Strumming Pattern: | D D U D |

This pattern can be played with any combination of down- and up-strokes, but a common way to play it is with all down-strokes, like this:

Strumming Pattern: | D D U D |

| D d d d |

The 3/4 Strum

The 3/4 strum is one of the most basic and common strumming patterns used in folk music. It’s simple, yet effective, and once you learn it, you can use it in countless songs.

Here’s how it works:

You’ll strum on beats 1, 2, and 3 of each measure.
You’llDown-strum on beats 1 and 3, and Up-strum on beat 2.
Remember to count out loud as you play to help keep the rhythm steady. “1-2-3, 1-2-3…”
If you’re playing a song in 4/4 time (the most common time signature), you can simply repeat this pattern for the entire song. If you’re playing a song in 3/4 time, you’ll need to make a slight adjustment to the pattern. On the fourth beat of each measure, you’ll strum an Up-stroke followed by a Down-stroke. So it would go like this: “1-2-3, Up-Down… 1-2-3, Up-Down…”

The Waltz Strum

The Waltz Strum is perhaps the most essential strumming pattern for Folk guitar. It has a very distinct sound that is perfect for slower songs in 3/4 time. The pattern is simple, but it can take some practice to get the hang of it. Once you have it down, you’ll be able to play a huge range of Folk songs.

Here’s how the Waltz Strum pattern looks:

D – D U D U

Playing Folk Songs on Guitar

Folk music is a great genre to start playing on guitar. Folk songs are usually easy to learn, and they sound great when played on acoustic guitar. In this article, we’ll show you how to play four popular folk songs on guitar.

“Wildwood Flower”

“Wildwood Flower” is a traditional American folk song. The tune was popularized by The Carter Family, who recorded it in 1928. It has since been recorded by many other artists, including Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Emmylou Harris.

The song is played in the key of C major, and the chords are simple I-IV-V progressions. The melody is often played on the higher strings, so it sounds nice on acoustic and electric guitars alike.

Here are the lyrics and chords to “Wildwood Flower”:

I’ll twine with my mingling vine
All around your green gillan frame
I’ll catch the weeping willow’s tear
And drop them all into your mane

Chorus:
Wildwood flower, where are you blooming now?
Are you blooming now?
Where are you blooming now?

You gave me a daisy a day D7 G7 C G7 C D7 G7 C G7 C D7 G7 C G7 C D7 G7 C D7 Grenadine hour when you went away Chorus

“House of the Rising Sun”

One of the most popular and well known American folk songs is “House of the Rising Sun”. The traditional song is about a life of sin and misery in New Orleans. The animals mentioned in the lyrics (a tiger, a monkey, and a fox) are symbolic of vices. The house mentioned in the title is most likely a brothel.

“House of the Rising Sun” has been covered by many artists over the years, including Bob Dylan, Eric Burdon, and Nina Simone. The song has also been adapted into other genres, including rock (e.g. The Animals), jazz (e.g. Nina Simone), and even metal (e.g. Metallica).

If you’re interested in playing “House of the Rising Sun” on guitar, there are a few things you should know. First, the song is in the key of A minor. Second, it uses a 12-bar blues chord progression. And third, the melody is primarily based on pentatonic and blues scales.

To play “House of the Rising Sun” on guitar, you’ll need to know how to play chords, strumming patterns, and some basic lead guitar techniques such as bends and slides. If you’re not sure how to do any of these things, there are plenty of online tutorials and lessons that can help you get started.

“Down in the Valley”

“Down in the Valley” is a traditional folk song that has been adapted and performed by a number of artists over the years. The song is about a young man who is in love with a girl who is already spoken for. He must go off to war, and while he’s away, she marries someone else. When he comes back, he’s heartbroken but still hopeful that they can be together.

This song can be played on guitar using a variety of different techniques, depending on your skill level and how you want to sound. For beginners, try using basic chords to play the melody. If you’re more advanced, you can add in counter-melodies or embellishments to create a more complex arrangement. Using a capo on the third fret will give the song a brighter sound, while playing it in a lower key will make it sound darker and more melancholy.

No matter how you play it, “Down in the Valley” is a beautiful song that is perfect for guitar. So dust off your instrument and give it a try!