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Acoustic strummers take heed! You’ll need to have a big vocabulary of chord voicings, rhythmic patterns, and right-handed strumming techniques to play American roots music convincingly. Check out these lessons from Mike Zito’s 30 Rootsy Acoustic Rhythms You MUST Know, in which Mike will equip you with what you need to get there. Plus, there’s more rhythms where these came from as well in the full course. Grab your guitar and get down to your roots!

Acoustic Rhythm #2: Open Road in A

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

Now I promise not to recreate the same idea too many times in different keys, but this just goes hand in hand with the pattern in E and I couldn’t help myself.

I’m playing the open A string but using double-stops on the G and D strings to give it a walking down feel. I’m using a G major sounding double-stop and an F# minor and then resolving into the open A string

Acoustic Rhythm #15: Americana Roll in A

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

Here’s a strumming A chord that rolls down to an open G chord and into an F#/D for a nice songwriter transition.

Acoustic Rhythm #20: Moving Pictures in C

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

I first learned this idea from my first guitar teacher, Richard Fortus of Guns N’ Roses. I took one lesson from him when I was in high school and followed him throughout his career. He had a song that included this open C chord, hammering on the 2nd fret of the D string to resolve, and then sliding the entire chord pattern up to the 5th fret for this really cool, suspended sounding open D chord with the same hammer-on pattern.

Acoustic Rhythm #24: Cry Baby Cry in D

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

How about we look at a rootsy progression in D that changes chords with ease.

Acoustic Rhythm #25: Ballad of Love in E

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

We’re working an E minor 9 chord here with some open notes and hammer-ons that will make your song a top ten hit with the lovers.

Acoustic Rhythm #30: Shootin’ Blues in D

Download the tab & notation for this rootsy acoustic rhythm.

Our last rhythm has some cool bending and and pull-offs in the key of D.

All of the licks are tabbed and notated for your practice, reference and study purposes. Plus, Mike generously includes all of the rhythm tracks for you to work with on your own. Can’t get enough? There’s 30 very versatile rhythms that will jumpstart your roots vocabulary and keep you excited about these great styles of music for days to come!

Dig these rootsy acoustic guitar lessons? Download Mike Zito’s 30 Rootsy Acoustic Rhythms You MUST Know for much more including tab, notation, and jam tracks!