Fingerstyle Mastery

Artist Series Guitar Course from Mike Dawes

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Learn the next level of percussive fingerstyle from a world-class player. Mike Dawes teaches you to go from an average fingerstyle player to playing some of his most advanced compositions. 40 lessons to both inspire and challenge any guitarist, exclusively from JamPlay.

40 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

95% Appoval

293 of 301 of our members have given this their approval.

Tabs & Info

Download tabs, helpers, JamTracks and docs included with lessons.

Included

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Full Course Breakdown

This course applies to the intermediate player looking to discover modern fingerstyle techniques and add more dynamics and versatility to their craft. Mike will begin by building the foundation needed to tackle his hypnotic style, then challenge you with song excerpts, exercises, and more.

Begin the Course
1

Introduction to the Course

Mike Dawes introduces you to his inspirational course. He talks about what you will learn, and what you need to know. Buckle up and get ready for the ride.

3:53 Runtime

0.5 Difficulty

2

Mike Dawes Gear

From fingernails to pickups, take a close look at the gear that helps Mike create his unique, beautiful sound.

7:23 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

3

Travis Picking Technique

Time for a technique overview! Mike walks through the basics of Travis picking to set a good foundation for what's to come.

10:38 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

4

Travis Picking Part 2

Mike demonstrates travis picking over the 12-bar blues, a perfect context to get your fingers wrapped around this technique.

13:43 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

5

Travis Picking Licks

Learn a lead accompaniment inspired by the late Jerry Reed. This travis picked lick works great over the 12-bar blues.

6:07 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

6

Travis Picking Combined

Taking the parts learned in the last two lessons, Mike demonstrates them separately, then we overlay them to hear what they sound like together.

3:55 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

7

DADGAD: Scales and Control

DADGAD offers a great stepping stone out of standard tuning. Mike introduces scales and warm-ups to familiarize yourself

10:48 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

8

DADGAD: Right Hand Control

Now that we are comfortable with scales in our left hand, Mike introduces right hand exercises that will increase strength and control.

8:51 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

9

DADGAD: Movable Shapes

When you changed into DADGAD, it probably felt like you lost your chord shapes. Mike eases you into the change by teaching shapes for this tuning.

11:22 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

10

DADGAD: Favorite Chords

Continuing with movable shapes, Mike introduces some of his favorite chord shapes that have proven useful in his own songwriting.

5:36 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

11

Getting Creative

So far, we've taken a very technical and theoretical approach to DADGAD. Let's start making music. Mike teaches a beautiful, celtic composition.

7:37 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

12

Getting Creative - Somewhere Home

Extracting a section from "Somewhere Home", Mike puts DADGAD tuning to good use. Beware: this song utilizes hammer-ons, trills, and modulates.

14:39 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

13

Harmonics

Mike starts into some more advanced techniques, starting with harmonics. These tools are sure to make your playing rise above the fray.

13:22 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

14

Harmonics with Chords

Learning to blend harmonics into chords and melodies is next level! Mike teaches an exercise that introduces harmonics into a chord environment.

8:30 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

15

Introduction to Tapping

Tapping is an useful technique to extend melodies beyond basic fingerpicking. Mike introduces the concept and introduces an exercise.

7:51 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

16

Lap Tapping

Find out how an accident led to Mike discovering a whole new approach to tapping. Lap tapping is an effective way to know your fretboard even better.

7:26 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

17

Lap Tapping Part 2

As Mike continues his exploration into horizontal tapping, he breaks down the first section of his song, Still, for a practical study of this technique.

7:35 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

18

Lap Tapping Licks

Mike introduces a new, untitled lap tapping riff. We're still hanging out in E minor, but this riff will help increase speed and precision with your tapping.

7:04 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

19

Acoustic Tapping Harmonies

Time to put your guitar back in the upright position. Mike starts to delve into some more advanced tapping techniques, including harmonization and percussion.

7:53 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

20

Advanced Acoustic Workout

In this "ridiculously, hectic" exercise, Mike takes some familiar shapes and turns them into a beautiful, challenging workout for anyone brave enough to join him.

8:36 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

21

Introduction to Percussion

You would never hit your guitar? Well, Mike will convince you otherwise. He introduces his "grid" system which offers a foundation to add percussion.

13:06 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

22

The Percussion Grid

As introduced in the previous lesson, Mike expands on the percussion grid and teaches how to create a snare like sound on your guitar.

10:51 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

23

Drum Kit Emulation

If you've ever seen a drum kit, there's more than just a kick and snare. We are going to start recreating other sounds found in the world of percussion.

6:24 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

View this Lesson
24

Adding the Band

Now that we've got a handle on drums, it's time to add guitar! We introduce the fretting hand, both as a percussive element and for adding chords.

5:57 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

25

Percussion: Overload

Mike takes a percussive groove from his song, Overload, and breaks it down. This riff takes the grid system and introduces a simple bass line.

7:05 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

26

Percussive Riff - Maybe Someday

Mike takes a riff from "Maybe Someday" a song from his first album, "What Just Happened" and breaks it down for us. This riff has a celtic waltz feel and involves subtle percussion.

5:51 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

27

New Song - The Old Room

World Premiere of this hauntingly beautiful song, "The Old Room". In this lesson, Mike does a complete playthrough, then breaks down the first verse.

16:41 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

28

The Old Room - The Chorus

The chorus of The Old Room opens up into a majestic section with lush, full chords, harmonics, and accented single note runs. Sounds difficult, but it's an achievable challenge!

7:21 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

29

The Old Room - Verse 2 and Chorus 2 Variations

Now Mike takes a look at some slight but cool variations in the second verse and second chorus of The Old Room.

9:52 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

30

The Old Room - Interlude A and B

Relying heavily on a mix of harmonics, fingerpicking, pull-off's, hammer-on's and percussion, this will be a technical challenge, but it is well worth the effort.

13:27 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

31

The Old Room - Interlude C

Interlude C of The Old Room features 3 sub-sections that build off of one another. Starting with a melodic phrase, Mike then adds a little percussion, then adds a lot of percussion. A nice build as we head towards the Outro of the song!

12:16 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

32

The Old Room - Outro

Mike closes out the song with this open, free-time outro with dark harmonic tones and heavy reverb. If you don't feel the emotion, check your pulse!

6:05 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

33

Boogie Shred - Song Lesson

Building off of what we've learned, Mike is going to break down his song Boogie Shred, section by section, in unparalleled detail. In this first lesson, Mike does a complete playthrough, then shows us the chorus and the main riff.

16:01 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

34

Boogie Shred - The Verse

The verse of Boogie Shred is built upon a bass pattern with some simple percussion. From there is escalates, but getting the foundation is key!

11:34 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

35

Boogie Shred - The Pre-Chorus

We'll take a look at the pre-chorus of Boogie Shred.

7:53 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

36

Boogie Shred - Chorus and Verse Variations

In this lesson, Mike teaches us some cool variations on the verse and chorus of Boogie Shred.

4:41 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

37

Boogie Shred - Pre-Chorus 2 and Variations

Now it's time to take a look at some variations in the pre-chorus the second time it comes around.

7:17 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

38

Boogie Shred - The Bridge

It sounds crazy, but Mike breaks down the hectic bridge of Boogie Shred and shows that it is actually possible to play!

8:11 Runtime

4.5 Difficulty

39

Boogie Shred - The Outro

For the final piece of Boogie Shred, we look at the outro, which is a variation of the chorus. Mike then congratulates us on a job well done as he wraps up the entire series.

5:05 Runtime

4.0 Difficulty

40

Bonus Interview

Mike shares stories and advice from his own experience as a career musician.

16:10 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

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Mike Dawes

293
  • London, England
  • Playing since 2000
  • 40 lessons at JamPlay
Begin Course
Mike Dawes (ENG) is hailed as one of the world’s finest and most creative modern fingerstyle guitar performers.

His acclaimed solo music has gained over 50 million hits on popular video sharing sites and since the release of his debut album in 2013 he has toured almost every continent on the planet, with an average of 150 concerts per year. Mike needs to be seen live to be believed. His ability to create the most unusual tones and textures simultaneously from a single acoustic guitar leaves fellow musicians stunned. Bass, melody, harmony and percussion all seamlessly produced using his signature technical yet intrinsically musical guitar technique. His show is not just for guitar fans however, his entertaining and humorous rapport transcends the traditional guitar concert. Extraordinary virtuosity meets Monty Python via a one-man rock show. Mike has recorded with and taught multiple grammy winning artists, appeared on film and TV soundtracks, released apps, written for the world’s best selling music magazines and in addition to his solo work, currently performs alongside and in support of the legendary frontman of The Moody Blues, Justin Hayward, the debut live DVD of which entered the US Billboard charts at #2. At 28 years of age, Mike has made a huge impact in a relatively short space of time. His persistent work ethic and entertainingly meticulous approach to composition and performance on a single instrument has seen raised smiles and dropped jaws all over the world. He is not a typical guitar player. On a single steel string guitar Mike is able to coax out the most unusual and subtle textures, whilst performing layers and layers of music simultaneously using complex micro-techniques led predominantly by the right hand. In a style that is hard to illustrate, the young Brit combines rock, folk, funk and pop music in an instrumental concoction that leaves listeners both confused and intrigued. However, it’s his innate musicality and ear for melody that give listeners something different. Mike is able to utilise his advanced technical arsenal to achieve a musical and emotional end, a skill set often lacking in this instrumental category. In the live arena, his British humour and electric presence sprinkle an entertainment not uncommon in a comedy club. He does not take himself seriously, but the music is taken very seriously
Reviews & Feedback 95/100 with 301 ratings
sixstringer

explained very well

mikeporritt

excellent presentation in method, technique and skills..Well spoken, entertaining and thought out..Good humor! I hope this eventually sticks in me brain!

JoeMilausnic

Great introduction to Travis picking!

jackivan

The best is good enough.

NickLeeMusic1

I'm a travis picker already, but I like to watch basic lessons as refreshers. Sometimes you start cutting corners and forget they've been cut. Were I new to travis picking, I think this would be the perfect lesson to get into it.

Oleif2017

Nice guy and I love he exercises. Its like a I can feel getting better.

July2019

Awesome. -)

scottkeithevans

the supplemental is good though

Lori-queen of marlins

l've gotten farther in 4 lessons with you than I have in the last two years on my own! Thank you so much! Your style of teaching is really working for me!

gehen

Saw this player with Justin Hayward and was BLOWN AWAY! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TALENT!

juliesyc

This is way more detailed than I expected, but the teacher is great, I really like his style. Bit fast paced but the supplementary notes are just right. Thanks, Julie

Calcifer

i'm a big fan of Mike dawes. ever since i heard his songs on Candyrat records he seems humble and very english and has a nice dry humor.

nscameron

enjoying the dry wit and the musicianship

DrMWal87

Like his style of p,laying. Hope I can learn this.

PJ Astralaga

Love the gear, the explanation & of course the passion!

Spydady

want to lern to do that

Mandru0615

Mike Dawes is an amazing player. I hope I can keep up. I'm into this style of playing and I've been wanting to learn it for quite some time.

dragonflygs

Really enjoyed your approach to Travis Picking!!!

Zoie

On the intro Mike seems friendly - most certainly he is accomplished and awesome ;). I can't wait to explore his course

RalfRamone

this is so hard :-( but I am sure it will pay off

mlakotko

Outside the box guitar playing. Well done!