Don Ross returns to his song "Upright & Locked Position" and teaches the C part. He then talks about combining the three major sections of this song, as well as how to end it.
Taught by Don Ross in Fingerstyle with Don Ross seriesLength: 18:39Difficulty: 3.0 of 5
Don Ross, an award-winning, Billboard-topping fingerstyle artist, will teach you everything you need to know to get started in fingerstyle guitar.
Lesson 1
New fingerstyle instructor Don Ross introduces himself, his background, and what you should expect in this series.
Length: 3:54 Difficulty: 0.0 FREELesson 2
Don Ross talks about the way he plays and how he got started in his particular style. He also brushes on right hand technique and thumb pick style.
Length: 14:09 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 3
Don Ross takes some time to talk about where he places each right hand finger while playing fingerstyle. This is a great lesson for those who wish to fix old habits, or are just starting out in this wonderful...
Length: 9:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 4
Don Ross talks about fingerpicking patterns with a focus on Travis Picking. He explains the pattern thoroughly and at a step-by-step pace so that it can be picked up by fingerstyle players of any level.
Length: 22:55 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 5
Don Ross dives into Travis Picking once more. This time, he specifically focuses on patterns for chords that have a root note on the fifth string.
Length: 14:10 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 6
This time, Don Ross demonstrates Travis patterns with chords that have a root note on the fourth string.
Length: 9:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 7
Having thoroughly explored Travis picking, Don Ross now takes some time to talk about the "thumb and brush" technique.
Length: 12:27 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 8
Don Ross takes a couple lessons to talk about altered tunings and open tunings. In this lesson, he takes a closer look at altered tunings.
Length: 8:05 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 9
Don Ross now discusses open tunings. Open tunings get their name because the open strings are tuned to a specific chord.
Length: 18:40 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
Don Ross talks more about open G tuning and how to make it more applicable to your playing by applying the Travis pattern you have already learned.
Length: 13:46 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Don Ross talks about open D tuning, how it's similar to open C tuning, and how you can incorporate it into your playing.
Length: 17:44 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 12
In this lesson, Don Ross explains open C tuning. As with the G and D tuning lessons, he explains how open C compares to other open tunings, how to tune, and what it can add to your playing.
Length: 26:48 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 13
Don Ross looks at DADGAD tuning in this lesson. He explores different ways to play, how to tune, and discusses why it has become so popular.
Length: 17:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 14
Don Ross takes another look at DADGAD and how you can play harmonically in this tuning.
Length: 11:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 15
Don Ross continues his discussion on DADGAD tuning and brings it all together with Travis picking.
Length: 10:58 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 16
Don Ross takes a final look at DADGAD tuning in this lesson. This time, he explores some great chord voicings that are sure to spice up your playing.
Length: 10:41 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 17
Don Ross takes a look at a unique and beautiful tuning, CDCGAD, or in Don's words, the "Fred" tuning, and explores what can be done with it.
Length: 14:35 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 18
Don Ross takes a look at the first part of his original song "Brooke's Waltz". This song is in the CGCGAD tuning you learned about in the previous lesson.
Length: 17:44 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 19
Don Ross moves on and covers the second portion of his original song "Brooke's Waltz".
Length: 12:05 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 20
Don Ross finishes up the trio of lesson on his song "Brooke's Waltz". This time around he talks about the song structure, as well as the funky behind-the-nut vibrato he ends the song with.
Length: 15:43 Difficulty: 3.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
In this lesson, Don talks about how you can use simple music theory to add colorful extensions to your chords and also create new open tunings. This is a very useful lesson for all guitarists.
Length: 18:41 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 23
Don Ross delves into one of his sweeter melodies - "Upright & Locked Position". In this lesson, he offers a short review on the tuning he uses and teaches the first portion of the tune.
Length: 18:22 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 24
Don Ross teaches the B section of his song "Upright & Locked Position".
Length: 8:49 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 25
Don Ross returns to his song "Upright & Locked Position" and teaches the C part. He then talks about combining the three major sections of this song, as well as how to end it.
Length: 18:39 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 26
Harmonics sound awesome, and no player's arsenal is complete without this versatile technique. Don introduces harmonics and talks about playing both natural and artificial variations.
Length: 13:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 27
Don Ross talks about "slap" harmonics and "brush" harmonics and how they can be used.
Length: 8:36 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 28
Don Ross teaches a harmonic technique he calls the "ripple effect". This technique was originally made popular by guitar legend Lenny Breau.
Length: 11:43 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 29
Don Ross builds on lesson 28 by discussing more ways in which the "ripple effect" can be used.
Length: 9:04 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
About Don Ross
View Full Biography
Don has toured regularly since 1989, across Canada, the USA, a dozen European countries, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia, Russia and India. He has played with symphony orchestras in Canada and Germany, and collaborated live and on recording with Andy McKee, Canadian singer/guitarist Brooke Miller, & Toronto bassist Jordan O’Connor. He also composes scores for television, radio and film, and does production and recording engineering for a variety of other musicians. In addition to acoustic guitar, Don also plays electric guitar, slide dobro and lapsteel guitar, voice, piano, keyboards, bass guitar and drums.
Our acoustic guitar lessons are taught by qualified instructors with various backgrounds with the instrument.
Lesson 7 is all about arpeggios. Danny provides discussion and exercises designed to build your right hand skills.
Free LessonSeries DetailsSteve Eulberg does a quick review of this lesson series and talks about moving on.
Free LessonSeries DetailsJim discusses the importance of setting goals. He provides some tips that will help steer your practicing in the right direction.
Free LessonSeries DetailsNew fingerstyle instructor Don Ross introduces himself, his background, and what you should expect in this series.
Free LessonSeries DetailsJamPlay is proud to introduce jazz guitarist Peter Einhorn. In this lesson series, Peter will discuss and demonstrate a way...
Free LessonSeries DetailsIn this lesson Randall introduces the partial capo (using a short-cut capo by Kyser) and talks about how it can make the...
Free LessonSeries DetailsPamela brings a cap to her first 13 JamPlay lessons with another original etude inspired by the great Leo Brouwer. This is...
Free LessonSeries DetailsHawkeye teaches several Robert Johnson licks in this lesson. These licks are played with a slide in open G tuning.
Free LessonSeries DetailsRich Nibbe takes a look at how you can apply the pentatonic scale in the style of John Mayer into your playing.
Free LessonSeries DetailsOur electric guitar lessons are taught by instructors with an incredible amount of teaching experience.
Nick explains how to use scales and modes effectively when soloing over a chord progression.
Free LessonSeries DetailsTosin explains some of the intricacies of the 8 string guitar such as his personal setup and approach to playing.
Free LessonSeries DetailsDavid MacKenzie introduces the tapping technique and teaches a fun exercise. This lesson includes a backing track.
Free LessonSeries DetailsAllen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity. This is a short lesson but the exercises here can...
Free LessonSeries DetailsKris analyzes different pick sizes and their effect on his playing. Using a slow motion camera, he is able to point out the...
Free LessonSeries DetailsIn this lesson, Larry discusses and demonstrates how to tune your bass. He explains why tuning is critical and discusses...
Free LessonSeries DetailsJamPlay is proud to welcome senior professor and Coordinator of Guitar Studies at the University of Colorado at Denver,...
Free LessonSeries DetailsIn this lesson Eric talks about playing basic lead in the Memphis Blues style.
Free LessonSeries DetailsSignup today to enjoy access to our entire database of video lessons, along with our exclusive set of learning tools and features.
Take a minute to compare JamPlay to other traditional and new methods of learning guitar. Our estimates for "In-Person" lessons below are based on a weekly face-to-face lesson for $40 per hour.
![]() |
||||
Price Per Lesson | < $0.01 | $4 - $5 | $30 - $50 | Free |
Money Back Guarantee | Sometimes | n/a | ||
Number of Instructors | 92 | 1 – 3 | 1 | Zillions |
Interaction with Instructors | Daily Webcam Sessions | Weekly | ||
Professional Instructors | Luck of the Draw | Luck of the Draw | ||
New Lessons | Daily | Weekly | Minutely | |
Structured Lessons | ||||
Learn Any Style | Sorta | |||
Track Progress | ||||
HD Video | - | Sometimes | ||
Multiple Camera Angles | Sometimes | - | Sometimes | |
Accurate Tabs | Maybe | Maybe | ||
Scale/Chord Libraries | ||||
Custom JamTracks | ||||
Interactive Games | ||||
Community | ||||
Learn in Sweatpants | Socially Unacceptable | |||
Gasoline Needed | $0.00 | $0.00 | ~$4 / gallon! | $0.00 |
Mike H.
"I feel like a 12 year old kid with a new guitar!"
I am 66 years young and I still got it! I would have never known this if it had not been for Jamplay! I feel like a 12 year old kid with a new guitar! Ha! I cannot express enough how great you're website is! It is for beginners and advanced pickers! I am an advanced picker and thought I had lost it but thanks to you all, I found it again! Even though I only play by ear, I have been a member a whopping whole two weeks now and have already got Brent's country shuffle and country blues down and of course with embellishments. Thank you all for your wonderful program!
Greg J.
"With Jamplay I can fit in a random session when I have time and I can go at my own pace"
I'm a fifty eight year old newbie who owns a guitar which has been sitting untouched in a corner for about seven years now. Last weekend I got inspired to pick it up and finally learn how to play after watching an amazing Spanish guitarist on TV. So, here I am. I'm starting at the beginning with Steve Eulberg and I couldn't be happier (except for the sore fingers :) Some day I'm going to play like Steve! I'm self employed with a hectic schedule. With Jamplay I can fit in a random session when I have time and I can go at my own pace, rewinding and replaying the videos until I get it. This is a very enjoyable diversion from my work yet I still feel like I'm accomplishing something worthwhile. Thanks a lot, Greg
Bill
"I believe this is the absolute best site for guitar students."
I am commenting here to tell you and everyone at JamPlay that I believe this is the absolute best site for guitar students. I truly enjoy learning to play the guitar on JamPlay.com. Yes, I said the words, ""enjoy learning."" It is by far the best deal for the money.
Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Thank you!!! This song is so much fun :)