Johnny Cash - Hurt Guitar Lesson - Acoustic

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In this video lesson we will take a look at Johnny Cash's version of the beautiful and haunting "Hurt".

Originally written by Trent Reznor and released on Nine Inch Nails' 1994 album The Downward Spiral, Johnny Cash's 2002 cover of the song has now become more well known than the original.

Johnny Cash simply stripped the entire original recording down to it's dark and stark basics in order to more closely relate it to his own life condition at the time of recording.

Johnny Cash was nearing the end of his life and in extremely frail health. If you watch the video for his version of "Hurt", you can see that is readily apparent. By the way, the video is incredible and was rated the greatest music video of all time by the NME. You should definitely check it out. :)

This stripped down version is acoustic based with mostly acoustic guitar and piano.

In this Hurt guitar lesson video I will show you how to play all of those acoustic guitar parts and in the pre-chorus and chorus I will combine the piano and guitar layers into one easy to play part.

The opening of the song acts as the verse throughout. It consists of some simple arpeggiated picking around three basic chords. From there we reach the pre-chorus where once again things remain pretty basic. The strumming pattern is very simple and the only difficulty you may have with my arrangement is that I use my thumb to play a note of the 6th string in both the pre-chorus and chorus. However, it isn't required for you to do the same, simply leave the thumb off and it will sound fine. I like using the thumb there since it creates a much fuller sound for that chord.

So there isn't much more to talk about from a technical standpoint in this Hurt guitar lesson video. It is a basic song that has a very dramatic and soul searching purpose and does so in an extremely moving fashion.

It is suitable for players beginner to advanced.

I hope my lesson does this incredible song justice! :)

Carl..

[meharask]

This Is the Most Accurate 'lesson' out here on this song ..

[intheblink]

I know this is an older one, but I always look for your tutorials first. You nail the songs note for note. Rare!

[MrWolfheart]

1st song I just learned (Middle of a pandemic) and i actually made it sound nice. Im STOKED. Hurt... how appropriate... ya Im down :) Great song cause if you mess it up... it actually sounds better... sometimes, you find a little jewel so many little things you can do with it.

[BrianHarbut-vk]

Love that D chord version, a lot of people do the normal D shape but that sounds beautiful. Surprising what difference one note makes. Beautiful song! 👍

[ToxicSHDAgent]

Hello,
I started playing accoustic guitar 3 weeks ago. I am so happy I found your tutorial because it's the first full guitar track I can play now. Not only is this song incredible but also, the person in the video CARL who just teached us playing it in the most simple way existing :p.
Thank you so much Carl!

[amancalledcash]

Bring some more Johnny Cash to the Channel man, your lessons are great and I'd rather learn songs from you than anyone else on YouTube

[dillonb]

Thank you for playing it correctly in complete detail 👍

[WatanabeNoTsuna.]

This is the only lesson that incorporates those single notes on the upstrum during the intro! I thought i was going nuts that I could hear it but no one was mentioning it! Insta-subscribe for that!

[vanillaslice]

Carl just straight up steps up and drops that thumb on the F and reminds us how much more awesome its gonna sound.

[bruceberry]

I've watched multiple videos and yours is the closest. Thank you very much as always.

[spackel]

That guitar sounds soooo good! Love the root note sustains on your strums. Sounds like a second instrument. Great lesson! Thank you for sharing.

[ryanhanson]

Your videos have helped me a ton and made guitar very fun as I was learning it thank you!!

[paulosicne]

This song became Johnny Cash's once he recorded it, no matter who the composer really was. This song takes me back.

And no, I didn't need a Hollywood movie to bring me here.

[coltallic]

Just hearing the guitar makes me depressed lol

[AngelTorres-pmyl]

You’re the best. The pandemic motivated me into buying my first guitar, couldn’t have done it without you.

[NV_King_UK]

thanks so much I got a guitar today for Christmas and this is the first thing I am learning

[dianalopezdecelaya]

I've been learning how to play a guitar for a year and I found this dude a while back I have learned to play quite a few songs and the learn my cords at the same time awesome job thank you

[joeswanson]

You have the best lessons I’ve tried Marty music but his is more advanced you actually tell me which string and fret and which finger you have helped me so much

[discipleG]

Excellent Lesson as always! You are awesome!

[systemstechnician]

Nice bro, always open each lesson playing the song...