Bluegrass Guitar with Bryan Sutton - The G Run (breakdown and history)

Bryan Sutton talks history and breaks down one of the most important elements of Bluegrass rhythm: The G Run.

Before big ensembles and big bass instruments came into place, rhythm guitar was the main rhythmic basis for country music and bluegrass. One of these rhythmic techniques that was used in old country and bluegrass music is the G Run. In this lesson, Bryan Sutton isolates that technique. Bill Monroe's recording of Mule Skinner Blues is one of the first recordings of this technique in bluegrass. Another player who used the G run early on was Lester Flatt. Bryan Sutton recommends listening to Lester Flatt.

Lester Flatt's G run technique clearly marks the end of each phrase, which is an important role to play when the guitar is in charge of the rhythm. In this lesson, Bryan Sutton discusses many other ways different artists used the G run.

More on "Bluegrass Guitar with Bryan Sutton:"
Have you always wanted to learn how to play acoustic guitar? Through our comprehensive guitar lessons online and Video Exchange Learning platform here at ArtistWorks, you can learn from internationally renowned players, like Bryan Sutton, and get personal feedback on your playing.

Bryan’s course starts with the basics and teaches everything from beginner guitar to advanced flatpicking techniques, classic bluegrass tunes, and beyond. So, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, all levels are welcome and all students will grow and improve their skills as flatpick guitar players and musicians.

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[stringsurfersker]

I can't believe how many people complain about him actually teaching about the run and application. People just don't have patience. This is a fundamental bluegrass technique, and deserves the attention. He shows many ways of applying it. He is a master offering these tips for free. We should all be grateful. There was a time, not long ago, when you had to figure this stuff out by ear.

[MrMusicguyma]

I have played bluegrass for 40 years. This is a great lesson on the function of the G run. Bryan isolates different styles, and the "why" as well the "how". IMO everybody who attempts to play bluegrass should watch this.  

[RickMazzaferroistraveling]

I love how mellow he is. You can see his love for the music. He knows you'll be on to somthin' if ya try it. He's giving away gold here.

[Abletoth]

7 years after this was posted and I’m loving it. Just now getting into playing blue grass. Everything helps!

[thegratefulbrad]

Man, that guitar tone astonished me at one strum.
That's like buttered rum sonically.
That's a smooth sounding rich warm sound.

[REM]

This was a fantastic 9 minutes, well spent. Not only did we get several different ways to play the G run, but info about specific players and how they used it. That allows us to seek out these players and hear the use in proper context.

I understand people's frustrations with wanting the "advertised" content quickly. So many YouTube videos are full of rambling blather taking 15 minutes to get to the 2 minute nugget you came for. But this included everything the title implied, clearly, and without any egocentric filler.

[manifestgtr]

Man..that is one of those magical martins that just sounds RIDICULOUS

[Iregretmostofmyposts]

Thank you for this. I've played different kinds of music over the last 20 something years and I never had an interest in bluegrass. I'm getting the opportunity to play with some folks and I've caught the bug. Getting these details to get that authentic sound is really helpful. I'm a stickler for authentic sound in folk and this is great.

[bettyswedensky]

My son plays . He love to watch these as he says you can always learn more .

[petercontarino]

All wisdom. Thank you Bryan! I am new to bluegrass and no one has explained the point of the G run till now.

[orollins]

Thank you so much for the lesson. Many here haven't any patience to listen. You're the teacher. Beautiful old Martin! The double pick-guard seems part of the Martin legacy from that time period. Earl Scruggs used to pick on one with 2 pick-guards too.

[fattymcfatterson]

I remember the first time I heard Bryan Sutton (around 2002)...his pick attack and picking/fretting hand synchronization just absolutely floored me.

Awesome player...and seems like a nice person too.

[rayvoorhies]

Excellent lesson. I appreciate a teacher that explains why we do certain things and the history behind it. This lesson convinced me to sign up.

[rickykelleher]

I've played G runs while playing bluegrass music for a while now and thought I understood it. This lesson is great. Makes you rethink the whole thing. I've started using the simpler (but incredibly effective) Flatt version he showed at the start.


If ya can't knuckle down and brush up the basics, maybe Guitar Hero is more to your suiting!

[johndavies]

Great lesson. Just starting to get the hang of Bluegrass style guitar and this was a helpful addition. A split screen with second camera on the left hand would have made this easier to pick up but that's a small niggle. As for those folks grumbling about the lesson, it seems to be the curse of the YouTube generation that if you can't learn it in under three minutes then why bother. We should be grateful for talented musicians like Bryan who take time to pass on these lessons and the musical history that goes with it.

[BrianCampbell]

Excellent lesson, and for me it lead to a breakthrough of sorts. I'm a good fingerstylist and decent at strumming, but for me flatpicking makes me feel like a recovering stroke victim. I've been learning some flat picking lately (Molly Tuttle, Wild Flower, the Beatle's Here Comes the Sun) but for me it's often hit and miss, too often miss. But the way Bryan showed how to position the right hand made it suddenly much easier to do these runs. If others have shown me this in other lessons, somehow it didn't compute. I think Bryan put me on to something. Thanks!

[Baci]

Thanks. I'm new to bluegrass and really appreciate the lesson and the rationale behind the technique.

[sublimingmule]

This has been a really helpful lesson to me for understanding what's actually going on in a g run. I've been playing guitar for over 10 years and been very interested in punk and metal. But I'm trying to build my fretboard knowledge, and guitar skills, so I started looking at bluegrass, and jazz to learn different ways of thinking about the instrument, and I've had trouble understanding what I'm hearing in a g run. Very well made video!

[RickMazzaferroistraveling]

I just learned something today that will change my guitar playing life. Thank you Bryan.

[JonTruelove]

I think it’s important to teach a little history like you do. Very cool. I’d like to share my experience to anyone learning to play. I “learned” an absolute ton playing with other friendly bluegrass folks. Playing with others is kind of the whole point imo when it comes to, well, generally all music. I was in a bar in old downtown Frankfort, Kentucky summer 2024 where people came and went all evening, all skill levels pretty much. Violins and mandolins and banjos came and went. Watching other guitar players in the moment, live, for cues to songs I didn’t know and watching other guitar players just play…I learned a ton.