El Paso • Guitar lesson w/ intro tab & chords (Marty Robbins)

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After many requests, I'm proud to share this lesson teaching you how to play El Paso, the classic 1959 song from Marty Robbins. This one has a delicious intro riff (which I'll teach in depth), as well as standard cowboy chords that make up the verse & chorus. I'll teach all this, including 3 different ways to approach the strumming. Enjoy!

Timestamps for my video lesson:

- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 0:59 Chord shapes needed
- 1:42 Chord progressions (verse & chorus)
- 5:55 Strumming patterns (3 options)
- 9:45 Playthrough (1st verse & chorus)
- 11:51 Alternating bass note strumming
- 13:01 Intro riff breakdown (with tab)
- 21:44 Farewell

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[songnotes]

Timestamps:
- 0:59 Chord shapes needed
- 1:42 Chord progressions (verse & chorus)
- 5:55 Strumming patterns (3 options)
- 9:45 Playthrough (1st verse & chorus)
- 11:51 Alternating bass note strumming
- 13:01 Intro riff breakdown (with tab)
- 21:44 Farewell

Thanks all, enjoy!

[Teeder]

Hi David, Thanks for the great lesson. An excellent teacher is able to take a complicated subject and make it palpable and easy to understand. Your lesson on “El Paso” reflects the fact that you’re an excellent teacher.
By the way, to be an excellent guitar teacher, you don’t have to be the best guitar player in the world. You do have to possess a solid understanding of the learning process, and you have to be able to present the material in digestible portions with plenty of repetition, topical visual aides, modelling of the skills being taught, plus provide plenty of positive encouragement along the way.
David, your teaching reflects a lot of empathy for the student. You put yourself in your students’ shoes, and your lessons always put the student front and centre in your approach.
I really commend you for your excellence!
Thank you

[brodys]

My grandma used to live next to Marty Robbins as a kid before he became famous

[derekflorimonte]

Like, I cannot say this enough. I just got a guitar. Only a little bit of music experience. This lesson connected the steps so seemlessly, taught a (again no experience, so maybe its easy) complex technique, and made it so fun. I frikkin love this song, and its really inspired me to continue to push hard!

[darkwhorse]

Reminds me of a great man I grew up with that loved Marty Robbins. Thanks for this.

[meldrew]

Thanks for breaking this down and the free material. Really helpful

[murphytoadster]

This is probably the most badass song you can play on an acoustic guitar hands down.

[brink]

Ive been looking for a good tutorial and tab of this song forever. Earned a sub from me

[ConnorGuldner]

This is the best guitar lesson I have ever seen on YT. I love how yo put this together! SUBBDD

[batghul]

Very helpful! I'm still struggling with the intro but I already got the verse and the chorus right.

[davidbellamy]

I had this song in my head today and wanted to learn it. Went to your YouTube channel and found this lesson! Thank-you. Great and very easy to follow lesson… although I haven’t attempted the intro yet😊

[gazratjackson]

That is quite mesmerising Davo, i would have left that high note alone as well lol 🤙🦘

[georgeknappjr]

Absolutely the best "How to Play" video I've seen! Thank you sir!

[noweare]

I like this one, has some good finger work. Thanks David, your a good teacher

[perrylavergne]

This is an excellent instruction video on El Paso. Thank You!!!

[cliffordcoxoutandabout.]

Without doubt the best lesson for a beginner like myself that I have come across. Thank you very much.

[raggett]

Amazing thanks so much. Really wish the end of the riff was as tangy as the original but this is great!

[frankdavf]

This tutorial is great Sir! Much obligged! Cheers from 🇲🇽

[gertvanwyk]

Absolutely live the song, my next attempt.

[rinaldobergamelli]

Bravissimo, ottima lezione e ottimi i pdf. Quando sarà guarito il mio dito e potrò riprendere a suonare acquisterò i tuoi pdf.