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Free Guitar Lessons

Grateful Dead
Guitar Lessons

Learn the songs, the feel, and the Garcia-inspired magic — completely free.

"The Dead aren't just songs — they're a whole musical world. Once you start learning this music, you'll never look at the guitar the same way again."
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About These Lessons

The Grateful Dead occupy a completely singular place in American music, and Jerry Garcia's guitar playing is at the heart of it. There's no one quite like him — that tone, that phrasing, the way he could take a song somewhere completely unexpected and make it feel inevitable. I've spent years studying this music, and these free lessons are my way of sharing what I've learned with players at every level. Pull up a lesson, grab your guitar, and let's go somewhere beautiful.

Section 1

The Ballads & Folk Roots

Acoustic-friendly, story-driven songs that show the Dead's deep roots in American folk and country music. Great starting points for any level.

Beginner–Intermediate

Friend of the Devil

Beginner

Ripple

Intermediate

Box of Rain

Beginner–Intermediate

Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad

Section 2

The Rock Anthems

The electric, riff-driven songs that fill arenas and ignite setlists. Full of energy, attitude, and Garcia's signature lead vocabulary.

Intermediate

Casey Jones

Intermediate

Truckin'

Beginner–Intermediate

Touch of Grey

Intermediate

Shakedown Street

Section 3

The Psychedelic Journey Songs

Extended, exploratory, modal — these are the songs where Garcia's improvisational genius shines brightest. Study these and your lead playing will never be the same.

Intermediate–Advanced

Althea

Intermediate–Advanced

China Cat Sunflower

Intermediate–Advanced

Eyes of the World

Section 4

Deep Cuts & Lead Concepts

For players ready to go further — exploring Garcia's melodic language, fingerpicking, and the underrated gems that Deadheads know and love.

Intermediate

Scarlet Begonias

Intermediate

Sugaree

Intermediate–Advanced

Jerry Garcia Lead Concepts — "Loser"

Beginner–Intermediate

I Know You Rider

FAQ

Common Questions

What level do I need to be to learn Grateful Dead songs on guitar?
The Dead catalog covers a wide range of difficulty. Songs like "Ripple," "Friend of the Devil," and "Touch of Grey" are genuinely beginner-friendly — great open chord songs with straightforward strumming. From there, songs like "Casey Jones" and "Scarlet Begonias" bring in more interesting rhythm patterns, and then "China Cat Sunflower," "Althea," and "Eyes of the World" open up a whole new world of modal playing and fingerpicking for intermediate to advanced players. I've organized these lessons so you can start where you are and keep climbing.
How do I get the Jerry Garcia guitar tone?
Garcia's tone comes from a few key elements: a clean or lightly broken-up amp sound (he famously ran through Mesa Boogie amps), a flat-wound or medium-gauge string feel, and his custom "Wolf" and "Tiger" guitars with built-in effects routing. That said, you don't need any of that to capture the spirit of his sound. A good clean amp tone with a touch of reverb, maybe a subtle chorus or envelope filter, will get you most of the way there. The real secret is in the phrasing — Garcia's tone lives in how he plays, not just the gear.
What scales and modes did Jerry Garcia use?
Garcia was a deeply melodic, modal player who studied banjo and pedal steel before applying those concepts to electric guitar. He leaned heavily on the major pentatonic and Mixolydian mode for his signature bright, country-tinged sound. He also used the Dorian mode frequently — especially on songs like "Eyes of the World" — and incorporated chromatic passing tones and unusual voice-leading ideas borrowed from jazz. My lesson on "Loser" specifically targets Jerry-inspired lead concepts if you want to get into that vocabulary.
What's the best Grateful Dead song to learn first on guitar?
For most players, "Friend of the Devil" or "Ripple" are the best entry points — both are acoustic-friendly, sound great with basic open chords, and are immediately recognizable. If you're a little further along and want to get into the electric side right away, "Touch of Grey" is a fantastic choice: simple enough to pick up quickly, but it has that classic Dead groove that feels great to play. I'd start there and work your way through the sections above.
Can I learn Grateful Dead songs on acoustic guitar?
Absolutely. A big portion of the Dead's catalog works beautifully on acoustic — "Friend of the Devil," "Ripple," "Box of Rain," "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad," and "I Know You Rider" all started life as acoustic numbers and sound right at home on a flat-top. Even some of the electric songs like "Scarlet Begonias" translate well to acoustic with the right fingerpicking approach. Acoustic is actually a great way to focus on the melodic and harmonic content of Garcia's playing without worrying about electric technique.
Are these Grateful Dead guitar lessons really free?
Yes — every video on this page is completely free to watch on my YouTube channel. I've been putting out free guitar lessons for over 15 years because I genuinely believe everyone should have access to quality instruction. If you want to go further with structured, in-depth courses and a step-by-step learning path, that's what my paid course library is for. But everything you see here? Free, always.
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All lessons are free to watch on YouTube. Watch the full playlist on YouTube or explore structured courses at MartyMusic.com.