How to play "I Walk The Line" by Johnny Cash (Guitar Chords & Lesson)

🆕 I recently made an UPDATED version of this lesson, w/ tabs! Check out the new version here:
• I Walk The Line • Into...
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Hey friends! Here's my original lesson for I WALK THE LINE, which was the 6th video I ever recorded! The quality is a bit dated - but I'm happy to keep it around for y'all. Check out my updated tutorial for this song if you'd like something a bit more recent - which includes tabs on the screen. Thanks and enjoy!
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[@songnotes]

Hey friends - I re-did this lesson (6 years later), with tabs included! Check it out here: playsongnotes.com/lessons/6/

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

Great lessons! Thanks much. I would add: Johnny played very basic chord versions. It was Luther Perkins, who added the walk downs, and fills, and created the Cash sound.

[@Nandoasecas]

Thanks!!!!!!!

[@aribpm]

I highly recommend learning a Cash song as well. It really opened up more possibilities as a beginner/ lifelong pick it up put it down player. The base line with strum is amazing to master. It looks so easy but took me a while to get it down. My poor wife had to hear that lick for weeks.

[@CoffinSupply]

Absolutely

[@robbrand61]

I'm obsessed with the song and you have explained the mechanics of how the song works. So glad I've found you. Thank you.

[@michaelkenny9179]

You can impress people or you can teach,he teaches. He has impressed me with his teaching.🎸🎼

[@bentalley7277]

me too

[@zugzwang4678]

That bit about the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of each major scale just blew my mind! Crazy how much a little knowledge of theory can help, you've motivated me to learn more theory. Great lesson, keep up the good work sir.

[@peterdavis205]

Hello David, as a man in his 60's , I find your site terrific , and inspires me to help others even more ..thank you

[@seanpower660]

One of the best tutorials online. You're top class David thank you for your genius and effort

[@torinshiels7500]

I never thought to play my open A chord like this. My pudgy fingers couldnt all fit in staggered as 1,2 3. This is great! I watched Justins lesson right after and noticed he also fingers the chord the same way. almost 30 years playing and it never dawned on me to do this. Amazing lol. Great lesson

[@jasonmills3399]

Me too. I have the same problem with A 123

[@northofthecity21]

I agree, his way makes fingers fit better than 123. I'm used to 234, instead of 123. Since the pinky is less fat, they also fit better than 123.

[@rhumpher9a]

I've being a Country music fan for many a year now and how could you not love one of the kings of country, Johnny Cash songs!!! After watching a fee of your lessons here on you tube, I've really enjoyed how you teach each lesson!!! I plank on subscribing to your lessons I'm a 64 beginner and beginning to have fun with your lessons of coarse as I'm self teaching myself with your videos. Keep up the awesome work!!! Love the Guitar🎸also could you do a lesson on "The way Talk" by Morgan Wallen please??? Thanks again my friend!!!🤠🎸💯

[@garywall1572]

Hey I love this guy so easy to follow and he admits his mistakes.

[@scanlonpat3433]

David, I'm really impressed with your clear explanations and your positive personality. You're a gifted teacher and I'm grateful. Very much so. Thank you.

[@SC7driver]

Two thumbs up. You nail it ! I’ve been trying to play JC music for years but just slaughter it instead, now I’m on track !! Keep up the awesome awesome tutorials!

[@ginger_e]

what a great song and and what a great teacher! relearning after 20 years, thank you so much

[@maximillianlawrence3562]

i really appreciate the high quality of ur videos. YOU MAKE IT FEEL ACCESSIBLE!!!

[@x917hot]

This is a great lesson - learning to play the song is one aspect, learning and understanding changing keys and the 1-4-5 ... Also love the advice to follow Justin as well for beginners... Thanks so much for a great lesson!!!!

[@BTritone]

Thanks! I have played guitar for a long time but just getting into Country style now. This is very helpful.It's a whole different thing from blues ,rock and smooth jazz .Love it!

[@johnrobinson7036]

David, I’ve been playing for a year and this is one of the songs I’ve been working on (sort of note by note). This lesson, with chords, walk-ups and walk-downs, is wonderfully clear. And the sound is so much fuller. Well done! Thanks.

[@SammyBones]

You can't go wrong with some Cash!!!

[@Johnsmall79]

Through this video you are teaching me my first song on the guitar after weeks of practicing chords. Thanks for that. The way you explain everything is easy to follow.

[@mentalmickey1459]

Brilliant video, I've learnt so much in just a few minutes and I've been messing about with guitars for years

[@seanpower660]

Probably the best guitar tutorial online man. And I've seen a lot. Top class thank you

[@jackcameronmusic]

Best tutorial of this track! congrats.

[@d1a2v3i4d5w6]

This is great. Very clear, very easy to follow. Pity the memory card ran out, because it's fun to play along with you. Thanks!

[@AnnieAnne13]

wow what an amazing teacher- even I am learning for once, someone who explains the whys and hows thank you

[@benjaminneaves3195]

Thank you bro for your lessons your awesome and the way you teach is great it keeps me wanting to get better day by day!

[@StvMcQueen1]

You are one of the best instructors I've ever seen on here, but I'd like to add one small suggestion. On a simple song like this one, for the benefit of those of us out here who are slightly more advanced, how about starting the instruction by playing the entire song through from start to finish first. That way, we could watch, nod, and go on and play it, without "learning" things like how to finger a B7, etc. That would be a big help for a lot of us. Thanks, and again, great job!

[@ThePopster666]

Great tutorial! Everything one needs to know about this song. Explanations are easy to understand and tabs, chords and lyrics on your web site are appreciated.

[@jjret6]

Thank's for a great tutorial on this song. The "walk downs" are a big help in getting the key changes.

[@rnp1785]

Great instruction video like the way your approach is breaking down the lesson in steps and going over it more than just once. Thanks for your time.

[@ronberlier6695]

Excellent teaching style David, very helpful. Request: You Are My Sunshine. Thanks!

[@timallen7305]

Your work is valued. Many many hours you spend. Thank you.

[@braunaaron]

Wow, this is an excellent tutorial. The desconstruction and explanation couldn't be clearer. Thanks so much!

[@Schrump45]

Thanks. I love this tune. Always had a problem figuring it out. Great stuff

[@airric166]

Thank you for showing me how to play this song. I dusted off My Takamine accoustic electric, that i hadn't played in about 10 years. Boy my fingers are burning and i got to build the calase back again. Great video man,

[@pauladobbins3392]

Just learning to play, glad I found this, very helpful! thank you.

[@davidrobson9181]

This guy is the best! Brilliant teacher.

[@caffeinejo]

I really like your laid back yet incredibly informative teaching style. Subscribed to your channel. Thanks

[@ElvisSkrt]

Excellent! I've been wishing I could play this song. I'll try in a while

[@piercedarrow57]

EXCELLENT lesson!!!! Kinda tricky for me...but you're right - it is a lot of FUN!!!!

[@Coholbell15]

Officially my guitar tutor :) Thanks DUDE :) SONGNOTES RULLLLZ!!!

[@TezLivin]

excellent clear song explanation and demonstration including tab, well done.

[@Milkebay]

Yea

[@songnotes]

Thanks much, glad it was helpful!

[@oliviahanisaclown6905]

TezLivin ur stupid he is shit

[@freelancePM]

Very niece of you to provide the lessons free. Thank you

[@jamesbrizendine4383]

Hey song notes yours looks a lot easier than the way a music teacher taught me mainly because she did the version from the movie walk the line l will definitely give it a try

[@barruzza]

Been waiting for good Walk the line lesson. This is the best. Thank you for posting.

[@royraken7746]

dave,(sorry if I got your name wrong), great tutorial on this song. think about Folsom prison Blues by Johnny Cash for the future. keep it coming.

[@dragonfly6200]

Brilliant demo! really well explained, and thanks for chords /tabs too!

[@sujayanarula3913]

You have a fabulous voice, sing so well! Thank you!

[@elijahmonn3757]

Hi, a little clearer on the walking up and down would have been nice. I’ll keep practicing and re watching this. But overall a good video. Thanks for giving your time to post this. Brent

[@bobbykitts383]

by far the best ive seen. thanks

[@timmatuszewski8428]

Great song and lesson. Thanks for sharing.

[@j.h.4387]

This lesson is actually very interesting for me because I used to play just the version in D. Thank you !

[@PHIL1245]

best guitar lesson of this song i have found so far on you tube thanks man: subscribed

[@safercyclinguk]

This is so great, over a million views wow.

[@nogivingin35]

Thanks for taking the time to show us......appreciated

[@richardgonzalez4368]

What a friend,what a pal,to show how!

[@belair57lowriders34]

I really like how you explain everything, thank you, I want to learn this song. Love Johnning Cash

[@clancywiggum56]

This was so great thank you so much

[@aquavmd]

Agree with everyone below- excellent tutorial (!!) thanks- really appreciate the music theory portion as well, it helps a lot-

[@dechs54321]

Nice job man, just purchased the PDF 👍

[@MrTerryt2]

Thanks for the Barney style of training. Helped out so much

[@dougbarton]

Best tutorial on "I Walk the Line."

[@wandacarter529]

What what a key is it in 44?

[@enzodepaola6160]

Great tutorial for this song and lots of patient explanations....thank you sooo much !

[@songnotes]

+Enzo DePaola my pleasure, so glad it was helpful!!

[@icedjourney]

Great teacher who looks like Chris Hemsworth

[@karolinaseibold183]

Great great great! Love it! Thank you so much 😊

[@wadedeeds1738]

Exellent teaching. Others over explained.

[@Emerson0419]

best tutorial i walk the line, thanks man

[@richardawaters]

Thank you for a great lesson..one of the best..cheers from NZ

[@songnotes]

+Richard Waters thank you my friend! Glad you enjoyed. Plenty more Johnny Cash coming, in time.

[@larrybutler9047]

this is a great lesson and you do it very well easy to lean but not as easy as ME and Bobby McGee

[@beavilaseca5052]

Great Lesson! Thanks a lot for sharing it! It's a good exercise for my learning with bass finger and trying to unsderstand the keys progression. Thank You!!! :)

[@eduardocanas3338]

excellent totorial viedo very understandable! even in limited english! : ).Thanks.

[@SJXN]

You make it look so easy my guy I find it so hard to change the base string each time

[@kevindelk]

the best video so far. And best intro into tab also. Thanks

[@lipal497]

Great lesson. Thank you!

[@edt2378]

WOW.Thank You Thank You Thank You. Explaining the progression tie's it all together.Great video!

[@owenhamn9722]

thank you, my fathers birthday is tomorrow,and all he asked was that i play him a johnny cash song so you helped alot

[@49rockon]

A very good tutorial. Thank you.

[@atrioxfulminare2945]

In order to learn this as fast as possible, I've slowed down the video by 50%, but I must admit that it's quite the gist of fun when he starts speaking. 😹 Sounds like the friends that always get philosophical after a bit of weed, almost like he's about to blow your mind with some crazy shit. 😹

[@INICIKJAMES123]

great tutorial appreciate it man johnny cash is the best!

[@songnotes]

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it! And yeah he is the man, for sure.

[@georgeearls3338]

You said Johnny Cash, but it was actually Luther Perkins who played that. As I'm sure you know. On the original recording at Sun in Memphis, Johnny Cash actually put paper in the strings of his guitar to get a snare drum sound, before Mr. W. S. Holland joined the band.

[@FrancescOlivie]

Thanks very much for your precious help!

[@philipsmag]

This is great, Just found your website!! Thank you I am learning this is a great help!!

[@jojomama4787]

What a great fucking lesson!I can't believe it's been there six years,but anyway,THANKS!!!

[@Skyeyez99]

Hi, when you are strumming the “boom chicka boom” part, can you do a video with an up close shot of you doing that? I am trying to get it and can’t see it from your angle. Its too fast to see it

[@songnotes]

Thanks for the comment - yes, I am actually am planning to do another video for this song shortly! This one was one of the first 10 videos I’ve ever done, and in the 100+ I’ve done since I think I’ve developed a few helpful video techniques (zooming in, showing tabs, etc) in a way that could make this easier to learn. Look for it soon!

[@Skyeyez99]

Song Notes Thanks! I am looking forward to the video.

[@brunadagos]

Hey!! Great video :) Estou aprendendo a tocar violão e to tentando começar por essa música, consegui entender algumas notas mas como não falo inglês não entendi tudo que você disse... será que vc poderia disponibilizar as notas? na descrição Pq realmente ficou muito bom! Amo essa música!!

[@brxxkst]

Awesome video. Super, super helpful thanks.

[@oofeeleelee6556]

Thanks for showing the intro! Easy fun song. I just wish I could sing low enough for the last verse, everything is ok until that part.

[@masterdaan1]

nice tutorial! very good song. Thanks

[@jcmcgough4160]

Thank you.

[@franceclan5598]

I love me some Johnny cash , great job dude

[@rattler379]

Easy man to learn from , thanks

[@masonkohler8657]

super well done! Thank you for making this video, and greetings from Germany (=

[@jerryhughes4256]

Great tutorial.

[@ADayInOurLives]

I have a request. I am new at the guitar. I just picked up a guitar a few days ago. My mom is 56 and she loves all country music an grew up listening to loretta lynn. My request is if you could make a video how play cpl of her songs mainly coal minors daughter by loretta lynn. My mom relates to that song.

[@glenfox4714]

Love this thank you

[@raywarren100151]

WOW ! What a superb lesson , thanks , although as a 'newbie' you did lose me somewhat with 5.5.1 ; 4.4.1 . ( my fault) , need to listen several times more. 😂 Now subscribed. Ta ...

[@darrenthorpe4350]

great video thank you

[@russellwajda4422]

Thank You Will be donating very soon

[@leroyyoakam]

great job I couldn't do it any better

[@ronaldcoats5883]

RIGHT ON.

[@GarryAReed]

Thanks very much l learned a lot ! 🎸🎸🎸🎸 👍👍👍👍👍