"Jolene" Guitar Tutorial - Dolly Parton | Easy Fingerpicking + Strumming + Intro

Hey everyone! In this lesson we show you how to play "Jolene" by Dolly Parton. The chords are easy, but the fingerpicking is quite challenging, especially for the intro. It uses the travis picking technique and is played very fast but we do our best to make this lesson as simple and easy to follow as possible.
Throughout the lesson I mention some resources that'll help you with guitar.
Need help with the basic chords and strumming? My beginner guitar course will help you build a solid foundation one step at a time: goodguitarist....
My Fingerstyle course covers everything from beginner to intermediate (and even a bit of advanced) in a practical, song-learning sorta way:
goodguitarist....
And don't forget to grab your copy of my free eBook: goodguitarist....
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The chords are just Am, C and G. That's it! We show you some tips for switching through them seamlessly and practice playing them in order, nice and slow.
After that, we show you a simple fingerpicking pattern that you can use over the whole thing. On the original recording, the pattern changes ever-so-slightly at certain times. We've opted to keep it consistent and give you something to work off of as you improve your fingerstyle chops.
After that, we show you all a simple strumming pattern that you can substitute for the fingerpicking. This is for those of you who simply want to be able to play and sing the tune, and the pattern we've chosen uses the exact same rhythmic feel, so there's definitely no shame in simply strumming along!
At the very end of the tape, as a bonus, I show you how to play the intro exactly like it is on the recording. This part is a bit more difficult than the rest of the tune, so if you're looking for a challenge, here it is!
Enjoy playing along and workin' out those fingerpicking chops! See ya next week!
James
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[@ColdSmokes]

Very few people understand the art of transferring knowledge. This gentleman does. A very nice tutorial. 👍

[@Siance1992]

You just spoke whats on my mind my man.

[@Loreleeh]

Yess.

[@MisterJingo93]

Well I tried to learn fingerstyle songs for a year now, and this is the first lesson that made the "thumb as a metronome" concept somewhat feasible to me. And it´s so simple, once somebody teaches you properly! Thanks so much!

[@elizalindsay5256]

You are a great teacher! The only thing I was wondering if you could add everything all together at the end so I could play along with you! Other then that thanks so much for the tutorial!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hello Eliza, this is good advice! I have been trying to make some playalong lessons like this lately.

[@tracystarreveld]

I agree, yes that would have been useful - especially to hear it closer to the intended speed!

[@johnzaranek8063]

This was a request from my gf. I personally never heard it before. So thank you for helping me score some super easy brownie pts. 🤙

[@Good_Guitarist]

Anything to help a brother out! - James

[@rb7191]

Did u just say easy?

[@matt.willoughby]

Never heard jolene? !!??! Woah

[@jaysonenfeld2321]

Nice lesson mate. For me I'd love to hear the whole thing all the way through at the right speed. Really useful once you've got the hang of it.

[@Good_Guitarist]

I hear you. Sometimes I omit that part to make the video shorter and more accessible. So many people lose interest when they see a lesson longer than 20 mins. But I have to keep in mind people like you who would benefit. I'll see what I can do in the future.

[@peterwatson3445]

Another first. Expertly planned lesson and delivered nicely. Thank you so much.

[@Karalyn13]

This is a fantastic tutorial and I was able to learn the entire song and play it with a few days of practice. You explain and demonstrate very clearly and slowly, and the recommendation to practice the intro in four stages was super helpful. Thank you so much!

[@Rosskles]

Wow, well done getting this a few days!

[@cattycat762]

Thank you so much for your clear easy to use lessons. Came at the right time when I was beginning to lose the will to play. Anne

[@clivebrook7535]

Yes! I have to wholeheartedly agree with previous comments! An excellent guitar teacher! A perfect tutorial for learning this beautiful song for both beginners and intermediate standard. I am looking forward to singing this to my daughter! It is her favourite song! Keep up the tutorials!

[@michaellismore4989]

Hi James. I absolutely love this tutorial and took over a year to be able to play it up to tempo.. lol but havent stopped. Finally got there and couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you so much

[@hen3916]

Great breakdown. You help make so much sense out of it. Thank you!

[@fritzruttimann1517]

Superb lesson James, and very well explained for a beginner like me. For both, the fingerpicking version as well as for the strumming version .

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hello Fritz, thank you for your supportive comment! :)

[@paigeroth402]

Thank you. Had been struggling with the intro and at about 9:35 or so you had explained the fingerpicking style and slow motion lesson was amazing.

[@evaschwarz1709]

Your greeting always makes me smile. :) Thank you so much for all the great tutorials, this is my favorite, but i like them all! And your ebook was very helpfull, so also a big thank you for that and the best wishes from germany.

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Eva, thank you for your comment about the tutorials and ebook. Good for you for learning guitar the right way! Greetings from Canada - James

[@deresolute1061]

Probably the first tutorial on KZbin where I came out not frustrated and with knowledge. Thank you, you truly know how to teach.

[@teddy771]

I like the way you breaking down parts. Good lesson. Thanks!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Upul, thanks for following along! You're welcome.

[@lovewalruss]

That’s a terrific lesson. Thanks very much. The intro was always a challenge for me but you broke it down brilliantly. Thanks so much!

[@francescagreco9615]

you're an excellent teacher thank you so much!

[@healingyogawithkate]

Love this style of tuition and such a fab guitarist thank you

[@Good_Guitarist]

Aww, Kate, thank you! - James

[@elmanualdelgalanotoñal]

You are an amazing teacher. This is by far the best tutorial ive come across.

[@dishakalita4620]

This is seriously the best tutorial ever.. Your patience and skills add ease to it..!

[@lucindap1343]

another excellent tutorial!! thankyou very much!! i love this song, but am not quite up the complex picking pattern to this yet, but you break it down so nicely, making it more approachable !!! thanks again !!

[@paigecollings5148]

james you are a teaching wizard!! thanks so much

[@stephenearnshaw6198]

Hi stumbled across lesson. Exceptionally good; calm and measured. Many thanks .Liked and subscribed.

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hello Stephen, thank you for your kind comments and keep playing. Cheers. - James

[@deanotaggo9788]

This is amazing, made it very easy to adapt. Subscribed. X

[@fredatric]

An exceptionally thorough and clear tutorial thank you.

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hello Geoff, I take pride in making these videos to the best of my abilities. Glad to hear from you. - James

[@renj17s91]

Thank you so much! I have to perform in front of my guitar class on Wednesday and the finger picking saved me cause I was doing something complicated before! This helped me!

[@markczarny7088]

Always used to pick it wrong, thanks to you another one in the repertoire. The intro is so catchy and instantly recognized.

[@MsEllaMint]

Liked and subscribed.....Great tutorial.......best so far...... keep up the good work

[@christinawest1658]

Thank you so much! It took me forever to find something I could actually play along with! You are awesome at teaching!

[@jayiow]

Great video tutorial ! Just started playing the guitar and slowly getting there ! Only pain is having to stop youtube and go back every time to learn one bit. But helping a lot thank you

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Jay, have you tried the slow-mo version? You click on the settings button and choose the speed. It makes me sound like I'm drunk though haha.

[@Gigimorales590]

Finally something I understand as a beginner at home!

[@trevorvaughan5031]

EXCELLENT lesson! Thank you SO much!

[@AlchemyofJoyTravelCo]

Thanks for the tutorial, very helpful

[@evavandermeer7495]

I appreciate your work So much! Every lesson that you make helps So many people and builds a beautiful catalogue

[@jonahbleckertfield]

Great job! Clear and concise.

[@labonte995]

The best Jolene lesson on KZbin. Thank you sir

[@Good_Guitarist]

You're very welcome!

[@luckytries]

as someone whos on their first year on learning guitar as an adult your vids are the most helpful ive ever seen! If you've got a course with more in depth stuff or analysis i would love to get a copy :) Love the break downs! Keep up the great work!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey there, I am working on a COMPLETE beginner's course with everything you need to know if you're just starting out. Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter if you're interested in hearing when it will be released (in the next few months) goodguitarist.com/

[@illarialvarez-gilescobar6369]

Thank you so much, I use to think it was impossible to play this song but now I can :D

[@Good_Guitarist]

This put a huge smile on my face! - James

[@sierradelta07]

This is a great lesson, but I'm more impressed by the way you throwback to the 90s with your tape reference 0:50 seconds in I just had to watch after that. Nice work.

[@mattbarr7050]

Excellent lesson; slow, easy and clear to understand...

[@gennytrickett1580]

excellent...very precise and like your pace....and your breakdown...flows..

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Genny, thanks for the nice comment. Keep it up with the practicing.

[@zacharybernard3709]

great lesson!

[@OGDKNY]

This is such a great channel and video. I’m actually playing Jolene and it sounds good (slower tempo for now). Thanks so much!

[@tracystarreveld]

I really appreciated this - very clearly explained and broken down into easy to learn steps. Thank you!

[@carlitosfingerstyle]

Awesome video! Congratulations!!!🎉

[@s.danielaviersbachg.388]

this must be the best lesson I have seen so far! I am so excited to get to play Jolene, thanks a lot, you are an amazing teacher!

[@anabottos997]

Thank you so much for this video, I finally got to learn this music

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Ana, it's a good feeling, isn't it? - James

[@annabrause1354]

very good teaching method! just the right way

[@titan98761]

This was really a great tutorial. I've seen some of your others and liked them very much as well. Thank you for taking the time to put this together and for breaking it all down so well. You are a great teacher and you now have a new subscriber : )

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey there. I am so thankful for the subscribe. I admit it's a lot of work - I do these all 100% independently, even placing the camera angles, etc, so it's nice to hear a comment like this. It makes it all worth it. Thanks again. - James

[@titan98761]

I have done really well with your tutorials and love them, except this one. Don't get me wrong, this tutorial is excellent. I just still suck at it pretty bad. Getting closer, but no way I can play it at tempo as of yet.

[@michaelandsylviahoera5831]

Great Tutorial James Relaxed and excilent session Thanks

[@gingertankersley2997]

I like that you have easier and harder options!

[@mikeford8720]

Really easy to follow great lesson great song

[@trevorjones5484]

Idk if it’s because I’ve been playing for a while and it’s just getting easier to learn new songs but this is one of the best fingerpicking tutorials I’ve seen man awesome job, it was really easy to go off of 👍🏻

[@adamponomarow2945]

this lad is awesome.....explaining all just great....

[@alexandraa2h389]

Thank you for making this great tutorials, you relay are great teaching the guitar in such simplified way.

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hello Alexandra, thank you for the kind comment. - James

[@Loreleeh]

Brilliant teaching! Awesome! Thank you so so very much! 🙏🙏🙏 Greetings from another music teacher.

[@alphamale40]

I really like the way to compiled the song and displayed the fingering and chord patterns simultaneously. Well done, on the video and teaching method. Keep up the "Good Work and Good Video Instruction. " You are a natural teacher...

[@RevDoc100]

Thanks for the tutorial. What I struggled with is getting the feel and rhythm right. It took me a few days. Didn't catch the feel by sipmly speeding the notes up with the help of a metrononome. It finally dawned on me when I saw the first 5 notes as a whole (instead of the four instructed in the video). Only then I got the emphasis, which is really important here, right. So if you're struggling like me : tre'at the first 5 notes as a whole.

[@johnaustin1825]

Nice relaxed easy to follow style - thanks

[@mia5134]

Thank you for breaking things up like this so I could understand.

[@madewulf]

Really love your tutorials, they just hit at my current level and make new songs/skills accessible. Thanks!

[@joellem.4969]

Great tutorial, very well structured. Thank you James!

[@ymandinoart9345]

Excellent job... I think you are the best with this song,, very simple and patient thank you so much

[@skyricharde6629]

Fan-freaking-tastic tutorial! I really want to play and sing the 3rpm version of this song, so this is a perfect place to start!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Yesss I'm glad you think so! - James

[@ercpendrag6614]

Great fingerpicking explanation. Thanks a lot.

[@iamnotyou1609]

This is very very good and helpful lesson thank you keep doing lots of this videos please

[@natasharoberts2489]

Very easy to understand. Cheers for that 😃😃

[@heidipaoletti8641]

Excellent...concise and well done!

[@fuze59]

Thankyou for the amazing breakdown.

[@jmiogo]

Excellent tutorial!!! Thank you, I look forward to more of your videos.

[@paigecollings5148]

james youre so good at guitar and a great tracher too. thank you for sharing your knowledge with us

[@willbelive]

Thank you for helping me learn guitar!

[@massimilianogiacomelli7449]

The best tutorial! Thanks from Italy

[@lisamansfield123]

amzing tutorial mare very rear that someone explains things in such a clear and understanding way xxx

[@richardsrensen4219]

i like your way of teaching you are very good at showing the steps you need to take to carry out this song

[@jnsnielen]

Super...very good instruction. Helped me a lot ...Thank You

[@corinneg.1817]

Thank you !!! that just the Tutorial a was looking for !!! cooool :) I'm gonna try right now !

[@Good_Guitarist]

It's such a classic tune!

[@markbrown8666]

SO helpful and easy to follow, thanks!

[@dagharaldhovind6855]

Love your channel. Good tutorials!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey there! Glad you found it! - James

[@endeermanslayer501]

Your tutorials are, by FAR, the best on KZbin! You're a natural teacher and I applaud you. Keep up the AWESOME work!

[@johngoldspink5344]

Great video mate! Really helped me out. Thank you!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey John! Glad I could help! Cheers!

[@gasparprado2754]

Your tutorials are amazing, thank you very much!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Gaspar, I'm glad you enjoy them!

[@oremi-x]

Very well explained. Thank you!

[@KSamai]

You are a great teacher!

[@carlosbotero8183]

Very well explained 👍👍👍👍

[@lui6623]

This video helped me a lot. Thanks man!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Yay! No worries - James

[@Siance1992]

Great teaching skills please continue what you’re doin

[@reijse07]

Thank you so much!! Your explanation is so good!!

[@sophyclairdavid6228]

Thanks a lot ! It becomes pretty clearer. I disagree with the thumb down, because you don't burn the stages of the process, and that's precious for good learning

[@Good_Guitarist]

Yeah. This is a more "accessible" way to play Joline that I figured out myself and thought I'd show to everyone :) you are right though

[@learnitmyway5848]

Very amazing content and you are so soft spoken ❤️🔥

[@kathrynducharme243]

Good lesson thanks a lot ! looking forward to know you better !

[@shaunscott245]

I'm new at guitar and you do an awesome job I hope I can

[@Good_Guitarist]

Keep it up, consistency is key. Cheers, Shaun.

[@CelesteKristan4444]

Awesome lesson, thank you!

[@Good_Guitarist]

Hey Celeste, thank you for your comment! Have a great day!

[@karengittins6648]

Thank you.That was a lovely, straight-forward and gently presented tutorial. Really enjoyed it. And the tab was so helpful (although alot of the time it probably sounded like I was attempting the thing backwards!) I'll push on tho'. Cheers

[@gammalambda333]

Just starting out and found it a really great video. I barely do strumming right, and yet your breakdown of the fingerstyle part was so simple that I'll definitely try to learn it afterwards! One thing I missed was a link to the full chords chart, as you have it in the video, to help when practicing by myself at a slower pace.

[@manouchka58]

Thanks, that's amazing guitar course

[@irieprendygal]

Thank you. The pace is excellent. I'm a beginner beginner so the picking not for me yet. I will steal my hubby's capo and practice!

[@johnmitchelljr]

Thank you. A great professional is essential to a full life. You are an artistic pro. Thanks for all your caring and work.

[@skaybaltimore]

Thanks a lot! I learned the chords for this song on a different tutorial, and while it was helpful, the fact that the guy was annoyingly singing the chords rather than the words was distracting. Your system of scrolling the chords and the tabs and the words along with the playing is 1k percent better! (Not to mention that I now have a much clearer understanding of how to finger pick the song instead of just hammering away with a pick. There might be some instances where I prefer to really pound this song out, but at least now I have a choice. You made Travis picking much more manageable. Great job.)

Phantastisch! Sehr gut. Wunderbar.