Ring of Fire's Tricky Rhythm, Explained (Guitar Lesson w/ Strumming Tutorial)

👉 View all my notes & resources for Ring of Fire @ songnotes.net/lessons/387/
...this includes my FULL SONG TUTORIAL, where I tackle the basics and show how to approximate the mariachi horn riff with a solo acoustic guitar (while scrumming, no less).
...this also includes TWO PLAY-ALONG COVERS. One uses simplified strumming & rhythm, while the other mimics the exact progression used on Cash's album recording (with the mariachi horns).
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ALSO AVAILABLE
🎼 Buy my 5-page sheet music arrangement for Ring of Fire @ www.musicnotes.com/l/9gWM4
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Hey friends! New lesson today, where I return to Johnny Cash's classic RING OF FIRE, and dive deep into the deceivingly simple rhythm, chord progression, and strumming patterns used in this song. This comes years after my original video lesson for this song, which is very popular -- but has lead to lots of viewer feedback on this exact topic. I'll break down the exact chord progression Cash's album version uses, in addition to showing you a simplified progression chart for the entire song (e.g. if you don't want to carve out time for the mariachi horn sections during the verse). Let's get into it!
Timestamps for this new video:
- 0:00 Overview
- 2:45 Strumming the Intro: Simple Version
- 4:23 Strumming the Intro: Full Version
- 6:33 Strumming the Verse
- 9:44 Strumming the Chorus
- 10:45 The Weird Rhythm in Verse #2 ("I fell for you like a child...")
If you want to view more of my lessons, visit songnotes.net which is my personal collection of lessons, tabs, and notes -- all created with care by me (David Potsiadlo).
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[@giannirocco7492]

You are the guy who basically taught me this tune!You gave me pretty much all I needed and the rest was as about as intuitive as intuitive gets!Thank you so much,as far as I'm concerned you're the best!!!

[@FlipSideCT]

great patience and insight to add this detailed breakdown and explanation. Very cool. You deserved to hear this, as I like it when folks point things out for me. It is the little riffs and that special note or chord that is needed to explain and makes us better. so a big thank you!

[@jimblakeslee473]

Fantastic for those of us who are 'learning' and 'stumbling' through the songs. Your attention to the measures and strumming are rarely found on the net.

[@bahaar2825]

Thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. To be honest, this was a fantastic and the most simplest lesson I have ever come across. I was actually able to grasp the strumming part. No other channels have explained so thoroughly as you have. I really don't want to send you money but I don't have an online payment system. I live in a third world country where the value of the currency is extremely low compared to the dollar. You have done a brilliant job in providing these lessons in a perfect and systematic way. I really wanted to learn guitar from someone as awesome as you, but unfortunately it is not my luck.☹

[@reggieps4gamer873]

Was waiting for this! Wow 🔥 thankyou so much 😀

[@gailrock9101]

Excellent demonstration and explanation 👏 👍 Thank you!!

[@wagnerduro]

👏👏👏 Thanks thanks thanks its a pretty wonderful class!

[@balytaylor5794]

Fantástica metodología de enseñanza.!! Gracias por su excelente trabajo

[@keithrisk5476]

Wonderfully thorough and carefully explained, as with all of your lessons, David. Thank you, very much appreciated.

[@oliverstieglitz]

Great tutorial. Thanks a lot. 😊

[@raphaelhiribarne5266]

I spent 2 days on this song. I couldn't wrap my head around the rhythm. I started wondering if it was 7/4. But it didn't seem right. Almost drove me crazy. For a song I thought was gonna be easy. Anyway thanks for that. You're the best.

[@abcdetheridge]

Dude I thought I was going crazy, I had to look up. I kept counting 7 beats and i was like NO WAY THIS SONG IS 7/4..

[@Morten_Nielsen1979]

Thank you. I have been performing solo with this song a hundred times without any problems. Now I am process of changing to backing tracks. Now I know why my harmonica duo partner was struggling with this song. It's because I have been playing it differently than the recp.

[@coolcool4833]

Great 👍 👌 👍 👌 👍 👌 thanks teacher 👍 😀 😊

[@marywynne6496]

Brilliant lesson..im learning so much..i don't know when to change the cord in the song..as im gone good at the strumming now..watching from the south of beautiful Ireland 🙏🙏🙏🦶

[@garyk4155]

you a good teacher!

[@calamityjones8701]

Very well explained, i would say

[@stevensnead4833]

Thank for putting this together. I really like the way you teach. I really like you documentation as well. I just a little confuse as I use the original recording and I do see the the intro riff is play 2 times what am I missing here?

[@psykruse6870]

Merci !!!

[@elijahduran4318]

nice!

[@kevinbodnar448]

Cheers 🍻👍

[@DylanHawkins-tc6hb]

Ik how to do the cords but I don’t get the 1 2 3 4 stuff could someone help please

[@ronniewoodhouse9076]

Love your lessons. Could you possibly do Angels in Heaven by Chris Rodrigues and Too long(I've been gone) by Don Flemons?

[@flouisbailey]

Who down votes David? He is a great teacher and I wish he lived next door to me.

[@Sturmhawke]

Agreed. David is the only Patreon account that I subscribe to.

[@TheJohnnybelfast]

Hi. Can you do one for soul asylum - runaway train ?

[@williamtaylor3760]

Would you consider a lesson about "I wanna be in the cavalry" by Corb Lund ? It's a beginners song but I think it would be cool

[@bahaar2825]

I just wanted to edit the mistake and write, "I DO WANT TO SEND MONEY."

[@Helping.Homless]

I dont even play guitar...i literally only have 1 hand...lol idk why im here