Discover the
magic of roots guitar
Have you always wanted to learn to play acoustic guitar? Be guided thru a rich history of American roots guitar music while learning to play in a variety of styles. Authentic roots fingerstyle guitar lessons.
Song based Lessons
One on one, song based guitar lessons that are fun to learn and play. Guitar Lessons are catered to your ability level and build upon each other to form a natural progression of skills. Beginner and Advanced players alike will find enjoyable lessons that expand your skill set.
Learn remotely via SKYPE, or if in the Salt Lake City, UT area, guitar lessons can be arranged in your home. Lessons are not pre-recorded videos, get instant feedback and receive valuable tips to get the most out of your practice time.
Online Lessons
Video conferencing works amazing for intimate, one on one, guitar lessons.
Learn from the comfort of your home, anywhere in the world.
In Person Lessons
Looking for guitar lessons in the Salt Lake City, UT area?
I would be happy to teach you at your house, in person, face to face!
Who is Burl Onion?
Inspired by his grandfather’s playing, Burl picked up a guitar at the age of five and immediately took to it. After being denied both a seat in the elementary school band (the guitar is a stringed, not brass, instrument), and the elementary school symphony (but isn’t the symphony for stringed instruments?) he locked himself in his room and learned to play by ear listening to old cowboy records.
Somehow he stumbled upon Eric Clapton’s unplugged album in junior high and was enamored by Clapton’s fingerstyle guitar (later he realized most of the tunes on the album were covers of American Blues guitarists). He spent months trying to figure out every song on that album. Soon after that came Doc Watson, which led to Mississippi John Hurt, which led the path to a lifelong passion of studying American Roots Music.
College had him traveling from West Virginia to ETSU in Johnson City, TN. Deep in Appalachia on the edge of the Blue Ridge mountains, Burl was exposed to lots of Bluegrass and Old Time music. He was gifted a banjo and soon began exploring bluegrass flat-pick guitar and three finger, scruggs style banjo.
After college he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to play in the snow and work in the ski industry. On the side, he could be found playing in numerous roots and Americana bands. He has since picked up other instruments including Stand-up Bass, clawhammer banjo, ukelele, and most recently old-time fiddle.
After 35 years of playing guitar, Burl has discovered the joy of teaching others to play. Come join in as we unlock the secrets to fingerstyle style guitar, while exploring the amazing repertoire of American Roots Music
What is Country Blues Guitar?
Fingerstyle country blues guitar is a method of playing guitar in which your thumb is playing a bass line and a melody is played with your remaining fingers. It can be heard in some of the earliest recordings of blues and ragtime guitarists across America.
The early recordings of the 1920’s influenced many guitarists in the 1930’s and the style became popular in country music at the time.
During the folk revival of the 1950’s and 1960’s many of the finger picking blues artists who recorded records in the twentys were rediscovered and their music influenced a whole now generation of guitar players eager to learn.
Ever since fingerpicking blues guitar can be heard across numerous genres, from rock, indy, blues, country, and the current bucket that holds all American Roots Music… Americana.
Is this right for me?
Beginner, expert, young and old? From learning to tune your guitar, to more advanced lessons Burl can guide you along the path of playing guitar every step of the way. Included with your fingerstyle guitar lessons will be easy to follow tablature notation of songs and exercises. Included in many of your lessons is a video performance synced to an interactive tablature player. It make practice easy and fun.
What does this cost?
$45 for a 1/2 hr.
$75 for a full hour.