Ragtime Guitar Essentials

In the early 1900s, ragtime, with its ragged, syncopated rhythms and dazzling speed, was one of the most popular styles of music, leading to spikes in sales of pianos and sheet music. More than a century later, at the mere mention of the genre, you can probably hear the first few bars of Scott Joplins The Entertainer in your minds ear.

While ragtime is traditionally piano-based, many great blues guitarists put their own stamp on the music. Blind Blake, Reverend Gary Davis, and Blind Boy Fuller were among the first, and Dave Van Ronk, Eric Schoenberg, Mary Flower, and others followed with their interpretations.

Playing ragtime on the guitar is not just musically complex, it can be a bit of a fingerpicking challenge. With this guide, the master teachers at Acoustic Guitar magazine will ease you into the style. Youll start with some alternating-thumb patterns, simple melodies, and syncopation exercises before moving on to intermediate and advanced arrangements and transcriptions.