16 years teaching guitar online · Thousands of students · 30-day money-back guarantee
If you're like most adult guitar learners, you’ve probably felt:
❌ Uncertain what to focus on (too many techniques, not enough direction)
❌ Frustrated that you practice but still don’t feel like you're improving
❌ Unable to play full songs all the way through
❌ Overwhelmed by fingerstyle — the patterns, the coordination, the timing
❌ Too old, too late, or too busy to ever "get good"
It’s discouraging, especially when all you want is to sit down, play music you love, and feel proud of how you sound.
WELCOME!
I'm Nate Savage.
Co-Founder of the Guitar Fam
I spent three years of college in required classical guitar lessons, and that's where fingerstyle got its hooks in me. Something about it is just richer than anything else on the guitar. Your thumb handles the bass while your fingers carry the chords and melody, so one guitar sounds like a whole arrangement.
Years later, I wanted to get serious about it. I spent a year out on my porch nearly every day, working through everything I'd picked up about fingerstyle over the past 20+ years, and got methodical about my practice time.
What came out of that year was a system for building the fundamentals in order, so the complicated songs we all love stop feeling out of reach.
That's how the Fingerstyle Masterclass was born.
In 15 to 30 minutes a day, 4 to 6 days a week, you can absolutely reach the level you've always wanted, and I'll be here to help you every step of the way.
Nate
The Fingerstyle Masterclass Is Perfect For You If:
YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING FINGERSTYLE FOR A WHILE
but feel stuck and frustrated by a lack of progress.
YOU WANT TO CONFIDENTLY PLAY FULL SONGS
but it feels like fingerstyle takes forever to master.
YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH OTHERS
but fingerstyle feels too complicated and you don’t know where to begin.
You're in the right place.
Imagine...
✔ Knowing exactly what to practice, without confusion.
✔ Confidently sharing your music with friends and family.
✔ Joining a community of players who support you.
✔ Enjoying your guitar again, no matter your age or background.
✔ Playing full songs confidently.
See what students are saying about learning with Nate:
What makes this course different from every other fingerstyle guitar course you've seen?
A Clear, Friendly Plan for Adults Learning Later in Life
We built this course specifically for adults learning later in life or restarting after a long break.
Encouragement + Guidance Along the Way
You’ll never wonder if you’re doing it right. Each lesson includes tips, walkthroughs, and next steps.
A Focus on Playing Full Songs You Love
Develop the foundational skills you need throughout the course and then apply them to your favorite tunes on the Guitar Fam Song Library.
You’re Not Learning Alone
Ask questions and share progress in the forum, submit videos for review in our monthly livestreams and get support inside our Guitar Fam community anytime.
What's in the course?
Click these tabs to read about each phase of the Fingerstyle Masterclass.
Phase 1 - Fingerstyle Basics & Mechanics
Lay your solid fingerstyle guitar foundation. Phase 1 covers non-playing essentials, finger and thumb technique, and your first accompaniment pattern.
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Cover some of the most important preliminary topics that you need to know about for fingerstyle.
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Develop your picking hand technique and accuracy, so it’s not an issue when you are learning more complicated songs.
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Learn your first accompaniment pattern so you can play along to songs and build your foundational coordination.
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Apply your first accompaniment pattern to chord progressions.
What do you get with it?
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All 12 phases of the Fingerstyle Masterclass — Video lessons and assignments so you always know what to work on and when to move on.
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The 235-page companion ebook — Explanations for each lesson, chord diagrams, notation and tab for every exercise, and all your assignments in one place to follow along with.
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Three full songs you'll walk away playing — "Amazing Grace" arranged for solo fingerstyle, Tárrega's "Lagrima," and "Doc Watson, I Presume," an original of mine written in the Travis picking style.
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All the support you need — If you run into a tough spot or just need some feedback, I am here for you. You can email me directly, post in the Guitar Fam forum, or even send in a video for review.
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A complimentary private lesson — If you really need some extra help, you can book a private lesson with me. The first one is complimentary, so it's a great way to iron out any issues or clean up any bad habits.
By the end of this course, you will have:
01
Built the Foundational Technique You Need
to confidently pursue the more advanced songs you dream of playing.
04
Developed a Clear Method for Progressing
and continuing to improve as you tackle more advanced fingerstyle songs.
02
Gained Control of Your Thumb Accuracy
so you can focus on the musical side of playing, not just the mechanics.
05
Learned to Read Sheet Music
so you can learn any fingerstyle piece written in standard notation.
03
Learned the Most Essential Accompaniment Patterns
so you can jump in and play along with other people.
06
Explored Several Styles of Fingerstyle Guitar
so you can pursue the music that inspires you most—folk, classical, or modern fingerstyle.
Follow these 3 steps to get started today.
1
2
3
ENROLL & GET INSTANT ACCESS
Become a Premium Member to unlock the Fingerstyle Masterclass along with the full course library, or buy lifetime access to this course on its own.
FOLLOW THE GUIDED FINGERSTYLE PATH
Go step-by-step through the 12 phases with clear goals and get direct feedback through student video reviews, the Guitar Fam forum and even private lessons.
PLAY REAL SONGS WITH CONFIDENCE
By the end, you'll be playing full arrangements and understanding exactly how to keep improving.
The Fingerstyle Masterclass will change your playing forever.
THE FINGERSTYLE MASTERCLASS
+ ALL COURSE EBOOKS
+ FULL COURSE LIBRARY
+ GUITAR FAM FORUM
+ MONTHLY GROWTH GROUP
$129
per year
(Cancel anytime.)
LIFETIME ACCESS TO THE FINGERSTYLE MASTERCLASS
+ EBOOK
$397
one-time payment
Want a sneak peek inside the course? Start Phase 1 for free here.
30-Days
Plus, You'll Be Backed by a Risk-Free 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
When you purchase the Fingerstyle Masterclass course, you will have 30 days to make sure it works for you. If you put in the time, I am confident that you will start to see results and be on your way from where you are to the next level of playing fingerstyle guitar.
If you don’t feel confident that you are progressing after you’ve done the work, just let us know, and we will refund your full investment.
Important questions you may have before grabbing access to
the Fingerstyle Masterclass:
Q: Do I need any experience before starting? A: You'll want to be able to switch smoothly between the eight foundational open chords: C, A, G, E, D, Am, Dm, and Em. If you're not there yet, our free Guitar Foundations course will get you ready. A few later phases use basic bar chord shapes, which the Bar Chord Masterclass covers. Both of those come with Premium membership.
Q: What if the course doesn’t work for me? A: We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. All we ask is that you give the course a genuine effort.
Q: What if I need extra help with a specific topic or skill? A: There are many ways to get support: submitting videos for feedback, the Guitar Fam forum, email help, or even private lessons with Nate.
Q: What’s the difference between Lifetime Access and Premium Membership? A: Lifetime Access ($397) gives you permanent access to the course. The Premium Membership ($129/year) gives you access to the full Guitar Fam course library, including this course, all ebook downloads and monthly Growth Group sessions for one year.
Q: How does this help me play the songs I want? A: Each module builds specific skills you need to play real songs. You’ll also get cover song recommendations as you go. Head to the “Songs” page on GuitarFam.com to find and learn songs that inspire you.
Q: What if I feel like I'm too old to start fingerstyle guitar? A: We built the Fingerstyle Masterclass to be a friendly system for adults learning later in life. Don't sweat it if you are older and just starting on your journey or restarting after a long break.
Fingerstyle freedom starts today.
THE FINGERSTYLE MASTERCLASS
+ ALL COURSE EBOOKS
+ FULL COURSE LIBRARY
+ GUITAR FAM FORUM
+ MONTHLY GROWTH GROUP
$129
per year
(Cancel anytime.)
LIFETIME ACCESS TO THE FINGERSTYLE MASTERCLASS
+ EBOOK
$397
one-time payment
Want a sneak peek inside the course? Start Phase 1 for free here.
© 2026 The Guitar Fam