Nutshell Guitar Lesson – Unplugged – Alice In Chains

In this acoustic guitar lesson video series, I will show you how to play the MTV Unplugged version of "Nutshell" by Alice In Chains.

This Nutshell guitar lesson will cover not only the chords used throughout the song, but both of guitarist Jerry Cantrell's acoustic solos note-for-note.

You will need to tune your guitar down one-half step in order to play along with the lesson and the original recording. Those notes are, starting from the 6th string, Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.

In the first video, I will demonstrate the chords and rhythms used and Jerry Cantrell's first solo.

Probably the trickiest part of mastering this song is the timing of the chord progression. In the video lesson, I will lay out what that timing technically is, but I also stress that it is much easier to simply learn how to feel the rhythm instead of counting it. After you can feel the timing of the chord changes, the chords themselves are very simple. It is simply the case of listening to it a lot to internalize the sound.

Also, in the first video will be Jerry Cantrell's first guitar solo. Remember this is the Unplugged version of this song so the solos are played on acoustic guitar.

This solo is very melodic containing arpeggios and single note melodies. It really works well over the underlying chord progression.

In the second video lesson I will tackle Jerry Cantrell's second solo that ends the song. This solo is very similar in style to the first except that it is a lot more extended which gives Cantrell a little more time to spread his wings and play some very nice acoustic soloing lines. Lots of fun to play!

Even though Alice In Chains never released "Nutshell" as a single, it has nonetheless become one of their most beloved songs. I hope this guitar lesson series will help you get it under your fingers quickly and easily!

Carl...

If these free lessons help you, please donate to keep new ones coming daily. Thanks!! 🙂

Nutshell Guitar Lesson Unplugged Pt.1 - Chords & 1st Solo

Nutshell Guitar Lesson Unplugged Pt.2 - Main Solo