📣 On Sale $49 $7
Stuck playing the same uninspired basic chords for years? 🥱
Easily transform your basic chords into emotionally moving folk arrangements in just 60 minutes.
Basics to Brilliance: Unlocking Chord Inversions
is for beginner and advanced beginner singer-songwriter guitarists who've mastered basic open chords but feel bored of their songs sounding flat with little emotional impact.
You don’t need new chords to break out of the beginner box—
just a new way to play the ones you already know.
🕐 In 60 Minutes, you'll...
🤘
Master chord inversions to make basic progressions sound rich and professional without complex theory
🤘
Add depth and movement to your playing using the same techniques as folk legends like John Prine, Paul Simon, or Bob Dylan
🤘
Create smooth,
voice-led transitions that
draw listeners in
emotionally
Basics to Brilliance:
UNLOCKING CHORD INVERSIONS
Here's what you get:
The 2-Step Process for Inversions
Follow a simple, proven method so you always know where and when to use inversions, eliminating guesswork and finally unlocking the dynamic, emotional sound you've been chasing.
Most Powerful Inversions in the
5 Most Common Keys in Folk Music
Your no-BS guide of the most powerful song-enhancing inversions (categorized by which ones sound good together) so you can have fresh, inspiring chord choices at your fingertips, helping you break out of the “same old” progressions for good.
Inversions Integration Play-Along Pack
Play along with engaging, real song examples in all the most common keys in folk music, so you can quickly internalize where to use inversions, making them second nature instead of something you have to think about.
Artist Studies
Real-World Inversions – See exactly how legends use inversions so you can infuse your playing with the same magic and finally make your songs feel like the music you love.
Including John Prine, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and more.
600+ players have escaped the basic chord rut and made their music sound more
nostalgic and heartfelt.
Bonuses valued at: $189
Get Them For FREE Today!
Bonus #1
- Get real-time answers to your questions
- Build momentum in a supportive community
- Access bonus trainings on must-know topics
Bonus #2
- Discover 145 song-enhancing inversions
- Quickly find chords that sound great together
- The ultimate inversion reference by key
Bonus #3
- Get support and answers to your questions
- Build momentum in a supportive community
- Access bonus trainings on must-know topics
Plus DISCOUNTS to these vital musician's services:
7% OFF
Streaming Distribution
Want your music on Spotify, Apple Music, and more?
DistroKid makes it easy and affordable to distribute your music everywhere—and get paid for every stream!
7.5% OFF
Spotify Promotion
Get your music to reach thousands of new listeners!
Playlist Push helps you get your songs on top Spotify playlists so you can grow your audience and boost your streams on autopilot!
Total Value: $274
Get it Today for: $7
Limited Time Offer (85% Off)
- Unlocking Chord Inversions eBook (Valued at $49)
- Monthly LIVE Q&A Call (Valued at $100)
- The Complete Inversions Reference Guide (Valued at $27)
- Private Facebook Group (Valued at $98)
Don't forget, everything is backed
by my satisfaction guarantee!
You can make your chord progressions sound emotional and dynamic
without learning bar chords or complicated theory.
Hi, I'm James
I’m James Downes, a professional singer-songwriter and folk guitarist.
I’ve shared stages with some of the biggest names in folk music—Beck, Graham Nash, Deertick, and The Jayhawks, to name a few.
I have over 20 years of experience performing across the U.S. and around the world. But like many of you, I started from scratch, learning on my own with no formal lessons. My journey into folk guitar began when albums like Freewheelin’ by Bob Dylan and Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young knocked me off my feet, and I became obsessed with capturing that raw, emotional folk sound.
After my Instagram page, Guitar Lessons with James, exploded to over 27,000 followers in just a few weeks, I realized something important: beginner and intermediate-beginner singer-songwriter guitarists are hungry for folk guitar tips that make a real difference in bringing their songs to life.
I spent years struggling on my own without a guide to piece together the techniques that give folk guitar its heart and soul. I finally figured it out, but I certainly took the long way.
I still tour, write/record/release my own music alongside building the most effective, folk-centric programs for singer-songwriter guitarists who want to escape the beginner's box and make their music sound more nostalgic and heartfelt.
A few of my songs, if you care to hear:
This course is for:
✅ Beginner and advanced beginner singer-songwriter guitarists who've mastered basic open chords and want to:
- Easily make basic progressions sound rich and heartfelt without complex theory
- Create mature, catchy chord progressions that draw listeners in emotionally
- Add depth and movement to their playing using the same techniques as folk legends like John Prine, Paul McCartney, or Bob Dylan.
❌ This course is not for:
- Absolute beginners (you should be able to fret the 6-8 basic open chords)
- Learning shredding or virtuosic solos (that stuff is cool, but this is a different focus)
- Players who procrastinate or overcomplicate things (this is a 60 minute course)
- People who think they'll get results without putting in the work
More ❤️ for
Basics to Brilliance: Unlocking Chord Inversions
FAQ❓
When you sign up, you get instant access to the complete curriculum for life.
YouTube, Instagram, Facebook... they're all incredible resources, packed with free guitar tutorials that could keep you busy for years.
There’s no shortage of videos on folk guitar techniques.
I've shared a lot of free tips and tricks on my Instagram page, which now has over 28,000 followers.
But here’s the catch: relying on something like YouTube alone often means wasting hours searching for the right tutorials, only to find incomplete answers or techniques taught out of context.
What's more, many people are unaware of the concepts they should be searching for, which causes even more stagnation and frustration.
If you want to see results FAST, this course will get you there.
So, what’s your time worth?
This course will elevate your progressions in 60 minutes.
No more bouncing between random videos or feeling stuck playing the same 4 chords over and over again. Instead, you’ll make your chord progressions sound emotional and dynamic without learning bar chords or complicated theory.
For many students, that’s a few bucks well spent.
Nope! While this course is designed for beginner and advanced beginner singer-songwriter guitarists who've mastered basic open chords, even experienced players will find valuable techniques and insights here to take their folk guitar playing to a deeper, more emotional level.
I often get emails like this from course customers with higher experience:
"I'm really loving the Inversions course. I've been playing - and writing/recording - for years, but courses like this really help me fill in a lot of blanks."
- Michael G.
"I'm really loving the inversions course thank you. As an intuitive player l've stumbled across a few inversions in my songwriting but it's amazing to suddenly understand how, when and why to use them!"
-Ruth B.
And a reminder: if you've never picked up a guitar before, this course will be too advanced at this time.
That doesn't mean you can get in at this lower price now and let it sit on the shelf for a few months while you build your foundational skills, then come back to it when you're ready (after all, you get lifetime access to the curriculum).
I get it—random YouTube tutorials can leave you feeling stuck. The Folk Guitar Masterclass is different because it’s a structured, step-by-step roadmap that connects all the dots. You’ll have synchronized video/tablature play-along exercises, live support via Q&A Zoom calls or the private Facebook Group, and a clear path to progress, so there’s no more guessing what to practice next.
Good news—the course is designed to get you more beautiful-sounding chords in an hour, using short, focused lessons that fit into your schedule.
It’s about quality, not quantity, so you’ll still make real progress without feeling overwhelmed. Plus, you’ll have lifetime access to the course so you can learn at your own pace.
That being said, learning a skill can't be "mind-downloaded" like in The Matrix.
It'll require dedication and practice. However, everyone's life looks different - so no judgment if you have less time to dedicate than someone else. That's why I'm offering lifetime access to the curriculum so you can move at a pace that works for you.
Yes! I taught myself guitar without any formal lessons, and I designed this course with that in mind. It’s beginner-friendly and accessible (assuming you can play basic chords), free of unnecessary theory, with clear, step-by-step guidance and play-along exercises that make it easy to follow along, no matter if you've taken a formal lesson before or not.
This course is perfect for those who have a basic grip on open chords but feel stuck in the beginner phase.
If you're brand new to guitar, it's important to build those foundational skills before taking this course.
Absolutely! Everything I create comes with a 7-Day Guarantee. If you are not completely STOKED with this course, then get in touch within 7 Days for a full refund, no questions asked!
If you aren't completely stoked on this course,
get in touch in 7 Days to receive a full refund, no questions asked
100% GUARANTEED
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Contact: james@guitarlessonswithjames.com
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