“Sittin’ on Top of the World” | Fingerstyle – Doc and Merle Watson Guitar Lesson with Tab

In this lesson, we’re diving into my arrangement of the Doc & Merle Watson classic “Sittin’ on Top of the World”—but with a special focus on Merle Watson’s fingerpicking lead style.

Merle Watson was heavily influenced by Merle Travis and his signature Travis Picking technique, and in this lesson, I’ll show you how to incorporate some of that magic into this tune. We’ll be working in drop D tuning and playing out of the D position with a capo on the 2nd fret, putting us in the key of E—a fantastic approach for bringing out the richness of this melody.

In the Rhythm & Chords lesson, we’ll break down Doc Watson’s rhythm part and the essential chord shapes that make this song feel so great to play. Whether you’re looking to expand your fingerpicking chops or just want to add a classic tune to your repertoire, this lesson has a lot to offer.

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