Joni Mitchell – The Circle Game
Learn how to play Joni Mitchell – The Circle Game note-for-note on guitar.
Difficulty level: Intermediate leaning to advanced. Both right and left hands use unique Joni Mitchell techniques.
Barre chords: No
Thumb over chords: No
Playing Style: Fingerpicked
Tuning: Open G
This preview video contains the introduction taken from the complete lesson for the song The Circle Game.
The complete song lesson contains 4 lesson videos (one per section of the song), 4 performance play thru videos, full tabs and chords and lyrics sheet. You’ll receive a link to download the lesson which will download as a zip file of 297 Mb containing all the lesson content.
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You’ll receive at least two videos per song, one lesson and one performance-standard play-through. You’ll receive the chords/lyrics and guitar tabs as PDF files.
The videos are mp4 format and should play on PC’s, Macs and most mobile devices.
They will download as Zip files. If you don’t have a Zip program on your PC you’ll need to install one to open the file.
If you want to download to an iPad or iPhone you’ll need an app to do so, please read here to know more about it.
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Kathy Mack says
I just found your intro video to “Circle Game” on YouTube. I am going to buy your lesson and I can’t wait to learn this song. It’s one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs.. I didn’t realize the connection to Sugar Mountain (one of Neil’s best).
I am just getting back into playing guitar after not playing much for the past 25-30 years and so the availability of online lessons is so helpful. Thanks for making them available.
Kathy
Gilles SERRIGNY says
Hello,
I do not know if you remember me, I am French fan of John Martyn. You were kind enough to put on your Facebook, the picture of my guitar in tribute to John Martyn “Solid Air”. I disappeared for a while because I had health problems. I take back the guitar. I saw that your catalog got bigger. I have the pleasure to see appearing in particular Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell who is my favorite female singer. See you soon I hope.
Friendly. Gilles
P.S. I was lucky to find on eBay a Santa Cruz model F of 1992 in perfect condition for a small price. A big sound and a neck so easy to play. I just changed the pickup by one K&K Pure Mini.
Jerry says
Hi Gilles.
Welcome back. I hope yor health problems are now behind you. I still have the picture of your extraordinary Solid Air guitar, and now you have a Santa Cruz too. I’ve picked up a Gibson J200 about a year ago, but I’m still very attached to my Santa Cruz. It’s the one I’d keep if I ever had the choice only to keep one.
All the best
Jerry
Uncle Ron says
Chord introduction is perfect. Just like Joni at Mariposa when she wore the blue dress with cloche sleeves, tuned in open G and then told the story about Neil Young writing Sugar Mountain after he was barred from a teenage night club because he had turned twenty and was no longer a “legal teenybopper”. Sugar Mountain was written by Neil lamenting his lost youth and, as Geoff says, The Circle Game was Joni’s response. “So the years spin by ……” Great web site Jerry.
geoff says
After you posted Neil young’s sugar mountain i was wondering if you would do this song, Because The circle game is Joni’s responds to sugar mountain.. Good choice Jerry , Love the open G tuning…