Introduction

Fear of the Dark - Introduction

Fear of the Dark is one of Iron Maiden’s most famous songs, released in 1992 on the album of the same name. Written by bassist Steve Harris, it explores the fear of darkness and the unknown. The song starts slow and eerie, then explodes into fast, heavy riffs. It became a fan favorite, especially in live shows where the crowd sings along.

The lyrics describe the creeping fear of being alone in the dark, where every shadow feels threatening. Bruce Dickinson’s powerful vocals and the twin-guitar harmonies make it unforgettable. The song’s structure is dynamic; starting quiet, building tension, then bursting into full energy. It remains one of their most-streamed tracks today.

Fear of the Dark Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Walker, this lesson breaks down the song’s F major to D minor shifts. The intro uses clean arpeggios (F - C - Dm - Bb) before the heavy riff kicks in. The main riff is in D minor, played with palm muting for a tight sound. The tempo starts at 80 BPM but speeds up later.

The verse has a chugging rhythm (D5 - C5 - Bb5), while the chorus opens up with power chords (F5 - C5 - D5 - Bb5). The solos use the D harmonic minor scale (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C#), giving them a dark, dramatic feel. The twin-guitar harmonies are a key feature—two guitars play different but matching melodies.

For the solos, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith use the D harmonic minor scale (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C#). This scale gives the leads their dramatic, almost classical sound. The twin-guitar harmonies are a key feature—one guitar plays a melody while the other plays a matching part at a different pitch. These harmonies use intervals of thirds and sixths to create that classic Iron Maiden sound.

The bridge section before the final chorus has a rhythm part with quick chord changes. Here, you switch between D5 - F5 - C5 - Bb5 in rapid succession. The key is to keep your palm muting consistent while moving between chords. The song ends with a repeat of the intro arpeggios.

Beginners should start by learning the power chord shapes and the galloping rhythm pattern. Practice the palm muting to get that tight, punchy sound. Intermediate players can work on the twin-guitar harmonies—try recording one part and playing the other over it. Advanced players should focus on the vibrato and bends in the solos, which need to be precise to match the original recording.

FAQs

Q. What tuning does Iron Maiden use for this song?

Standard tuning (EADGBE), though they sometimes play it half-step down live.

Q. How do I play the rhythm correctly?

Use downstrokes on the main beats and upstrokes in between (down-down-up). Start slow with a metronome.

Q. Why does the solo sound so dramatic?

It uses the D harmonic minor scale, which has a raised 7th note (C# instead of C natural).

Q. Can I play this song on a single guitar?

Yes, but you’ll miss the harmonies. Try recording one guitar part and playing the other over.

Introduction:

This song was originally written and composed during the time of Schultz and Fraites in New York. It was meant to be a kiss-off to disinterested concertgoers. It was the first single from a folk rock band to get certified in the US. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The song is present in the key of C major. 

Strumming Pattern:

The most common strumming pattern used for playing this song is D - D - U - D - D:

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum
• - = Pause (mute or let the chord ring)

The alternative strumming pattern is D - D - U - U - D - U, this adds more guitar movement in the song and makes the guitar play a bit more smooth. 

Song Structure:

Introduction: The introduction of the song is by J.J. Pattishall, in here he teaches you the tuning required to play this song on guitar. 

Song Arrangement: Here, your guitar instructor talks about the feel of the song and how it helps you play it. In addition, he shares with you all the chords you have to play and how they should be played.

Sing and Play: In this section, you will learn how to time your chords while you are singing. 

Song Demo: Finally this is the part where your guitar instructor will show you how to play the entirety of the song with the song running in the background. 

Perfect - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that needs no introduction. Perfect by Ed Sheeran topped all the charts in 2017 and became a super duper hit worldwide. This song has now become part of mainstream pop youth culture. All lovers, depending on their heartbroken status, either love or hate this song. It has collected more than 4.9 billion views (almost half of humanity) on YouTube since its release and has been in all the romance playlists on every streaming service platform.

The song is a ballad celebrating the traditional marriage relationship between two lovers, written about Sheeran’s wife-to-be, Cherry Seaborn, whom he had known since he was in school and then reconnected with her when she was working in New York. Sheeran has said the song captures the feeling of finding "the one" - that magical moment when you realise you've met your soulmate.

Perfect Guitar Lesson

The guitar lesson on Perfect is an easy one. Nevertheless, the lesson has many sections that talk about the chords and rhythm of the song, and a section on improvisation where the instructor is demonstrating how to solo over the track.

The song only has four chords, namely – G - Em7 - Cadd9 - D, which the tutor explains is meant to be played with the capo on the 1st fret, as does Sheeran himself in live performances. The strumming of the song goes in triplets of 4, covering four bars of music.

The thing about minor 7th chords and augmented chords used in the song is that in the open position, they share some of the notes, and when chords share notes, the phenomenon of voice leading occurs. Voice leading is when the notes of one chord lead to another, creating an interesting movement between anticipation and resolution in the music.

Although the studio recording version of the song uses a capo on the first fret, the lesson here demonstrates both ways, with and without a capo, of playing the song in its entirety. The song follows a 12/8 time signature, and the rhythm sounds like that of a waltz, which makes it an easy song to dance to, especially with one’s lover.

The lesson makes available Perfect lyrics and chords along with the video lesson, which the advanced players can refer to when learning the song.

FAQs

Q. What is the story behind Ed Sheeran's song Perfect?

Perfect was written by Ed Sheeran as a love song for his then-girlfriend (now wife) Cherry Seaborn. The lyrics describe their real-life romance, from meeting as teenagers to falling in love as adults.

Q. What key is Perfect?

Perfect is written in the key of Ab major (G major for live performances), though most guitarists use a capo on the 1st fret to make the chords easier to play. This transposition means you'll be playing standard shapes like G, Em, C and D but hearing them in Ab major.

Flowers – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a sweet pop single –Flowers by Miley Cyrus from the Endless Summer Vacation album that rose to the top numbers as soon as it hit the charts. The song has more than a billion views on YouTube and has become the best-selling global single of 2023. It was her second song that topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart after ‘Wrecking Ball’ in 2013.

Flowers is about the realisation that you do not need to rely on someone else to feel complete and that you can take care of yourself, give yourself flowers and become the reason for your own happiness and need not look for it elsewhere. She says in an interview, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”.

The initial version of the song was a slow ballad, with Cyrus singing and Michael Pollack playing the piano. Later, during the production phase, it became an uptempo song.

Flowers Guitar lesson

In this lesson, the instructor goes over all parts of the song, covering each section of the song arrangement. Starting from the basic tuning and key of the song to the structure and layout of the chords that are played, followed by a demonstration of how to improvise on the song with an acoustic guitar.

Flower guitar chords are in the key of A minor, which consists of standard chord shapes of C, Am, Dm, G, F and E. The rhythm of the song is in the standard 4/4 time signature, and the strumming pattern, as meticulously shown by the instructor, is D - D - U D U D U D - D (D is a downward strum, and U is an Upward strum).

The special thing about this song is that, since it is a pop-up tempo song, there is an opportunity for players to learn it and play a slow, acoustic version of it using the same chords in their arpeggiated form (picking the individual strings instead of strumming all at once). The tutor shows how to achieve this sound accurately on every chord that is played on the track. There is also an opportunity to solo or improvise on the track using the A minor pentatonic scale.

FAQs

Q. Is ‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus easy to learn on the guitar?

Yes, ‘Flowers is a beginner-friendly song as it uses standard chord shapes that are easier to play in the open position on the guitar. A steady 4/4 rhythm and a standard pop strumming pattern also help in quick learning.

Q. Do I need a capo to play ‘Flowers’ on the guitar?

You do not need a capo because the song is in the key of A minor, the chords of which can be easily played in the open position. 

This guitar lesson of Dil Dhadakne Do is to help you learn the energetic and groovy tone of the song, which makes it iconic and memorable. It’s a song that follows a funk-pop rhythm in addition to rock undertones. 

In addition to the song, you will also learn tight strumming, upbeat timing, and performance-ready skills, which are essential for both solo and band-style setups. Both Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra have given their voices, which results in the refreshing indie-pop twist to the song. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this intro, you will be introduced to your guitar instructor, Mike Walker, who will show you how to tune up the guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement: Right here is the structured breakdown of the song; you will learn how the different parts, such as verse, intro, chorus, and bridge of this song, should be played on your electric guitar.This is the most crucial part of the lesson because it allows you to understand the musical journey of this song.

Song Demo: Here, Mike will play the guitar parts with the backing track to help you see how you need to sync up the guitar chords with the vocals and the other instruments; with this song demo, you get to see, hear, and feel the song in action. 

Improvisation: For the improvisation, Mike has taken the route of introducing a bluesy tone in the song. To achieve this sound, he used a B-flat scale. He will first play the song in the given scale and then explain how it affects the overall sound of the song.  

FAQs – Dil Dhadakne Do Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. How does the key of the song Dil Dhadakne Do influence the chord selection?  

Ans. The song is in the key of D major; this particular key gives the entire song a bright and more uplifting tone. It also defines the feel-good progression, which makes the song lively and upbeat. 

Q2. How should I adapt my guitar strumming to learn Dil Dhadakne Do? 

Ans. The song follows a common time stamp of 4/4; to match it, you need to make sure that your strumming follows syncopation, with accented upstrokes and dynamic variations. If you wish, you can also add muted percussive strumming in order to capture the true groove of the original recording.  

Q3) What scales should I be using if I wish to improvise guitar play for this song? 

Ans. You should be sticking to D major to create a melodic improvisation; on the other hand, for simpler soloing, you can go with D major pentatonic, and if you wish to add more depth to the song, you can use D Lydian raise to the 4th during the instrumental breaks or outro of the song. 

Welcome to the guitar lesson on Samjhawan, a heartfelt romantic ballad from the 2014 Bollywood film Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. The film stars Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, and this song quickly became one of its most memorable tracks. Samjhawan is actually a reimagined version of Main Tenu Samjhawan Ki, a soulful Punjabi song originally composed by Jawad Ahmad and sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in 2010. The Bollywood version was recreated by Sharib–Toshi, with lyrics by Ahmad Anees and Kumaar, and sung by two of India’s finest voices, Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal. Their emotional delivery gives the song a deep sense of longing and love that really connects with listeners.

This song’s popularity is reflected in the awards it won, including the GiMA Award for Best Duet in 2015. There was also a more stripped-down unplugged version sung by Alia Bhatt herself, which offered a softer, more intimate take. The song talks about understanding and comforting a loved one, with lyrics that express vulnerability and devotion. Its gentle melody and heartfelt words have helped Samjhawan become a beloved classic in modern Indian music.

Samjhawan Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, instructor J J Patishall guides you through the chords and rhythm of Samjhawan in a way that’s easy to follow, even if you’re not a seasoned player. The song is played mostly using open chords like Asus2, Dsus2, F#m, Bm, and E, which gives it that smooth and mellow sound. These suspended chords, especially the Asus2 and Dsus2, add a gentle tension that feels emotional but not complicated. J J explains how to finger these chords carefully to keep the song’s soft vibe intact.

One of the key points J J focuses on is how to move between these chords smoothly. He breaks down the transitions slowly so you don’t get stuck on tricky shapes like F#m, which can feel tough at first because it’s usually a barre chord. But with his tips, you’ll find a comfortable way to play it without straining your hand. The lesson includes how to hold Asus2 and Dsus2 so that the ringing open strings create a warm, full sound that fills the space nicely.

The strumming pattern is simple yet expressive, with a mix of down and up strokes that flow naturally with the song’s rhythm. J J also shows a subtle picking pattern for those who want to bring out the melody within the chords more clearly. This fingerpicking option works well if you want to capture the intimate feeling of the unplugged version. Throughout the lesson, J J highlights how small changes in timing and emphasis can really shape the mood, helping you play Samjhawan with the same tenderness that makes the original so special.

FAQs

Q. Is Samjhawan suitable for beginner guitar players?

Yes, especially since many chords are open or suspended chords. J J breaks down the harder chords to make them accessible.

Q. Can I play the unplugged version on guitar?

Absolutely. The unplugged version is simpler and focuses more on fingerpicking, which J J covers in the lesson.

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Raabta as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Raabta (Introduction), Raabta (Song Lesson with Distortion), Raabta (Song Demo with Distortion), Raabta (Song Lesson with Clean Tone), Raabta (Song Demo with Clean Tone), Raabta (Overdub Licks), Raabta (Intro Piano Piece with Tapping) and Raabta (Improvisation). Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!