Preview

Believer – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a sensational pop blockbuster by one of the greatest pop-rock artists of modern music, Believer by Imagine Dragons. This song needs no introduction, for it amassed 2.8 billion views on YouTube and made Imagine Dragons world-famous, charting their way to everyone’s playlist.

Written in part and sung by Dan Reynolds, the song is about overcoming suffering and pain. He says, “The meaning of the song is reflecting on the painful things in my life, rising above that, finding a place where I could be appreciative of the pain and make it my greatest strength”. The message in the song is acceptance of pain in order to overcome it and cultivate belief in oneself through it, hence the title.

Believer peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's third top ten single after ‘Radioactive’ and ‘Demons’.

Believer Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, the tutor goes through talking about the individual parts of the song, one section after another. The first section contains the basic information about the song, like the key, tuning and tone. The second section talks about the chords and rhythm and the chords used in the song, followed by a section on the structural arrangement of the song, as in the position of verses and choruses. Finally, the tutor demonstrates how to play the song in its entirety with some improvisation tips.

Believer guitar chords are in the key of Bb minor. Mainly, three chords repeat over the length of the track, and palm-muted ‘chugs’ on the thicker strings give the song a metal vibe, while the special 12/8 time signature gives it a pop vibe. 12/8 time commonly feels like a shuffling rhythm, as if counting 1-2-3 repeatedly. The chords used are Bbm, F and F#.

The interesting bit about the arrangement here is in the overdubbed use of multiple guitars or guitar sounds. The tutor explains how there is a distorted rhythm guitar playing the power chords leaning on the low frequencies and the clean lead guitar playing the high frequency harmonies on top of it, both covering the sound space.

The instructor also goes through the lead or the vocal melody section of the song and shows how to play note by note, along with a demonstration on how to improvise on the track using the Bb minor pentatonic scale shape on the fretboard.

Consequently, this tutorial explores all the sections of the great power ballad of a song that Believer is and delivers the lesson in a structured format.

FAQs

Q. What is the story behind Believer by Imagine Dragons?

Dan Reynolds, the frontman of the band, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, which is a form of arthritis and causes great physical pain. His experience with the pain and rising above it is where the song comes from.

Q. Does Believer have a guitar solo?

Believer does not have a specific guitar solo in the track, but there is plenty of room in the track that you can solo over the chords using the Bb minor pentatonic scale.

Arms Wide Open - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that has the best rock song Grammy to its name –With Arms Wide Open by Creed. Scott Stapp’s wife was pregnant with his first child, he wrote the lyrics when he found out, with great surprise, that he was going to be a father. According to Stapp, the song was written in just fifteen minutes during a soundcheck. The song has received almost 200 million views on YouTube.

Stapp says, “It continues to have relevant meaning in my life because as I sing it now, I think of my daughter who's now on this planet and alive. And then I think of my newest son, my three-year-old, Daniel”. The song is about a man expressing his feelings about thinking about becoming a father.

Arms Wide Open Guitar Lesson

This is a guitar lesson that is an acoustic cover version of the song performed by James Boyce, taught by our expert Steve Luciano, in a section-by-section manner. They start with the introduction

The song is in the key of C major and features a number of suspended chords. There is a C major 9 chord with a B note in the bass, which sounds like a suspended chord because of the 9th scale degree. There is also a very unique A minor 11th chord, which also sounds like a suspended chord because of the 11th scale degree, which is actually the 4th scale degree on the octave higher. The instructor explains all the chord shapes in great detail. You can also refer to the Arms Wide Open tabs along with the lesson on the sidebar.

The strumming of the chords is very simple, compared to the chord voicings, that is – D - U U D - U U D - D U for the most part (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum).

There is also an easy verison of the song that the instructor demonstrates, which is a beginner-friendly version of the song focused more on the singing part of the track.

FAQs

Q. What skill level is Arms Wide Open for?

This lesson is ideal for beginner to intermediate players. If you know basic open chords, you can easily learn the song.

Q. Is this version different from the original Creed version?

Yes. This is a soft acoustic cover by James Boyce. It keeps the emotional depth of the original but focuses more on the singing part.

Q. What is the tuning of Arms Wide Open by Creed?

Nope! This version is played in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e), making it very accessible. Drop D is not required here.

Q. What chords are used in this version?

The song uses common suspended and power chords, with some being 9 and 11th chords. The tutor goes over each one slowly and clearly.

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.

Introduction

Ironic is the song by Canadian singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette. It was the third single from her 1995 studio album, Jagged Little Pill. 

In this video lesson Amy May teaches how to play the song Ironic as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Chords, Rhythm, and Song Demo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: You will use open chords for this song. 

Chorus Variation: D G D E-minor are the chords you will use when playing chorus variation. 

Strumming Pattern 

This song has lots of repetition, making it easier for new guitar players to learn and play. The strumming pattern varies throughout the song, but for the most part, you will be playing:

Down-Down Up-Down Up-Down

Song Structure 

Chords, Rhythm, and Song Demo: This guitar lesson has only one section. Your instructor is Amy May, who will show you how to play specific chords for this song using a capo on the 4th fret. The tuning note for this song is Low-E. 

Why Learn This Song?

For six straight weeks, this song remained on top of the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, making it the second most successful song of the year in Canada. In addition to this, Ironic reached the top five spots in Australia, New Zealand, and Norway. This is a pretty catchy song, and once you start listening to it, you will be humming it day in and day out. 

Tips To Improve Guitar Playing: 

• When playing any chord, use one finger for one chord. 
• Always keep your thumb behind the middle finger and halfway down the neck. 
• You must understand that to become a better guitarist, you first need to be a better musician. 

Introduction

Hello is a song by Lionel Richie, an American singer and songwriter. It was the third single from his second studio album, Can’t Slow Down, which was released in 1983. This song had a total of three guitarists: Darrell Jones, Tim Ray, and Louis Shelton, who played electric and acoustic guitar, respectively. 

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Hello as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Song Arrangement, Song Demo, Advanced Voicing and Solo Lesson. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Strumming Pattern 

The strumming patterns are: D D U U D U. 

Song Structure 

Here is the song structure which you need to follow to learn Hello by Lionel Richie:

Introduction: This is the start of the lesson, during which Steve Luciano, your instructor, will explain all the technicalities you will encounter during the learning stage of this song. 

Song Arrangement: Here, you will learn all the chords necessary to play this song. 

Song Demo: In this section, Steve will play the guitar part of the song alongside the track to help you understand how to sync chords with the vocals. 

Advanced Voicing: For individuals who can play advanced chords, this particular section is for them. It is the bonus of the lesson to make your guitar play more intricately.

Solo Lesson: In this section, you'll learn how to play the slow part of the song — a beautiful example of an instrumental pop solo, the kind that's rarely highlighted in mainstream pop music.

Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a super duper hit evergreen song of the 80s, Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le from the movie Sadma. Composed by the legendary composer Illaiyaraaja, who was given the title of Maestro by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, and written by Gulzar, this song has become a defining tune of 80s Bollywood music.

The song is about finding and celebrating joy in the small things of day-to-day life. The innocence of Somu and Reshmi's relationship, a main plot in the film, walks the tender line between affection and love, and comes out beautifully as they enjoy the pleasures of everyday chores together.

The story follows the plot of a woman who regresses to her childhood self after a head injury which is the ‘sadma’ and is then rescued from a brothel by a school teacher who then falls in love with her. This song celebrates the little moments of joy and playful romance between the two.

There have been many renditions and remakes of the song, but the original version has a classic orchestrall arrangement with multiple instruments.

Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le Guitar Lesson

The guitar lesson on Ae zindagi gale laga le is taught by our beloved expert Steve Luciano, who explains all parts of the song in a section-by-section manner. Starting with the basic key and chords information about the song, to the section on improvisation and soloing ideas, the tutor explains it all in great detail.

The song is in the key of D minor, sometimes going into the parallel minor sound of D major as well. It also features some melodic lines that use the D harmonic minor scale.

The song features 6th chords, slash chords and diminished chords along with some standard chord shapes.

The lesson also includes the tutor explaining the overdub parts of the song that can be played on either an acoustic or a clean tone electric guitar. There are parts that change time signatures, they go from a 4/4 to a 5/4 rhythm. The rhythm changes can be played with a busy strumming hand with fast up and down strums.

Illayaraj has also sprinkled in some major 7th arpeggios in some overdubs, which sound buttery smooth in synergy with the rest of the track. The thing about major 7th sound is that they are ‘annoying’ to the ear and need to be resolved; once resolved, they sound beautiful.

FAQs

Q. Is this song suitable for beginners?

While the chords are easy to master, mastering the rhythm section requires practice. Beginners can start by mastering the chord shapes before focusing on the rhythm.

Q. What are the main chords used in ‘Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le’?

The primary chords are Dm, A, F, E, Bb, but the composer of the song has chosen to put all of the chords of D minor as well as of the D major scale, creating a dynamic and soothing progression.

Sau Aasmaan is a bright, romantic song from the 2016 Bollywood film Baar Baar Dekho, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif. Composed by Amaal Mallik with lyrics by Kumaar, the track captures the excitement of new love through its upbeat melody and joyful lyrics. Armaan Malik and Neeti Mohan's vocals blend perfectly, giving the song a fresh, youthful energy that matches the film's themes of romance and destiny.

The music video shows the lead actors in beautiful international locations, adding to the song's dreamy feel. The composition mixes contemporary pop elements with light electronic beats, creating a sound that's both modern and timeless. Released as part of the film's soundtrack, Sau Aasmaan quickly became popular for its catchy tune and feel-good vibe, making it a favorite at weddings and romantic playlists.

Sau Aasmaan Guitar Lesson

Taught by Steve Luciano, this lesson covers how to play "Sau Aasmaan" on guitar. The song is in the key of F#/Gb major, which gives it a bright, uplifting sound. The main chords follow a I-V-vi-IV progression, a common pattern in pop music that makes the song easy to learn but effective.

The strumming pattern uses a steady down-down-up-up-down-up rhythm in 4/4 time. This pattern keeps the energy high while allowing the chords to ring clearly. The verse and chorus use the same chord progression, but the chorus adds more emphasis with fuller strums. The pre-chorus introduces a slight variation with a B-C#-F# movement that builds tension before releasing back to the main progression.

For the lead parts, the song uses the F# major scale (F#-G#-A#-B-C#-D#-E#). The melody moves mostly step-by-step through these notes, with occasional jumps that give it a playful quality. When playing the vocal lines on guitar, focus on smooth transitions between notes and add light vibrato to longer notes for expression.

Beginners should start by mastering the chord shapes and basic strumming pattern. The F# major chord can be challenging at first - try the 2-4-4-3-2-2 barre shape or simplify it to xx4322. Intermediate players can work on matching the vocal melody on guitar. Advanced players should focus on adding embellishments like hammer-ons and slides to make their playing more

expressive.     

FAQs

Q. How do I make the F# chord easier to play?

1. Try the simplified version (xx4322) or use a capo on 2nd fret playing E shapes.

Q. What's the strumming pattern?

1. Down-down-up-up-down-up, with emphasis on beats 1 and 3.

Q. Can I play this on acoustic guitar?

1. Yes, it works well on both acoustic and electric.

Q. How to practice the chord changes?

1. Isolate difficult transitions (like F# to D#m) and practice them slowly first.

The solo from the main theme song of the movie Dil Chahta Hai is mellow, rhythmic, and groove-driven, making it perfect for acoustic guitar. The solo has a laid-back feel to it with a 4/4 feel, with a smooth and slightly syncopated rhythm. 

The title track of the movie Dil Chahta Hai marked the turning point in the Bollywood music industry, but here’s one lesser-known fact about it: the solo version, which you are going to learn in this lesson, was not part of the full release.

The solo gained much attention through behind-the-scenes acoustic performances, which were composed by Eshaan Noorani. Fans fell in love with the stripped-down version of the song, and it became the most sought-after version among guitar enthusiasts and live performers all across the country.

Strumming Pattern 

The recommended strumming for the solo part of the song is: D – D U – U D U. 

This strumming pattern perfectly fits with the relaxed vibe and provides you just the right swing for the solo version. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Song Structure 

Solo Lesson: The solo guitar lesson is of Dil Chahta Hai, one of the iconic Bollywood movies that highlights friendship, love, and life. The guitar instructor for this solo is Eshaan Noorani from the group Shankar Ehsaan Loy (SEL), which is the original creator of this song. Eshaan, during this solo lesson, talks about how the group came up with the solo, the idea behind it, and how you can play the same tune on your guitar. 

Why Learn Dil Chahta Hai Solo?

The solo is a beautiful rendition of an iconic Bollywood track, it is considered to be a perfect piece for guitarists that are looking to blend technique with various emotions, in addition to this, the solo version of the song is naturally arranged in such a way that it helps in acoustic setting which helps you in practicing clean strumming, explore light fingerpicking, and play melodic along with expressive accompaniment without requiring you to have a full band using other instruments. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Is the solo version present here different from the one that is part of the movie? 

Ans. Yes, the solo version is more of a stripped-down acoustic version, which focuses on the mellow vocals and simple guitar strumming technique. 

Q2. Can I play this song using fingerpicking? 

Ans. Yes, the solo is great for soft fingerpicking; it would be great if you used it in the intro section of the solo. 

Dum is one of the songs that was part of the wave that was known as the Bollywood Edgy tracklist. It embraces the sound of rock music and makes it possible for new audiences to connect with Indian rock. 

Fun Fact: It is one of the first songs that fully embraced hard rock and nu-metal in the Bollywood industry; the idea was to mirror the global rise of band voices like Linkin Park and Korn in the early 2000s.

Strumming Pattern 

The song follows a primary rock pattern which is like this: D – D U – U D U. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

There’s an alternate pattern for power chord sections to produce choppy and punchy rock patterns using all downstrokes with rests/muting in between: D D D D. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction, Mike, your guitar instructor, talks about how the song has a unique solo guitar play. In addition to this, Mike also shows you how to tune up the guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement: The song is present in the key of E flat and E minor, which is relative; in this part of the guitar lesson, Mike shows you the chords you need to play for the intro, verse, chorus, and outro as well. 

Song Demo: Right here you will get to see Mike playing the guitar section of the song with the backing track. 

Overdub Section: Here, you will learn the guitar overdubs that come throughout the song. 

Solo Lesson: This is the final part of the lesson and it teaches you how to play the solo on guitar. Mike has divided the solo into different sections so it becomes easier for you to learn and practice it. 

Why Learn Dum From Movie Dum Song?

If you want to add energy, edge, and rock-inspired tunes to your music arsenal, then Dum is the perfect song of choice. It’s a powerful rock anthem that includes some of the boldest electric guitar riffs that you will hear from Bollywood music. 

FAQs – Dum Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Which type of guitar should I be using to play Dum's song? 

Ans. An electric guitar is a must to capture the song’s gritty and overdriven tone, you can still capture some essence of the song if you play it on acoustic with lots of energy and rhythm. 

Q2. Which chord technique do I have to use to play this song? 

Ans. You need to learn power chords and palm muting downstroke techniques for the song. 

Q3. Can I play this song solo on acoustic guitar? 

Ans. Yes, you can, but it is not recommended; the song has an overdubs section, which someone else needs to play on their electric guitar. As a result, it’s not a song for solo playing. 

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Khwabon Ke Parindey as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Song Arrangement, Rhythm, Song Demo, Easy Version and Solo Lesson. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Bheegi Bheegi as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Intro Piece, Song Arrangement - Part 1, Song Arrangement - Part 2, Song Demo, Easy Version, Solo Lesson and Overdub Licks. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!