Introduction:

Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne is the most legendary rock and metal song of all time. This song also has some of the best guitar play by Randy Rhoads.

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this part Mike Walker shows how much he loves playing this song and shares why it is important for every rock and metal fan to learn this song. 

Intro Riff: Here, you will be learning the very first lick of the song for which the song became famous in the first place. 

Pre-Verse: this is a 4 bar phrase, and it comes before the verse, 

Verse: In this section Mike shows you the guitar chords which you need to play in the verse parts of the song. He also showed how you should be focused on playing the last 2 bars because if you learn that you will be playing the entire part of the verse section on guitar. 

Pre Chorus: This is a four bar pre-chorus along with a couple of single notes present in it that Mike first shows how it is done then explains to you how you can play the same tune. 

Chorus: In this part of the guitar lesson you will learn about the main chorus of the song. Mike has broken the chorus in multiple parts to make it easier for you to understand how it needs to be played. 

Bridge: This is the part which works as a contrast between the chorus and the verse, you will be playing this part after the second chorus of the song, it has been used to give a fresh 

element to the song. 

Solo: This is one of the most intricate solos in metal music it goes up to 16 bars and it does have tons of guitar techniques which comes handy as a guitarist. 

Song Demo: This is the final part, where Mike will play the guitar alongside the backing track. 

Why Learn Crazy Train By Ozzy Osbourne Song?

The main riff of the song is instantly recognizable and if you learn it on guitar you will get to know about alternative picking precision. It includes a combination of power chords, single-note runs, and syncopation which is something essential for both rock and metal music. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who originally recorded Crazy Train? 

Ans. Crazy Train is the debut single by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne, he released the song in the 1980s for his debut album which was his solo venture as an artist. 

Q2. What is the hidden meaning of the song Crazy Train?

Ans. Crazy train is about the cold war which happened during that time and consumed the entire world in the 1980s. Osbourne was talking about dictators when he said “One person is conditioned to rule and control.”

Q3. Is Ozzy Osbourne going through mental health problems?

Ans. No, Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t have mental health problems; he does have progressing Parkinson’s disease, which causes new mobility challenges as he grows old. 

Fun Fact: It was the first ever solo which Ozzy sang after leaving Black Sabbath, after the release it became an instant hit and even to this day it is one of the most recognizable songs of Ozzy Osbourne.

Introduction

Absinthe Party is the most well-known song from Minus the Bear. It involves intricate guitar play along with unique rhythm and tapping techniques. Minus the Bear is an Indie rock band from America; in their entire run, the band released a total of 6 studio albums. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: Instead of the traditional way, Minus the Bear uses the tapping technique to create arpeggios for this song, here’s an example of how you can also play arpeggios for this track: 

e|------7h10p7-----7h10p7------|  

B|-----------------------------|  

G|----7---------7-------------|  

D|--9---------9---------------|  

A|-----------------------------|  

E|-----------------------------| 

Strumming Pattern 

This song requires you to learn finger tapping, syncopated rhythms, along with layered guitar parts. The band was less resilient to the traditional strumming pattern; still if you are looking for a rhythm guitar approach you can follow this pattern: D D U U D U. 

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction of this guitar lesson starts with prepping your guitar with the necessary tuning. 

Tapping Section: In this section, you will be learning about how to play the first part of the song using the two-handed tapping technique. 

Distortion Section: For this section you have to turn on the distortion on your amplifier, you will be playing a repetitive riff which will be replayed 4 times in the song. 

Song Demo: Here your music instructor Mike Walker is going to show you how to play the entire song with the backing track. 

Overdubs: There are two overdub sections in this song and in this part of the guitar lesson Mike is going to teach you both of them. 

Why Learn Absinthe Party By Minus The Bear?

For this song, you have to learn an intricate technique of two-hand tapping, which makes it both fun and challenging even for an expert guitarist. As you learn this song, you will be able to work on your dexterity, coordination and fluid playing. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Did Minus the Bear stop performing? 

Ans. In 2018, Minus the Bear came out with sad news of their retirement. They accompanied their retirement with a farewell tour as well. In 2025, the band reunited once again and announced an anniversary tour to commemorate their 20th anniversary of Menos el Oso. 

Q2. Who is the lead singer of the Absinthe Party by Minus the Bear? 

Ans. Jake Snider is the lead singer of the band, and he was the main vocalist of the song Absinthe Party. 

Q3. What Type of music does Minus The Bear produce? 

Ans. All the songs from Minus the Bear can be categorised as experimental rock, there had been a number of twists and turns in their music throughout their 17 year long run. The band was able to build a strong fan base after they were formed in 2001. 

Fun Fact: A friend of the band went on a date and when Jake Snider who was singer and guitarist for the band asked him how his date was he said You know that TV show from the '70s, B. J. and the Bear? It was like that ... minus the Bear.' And from there all the members agreed on naming that reference as their official band name. 

Hotel California - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on the acoustic version of one of the greatest songs of all time, Hotel California by The Eagles. This specific arrangement replaces the original electric instruments with nylon-string guitars, creating a different interpretation of the song. The track keeps the same chord progression and structure as the studio version but uses fingerpicking patterns and multiple guitar harmonies.

Hotel California, as writer Henley put it, is more of a symbolic piece about America in general, and added, “Lyrically, the song deals with traditional or classical themes of conflict: darkness and light, good and evil, youth and age, the spiritual versus the secular. I guess you could say it's a song about the loss of innocence”.

The song follows a narrative about a traveller staying at a mysterious hotel, with lyrics that some interpret as commentary on American culture, for instance, the most iconic line of the song being “you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave”.

Hotel California Guitar Lesson

Hotel California guitar lesson is taught by our beloved expert, Mike Walker, who explains all the different sections of the song in a section-by-section manner, starting from the intro that talks about the chords and different voicings of those chords, through the acoustic overdubs and the guitar solo section.

The song features a number of minor 7ths, dominants, suspended and augmented chords. The intro alone covers all these variations of these chords. The tutor, nevertheless, goes into detail explaining how to play them using a fingerpicking pattern.

The song is written in B minor; the live acoustic version uses a capo on the 7th fret, making it an E minor. The intro follows a repeating progression of Em-B7-Dsus-A7-C-G-Am7-B7, which establishes the harmonic foundation.

Since this is an acoustic version of the song, played by multiple guitarists. There are a number of artistic motifs and embellishments using techniques like double stops, arpeggios, and most importantly, the individual guitarists harmonising with each other throughout the song.

The tutor explains all the solos of the song in great detail, the last of which features some of the notes from the harmonic minor scale, which carry a signature sound of the desert, or the Middle East. This lends itself literally to the theme of the narrative of the song.

FAQs

Q. Do I need a nylon-string guitar to play this version?

While the original recording uses nylon strings, you can play it on a steel-string acoustic. The tone will sound brighter, but the chords and techniques remain the same.

Q. Why is the capo on the 7th fret? Can I play it without one?

The capo transposes the chords to match the original key (B minor) and allows easier open-position shapes. Without a capo, you’ll need to play full barre chords in B minor.

Introduction

Disturbed is known as a heavy metal band. When the band was starting out, the sound they followed was more of “nu metal”. Guarded was a promotional single from the band’s third album, Ten Thousand Fists. The lyrics show how the lifestyle forces David Draiman to guard himself on a certain level.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song does not use traditional arpeggios. It is primarily a riff-driven song that includes heavy power chords in addition to the chugging rhythms. 

Strumming Pattern 

If you notice, the song's main riff has a more galloping tone. As a result, the strumming pattern that you need to follow for this song is: D - DUD - D - DUD

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum
• - = Brief pause (muted)

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this introduction, Mike Walker, who will be your guitar instructor for this song lesson, explains how to tune your electric guitar. 

Song Arrangement: This is the part where you will learn all the chord progressions you will use in this song. 

Song Demo: This is the last part of the guitar lesson. Mike will play the entire guitar section of the song alongside the backing track. 

Sadda Haq is one of the most rebellious songs in Indian music history; over time, it has become an anthem of rebellion and self-expression where people are demanding the right to speak freely, live, and love freely. It is the song in the movie that was performed by the lead character of the movie, Jordan, live in front of a massive crowd. The song is pretty raw and real. 

Fun Fact: The original song had a line that referred to Kashmir, but in the editing of the song, it was muted in order to make the song less politically sensitive. 

Strumming Pattern:

The most common strumming pattern that you are going to learn for this song, especially for the chorus and for the main rhythm, is: D - DU - DU - D - DU - DU 

• D = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum 

Song Structure:

Introduction: In this introduction, you will be meeting your guitar instructor, Mike Walker, for this guitar lesson. Here, Mike helps you prepare for the upcoming lessons as this is a complete version of the song. 

Intro, Power Chords, Riff, and Verse: With this part, you will be learning how to tune your electric guitar to play the intro, power chords, riffs, and verses that are part of the song. 

Intro Licks: Here, Mike is going to teach you how to play the intro lick, which is present at the beginning of the song. He will first play the lick and then show you how you, too, can play it. 

Intro Verse Singing: The singing part is divided into 3 to 4 different parts in this guitar lesson, and Mike will help you remember which of the following chords you need to play when singing the phrase. 

Verse 2: This is the part of the song that comes at exactly 2:28 seconds, where the first five bars are the same; the main thing you need to learn here is the rhythm that you need to follow. 

Main Solo: From this part of the guitar lesson, you will be learning how to play the iconic main solo of Sadda Haq, which comes at 3:07 seconds. 

Overdub Licks: This particular overdub lick sounds more like a guitar riff from the famous band Santana. In order to play this lick, you have to be quick with your fingers. 

Overdub Lick at 2:19: This is another overdub lick which is part of the song. 

Outro Solo: In this part of the guitar lesson, you will learn the outro solo, which made the song so popular. 

Song with Backing: Finally in this part, Mike is going to show you how to play the entire guitar parts of the song with the backing track. 

Scales Used and Improvisation: In this section, Mike teaches you some of the scales you can use to give the song its authentic sound and the improvisation, which makes it easier for you to play this song on guitar. 

Why Learn this Song?

The electric guitar part of the song features amazing guitar riffs by Orianthi, who is an Australian guitarist well known for playing none other than the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. This song has some of the grittiest power chords, and the intro riff has become a staple in modern Indian rock music. 

FAQs this song Guitar Lesson:

Q1. Who wrote the lyrics to the song Sadda Haq? 

Ans. The lyrics of the song were written by Irshad Kamil. 

Q2. What is the genre of the song Sadda Haq? 

Ans. Sadda Haq is a rock anthem that tastefully blends the elements of alternative rock, grunge, and Indian rock. 

Q3. For this song, do you need to have an electric guitar? 

Ans. If you want to play all the parts of the song it is necessary to have an electric guitar with you. 

Black Magic Woman - Introduction

"Black Magic Woman" is one of Santana’s most famous songs, though it was originally written by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Santana’s 1970 version, featured on the album Abraxas, transformed the track into a Latin rock masterpiece. The song blends bluesy guitar riffs with Afro-Latin percussion, creating a hypnotic and rhythmic groove. Carlos Santana’s smooth yet fiery guitar playing gives the track its signature sound, making it instantly recognizable.

The lyrics tell the story of a man enchanted by a mysterious woman, a common theme in blues music. Santana’s version extends the original with an instrumental section that transitions into "Gypsy Queen," a piece by jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó. This fusion of styles helped define Latin rock and cemented Santana’s place in music history. The song became a massive hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, and remains a classic rock staple today.

Black Magic Woman Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Walker, this lesson breaks down how to play "Black Magic Woman" in the original key. The song revolves around three main chords: Dm7, Am7, and Gm7, giving it a moody, bluesy feel. The rhythm follows a Latin-inspired groove, with a steady pulse that makes it perfect for practicing timing and feel.

The intro features Santana’s iconic minor pentatonic lick, played with smooth bends and vibrato. The verse uses a repeating chord progression (Dm7 - Am7 - Gm7 - Dm7), with a laid-back strumming pattern that locks in with the percussion. The chorus shifts to a more open sound, letting the chords ring out before returning to the verse groove.

For the solo sections, Santana uses the D minor pentatonic scale (D-F-G-A-C) with added bluesy bends and expressive phrasing. The key is to play with emotion—let notes sustain, add vibrato, and slide between positions for that signature Santana sound. The transition into "Gypsy Queen" introduces faster, more intricate picking patterns, so start slow and focus on clarity.

Beginners should first master the chord changes and basic rhythm. Intermediate players can work on the intro riff and solo licks, paying attention to bends and vibrato. Advanced players should experiment with improvisation over the Dm7 vamp, using Santana’s phrasing as inspiration.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is used for this song?

Standard tuning (EADGBE)—no drop tuning or capo needed.

Q. How do I get Santana’s tone?

Use a smooth overdrive (not too distorted), with slight delay and reverb. Roll off some treble for warmth.

Q. What’s the strumming pattern?

A relaxed down-down-up with emphasis on beats 2 and 4 to match the Latin groove.

Q. Can I play this without a band?

Yes, but focus on keeping the rhythm tight—the groove is essential.

Q. How do I practice the bends in the solo?

Start slow, ensuring each bend reaches the correct pitch (e.g., bend G to A in the D minor scale).

In this video lesson J.J. Pattishall teaches how to play the song Yaaram 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, Solo and Song Demo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!