Introduction

In this video lesson Mike Dugan teaches how to play the song Sultans of Swing as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords and Progression, Intro Rhythm/Bounce Feel, Verse and Chorus (Singing), Intro Lead and Riffs, Solo Improvisation and Main Riff. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Taught by

Pranay Verma

Sultans of Swing

by Mike Dugan

Rock

Taught by

Mike Dugan

Wagon Wheel

by J.J. Pattishall

Country

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Invisible Strings

by Pranay Verma

Indie folk music

Taught by

Pranay Verma

Photograph

by Pranay Verma

hard

Taught by

Pranay Verma

Man in the Box

by Mike Walker

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Raise Your Glass 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!

Rock

Taught by

Mike Walker

Raise Your Glass

by Mike Walker

Taught by

Mike Walker

I Should Have Known Better

by Steve Luciano

Introduction

Tune in to another detailed guitar lesson on the Torrins platform! The I Should Have Known Better guitar lesson is taught by our expert instructor Steve Luciano. He makes learning this popular Beatles song both fun and rewarding.

I Should Have Known Better, by The Beatles, was originally released on the soundtrack of A Hard Day's Night—the film of the same name.

This guitar tutorial covers chord progressions and rhythm in detail. Steve also breaks down the advanced rhythm of this song for those who wish to level up their guitar playing.

Fun Fact:

In A Hard Day’s Night, "I Should Have Known Better" is performed in a train’s brake coach—but the scene was actually filmed inside a stationary van, with crew members rocking it to simulate motion!

Chords & Key

Steve Luciano demonstrates how to play this song in the key of G major, using only seven chords. Some of the key chords in this song are G, C, Em, and D7. Tune in to the full guitar tutorial to learn the remaining chords and master the song with us.

**Chords Used in I Should Have Known Better Guitar Lesson**

Verse & Chorus Chords: This song primarily includes open chords.

Strumming & Rhythm

Basic Rhythm Pattern: DDDUD (4 beats)

The strumming pattern follows a 4-beat rhythm, making it beginner-friendly
Steve Luciano demonstrates how to navigate chord transitions, including the shift from two chords per measure in the intro and beginning of the verse to one chord per measure throughout the rest of the song.

Right-Hand & Left-Hand Technique

Since the rhythm remains consistent throughout, the right hand moves constantly, focusing on steady strumming.
The left-hand placement changes, and Luciano shares great tips on finger positioning and switching, ensuring smooth playing.

Song Structure

This song follows the usual verse-chorus format.

Use the provided tabs to follow the chord progressions as Luciano guides you through the song structure.

Advanced Rhythm Techniques

Once you've learned the basic chords and developed good control over your left hand, you can move on to a more complex rhythm pattern.

Anticipated Rhythm:

Luciano introduces a technique where chords or notes are played slightly before the expected beat to create a sense of forward motion and groove.
This anticipation technique adds energy, syncopation, and a more natural feel to the rhythm, making your playing sound more dynamic.

**Why Learn I Should Have Known Better Song?**

Learning this Beatles classic will help you build core guitar skills in a fun and engaging way.

Whether you're a beginner or looking to brush up on technique, this track offers plenty of learning opportunities.

This guitar lesson focuses on:

Learning various chords
Understanding rhythm variations & dynamics
Improving strumming and finger placement

**FAQs – I Should Have Known Better Guitar Lesson**

Q1: Do I need a capo?

No, a capo is not required. However, you can try experimenting with different voicings to see what matches your vocal range.

Q2: Are there any barre chords in this song?

No, Steve Luciano teaches this song using open chords only.

Q3: How can I make the rhythm more dynamic?

Playing chords slightly ahead of the beat creates a more dynamic feel. This anticipation technique is covered in detail in the guitar lesson.

easy

Rock

Taught by

Steve Luciano

Symbolic

by Bobby Koelble

Introduction

Get ready to master another death metal classic on Torrins—Symbolic by the band Death. This lesson is taught by Bobby Koelble himself, one of the guitarists on the original track. Bobby breaks down the song into several parts, covering essential chords, rhythms, and guitar tones, ensuring a detailed and engaging learning experience.

Fun Fact

Bobby Koelble joined Death after being recommended to Chuck Schuldiner, the band's co-founder, by a friend working at a local music store. Koelble and Schuldiner had known each other since high school in Orlando. After joining the band, Koelble toured with Death across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan before the band eventually disbanded.

Chords and Techniques Used in Symbolic

Tuning: Standard tuning down a whole step
Key: E minor
Some of the chords used in this song are G#, F#, Bm, and A7. Tune in to the lesson to know the rest of the chords used in this song.

Song Structure

Main Riff: The main riff repeats seven times and features vibrato, alternative picking, and palm muting. It includes a few power chords, one being G#.
Chorus: The chorus riff follows the same pattern as the main riff but repeats 14 times. Tune in to the lesson for a detailed breakdown of the rest of the chorus.
Solo Section: The solo section features four power chords. In this section, there’s a transition riff as well, which consists of four single notes and a power chord.
Solo section played by Bobby in the original song: It is played in the key of F# and features chords like B minor, F# power chord, and A7—all diatonic to F#. He breaks down the solo into three sections: beginning, middle, and end and shares valuable tips on mastering the solo, including his creative process behind crafting the iconic riff.

Bobby plays all elements slowly, first to make it easier to follow, then repeats them at normal speed. He also explains the guitar tone in detail.

Why Learn Symbolic?

This lesson provides a detailed breakdown of one of death metal’s most iconic tracks. Bobby Koelble’s insight into the composition and technique will help you refine your alternative picking, palm muting, and power chord transitions. It's a challenging yet rewarding song to master for any metal guitarist. If you’re an advanced player or an intermediate player looking for songs to improve your techniques, this song has to be in your repertoire.

Tips to Improve Your Playing

Start by playing the riffs at a slower pace, then gradually increase your speed.
Pay close attention to the vibrato and palm muting techniques to capture the song’s unique tone.
Focus on smooth chord transitions during the solo to maintain the song’s flow.

FAQs – Symbolic Guitar Lesson

Q1. Is this song suitable for beginners?

Ans: This lesson is recommended for intermediate to advanced players due to its fast-paced riffs and complex solos.

Q2. What tuning is used for this song?

Ans: The song is played in standard tuning down a whole step.

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Metal

Taught by

Bobby Koelble

Estranged

by Bill Peck

In this video lesson Amy May teaches how to play the song Set Fire to the Rain as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Intro, Song Arrangement, & Sing and Play. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Rock

Taught by

Bill Peck

Similar Pop Songs

Set Fire to the Rain

by Amy May

Taught by

Amy May

Money Talks

by Mike Walker

Taught by

Mike Walker

Love Story

by J.J. Pattishall

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Top Gun Anthem

by Mike Walker

Introduction:

Top Gun Anthem is one of the iconic instrumental rock compositions in Hollywood which was composed for the movie in 1986 by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens. This song has some strong, melodic guitar-driven tracks which every guitarist no matter if they are beginner, intermediate or expert must learn to play.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song revolves around the lead guitar instrumental. But if you do want to learn about the arpeggios, then here’s how you should be playing them:

e|-----------0------------|

B|------1------1---------|

G|----0---0------0------|

D|-------------2--------|

A|--3------------------|

E|----------------------|

Strumming Pattern

The strumming pattern of the song is as follows: D D U U D U.

D = Down strum
U = Up strum

Song Structure

Introduction: In this introduction your guitar instructor Mike Walker is going to teach you how to tune up a guitar for this song.

Song Arrangement Part 1: This particular section will show you how to play the melody part of the song and how you should be counting the bells which are present in the song to keep up with tune.

Song Arrangement Part 2: Here, you will be learning the next part of the song.

Song Demo: Here, Mike will show you how to play the entire song on guitar while keeping up with the backing track.

Solo Part 1: In this part Mike will show you how to play the guitar solo which comes at 2:45 minutes on the track. He breaks down this guitar solo in 9 licks.

Solo Part 2: This is the second part of the guitar solo, and it starts with lick number 6.

Solo with Backing Track: Again, Mike plays the demo but this time specifically the solo part alongside the backtrack.

Why Learn Top Gun Anthem Song?

The song has a beautiful, soaring lead guitar part which is easily recognisable when you play it. If you don’t know how to play the viberto, bends, and sustain control on your chord play then this song will teach you how to do it.

Furthermore, it will help in improving your picking accuracy, sustain and phrasing and introduces you to dynamic control which is necessary if you want to master emotional guitar playing.

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who played the Top Gun Anthem?

Ans. Steve Stevens is the man who composed Top Gun Anthem, the song was written by Harold Faltermeyer. Steve played guitar and Faltermeyer played the keyboard during the recording of the song.

Q2. Which song did Tom Cruise play when he was in the bar?

Ans. In 1986, Top Gun Tom Cruise played “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” Tom played this song, and other members of the Navy pilots joined in the movie scene.

Fun Fact: Top Gun Anthem won the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance

Taught by

Mike Walker

I Believe

by Mike Walker

Taught by

Mike Walker

Its My Life

by Mike Walker

Introduction:

It’s My Life is known to be one of the rock anthems, it was released in May, 2000 as the lead single of the seventh album called Crush by the rock band Bon Jovi. This was the song which made it possible for the band to introduce themselves to the younger fanbase.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song uses power chords most of the time along with some strong strumming, but it is up to you to add arpeggios to add another dynamic layer in the verses

Instead of strumming, you can also play the following arpeggios in the verse section:

E|----------------|

B|------0--------|

G|----0---0------|

D|--2-------2----|

A|--------------|

E|--------------|

Strumming Pattern

This song uses palm muting and strong downstrokes in order to create the classic rock sound. The main strumming pattern for It’s My Life by Bon Jovi is: D D X U D X U D

D (Downstroke) → Hit the full chord with power.
X (Palm Mute) → Lightly rest your palm on the strings for a muted "chug" effect.
U (Upstroke) → Play lightly, focusing on the higher strings for dynamics.

Song Structure

Introduction: In the introduction of the song you will be getting to know the tuning required to play this song.

Song Arrangement: Here you guitar instructor Mike Walker will be combining the guitar and piano parts of the song together which allows you to play the iconic guitar melody of this song.

Song Demo: After understanding what chords you need to play and where, in this part Mike is going to show you how to play the entire song with the backing track.

Solo: This is the final part of the guitar lesson, and here you will be learning all the licks which are part of the guitar solo.

Taught by

Mike Walker

Flowers

by Ashish Noel John

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.

Taught by

Ashish Noel John

Stubborn Love

by J.J. Pattishall

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

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Marry You

by Steve Luciano

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

Taught by

Steve Luciano

You Send Me

by Mike Dugan

Introduction:

Get ready to learn You Send Me by Sam Cooke with instructor Mike Dugan on Torrins. This lesson covers everything from basic chords and strumming patterns to advanced solo techniques, making it suitable for both beginners and more experienced players. Mike breaks down the song step-by-step, helping you match your vocals with the chords and refine your rhythm for a polished performance.

Fun Fact: This was Sam Cooke’s debut single and it was a glorious debut– it peaked at number 1 position on both Billboard's Rhythm & Blues Records chart and the Billboard Hot 100. It was also named as one of the 500 most important rock and roll recordings by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Chords and Techniques Used in You Send Me

Key: The original song is in the key of F for vocals, but Mike moves it to the key of G since it’s easier to follow on the guitar.

Chords Used:
- G, D or D7, Am, and others
- He explains easy chord transitions and provides alternatives for beginners struggling with barre chords.

Strumming Pattern:
- For Beginners:
  - Use downstrokes, with two strums per chord for the verse.
  - The verse uses open chords, with downstrokes on the numbers and upstrokes on the "and" counts.
  - Tip: Don’t force the upstrokes—keep them light and natural.
- For Advanced Players:
  - Mike demonstrates an advanced rhythm pattern using downstrokes with a triplet feel.
  - He explains how to create a smoother, more dynamic strumming effect.

Song Structure

Verse 1 and Verse 2: The two verses follow the same chord pattern and strumming technique. He also teaches how to match your vocals with the chords for a cohesive sound.
Bridge: The bridge includes barre chords, but Mike teaches open chord alternatives for beginners. He explains the correct positioning for barre chords in detail to help you improve your grip and clarity.
Solo Section: The solo is in the key of G major. The lead follows the relative minor of G (E minor), using the E minor pentatonic scale. For advanced players, he demonstrates a creative technique that makes the solo sound very close to the original recording.

Why Learn You Send Me?

This lesson not only teaches you how to play the song but also helps you develop better rhythm, improve chord transitions, and explore creative soloing techniques. The mix of beginner-friendly guidance and advanced options makes it a well-rounded learning experience.

Tips to Improve Your Playing

Start slow with the strumming pattern to build muscle memory.
Focus on smooth transitions between chords.
For the solo, practice the E minor pentatonic scale separately before combining it with the backing track.
Follow along with the tabs provided for a comprehensive learning experience.

FAQs – You Send Me Guitar Lesson

Q1. Is this song suitable for beginners?

Ans: Yes! The lesson includes beginner-friendly chords and strumming patterns, along with alternatives for challenging barre chords.

Q2. What’s the best way to improve my chord transitions?

Ans: Start slowly and focus on switching between two chords at a time before increasing your speed.

Q3. Do I need a capo for this song?

Ans: No capo is required, but you can experiment with different chord voicings to match your vocal range.

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Pop

Taught by

Mike Dugan

If You Like Coldplay, You'll Love These

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

by J.J. Pattishall