Introduction

Holy Diver - Introduction

Holy Diver is one of the most iconic heavy metal songs ever recorded, serving as the title track of Dio’s debut album in 1983. Written by the legendary Ronnie James Dio after his stints with Rainbow and Black Sabbath, the song showcases his signature lyrical style—filled with medieval imagery, heroic themes, and battles between good and evil. The lyrics tell the story of a mysterious, divine warrior, often interpreted as a metaphor for spiritual struggle and redemption. Dio’s powerful, operatic vocals and Vivian Campbell’s crushing guitar riffs made the track an instant classic.

The music video, though dated by today’s standards, became legendary for its fantasy aesthetic, featuring Dio as a sword-wielding hero battling demons. The song’s mid-tempo groove, anthemic chorus, and unforgettable riff solidified its place in metal history. Over the years, "Holy Diver" has been covered by bands like Killswitch Engage and referenced in pop culture, proving its lasting influence. Ronnie James Dio’s performance on this track remains one of the greatest in metal, blending raw power with theatrical flair.

Holy Diver Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Walker, this lesson dives deep into playing "Holy Diver" in dropped C tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D), which gives the song its thick, heavy sound. The main riff, played by Vivian Campbell, is built around power chords (C5, G5, A♭5) and uses palm muting to create a tight, aggressive groove. The tuning allows for easy sliding between chords while maintaining a massive low-end presence.

The verse follows a C5 - G5 - A♭5 progression, with the riff emphasizing the open C string for a chugging effect. The chorus shifts to a C5 - G5 - F5 pattern, adding a melodic lift before returning to the main riff. The solo section is where Campbell’s playing shines—using the C minor pentatonic scale (C-E♭-F-G-B♭) with fast alternate picking and wide bends for dramatic flair. The harmonic minor scale (C-D-E♭-F-G-A♭-B) also appears in the solo, giving it a darker, classical edge.

For the rhythm parts, focus on tight palm muting and consistent downstrokes to match the song’s driving feel. The pre-chorus introduces a syncopated riff that requires precise timing—practice it slowly with a metronome before speeding up. The bridge features harmonized leads, where two guitars play complementary melodies, a technique Dio borrowed from his Rainbow days.

Beginners should start by mastering the main riff and power chords in dropped C tuning. Intermediate players can work on the syncopated rhythms and solo licks, paying attention to vibrato and bends. Advanced players should study the harmonic minor passages and experiment with adding their own fills.

FAQs

Q. How do I tune my guitar to dropped C for this song?

Lower your sixth string from E to C, fifth from A to G, and leave the rest in standard tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D).

Q. What scales does Vivian Campbell use in the solo sections?

Primarily C minor pentatonic (C-E♭-F-G-B♭) with touches of C harmonic minor (C-D-E♭-F-G-A♭-B) for a classical metal feel.

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).

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.

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a beautiful, melancholic ballad that is Choo Lo by The Local Train, which features an iconic intro and a powerful chorus that gives goosebumps every time you listen to it. The band’s debut album, ‘Aalas ka Ped’, was received with joy and celebrated across the country. The song Choo Lo has over 80 million views on YT.

Choo Lo is a story about romantic longing. The lover exclaims that he is still standing and waiting where she had left him and that she should touch him, or else he’ll be lost. Invoking the feelings of deep melancholy and longing for a loved one, this song resonated with everyone who had ever been in love. 

Choo Lo Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, the tutor goes over all the parts of the song, starting from the basics –key and tuning of the song to the solo section, along with improvisation tips. The first few sections focus on the intro part, followed by sections on rhythm, chords, strumming, and time signatures, followed by the power chord section that covers the chorus part of the song. Finally, the tutor demonstrates a full playthrough of the song.

The interesting thing about Choo Lo guitar chords is that two of them are suspended chords –Asus2 and Bsus2. These chords do not have the major or the minor third in them, which means that the chords don’t have a concrete identity and give a feeling of incompleteness. The incompleteness relates well to the overall narrative of the song, which is about the desire to be acknowledged. 

The tempo of the song is 146 bpm in 4/4 timing, and the strumming pattern is D - - D - U D U D - D - (D is a downward strum, and U is an Upward strum). The tutor meticulously explores all the melody motifs in the song and teaches the solo note by note in the final sections of the lesson.

The lesson also offers Choo Lo lyrics and guitar tabs along with the video lesson.

The real beauty of this song is in the power chords that are played over the chorus that, when played with a band, in artist speak, sounds ‘big’. Go ahead and pick up your acoustic guitar and treat yourself to one of the sweetest intro melodies.

FAQs

Q. How can I quickly learn the Choo Lo guitar solo?

1. Break the solo into shorter sections and practice them individually until you master them, and then, once mastered, practice transitioning between the sections until the solo sounds as one.

Q. How to play suspended chords?

1. Playing suspended chords at first can be challenging, especially if you’re a beginner, but as instructed by the tutor in this lesson, you can play fewer notes of the chords to get the essential sound and eventually get to the full barre chords.