Preview

In this video lesson Ashish Noel John teaches how to play the song Stay as part of our Guitar series on English song lessons. The song lesson is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords and Rhythms, Improvisation, Song Arrangement, and Demo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

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.

Introduction:

Fade to Black was the first power ballad recorded by the metal band Metallica in 1984. This was the first promotional single from the band’s second album which was Ride the Lightning (1984). The final solo of the song uses melody as a means to provide transition to heavy chords. 

Fun Fact: The song and its lyrics address the suicidal feelings because, during the time of its recording, some members of the band were having a really hard time in their personal lives. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios: The solo has heavy chord progression and for the final solo section there are no arpeggios for you to learn. 

Strumming Pattern 

This particular solo is for the lead guitarist, so it doesn’t really follow a strumming pattern like a rhythm part. 

Solo Structure 

Final Solo Part 1: In this part of the guitar solo lesson your instructor is going to be Mike Walker. Mike has divided the final solo from the song Fade to Black in 3 parts, this is the first section from the three parts. 

Final Solo Part 2: This is the second part of the solo, here Mike shows you how to perform overlapping and using the licks that were present in the first part. 

Final Solo Part 3: The third and final section starts with a little pull 

Why Learn to Fade to Black-Final Solo By Metallica?

Learning the guitar solo of Fade to Black isn't an easy task, it is one of the things only lead guitarist in the band wants to try as it requires lots of technical knowledge of the guitar. Speaking of the solo it is the most emotional solo to be ever written and performed in metal history, for this solo you will have to learn how to use bends and vibrato efficiently.

FAQs-This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Which one is the saddest song recorded by Metallica? 

Ans. Fade to Black is considered to be the saddest song from the metal group Metallica. 

Q2. What is the meaning of the song Fade to Black? 

Ans. The story behind the creation of Fade to Black is that Hetfield, one of the band members, was kicked out of the band's manager's home after he drank all his booze and broke things. He then went to his friend’s house, and there, on the couch, he wrote the lyrics of Fade to Black. 

Q3. Has Metallica ever performed in India?

Ans. Yes, Metallica did come to India, they performed in Bangalore on October 18 in 2011. There was one more date in Gurugram but the band was not able to perform at that venue. 

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.

Sau Aasoon, as hard-hitting as it sounds, isn’t actually a sad song. It does have a melodic feel to it, but that adds up to the reasons why you should be playing it on guitar. Sau Aasoon is from the movie Katti Batti, and musical maestro Shankar Mahadevan and Rasika Shekhar have given their vocals. It’s a song that beautifully holds an emotional ballad and soothing melody. In addition to this, the lyrics are just top-notch poetry, and there is a subtle instrumental arrangement, which is like a cherry on top. 

When you learn Sau Aasoon on guitar, you get to combine guitar techniques with an emotional feel. Here in this guitar lesson by Mike Walker, you are not just hitting the right notes, but you will also learn how to make your guitar playing sound more polished and heartfelt, which makes it possible for you to connect closely with the song’s original mood. 

Why Learn Sau Aasoon Song On Guitar?

You can play Sau Aasoon entirely from open chords; this makes the song accessible for people who are still looking to build confidence in their chord transitions and don’t feel like playing bar and other intricate chords. 

It’s a song that helps you convey emotions via guitar play, all thanks to its slow tempo and gentle dynamics. Furthermore, with a steady and relaxed rhythm, you are surely going to improve your timing as you practice this song. Apart from this, you also get control and the ability to feel rather than just mechanically play the chords. 

Due to its emotional appeal, this is the one song you should definitely keep on your setlist when playing for a live audience. 

FAQs – Sau Aasoon Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Can I transpose the song Sau Aasoon to a different key for my vocal comfort? 

Ans. Yes, if you wish, you can transpose Sau Aasoon to D major or even G major using a capo or by simply shifting chord shapes depending on your vocal range. With the transposing, you can adapt for both male and female vocalists while still maintaining their emotional depth. 

Q2. What are some of the modal characteristics of the song Sau Aasoon? 

Ans. Sau Aasoon predominately follows the Ionian model, which is nothing but a major scale, the use of natural major scale structure to create a soft, uplifting, yet melancholic mood. Thus, it’s a good example for newcomers to have an experience of modal sound. 

Q3. Is it possible for me to use hybrid picking or fingerstyle techniques for the song Sau Aasoon? 

Ans. You can try hybrid picking, where you can combine a pick or a bass note and fingers for higher strings; combining these two, you can easily arpeggiate the chords. With hybrid picking, you will also be able to enhance dynamic control, especially when you are playing an acoustic version of the song, which is quite stripped down in terms of chord progression. 

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. 

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Chahun Main Ya Na 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, Song Demo, Acoustic Overdubs, Slide Solo and Improvisation. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Tu Jaane Na - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on one of the greatest and most famous romantic songs of the 2010s, Tu Jaane Na by Kailash Kher. This is the unplugged version of the song that features guitars and the magical voice of legendary vocalist Kailash Kher. This song has taken a special place in the hearts of all lovers, young and old, since the time of its release, and has received more than 31 crore views on YouTube.

The song is about love. Tu Jaane Na translates to ‘you don’t know,’ which completes as ‘you don’t know how much I love you’ as the song lyrics go. It is about the discomfort of being in love and not being able to fully and truly express one’s feelings. As is the main plot of the film, this song is an important part of.

Tu Jaane Na Guitar Lesson

The guitar lesson on Tu Jaane Na is brought by Mike Walker, who explains all the guitar parts of the song, section by section. The initial sections talk about the chords and rhythm patterns of the song, and in the sections that follow, there is discussion about the individual overdubbed guitar part, finally rounding the lesson with a solo improvisation demonstration.

The song is in the key of A major and features all but the diminished chords from the scale. There is also a suspended version of the A and D major, as well as a unique F#m7 11 chord, which is only in the intro section of the song that involves picking. The tutor explains the intro section in great detail.

Since this is a very acoustic forward song, there is a unique strumming pattern that is different from the standard DUU DUU DUDU, and goes like –D - U D U D - U - D (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum). This folk-style strumming gives the song a stable rhythm and moves it forward.

There is also an easy version of the chords that the instructor demonstrates in the latter sections of the lesson. There is also an improvisation section, the ideas of which are based on the F#minor pentatonic and the A major scale up the fretboard.

FAQs

Q. What level of guitarist is Tu Jaane Na lesson for?

This unplugged version is easily playable for early intermediate players. You’ll need some comfort with barre chords, open chords, and basic fingerpicking or strumming techniques, depending on how you want to play it.

Q. What tuning is used in Tu Jaane na unplugged version?

Standard tuning (E A D G B E) is used for this version. No capo is needed unless you want to change the key for your vocal range.

Q. What chords are used in Tu Jaane Na?

The chord progression includes A, Bm, C#m, and occasionally F#m or E, and other major scale chords depending on the arrangement.

Tamanna – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a timeless Punjabi classic song loved and celebrated all over India. Tammana by Prabh Gill is a song about falling in love, where the singer is expressing his desires. This song has been plucking the heartstrings of its listeners since 2012, and has collected more than 8M views on YouTube since, with comments like – “I love this song a lot, I have also sent it to my girlfriend” and “I am in love with this song.....with every word… {heart emoji}”.

This song is written in Punjabi and talks about love is a way that is transformative. In the chorus, the singer expresses his sole desire –the love should transform us in a way that we see god in each other. This is because the song is set in the traditional north indian culture where love has connotations of divinity and grandeur.

Tamanna Guitar Lesson

The guitar lesson on Tammana is brought by Mike Walker, wo explains all the guitar parts of the song, section by section. The initial sections talk about the chords and rhythm patterns of the song and in the sections that follow, the instructor goes on to explain the various guitar parts –chord voicings, solos, and fills that the song consists of.

The song is in the key of Bb Major, which means the way to play the chords of the song using standard shapes is by using a capo on the 1st fret. The chords of the song follow a minor key for the most part, and only in the chorus do they go to a more major sound. The tutor explains how to capture this movement well with the strumming pattern – D - UDUD - UDUD - DU (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum.)

The special thing about this song is that it does not have drums in it, which means that all percussive effects are produced by the guitars and the bass. This leaves room for a lot of melodic motifs to fill the space left empty by the absence of drums. Hence, the song has multiple solos and melodic lines that sound beautiful.

Another special thing about this song is that it features a sitar solo near the end of the track, which, although it sounds difficult to play because of the signature picking technique, the instructor shows the way to play the sitar solo on a guitar in an easy way.

FAQs

Q. Is Tamanna suitable for beginners?

Yes. The chords are simple, and the tempo is relaxed. The solos can be learned gradually.

Q. Do I need a capo to play Tamanna?

A capo is not necessarily needed, but the capo raises the default key and makes it easy to play the song.

Q. Is this song beginner-friendly?

A. Yes, this song is beginner-friendly. Once you place the capo at the 1st fret, all you need to do then is play all the standard chord shapes.