Introduction

In this video lesson Mike Dugan teaches how to play the song Can't Help Falling in Love as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Verse (Chords, Rhythm, and Singing) and Bridge and Song Arrangement. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

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).

Introduction

This is one of the upbeat acoustic songs that is pretty easy to learn, as it uses simple chords that anyone new to guitar playing can understand with ease. In addition to this, the chord changes are pretty smooth, thus, giving you a lot of relaxation when it comes to playing the guitar and singing your heart out. 

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song If It's Love as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords and Progressions, Rhythm and Progression and Song Demo and Conclusion. 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: This song has repeated chord progression and is pretty simple as well. The common arpeggio to use for this song is: 

e|-----------0------------|  

B|------1------1---------|  

G|----0---0------0------|  

D|-------------2--------|  

A|--3------------------|  

E|----------------------| 

Strumming Pattern 

This song follows the most basic 4/4 time; the main strumming pattern that you have to use in this song goes something like this: D D U U D U. 

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum

Song Structure 

Introduction: To play this song on guitar along with the backing track you have to tune down your guitar to half step and that’s what you will be learning in the introduction from Steve Luciano, your guitar instructor for this lesson. 

Chords and Progressions: Here you will be learning how to play the intro of the song by using just 2 to 3 different notes that Steve is going to show you. 

Rhythm and Progression: In this part, Steve discusses the importance of filling up the drum sections with a dead sound, meaning you have to keep your hand moving. It will help you with your rhythm. 

Song Demo and Conclusion: This is the final part of the lesson, where Steve will show you how to play the entire song with the backing track. 

Why Learn If It's Love By Train Song?

The strumming pattern and chords used in this song are pretty easy to learn, they are great for improving timing and groove of the music. If you are someone who wants to have an acoustic jam session or wants to enjoy solo performances then it is the song for you. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Is the Train band still performing and recording new music? 

Ans. Yes, the band is still active and they are performing worldwide in more than 10 countries in 2025 where they have lined-up 25 upcoming shows. 

Q2. Is there any member from the band who split up?

Ans. Pat Monahan is one of the founding members of the band who broke up and went on his way. Apart from him, drummers, guitarists, and even a few other members were also replaced in 2021.

Q3. In which genre of music does the music of Train fall? 

Ans. The music of the train falls under the category of pop rock, rock roots and rock. 

Fun Fact: The song was written on the same day when the hit “Hey, Soul Sister” was written, the song was intended as a way to showcase gratitude to long-time fans. 

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. 

B.Y.O.B. – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on one of the greatest anti-establishment rebellion songs that brings together metal, punk, and Middle Eastern melodies into a politically charged anthem. – B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down. The song has been received with love across the world and has won a Grammy for the best hard rock performance in 2006. The song has amassed more than 500 million views on YouTube since its release in 2005.

The song name is an acronym for Bring Your Own Bombs, and was made as a form of protest against the american coalition led Iraq War (2003–2011), with lyrics calling out, “Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?”. It is a song written in strong political commentary on the situation of wars and oppression around the world. The band has a reputation for speaking out for social justice and matters like drug abuse, politics, and suicide in the heavy metal genre.

B.Y.O.B. Guitar Lesson

The lesson on B.Y.O.B. is brought to you by our beloved instructor, Mike Walker, who demonstrates the song in its entirety and explains all parts of the song in great detail. Since this is a heavy metal song, there are a number of unconventional rhythmic patterns and fast melodic lines for the electric guitar, which is a signature sound for this genre of music.

The song is in the key of F major, but the tuning is half a step down; all the strings are tuned down a semitone. This, firstly, widens or brightens the tone, which makes it feel ‘heavy’ and secondly, loosens the strings, which makes it easier to play at a high tempo.

The lesson is easier to master as it only requires rhythmic proficiency to play in its entirety. The song is very drums and lyrics forward, as is with most heavy metal songs. The song is fun to play because of the distorted tone of the guitar. It’s a saturated machine-like sound that has low-frequency notes, which give it a slightly percussive vibe, usually called ‘djent’.

This is also a short lesson, taught easily by Mike, comfortably suited for beginners and advanced players alike.

FAQs

Q. Can I play BYOB in standard tuning?

Yes, you can play BYOB in standard tuning, but then you’ll have to play the song in E major instead of F major, and you’ll also lose the ‘crunch’ in the strumming.

Q. How to sound like Daron Malakian?

If you want to sound like Malakian, you need an Ibanez Iceman DMM1 guitar, going into a Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal distortion pedal, into a Marshall MF350 amp.

Q. Can I play this on an acoustic guitar?

Yes, you can, but it will not have the rage that is needed to lead a rebellion against the war profiteering world leaders.

Introduction

Black Bird is one of the greatest songs by none other than The Beatles. It’s a song where Sir Paul McCartney performed a solo piece. It is a song that many artists from all around the world cover. The song is also used as an introduction to another hit song by The Beatles called “Yesterday.”

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: For this song, you will be using your thumb for bass notes and playing the melody with the first two fingers. 

Strumming Pattern 

Due to fingerpicking, it does not use the traditional strumming pattern, so you have to learn Travis's picking style, which your guitar instructor is going to teach you in this lesson. Here’s how you will be using it: Thumb (T) → Index (I) → Thumb (T) → Middle (M)

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction, you will learn how to tune up your guitar to play this song. 

Chords and Rhythm: In this part, Mike Walker, your guitar instructor for this song lesson, will show you the required fingerpicking technique, chords and rhythms that you need to follow. 

Song Arrangement: Right in this part, you will learn how to play the different parts of the 

song, starting from the intro and then verses, chorus, and outro. 

Song Demo: Finally, in this section, Mike will show you how to play the song on guitar with a backing track. 

Tore Down - Introduction

Tore Down is a blues classic originally recorded by Freddie King in 1961 under the title "I'm Tore Down." Written by pianist Sonny Thompson, the song became one of King's biggest hits, reaching #5 on Billboard's R&B chart. The track showcases King's powerful voice and sharp guitar work, blending Texas blues with a raw, energetic delivery. Decades later, Eric Clapton covered the song for his 1994 blues album From the Cradle, staying true to King's original arrangement while adding his signature touch.

Clapton's version keeps the song's essential elements—the falsetto vocal phrases, punchy guitar fills, and that unmistakable blues shuffle. His recording was so well-received that it also reached #5, this time on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Over the years, Clapton has performed "Tore Down" live many times, including at his Live in Hyde Park concert and John Mayall’s 70th Birthday show. The song’s enduring appeal lies in its raw emotion and tight groove, making it a favourite among blues guitarists.

Tore Down Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Dugan, this lesson breaks down Eric Clapton’s version of ‘Tore Down’, focusing on the blues shuffle rhythm, stop-time sections, and lead fills. The song is in the key of A major and follows a classic 12-bar blues structure, but with some clever variations. The most distinctive feature is the stop-time verses, where the band cuts out on the 1st beat, leaving space for Clapton’s vocals to drive the song forward. There are two types of stops—short stops (just a quick pause) and long stops (a full beat of silence).

The rhythm guitar part uses a Texas blues shuffle, played with a light swing feel. The basic pattern is A5-D5-A5-E5-D5-A5, but the magic is in the muting and dynamics. Use palm muting on the lower strings to keep it tight, and let the chords ring out slightly on the turnaround. Clapton’s version has a crisp, clean tone, so roll back your guitar’s tone knob a bit and use a tube amp with mild breakup.

For the lead fills, Clapton sticks mostly to the A minor pentatonic scale (A-C-D-E-G) but adds bluesy bends and quick hammer-ons for extra flavour. The opening riff is simple but effective—just a few well-placed notes with vibrato. The solo builds on Freddie King’s original licks but with Clapton’s smoother phrasing. Pay attention to his bending accuracy—he often bends up a whole step (from C to D) with perfect pitch control.

The stop-time sections require tight coordination with the band. When the band stops on the 1st beat, keep your strumming hand moving in time so you can jump back in smoothly. Beginners should practice the stops slowly, counting out loud (1-2-3-4-STOP) to internalise the rhythm. Advanced players can work on Clapton’s subtle variations, like adding a quick chromatic slide into a chord or throwing in a double-stop lick before a stop.

FAQs

Q. How do I play the Texas shuffle rhythm?

Use a down-up strum pattern with swing feel, muting the strings lightly between chords.

Q. What scale does Clapton use for solos?

Mostly A minor pentatonic, with some blues scale (added flat 5th) notes for extra grit.

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.

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.

Introduction

Bombtrack is one of the explosive songs from Rage Against the Machine’s debut album. In addition to this, it comes with powerful riffs, and groove-driven rhythms and it also includes aggressive energy.  

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: There are no traditional arpeggios in the verse, instead you have to follow heavy power chords with a combination of muted rhythms. 

e|---------------------------------|  

B|---------------------------------|  

G|---------------------------------|  

D|---------4-4-2-2-4--------------|  

A|---2-2--------------------------|  

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

Strumming Pattern 

This song follows a more tight-riff playing than your traditional strumming. As a result, you have to follow the rhythm guitar approach to be more precise and smooth. Here is how you should be strumming with a palm-muted downstroke approach for punchy rhythm: D D D D D U D U. 

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this introduction section Mike Walker your guitar instructor teaches you how to tune up the guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement: Here Mike shows you how to play the intro, midsection and the outro of the song. He shares his knowledge of guitar playing and how the intro is a 4 bar phase. 

Overdub: Here, you will learn how to play the overdubs which come at the start of the song. 

Song Demo: This is where you will learn how to play the entire song with the backing track to keep up guitar chords with the original time signature of the song.

Solo 1: Over here you will be learning how to play the first solo which is present right after the first bridge. 

Outro Solo: This is the final part of this guitar lesson, here Mike is going to show you how to play outro solo. 

Why Learn Bombtrack By Rage Against The Machine Song?

This is a pretty intricate song to learn that starts with simple yet heavy riffs, as a result, it is perfect for learning palm muting, power chord slides and even for practicing tight picking. This is one of the few songs from Rage Against the Machine which is beginner friendly, the guitar lesson that we have here is perfect for individuals who want to improve their riff-based playing. 

FAQs – Bombtrack Guitar Lesson

Q1. Why is Range Against the Machine Controversial? 

Ans. One of the biggest reasons why Rage Against the Machine is controversial is because of their fiercely political music that comes with sloganeering left-wing rants against the corporate culture of America. 

Q2. How many BPM is Bombtrack? 

Ans. This song is at 152 BPM; the song runs for 4 minutes and 3 seconds in the key of E and with a major mode.

Q3. Is Rage Against the Machine anti-capitalist?

Ans. Yes, that can be said for Rage Against the Machine because they have voiced their disagreement on various political, domestic and foreign policies that were introduced by the US government. 

Q4. What is the heaviest Rage Against the Machine song?

Ans. Bullet in the Head is the heaviest song from Rage Against the Machine according to their fans. The song is a reference to how the government is trying to use the media to influence their control over the population. 

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.