Introduction

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Stormy Monday

by Mike Dugan

Introduction:

Torrins brings you another legendary blues guitar lesson—Stormy Monday as played by The Allman Brothers Band, taught by Mike Dugan. This classic blues song is packed with soulful chords, smooth rhythm, and expressive lead playing, making it a must-learn for any blues guitarist.

Fun Fact: Originally written by T-Bone Walker, Stormy Monday inspired blues legends like B.B. King to pick up the electric guitar. Moreover, the Allman Brothers' 1971 version, with jazzy organ and extended solos, transformed it into an iconic 8-minute masterpiece.

Chords & Song Arrangement

This song follows a 12-bar blues progression in the key of G, incorporating both open and barre chords:
Chords Used – G#7, Am7, Bbm7, and more. Some chords are barre chords, but Mike provides easier alternatives for different playing levels.
Since T-Bone was known for his 9th chords, Mike also teaches 9th chord variations to bring out that authentic blues feel.
The song includes a subtle sharp climb, adding to the T-Bone Walker-style phrasing.

Rhythm & Strumming Pattern

Time Signature: 4/4
Main Rhythm: A slow blues groove with a simple strumming pattern at first.
Alternative Rhythm: A 6-feel rhythm (double-time feel), adding an upbeat bluesy bounce.

Mike also demonstrates advanced rhythmic techniques, incorporating double stops, slides, and dynamic accents to enhance the song’s groove.

Intro Lick, Turnaround & Ending

Intro Lick – A G9 chord-based intro, first broken down in a simplified version before introducing more advanced variations using sharp and augmented chords.
Turnaround – Mike walks through classic turnaround chords, showing how they fit into the blues form.
Ending – He teaches a common blues-style ending which is useful for countless other blues songs.

Sing & Play – Coordinating Vocals & Guitar

Want to sing while playing? Mike shares practical tips on how to sync your vocals with the guitar. He encourages adding your own feel to the song while staying true to its blues roots.

Lead Fills & Lead Playing

Lead Fills: The lesson starts with small lead fills that complement the vocals.
Key & Scales: He uses the G minor pentatonic blues scale and major blues in G for expressive phrasing.
Playing Lead in Slow Blues: Mike demonstrates bends, sustains, and dynamics, making your solos sound rich and emotional.

Improvisation & Playing with a Backing Track

Here Mike explains how to improvise and when to use the major vs. minor scale. He also demonstrates how to craft a melodic, bluesy solo.
Follow his approach, and soon, you’ll be confidently improvising your own slow blues solos!

Final Playthrough with Backing Track

To wrap up the lesson, Mike plays the full song with a backing track, reinforcing all the techniques covered. Watch closely and play along to lock in the feel and phrasing of this blues classic.

Why Learn Stormy Monday?

Classic blues structure – great for understanding blues chord progressions.
Improves both rhythm & lead playing – covers everything from chords to expressive solos.
Perfect for improvisation – teaches you how to craft slow blues solos with feel.

FAQs – Stormy Monday Guitar Lesson

Q1: Is this lesson beginner-friendly?

Yes! Mike provides simplified chord alternatives and breaks down the song step by step.

Q2: What’s the most challenging part?

The double-time solo can be tricky, but Mike teaches how to ease into it.

Q3: How do I make my solos sound bluesier?

Focus on bends, vibrato, and using both the major & minor blues scales—all of which Mike explains in detail!

moderate

Blues

Taught by

Mike Dugan

Santeria

by Mike McQuinn

Indian Rock

Taught by

Mike McQuinn

Can't Stop The Feeling

by Pranay Verma

hard

Uptempo disco-pop

Taught by

Pranay Verma

What Its Like

by Mike Walker

Introduction

Tune in to a detailed guitar song lesson on What It’s Like, a single by the American musician, Everlast. This 1998’s release was the lead single from his second studio album called Whitey Ford Sings the Blues.

This guitar song lesson is taught by Mike Walker, an experienced musician and instructor at Torrins. He breaks the lesson down into sections: Introduction, Intro Chord Progression, Verse & Chorus, Arrangement, Interlude, and Outro.

Mike Walker teaches the What It’s Like Song guitar lesson using just 3 chords, two of which are Dm and C. No capo is needed!

**Chords Used in What It's Like Guitar Lesson**

This song primarily revolves around three simple chords, making it accessible for players of all levels.
The strumming pattern follows a DDU rhythm, adding a steady groove.

Strumming & Picking Techniques

The song subtly blends strumming and arpeggiation, giving it a dynamic and textured feel. The intro is centered around a D minor chord, with the occasional addition of Dsus4 to introduce subtle variation. Arpeggiated picking is used here to create a melodic and flowing texture, setting the tone for the rest of the song.

In the verse, the D minor chord continues to anchor the progression, while an arpeggiated riff adds depth and makes it more rhythmic.

Moving into the chorus, the strumming follows a consistent DDU (Down-Down-Up) pattern, repeated four times. On the fourth repetition, however, there’s a variation introduced at the end which is a distinctive 8-note strum pattern that adds energy and creates a pumping, driving effect.

Song Structure & Arrangement

The song builds gradually, with familiar sections repeating and subtle changes keeping things interesting. Here's a simple breakdown of how the song flows:

Intro: A catchy opening riff sets the mood and is played four times.

Verse 1: The main melody kicks in and repeats six times, helping you settle into the groove.

Chorus: This part brings in energy. It’s played four times, with a twist added on the fourth round to keep things fresh.

Interlude: A gentle picking section gives you a short breather before heading back into the main theme.

Verse 2: Similar to the first verse, but extended — this time it's played eight times.

Chorus: Returns with the same pattern, repeated four times.

Bridge: Feels like a throwback to the intro, but with a longer run — played six times.

Verse 3: Back again for eight repetitions.

Final Chorus: Played three times as the song winds down.

Outro: The song gradually fades out, giving it a smooth ending.

Mike shares a tip for those struggling with Fmaj7? Try leading with your third finger—this helps you get the note covered first, giving you an extra split second to position the rest of your fingers.

**Why Learn What It’s Like?**

This lesson covers both strumming and fingerpicking, making it great for building dexterity.
The song’s structure teaches you how to transition smoothly between sections and add dynamics to your playing.
This song is a fantastic example of storytelling through music, giving you a chance to add emotion to your performance.

**FAQs – What It’s Like Guitar Lesson**

Q1: Is this song beginner-friendly?
- Yes! While the Fmaj7 chord can be tricky, the slow tempo and repetitive structure make it easier to master.
Q2: How can I improve my arpeggiation?
- Start slow, focus on even picking, and gradually increase speed.
Q3: Do I need a capo?
- No capo is required for this version.

Fun Fact: The song became Everlast’s biggest solo hit after he left the trio House of Pain and transitioned from rap to a bluesy, acoustic hip-hop style, which was a bold and unexpected move at the time!

easy

Rock

Taught by

Mike Walker

Somebody That I Used To Know

by Mike Walker

Taught by

Mike Walker

Summer Song

by Mike Walker

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song The First Cut is the Deepest as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Chords, Rhythm and Backing Track. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Metal

Taught by

Mike Walker

The First Cut is the Deepest

by Steve Luciano

Rock

Taught by

Steve Luciano

American Baby

by J.J. Pattishall

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Eruption

by Mario Ticlea

Taught by

Mario Ticlea

Similar Pop Songs

Love Story

by J.J. Pattishall

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

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

I See Fire

by Steve Luciano

Introduction:

I See Fire is a song written and composed for the movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The song is played over the closing credits of the movie. After its release, the song was able to climb to the 13th spot in the UK Singles Chart and in New Zealand it was able to reach number 1 in just six weeks of time.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: You will be following basic arpeggios picking for this song, and this is what you need to follow in order to create a simple yet attractive progression:

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

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

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

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

A|--2--------------------|

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

Strumming Pattern:

This one is primarily a fingerpicking song, but in case you wish to play the strumming pattern you can follow this: D D U U D U.

D = Down strum
U = Up strum

Song Structure:

Introduction: In this introduction, Mike Luciano, your guitar instructor is going to share why everyone needs to learn this song, and where, and why you should be putting the capo on

guitar like Ed does.

Intro Lick and Song Arrangement: In this section, Mike shows you how to play the intro licks for the song and how to use hammer-on and pull-off techniques with your first and third fingers. Along with this, you will learn the entire song arrangement as well.

Song Demo: This section shows you how to play the song with the backing track played alongside.

Beginners Version: If you are not able to play with new techniques which you have learned in this guitar lesson you can also try the beginner friendly version of I See Fire by Ed Sheeran which is mentioned in this part.

Why Learn I See Fire By Ed Sheeran?

I See Fire take the full advantage of acoustic fingerpicking which is something perfect for beginner guitar players to start with. This song will also help you in building dexterity, accuracy, and finger independence as you play. Furthermore, it’s a great introduction to the thumb-bass technique, along with melodic picking.

FAQs I see fire Guitar Lesson

Q1. What was the reason behind Ed Sheeran's writing I See Fire?

Ans. It was Peter Jackon, the director of The Hobbit, who asked Ed Sheeran to come up with a song for a kid’s movie. Sheeran saw the movie and started working on the song.

Q2. What other songs are out there which sound similar to I See Fire?

Ans. There is a huge library of Ed’s songs, which sounds pretty familiar, starting with Eyes Closed, Give Me Love, Happier, Shivers, and Beautiful People.

Q3. Which song is Ed Sheeran’s biggest hit?

Ans. Without a doubt it has to be “Perfect,” this particular song topped charts in more than 18 different countries, making him one of the most loved artist all around the globe.

Fun Fact: The song I See Fire was written, composed, and recorded on the same day. After Ed Sheeran watched the entire film The Hobbit for which the song was officially released on 5th November 2013. He sat down to write the lyrics and his flow made him finish composition and recording of the song in just 24 hours.

Taught by

Steve Luciano

If It's Love

by Steve Luciano

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.

Taught by

Steve Luciano

Wake Me Up When September Ends

by J.J. Pattishall

Introduction

Wake Me Up When September Ends is one of the most iconic songs from the American punk rock band Green Day. It is the fourth single from their seventh studio album, American Idiot, which was released in 2004. The lead vocalist Armstrong, wrote the lyrics of this song after his father's death in September 1982.

Chords Used in Wake Me Up When September Ends

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: Open chords. The song is played in the key of G, and there is no need for a capo.

Chorus Variation: The chorus of the song is pretty short, and the guitar chords used in it are similar to those of the verse.

Strumming Pattern

The entirety of the song follows the same strumming pattern: Down-Up, Down-Up, Down-Up. (DUDUDU)

Song Structure

Introduction: In this section, J.J. Pattishall will explain the key you need to play the song in.

Song Arrangement: Here, you will learn how and why the guitar instructor has broken down this song into several different parts. This particular section will show you how to play the guitar parts of the intro, verse, chorus, and bridge.

Rhythm: Here, you will learn the open chords used to provide backing rhythm to the verse and chorus of the song.

Song Demo: Right here, after showing you how to play all the different chords for this song, J.J. Pattishall will show you how to play the guitar alongside the song.

Solo Lesson: This is the last part, where you learn how to play the epic solo from the song.

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Ho Hey

by J.J. Pattishall

Introduction:

This song was originally written and composed during the time of Schultz and Fraites in New York. It was meant to be a kiss-off to disinterested concertgoers. It was the first single from a folk rock band to get certified in the US.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The song is present in the key of C major.

Strumming Pattern:

The most common strumming pattern used for playing this song is D - D - U - D - D:

D = Down strum
U = Up strum
- = Pause (mute or let the chord ring)

The alternative strumming pattern is D - D - U - U - D - U, this adds more guitar movement in the song and makes the guitar play a bit more smooth.

Song Structure:

Introduction: The introduction of the song is by J.J. Pattishall, in here he teaches you the tuning required to play this song on guitar.

Song Arrangement: Here, your guitar instructor talks about the feel of the song and how it helps you play it. In addition, he shares with you all the chords you have to play and how they should be played.

Sing and Play: In this section, you will learn how to time your chords while you are singing.

Song Demo: Finally this is the part where your guitar instructor will show you how to play the entirety of the song with the song running in the background.

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

I Am Not The Only One

by J.J. Pattishall

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

Taught by

J.J. Pattishall

Real

by Amy May

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Stay Here Tonight as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords, and Rhythm. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Taught by

Amy May

Stay Here Tonight

by Steve Luciano

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.

moderate

Pop

Taught by

Mike Dugan

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Black Bird

by Mike Walker

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.

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Brown Eyed Girl as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Chords, Rhythm and Backing Track. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

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Brown Eyed Girl

by Steve Luciano

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Dil Aaj Kal

by Mike Walker

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Maeri

by Steve Luciano

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Maeri as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Intro Piece, Chords, and Rhythm and Solo Lesson. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Taught by

Steve Luciano

Taake Jhanke

by Mike Walker