Chords, Rhythm, and Sing and Play

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. 

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. 

In this video lesson, Ashish Noel John teaches how to play the Panchayat Theme as part of our guitar series on Hindi songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords and Rhythm, Melody, Melody Demo, and Song Demo.

Tere Bina is a Sufi-inspired melody with a pinch of soft rock melody sprinkled here and there to elevate the song. It’s a great song to learn on guitar for both beginners and intermediate guitar players.

The perfectly tuned voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan adds a lot of weight to the overall song. Likewise, Tere Bina was composed by Sajid-Wajid, and the musical duo did everything to snug deep emotions in the song as they went with a semi-classical vocal style with this song. 

In this song, you are going to find gentle instruments like guitar, soft percussion, and orchestral elements, which help the composer duo create an emotionally intense atmosphere while still making the overall song soothing and pleasing to the ears. 

Tere Bina became one of the most popular songs from the movie Tezz, which is an action-packed thriller; the presence of such a romantic song in an action flick did raise some concern among directors, but in the end, composers managed to convince the director to keep it in the movie, and the result was truly outstanding. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan recorded his vocals for this song in just one take, making it possible for Sajid-Wajid to capture the raw emotions and pain which was represented in the lyrics. 

Strumming Pattern 

The strumming pattern for this song has to be slow because it requires the guitarist to match their strumming with that of light fingerpicking. For the acoustic version of the song, here’s the common pattern you need to follow on 4/4 time signature: D – D U – U D U

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Why Learn Tere Bina Song On Guitar?

It’s a song that includes a flowing chord progression, which makes it sound both emotional and rich when you play it on guitar. If you are someone who is trying to play guitar and vocals together, then this is the one song that you should definitely learn. It’s going to boost your confidence in mellow acoustic sets and even when you play it in open mics. 

To match the soothing mood of the song, you can use fingerpicking, but be sure to be gentle with strings as you play them. In addition to this, you have to be easy on strumming to create a more rhythmic sound; both of these techniques, which you will learn here in this song lesson, will allow you to develop control and tone. 

Apart from this, learning Tera Bina from the movie Tezz is a great way to explore Bollywood ballads and intricate Sufi elements. This song shows you how harmony can complement powerful lyrics and melody at the same time. 

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Be Inteha (Race 2) as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords, Song Arrangement, Song Demo, Solo Lesson and Overdub Licks. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Introduction:

Haal-E-Dil is a song from the movie Sanam Teri Kasam, which was released in 2016; the movie was a romantic drama directed and written by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. 

Fun Fact: The movie did not perform well when it was first released, then in recent years, which is 2025, the movie was once again released in theaters, and this time it had a massive audience and was liked by many.  

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: Here you have an amazing arpeggiated verse that uses a fingerpicking pattern for Em chord: 

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

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

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

D|-----------------|

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

E|0---------------|

Strumming Pattern:

The strumming pattern for this song is pretty easy to learn as it is beginner-friendly. All you have to do is play down strokes with a light groove. Here’s how you should be playing it: DDUUDU

• D = Down Strum
• U = Up Strum 

There is one strumming version that requires you to use muting technique; here’s how it should be done: DD - UDU

• D = Down Strum
• U = Up Strum 
• - = mute 

The second strumming will add more dynamism to the verse section of the song. 

Song Structure:

Chords, Rhythm, and Backing Track: For this guitar lesson, we have asked Steve Luciano to be your music instructor; he is going to show all the chords, notes, and strumming patterns you are required to hit perfectly to play this song flawlessly on guitar. In addition to this, Steve also shares his views on this song and gives you useful tips to make the guitar chords sound smoother and melodic. 

Why Learn This Haal-E-Dil (Rahat Fateh)?

If you are someone who loves playing soulful and emotional music then learning Haal-E-Dil has to be on your wishlist. This song has melodic chord progression which results in soulful notes, making it one of the best songs to learn the art of expressing emotions via musical instrument.

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. How did the movie Sanam Teri Kasam perform at the box office? 

Ans. When the movie was first released, it didn’t receive good reviews from both critics and fans. But after 9 years of its official release, people re-watched the movie in theaters, and the second time, the movie did pretty well and became a social media sensation for a while. 

Q2. Will there be a second part of Sanam Teri Kasam? 

Ans. Yes, there will be a second part of the movie and it is coming in 2026, the director of the first movie confirmed the same, in the second part Harshvardhan Rane is reprising his role as the lead male. 

Q3. Does Rahat Fateh Ali Khan hold Indian citizenship? 

Ans. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan does not hold Indian citizenship; he is from Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. 

This particular song, Main Kya Karoon, comes in the movie when the character of Ranbir Kapoor first got to understand the feeling of falling in love with someone. This is the song that helped the director capture the light-hearted, dreamy, and whimsical tone of young love. 

Fun Fact: For the song Pritam, the composer went to Nikhil Paul George, who wasn’t a mainstream singer of Bollywood. He did this because he wanted someone with an unpolished, pure, and boyish voice. This will help the singer to match up with the character of Ranbir Kapoor in the movie. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: If you want to use the fingerpicking pattern or arpeggios instead of simple strumming, you can follow these techniques for each chord: 

For chords with root on the 5th string (like C, Am, F):

5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 3 – 4 (Repeat)

For chords with root on the 6th string (like G):

6 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 3 – 4 (Repeat)

Strumming Pattern 

The basic strumming pattern which you need to follow is: D D U U D U. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Song Structure 

Chords, Rhythm, and Arrangement: The guitar instructor for this song lesson is Bobby Koelble; he shares with you the chords, rhythm, and arrangement that you have matched for the easier version. In addition to this, he also talks about the major difference between the original version of the song and this stripped-out version, which is much easier to play.

Why Learn Main Kya Karoon (Easy Version) Song?

Main Kya Karoon is a simple song with easy-to-play open chords which is perfect for beginners to practice chord switching without frustration. It’s a light, romantic, and uplifting tune that is super enjoyable to play and sing along with. 

FAQs – Main Kya Karoon (Easy Version) Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. What key is the song Main Kya Karoon From Barfi in?

Ans. The song is present in the D major, but for this particular version, we have transposed it to C major, which allows you to use a simpler set of chords. 

Q2. Is the song Main Kya Karoon suitable for beginners to learn on guitar? 

Ans. Yes, using the basic chords and light rhythm, any beginner can learn how to play this song on guitar. 

Q3. Is there a need to use Capo for the song Main Kya Karoon? 

Ans. You can put a capo on the 2nd fret; it will help you play easier chords while still matching the original pitch of the song. 

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

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a heart-melting indie song called Alag Aasmaan. Written and performed by Anuv Jain, a master storyteller of the romantic variety who has a reputation for being celebrated all over the country by everyone who has or wants a broken heart. 

Alag Aasman is about the suffering of lovers in a long-distance relationship. The artist says, “It is a rarity to meet each other in a long-distance relationship, and when you finally do, the goodbyes can get pretty difficult. There's so much uncertainty, and you do not know when you'll meet again”. Alag Aasmaan translates to ‘different sky’, signalling to the narrative that the lovers in different cities live under different skies.

The original version of the song was performed on a ukulele, recorded and uploaded on YouTube during the pandemic, the looming emotions of which complemented the sentiment of the song, that is about missing a loved one. 

Alag Aasmaan Guitar Lesson

The instructor delivers the lesson in a section-by-section manner; the first section gives the introduction to the song, the second talks about chords and rhythm patterns, the third is about the arrangement, which is finally followed by a solo section.

Alag Aasmaan guitar chords are in the key of F# Major, but the open position sounds too bright for the subtle lightness of the song; hence, a capo at fret 6 is advised by the instructor to emphasise the soft twinkly quality of the sound on the higher frets. The capo here also transposes the chord shapes to the standard and more familiar ones – C, F, G, Am, and Em. 

The rhythm of the song resembles that of a jazz classic, as made clear by the strumming pattern that goes like D - U - D D - U in a loop. (D is a downward strum, and U is an upward strum.)

The tutor explains how the song has four verses, a pre-bridge, a bridge, and an outro solo that constitute the arrangement of the track. At two moments in the song, the second and fourth verse, this arrangement offers a chord change to the major 6th interval of the scale –from G to Em (C# to A#m without capo) that lends itself to the tender and affectionate feel of the story that the song is telling. The outro solo is picked slowly in the style of bluegrass music and is played in the context of this major 6th tone on top of the same chords as verses two and four. The instructor shows the solo note by note, and since the original solo is only 30 seconds long, in the final section of the lesson, there is a demonstration on how to improvise over it for when you are jamming by yourself. 

FAQs

Q. How do I learn the Alag Aasman chords on a guitar?

1. To learn the Alag Aasmaan chords on the guitar, start by placing a capo on the 6th fret and then consistently practising the chord transitions shown in the lessons.

Q. What is the Alag Aasmaan strumming pattern?

1. The strumming pattern goes like D - U - D D - U in a loop for almost the entirety of the song. However, there are some pauses and chord changes instructed in the lesson by the tutor as well.