Channa Mereya – Introduction

Channa Mereya is a soulful ballad from the 2016 Bollywood film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, composed by Pritam and sung by Arijit Singh. The song, written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, explores themes of unrequited love and heartbreak, perfectly capturing the emotional turmoil of Ranbir Kapoor’s character in the film. Its melancholic yet poetic lyrics, combined with Arijit Singh’s emotive vocals, made it an instant classic.

The song became one of the most popular tracks from the album, peaking at #1 on Radio Mirchi’s Top 20 chart and staying there for five months. It was also nominated for several awards, including Best Lyricist at the Filmfare Awards. The acoustic and Sufi-inspired arrangement, that beings together Indian classical elements with contemporary.

Channa Mereya Guitar Lesson

Steve Luciano trachea you how to play the Channa Mereya melody while breaking down the song’s delicate guitar work. The track is in the key of A minor. The verse melody begins with a gentle descent from F to D, establishing the melancholic mood. The pre-chorus builds tension by emphasizing the higher notes (C and D), while the chorus releases this tension with its wider intervallic leaps. The melody's beauty lies in its subtle variations, the singer in the song slightly alters certain phrases when they repeat.

To play this on guitar, use the middle position of the neck (5th to 8th frets). The main phrases can be played on the B and high E strings, with some notes extending to the G string. Focus on clean hammer-ons and pull-offs between adjacent notes, and use vibrato on sustained notes to match Arijit's vocal style.

For the more expressive sections, incorporate slides between notes and careful bending (especially the microtonal bends characteristic of Indian music). The bridge section features the melody's highest notes - practice shifting positions smoothly to reach these. Remember to breathe between phrases like a singer would.

The melody stands out for its beautiful simplicity and emotional power. The tune stays with listeners long after the song ends, making it one of Arijit Singh's most memorable performances. This lesson focuses specifically on playing the vocal melody on guitar.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is used in this song?

Standard tuning (E A D G B E) with no capo needed.

Q. How do I play the arpeggios smoothly?

Practice slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before speeding up.

Q. Is this song suitable for beginners?

Yes, the chords are basic, but the emotional delivery requires practice.

Q. What effects are used on the guitar?

A clean tone with light reverb matches the original recording.

In this video lesson J.J. Pattishall teaches how to play the song Oh Sanam as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords, Rhythm, and Arrangement, Chord Embellishment, Song Demo and Song Lesson without Capo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

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

If needed add some text content with lesson to show on viewer's screen.

Humdard from Ek Villian is a textbook example of how minimal harmony should be paired with strong vocals in order to create a long-lasting impact in the hearts of listeners. At first, you might think this song is composed in such a way that it feels static, but the deliberate compositional choices make this song impactful while delivering a sense of emotional longing.

Speaking of guitar chords, in Humdard, they act like a harmonic cushion, and not just a rhythmic engine, which makes the song move forward. This is something guitar learners need to observe, so they don’t use the guitar to drive the groove. Apart from this, the rhythmic density in this song has been kept low intentionally.

​It’s a song that goes pretty well when you pair it with an acoustic guitar. The chord progression you will be learning in this lesson is quite clinical. Instead of adding in a number of different shapes, it returns to familiar ones, thus reinforcing emotional persistence.

​From this guitar lesson by Mike Walker, you will understand how a minor-key harmony can feel warm rather than just dark when it gets paired with gentle dynamics. For this song, you will be mastering the power of the arpeggios, which give more clarity to each note you strike, allowing you to control attack and decay.

​Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Here is the list of primary chords which you will be using from start to finish: Am (A minor), F (F major), C (C major), G (G major).

If you are having a hard time playing F major, which is a barre chord, you can play Fmaj7.

This song follows the typical progression of: Am – F – C – G.

Here are some optional chords which you can add to make light variations: Am7 (instead of Am), Cadd9 (instead of C).

These chords are not mandatory for you to play, but if you do learn to play them, they will add smoothness and emotional depth, especially in slower sections of the song.

​

FAQs – Humdard Song From Ek Villan Guitar Lesson

Q1. Do I have to use a capo when practicing this song on the guitar?

Ans. Using a capo is not mandatory; if you wish to match the original vocal pitch of the song, in that case you have to put the capo on the 1st fret.

Q2. What should be the fingerpicking pattern that works well with this song?

Ans. The most common and beginner-friendly fingerpicking for this song is: P – I – M – I, where you put your thumb on the bass strings, index & middle on the higher strings.

Q3. What should be the preferred tuning for this song?

Ans. You can use standard tuning EADGBE.

Sinbad the Sailor (Concert Version) From Rock On

For any Indian musician who aspires to be a guitarist, we are sure you must have watched Rock On at least once in your lifetime. Rock On!! is a killer movie that has some of the best rock songs that Bollywood was able to produce.

Fun Fact: The lyrics of the song are more than just poetic; they also symbolize the journey of the band, which is the main plot of the movie. The guitar solo present in the song was improvised live during the recording of the song in the studio, and composers thought about keeping it for the final take.

Song Structure 

Introduction: For this guitar lesson, you will be learning from Mike Walker; in this part of the lesson, he is going to show you how to tune your guitar in order to play this song.

Intro Riff: The intro riff of the song is a 24-bar long guitar tune, which is broken down into 4 bars in order to make it easier for you to learn the tune. 

Keyboard Intro: This is an additional part of the guitar, this particular tune is more of a synth tune, but Mike, your guitar instructor for this lesson, has shown how you can play the same tune on your guitar as well. 

Verse, Chorus, and Interlude: This section of the song is pretty similar to the intro riff, here you will be using the same chord progression for playing verse and chorus. 

Bridge: In this part of the lesson, you will learn about all the four different bridges that are part of the song. 

With Backing Track: Now here, Mike is going to show you how to play the entire song in sync with the backing track. 

Solo 1: Here, you will be learning how to play the main solo of the song; again, the solo uses the same chords that you learned in the intro riff and in the verse and chorus section. 

Outro Solo: The outro solo of the song is something you might not be able to hear if you are not listening to the song very closely. 

Improvisation: In this section you will learn some more tips and tricks that you can use to play this song.

Why Learn Sinbad the Sailor (Concert Version) From Rock On?

Sinbad the Sailor has a touch of Indian classical tone in addition to the progressive rock energy which is something hard to find. If you are learning new forms of music, this particular song allows you to expand your musical horizon and find out how Indian melodies are able to merge with Western rock music. 

FAQs – Sinbad the Sailor (Concert Version) From Rock On Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who were the lead singers of Sinbad the Sailor? 

Ans. There were two lead singers in this song; the first one is Farhan Akhtar, who also acted in the movie as one of the band members. Other than him, the second singer was Raman Mahadevan, son of Shankar Mahadevan, who composed the album for the movie. 

Q2. Who composed the song? 

Ans. The composer for the song was Shankar-Eshaan-Loy; the trio is known for blending rock with Indian sounds. 

Q3. What makes this particular song so special in the film? 

Ans. This is the song that helps audiences who are watching the film to identify the band, the song is being performed in a key moment when the band is trying to connect with their original energy. 

Crazy Minnal is one of the vibrant Tamil songs that was part of the movie Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, which was released in 2012. This song stands out as the promotional track for the film due to its upbeat tempo and memorable tune. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction of this guitar lesson is from Bobby Koelble, who is also going to be your instructor. In this introduction, Bobby shares his views on the song; he tells us that the song includes a pretty nice tune that has to be played on acoustic guitar for the best results. 

Verse 1: This particular part is the longest, and here you will learn about the chords, rhythm, and song arrangement of the 1st verse that comes in the beginning. The guitar part starts from the lead vocals; for this part, you will be using right-hand fingerpicking techniques, so do spend some time perfecting this particular part, as this technique is quite useful if you are going to be a professional guitarist. 

Pre-chorus and Chorus: The pre-chorus present in this song is just 4 bars long, and it follows a simple rhythm. 

Solo Rhythm: Now comes the part where you will learn how to play the epic solo; here, Bobby first shows you the chords that are being played below the main solo, which has a very subtle rhythm part that keeps playing in the background as the guitar solo progresses. Once this is done, Bobby will teach you how to play the solo part. 

Bridge: This part shows you how to play the bridge, which is a total of 12 measures; here, you will be mostly playing the chords that you have already learned in the above section; there are two or three additional chords for this lesson. 

Verse 3: When you listen to the third verse, you might think it’s pretty similar to what you have learned in the first verse; well, it is partially true; here, you will find there’s a change in harmony, and if we compare it rhythmically we can find that it is completely different than the 

first one. 

Pre-chorus 2 and Chorus 2: Once again, the pre-chorus is similar to the first one but with the addition of two new chords for you to learn and practice. 

Song Demo: This is the part where your guitar instructor plays the guitar parts of the song with the backing track. 

Solo Lesson: Here, you will learn how to play the solo, which is pretty small in terms of bar length. But it does hold significance when it learns the right essence of this song. 

Simple Version: In this last section, Bobby plays each section of the song, but this time, instead of using complex bar chords and progressions, he will keep things simple to make it easier for beginners to learn this song. 

Welcome to the guitar lesson on the song, which is one of the most played modern romantic songs of India –Dil Diyan Gallan by Atif Aslam from the blockbuster Tiger Zinda Hai. No romance playlist is complete without this song. It has received close to a billion views on YouTube (986 million). 

Written by the illustrious Irshad Kamil and sung by Atif Aslam, this song is about the conversations of the heart, referred to as sweet nothings in English. The song is written in Punjabi, which is a language spoken in the regions near the borders of India and Pakistan. The general plot of the movie also hinges on the relationship between India and Pakistan, hence the choice.

Dil Diyan Gallan Guitar Lesson

The lesson on Dil Diyan Gallan is done by one of our beloved experts, Mike Walker. It is a descriptive lesson that covers all parts of the song and offers a section on improvisation. The tutor meticulously delivers the lesson in a section-by-section manner, where he talks about the underlying theoretical concepts of the song as well as the various musical motifs and short instrumentals played in the song.

The song is in the key of D major and features all the chords in the key apart from the F minor chord, which is substituted by an F major instead, which gives it a harmonic minor vibe. The harmonic minor sound resembles the music of the Middle East or oriental music, which is again the setting of the movie. The song also features an inverted chord, which is an A major chord with C# in the bass.

The improv section is a must-watch. In it, the instructor explains how to solo over the track using the B minor pentatonic scale in different positions and the D major scale with accenting on the B note on the 12th fret, as well as the B harmonic minor, which has a signature Arabian Nights vibe.

Dil Diyaan Gallan lyrics and chords are also available on the tab next to the lesson tab, so that intermediate and advanced players can easily refer to them, sould they need to.

FAQs

Q. Do I need a capo for Dil Diyaan Gallan?

1. No. You do not need a capo for this song, since it is in the key of D major, all the chords are standard open shape chords, which are easier to play in the first position.

Q. What are the chords in Dil Diyaan Gallan? 

1. The song is in the key of D major, so the chords are D, Em, F major instead of F minor, G major. A major and B minor. It also features an A inverted chord, and a D/F# at two points in the song.

Dum is one of the songs that was part of the wave that was known as the Bollywood Edgy tracklist. It embraces the sound of rock music and makes it possible for new audiences to connect with Indian rock. 

Fun Fact: It is one of the first songs that fully embraced hard rock and nu-metal in the Bollywood industry; the idea was to mirror the global rise of band voices like Linkin Park and Korn in the early 2000s.

Strumming Pattern 

The song follows a primary rock pattern which is like this: D – D U – U D U. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

There’s an alternate pattern for power chord sections to produce choppy and punchy rock patterns using all downstrokes with rests/muting in between: D D D D. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction, Mike, your guitar instructor, talks about how the song has a unique solo guitar play. In addition to this, Mike also shows you how to tune up the guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement: The song is present in the key of E flat and E minor, which is relative; in this part of the guitar lesson, Mike shows you the chords you need to play for the intro, verse, chorus, and outro as well. 

Song Demo: Right here you will get to see Mike playing the guitar section of the song with the backing track. 

Overdub Section: Here, you will learn the guitar overdubs that come throughout the song. 

Solo Lesson: This is the final part of the lesson and it teaches you how to play the solo on guitar. Mike has divided the solo into different sections so it becomes easier for you to learn and practice it. 

Why Learn Dum From Movie Dum Song?

If you want to add energy, edge, and rock-inspired tunes to your music arsenal, then Dum is the perfect song of choice. It’s a powerful rock anthem that includes some of the boldest electric guitar riffs that you will hear from Bollywood music. 

FAQs – Dum Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Which type of guitar should I be using to play Dum's song? 

Ans. An electric guitar is a must to capture the song’s gritty and overdriven tone, you can still capture some essence of the song if you play it on acoustic with lots of energy and rhythm. 

Q2. Which chord technique do I have to use to play this song? 

Ans. You need to learn power chords and palm muting downstroke techniques for the song. 

Q3. Can I play this song solo on acoustic guitar? 

Ans. Yes, you can, but it is not recommended; the song has an overdubs section, which someone else needs to play on their electric guitar. As a result, it’s not a song for solo playing. 

Tu Jaane Na is one of the special songs that perfectly fits with the raw and unique voice of Kailash Kher. 

In order to play this song, you need to have an acoustic guitar and go with the slow tempo; it is an ideal song for playing in front of an intimate crowd or unplugged sessions. 

Fun Fact: This version of the song by Kailash Kher is a hidden gem because not many people know about this one. The song has been able to build a cult following because of its emotional depth and soul-stirring lyrics. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: With the help of arpeggios, you can really enhance the overall tone of the song; the common arpeggio pattern is as follows:

P I M A M I

5 4 3 2 3 4

(Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring, Middle, Index)

• When playing the arpeggio version of the song, you should keep your picking hand relaxed and consistent. 
• Always make sure that you are using your thumb to play the root note. 

Strumming Pattern 

The Kailash Kher version of the song is much slower and more soulful; as a result, when you are playing it, make sure you keep the rhythm gentle and flowing: D - DU - DU - DU. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum.

Song Structure 

Intro, Chords, and Rhythm: This guitar lesson is performed by Pawan Jalan; in the intro part of the video lesson, he talks about how this version of the song by Kailash Kher is different from Atif Aslam’s version. After that, he shows you how to tune your guitar for the music, the chords that you will be playing, and the rhythm that you need to follow for this song. 

Why Learn Tu Jaane Na?

Learning how to play this song on guitar is quite rewarding as it allows you to understand how one should be playing emotionally rich and soulful music. The song uses easy guitar chords, thus making it great for beginners. In addition to this, the melody you will be playing on guitar is both heartfelt and singable at the same time. 

FAQs – Tu Jaane Na Guitar Lesson

Q1) What should be the tuning for this guitar song lesson? 

Ans. You can play this song in standard tuning (EADGBE); it works just fine. If you wish to go a bit warmer for the unplugged version, it would be a good idea to slightly detune by half a step (Eb tuning). This will make your guitar sound a lot softer and easier for singers. ​

Q2) What should be the right picking approach for this song?  

Ans. The intro of the song works pretty well when you use arpeggios: use your thumb to play the bass strings; the index and middle fingers for the mid and high strings. Be sure to focus on clarity and even string separation. 

In this video lesson J.J. Pattishall teaches how to play the song Yaaram 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, Solo and Song Demo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Jeene De (Coffee Day Version) as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Intro Piece, Interlude, Verse, PreChorus, Chorus, and Bridge, Song Demo, Simple Version, Lead Overdubs and Solo Lesson. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!