Introduction

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. 

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.

Fear of the Dark - Introduction

Fear of the Dark is one of Iron Maiden’s most famous songs, released in 1992 on the album of the same name. Written by bassist Steve Harris, it explores the fear of darkness and the unknown. The song starts slow and eerie, then explodes into fast, heavy riffs. It became a fan favourite, especially in live shows where the crowd sings along.

The lyrics describe the creeping fear of being alone in the dark, where every shadow feels threatening. Bruce Dickinson’s powerful vocals and the twin-guitar harmonies make it unforgettable. The song’s structure is dynamic; starting quietly, building tension, then bursting into full energy. It remains one of their most-streamed tracks today.

Fear of the Dark Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Walker, this lesson breaks down the song’s F major to D minor shifts. The intro uses clean arpeggios (F - C - Dm - Bb) before the heavy riff kicks in. The main riff is in D minor, played with palm muting for a tight sound. The tempo starts at 80 BPM but speeds up later.

The verse has a chugging rhythm (D5 - C5 - Bb5), while the chorus opens up with power chords (F5 - C5 - D5 - Bb5). The solos use the D harmonic minor scale (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C#), giving them a dark, dramatic feel. The twin-guitar harmonies are a key feature—two guitars play different but matching melodies.

For the solos, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith use the D harmonic minor scale (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C#). This scale gives the leads their dramatic, almost classical sound. The twin-guitar harmonies are a key feature—one guitar plays a melody while the other plays a matching part at a different pitch. These harmonies use intervals of thirds and sixths to create that classic Iron Maiden sound.

The bridge section before the final chorus has a rhythm part with quick chord changes. Here, you switch between D5 - F5 - C5 - Bb5 in rapid succession. The key is to keep your palm muting consistent while moving between chords. The song ends with a repeat of the intro arpeggios.

Beginners should start by learning the power chord shapes and the galloping rhythm pattern. Practice the palm muting to get that tight, punchy sound. Intermediate players can work on the twin-guitar harmonies—try recording one part and playing the other over it. Advanced players should focus on the vibrato and bends in the solos, which need to be precise to match the original recording.

FAQs

Q. What tuning does Iron Maiden use for this song?

Standard tuning (EADGBE), though they sometimes play it half-step down live.

Q. How do I play the rhythm correctly?

Use downstrokes on the main beats and upstrokes in between (down-down-up). Start slow with a metronome.

Q. Why does the solo sound so dramatic?

It uses the D harmonic minor scale, which has a raised 7th note (C# instead of C natural).

Q. Can I play this song on a single guitar?

Yes, but you’ll miss the harmonies. Try recording one guitar part and playing the other over.

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

In My City is the debut song from Indian actress Priyanka Chopra featuring Will.i.am. The song was co-written by Ester Dean, who also provides his voice for additional vocals. 

Priyanka gives homage to her nomadic childhood and shows her journey from a small-town girl to a big Bollywood star. This isn’t a guitar song in the first place, but J.J. Pattishall is going to teach you how to turn it into a guitar song. 

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

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this part, J.J. Pattishall talks about how this song is a unique dance number and the influence of singer/ DJ Will.i.am makes the song upbeat, similar to the songs from Black Eyed Peas. In this section, you will also learn the tuning of the guitar for this song. 

Chords and Rhythm: Here, you will learn the outline of the chords and the rhythm that you are going to use in the song. Furthermore, you will get to know how to improvise guitar playing in this song to make it more interesting.

Song Arrangement: In this section, you will be learning how to play the chords of Will.i.am, part of the song. 

Song Demo: This is the last section where your guitar instructor is going to show you how to play the guitar section alongside the song.