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:

Top Gun Anthem is one of the iconic instrumental rock compositions in Hollywood which was composed for the movie in 1986 by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens. This song has some strong, melodic guitar-driven tracks which every guitarist no matter if they are beginner, intermediate or expert must learn to play. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song revolves around the lead guitar instrumental. But if you do want to learn about the arpeggios, then here’s how you should be playing them:

e|-----------0------------|  

B|------1------1---------|  

G|----0---0------0------|  

D|-------------2--------|  

A|--3------------------|  

E|----------------------| 

Strumming Pattern 

The strumming pattern of the song is as follows: D D U U D U. 

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this introduction your guitar instructor Mike Walker is going to teach you how to tune up a guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement Part 1: This particular section will show you how to play the melody part of the song and how you should be counting the bells which are present in the song to keep up with tune.

Song Arrangement Part 2: Here, you will be learning the next part of the song. 

Song Demo: Here, Mike will show you how to play the entire song on guitar while keeping up with the backing track. 

Solo Part 1: In this part Mike will show you how to play the guitar solo which comes at 2:45 minutes on the track. He breaks down this guitar solo in 9 licks. 

Solo Part 2: This is the second part of the guitar solo, and it starts with lick number 6. 

Solo with Backing Track: Again, Mike plays the demo but this time specifically the solo part alongside the backtrack. 

Why Learn Top Gun Anthem Song?

The song has a beautiful, soaring lead guitar part which is easily recognisable when you play it. If you don’t know how to play the viberto, bends, and sustain control on your chord play then this song will teach you how to do it. 

Furthermore, it will help in improving your picking accuracy, sustain and phrasing and introduces you to dynamic control which is necessary if you want to master emotional guitar playing. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who played the Top Gun Anthem?

Ans. Steve Stevens is the man who composed Top Gun Anthem, the song was written by Harold Faltermeyer. Steve played guitar and Faltermeyer played the keyboard during the recording of the song. 

Q2. Which song did Tom Cruise play when he was in the bar?

Ans. In 1986, Top Gun Tom Cruise played “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” Tom played this song, and other members of the Navy pilots joined in the movie scene. 

Fun Fact: Top Gun Anthem won the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance

Believer – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a sensational pop blockbuster by one of the greatest pop-rock artists of modern music, Believer by Imagine Dragons. This song needs no introduction, for it amassed 2.8 billion views on YouTube and made Imagine Dragons world-famous, charting their way to everyone’s playlist.

Written in part and sung by Dan Reynolds, the song is about overcoming suffering and pain. He says, “The meaning of the song is reflecting on the painful things in my life, rising above that, finding a place where I could be appreciative of the pain and make it my greatest strength”. The message in the song is acceptance of pain in order to overcome it and cultivate belief in oneself through it, hence the title.

Believer peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's third top ten single after ‘Radioactive’ and ‘Demons’.

Believer Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, the tutor goes through talking about the individual parts of the song, one section after another. The first section contains the basic information about the song, like the key, tuning and tone. The second section talks about the chords and rhythm and the chords used in the song, followed by a section on the structural arrangement of the song, as in the position of verses and choruses. Finally, the tutor demonstrates how to play the song in its entirety with some improvisation tips.

Believer guitar chords are in the key of Bb minor. Mainly, three chords repeat over the length of the track, and palm-muted ‘chugs’ on the thicker strings give the song a metal vibe, while the special 12/8 time signature gives it a pop vibe. 12/8 time commonly feels like a shuffling rhythm, as if counting 1-2-3 repeatedly. The chords used are Bbm, F and F#.

The interesting bit about the arrangement here is in the overdubbed use of multiple guitars or guitar sounds. The tutor explains how there is a distorted rhythm guitar playing the power chords leaning on the low frequencies and the clean lead guitar playing the high frequency harmonies on top of it, both covering the sound space.

The instructor also goes through the lead or the vocal melody section of the song and shows how to play note by note, along with a demonstration on how to improvise on the track using the Bb minor pentatonic scale shape on the fretboard.

Consequently, this tutorial explores all the sections of the great power ballad of a song that Believer is and delivers the lesson in a structured format.

FAQs

Q. What is the story behind Believer by Imagine Dragons?

Dan Reynolds, the frontman of the band, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, which is a form of arthritis and causes great physical pain. His experience with the pain and rising above it is where the song comes from.

Q. Does Believer have a guitar solo?

Believer does not have a specific guitar solo in the track, but there is plenty of room in the track that you can solo over the chords using the Bb minor pentatonic scale.

Praise – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on the Christian rock gospel track by Everlasting Worship called Praise. The song was released in mid-2023 and has since been streamed over 150 million times on YouTube. Praise is a collaborative effort by Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore in the name of Jesus.

The message in the song is a declaration of devotion to Jesus Christ, lord and Saviour, who is all worthy of praise. There is deep devotional meaning in the lyrics of the song that talks about praising the lord in every situation and stage of life, for he is sovereign and true. The artists say, “Praise is also a weapon… Praise is how you fight for your perspective. Praise is how you take your imagination back from the enemy. Praise is how you inspire your faith and remember God’s faithfulness”.

Praise Guitar Lesson

The lesson here covers all parts of the song section by section, including the introduction, chords and rhythms, and the different techniques required to play this song perfectly. The tutor has demonstrated how to play the song using a capo as well as without a capo in the latter part of the lesson.

Praise chords are derived from the A major scale, which are A, Dadd9, F#m, E, and Bm. But since the open chord shapes sound louder and brighter, they make it tricky to produce the muted tones. Hence, the instructor suggests the use of a capo, which, instead of the nut pressing the strings from the bottom, does it from the top, and the muting effect becomes easy to achieve. Consequently, there arises a need to then transpose the song two frets ahead, which makes the chord shapes easier to play.

The song features augmented chords and minor 7th chords. They give a dreamy and expanding feel to the song. The strumming resembles a shuffle pattern with some muted strums for a percussive effect. This pattern, which is a little complex to master but sounds most fun to play, is carefully shown by the instructor, which the learners will find helpful.

FAQs

Q. What chords are used in ‘Praise’ by Elevation Worship?

The song uses standard chords like G, Cadd9, Em7, and D, using a capo on the 2nd fret. This is a common modern worship progression that is quite easy to play.

Q. Is Praise suitable for acoustic guitar beginners?

Yes, Praise is suitable for beginners. Although it has a higher tempo, that is only because of the strumming pattern, which is easy to play with a capo on. The chords are also easy to play with a capo on.

Q. How can I improve playing Praise live?

The greatest obstacle in live playing is the nerves, the adrenaline that makes your hands shake in front of an audience. A good way to deal with that is to not face the audience directly and stand at an angle, partly facing the audience and partly the band members.

Lag Ja Gale By Lata Mangeshkar 

Learning how to play “Lag Ja Gale” is as much a tribute to classic Indian melodies as it is an exercise that results in expressive playing, along with the understanding of subtle musical nuances. It’s a song lesson that will teach you more than just the chord shapes; it invites you to channel your inner artist in order to reach the required depth and tenderness that is required to master Madan Mohan’s composition and Lata Ji’s vocals, timeless.

Pranay Verma is your guitar instructor here; he’s a part of a jazz group called Therevisitproject. He is going to emphasize fingerpicking and gentle strumming in order to make sure you actually capture the song’s lifting rhythm. 

You will be using a capo on the first fret in this song to create that authentic tonal match. What stands out in this song is the plucked melodic phrases with the use of chord sweeps, which encourages both left-hand precision and right-hand control. 

“Lag Ja Gale” on guitar is more than just a beautiful old tune; it can be the benchmark for you to express yourself with sensitive guitar work that rewards your practice of musical restraint and melodic storytelling. 

Strumming Pattern For The Song Lag Ja Gale By Lata Mangeshkar 

The strumming pattern is gentle and flowing; it is designed to match the melodic and emotional character of the song specifically. This guitar tutorial takes the use of a simple and yet expressive pattern which supports the Bollywood waltz feel: D, D-U, U-D-U. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Using the given strumming pattern, you get to preserve its romantic and soothing essence while making the song accessible for both beginners and intermediates. 

Why Learn Lag Ja Gale By Lata Mangeshkar Song On Guitar?

The guitar song lesson “Lag Ja Gale” is for those who are seeking to elevate their expressive skills and pay homage to one of Bollywood's greatest classic hits. As you learn chords for the song, you will find it poignant and, at the same time, musically satisfying. 

FAQs – Lag Ja Gale By Lata Mangeshkar Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. How should I tune my guitar to play the song “Lag Ja Gale?”

Ans. You need to go with standard tuning (E A D G B e) as it is the most common one for this song. 

Q2. Do I have to use fingerpicking or strumming chords more preferably to play “Lag Ja Gale” on guitar? 

Ans. Both methods of guitar playing have their own benefits; you can use fingerpicking for melodic and expressive sections of the song. On the other hand, use gentle downstroke strumming for fuller sections. 

Q3. Can I play the song “Lag Ja Gale” by Lata Mangeshkar without using a capo on the guitar? 

Ans. Yes, it is possible, but it won’t give you the exact key in which the song was present in the original key.