Chords and Rhythm

Fish Rock – Introduction

Fish Rock is a standout track by the Indian band Thaikkudam Bridge, known for blending intense death metal with local Kerala culture. Released in 2014 during a live session on Kappa TV’s Music Mojo, the song quickly caught fire online, gaining millions of views and establishing the band as a powerful force in the Indian indie rock scene. What makes Fish Rock so unique is its playful inspiration—a love for fish fry, a popular dish in coastal Kerala—which the band turns into an energetic metal anthem full of fast riffs and powerful vocals.

The song features lyrics in Malayalam, peppered with local slang and phrases that add authenticity and regional flavor, making it feel both raw and personal. Led by Govind Menon’s songwriting and Anish Krishnan’s fierce vocals, Fish Rock combines aggressive metal instrumentation with catchy melodies and rhythms. The track became a key highlight of Thaikkudam Bridge’s debut album Navarasam in 2015, showcasing their ability to mix heavy music with cultural storytelling, which helped redefine Indian rock in a fresh and exciting way.

Fish Rock – Guitar Lesson

Mike Walker’s lesson on Fish Rock dives into how to nail the song’s heavy, gritty sound using drop D tuning, where the lowest string is tuned down a whole step from E to D. This tuning gives the guitar a deeper, punchier tone that’s perfect for the chunky riffs and aggressive rhythm playing the song demands. Mike takes you through the main riff, focusing on the powerful use of open strings and palm muting to create that tight, percussive feel common in metal.

The soloing section in Fish Rock is built around the minor pentatonic scale, which is a go-to scale for rock and metal soloing. Mike breaks down the solo ideas simply by showing how the minor pentatonic scale works—basically a five-note scale that sounds dark and bluesy. He explains how to use bends, slides, and hammer-ons to add expression without overcomplicating the solo, making it approachable for players looking to get into metal lead playing.

Throughout the lesson, Mike emphasizes keeping the rhythm tight and clean, which is key in heavy music to avoid a muddy sound. He also talks about dynamics—how to build tension by mixing softer muted riffs with bursts of aggressive picking. For players wanting to get the full feel of Fish Rock, Mike’s guidance on using the drop D tuning effectively, combined with minor pentatonic lead ideas, helps capture the song’s raw energy while making it accessible for learners.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is used in Fish Rock?

The song uses drop D tuning, which means the low E string is tuned down one whole step to D.

Q. What scale is used for the solo in Fish Rock?

The solo is based mainly on the minor pentatonic scale, which is a simple and common scale for rock and metal solos.

Adiyae Kolluthey – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on Adiyae Kolluthey, a vibrant romantic track from the 2008 Tamil film Vaaranam Aayiram, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. This song stands out with its fresh and youthful vibe, beautifully capturing the excitement and innocence of young love. Composed by Harris Jayaraj, Adiyae Kolluthey features the voices of Krish, Benny Dayal, and Shruti Haasan, with lyrics by Thamarai that add a poetic touch to the melody. The song’s lively energy and emotional depth quickly made it one of the most beloved tracks of the film’s soundtrack.

Visually, the song is equally memorable, shot in stunning locations like the University of California, Berkeley, and the scenic San Francisco Bay area. The beautiful backdrops perfectly complement the playful chemistry between the lead actors, Suriya and Sameera Reddy. This combination of heartfelt music and captivating visuals made Adiyae Kolluthey a favorite among fans and helped cement Harris Jayaraj’s place as one of Tamil cinema’s top composers. The song also marked an important moment for Shruti Haasan, establishing her as a strong playback singer in the industry.

Adiyae Kolluthey – Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, Mike Walker takes you through the essentials of playing Adiyae Kolluthey on guitar, using Eb tuning which lowers the pitch a half step from standard tuning. This tuning helps capture the song’s smooth and mellow feel while making some of the chords easier to finger. The main chords you’ll use include power chords like B5, A5, D5, and E5, along with some major chords like C# and F#. Mike breaks down each chord shape slowly so you can get comfortable with the finger placement and maintain the song’s clean tone.

Mike explains that the song’s arrangement relies a lot on these power chords, which give the track a gentle rock edge without overpowering the vocals. The use of power chords instead of full major or minor chords creates a light but driving sound that fits perfectly with the song’s youthful energy. He also points out the smooth transitions between chords like B5 to A5, which require a relaxed hand and practice to sound fluid.

The rhythm of Adiyae Kolluthey is steady and laid-back, sitting comfortably in a 4/4 time signature at a moderate tempo. Mike guides you through the strumming pattern, which combines downstrokes and light upstrokes to keep the momentum moving without becoming too busy. He also offers tips on muting and palm damping to control the tone, which is important to replicate the song’s clean guitar sound. For those looking to add some flair, Mike suggests subtle embellishments using slides and hammer-ons within the chord shapes, making your playing feel more expressive without overcomplicating things.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is Adiyae Kolluthey played in?

The song is played in Eb tuning, which is standard tuning lowered by a half step on every string.

Q. Are power chords difficult to play for beginners?

Not really. Power chords are simpler shapes that focus on the root and fifth notes. With some practice, even beginners can play them smoothly.

Dhimu Dhimu - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on Dhimu Dhimu, a soft romantic ballad from the 2011 Tamil film Engeyum Kadhal. Directed by Prabhu Deva, the movie stars Jayam Ravi and Hansika Motwani, and this track became one of its emotional high points. Composed by Harris Jayaraj and sung by Karthik, the song is soaked in longing and tender expression.

Interestingly, Dhimu Dhimu holds a unique spot in the film's music journey—it was the first track composed for Engeyum Kadhal, even though it was first heard by the public in its Telugu adaptation “Chilipiga” for the film Orange. Still, the Tamil version managed to claim its own space with a different emotional tone and arrangement.

Dhimu Dhimu Guitar Lesson

In this lesson, instructor J J Patishall takes you through Dhimu Dhimu in a way that’s both thoughtful and easy to follow. The song is played in standard 4/4 time at around 120 BPM, which makes it a comfortable speed for both beginner and intermediate players. The chords are rooted in C major and include C, Fmaj7, G, and even a slightly unexpected Bb chord. J J explains how these chords work together to create that dreamy atmosphere the song is known for. For example, the Fmaj7 adds a floating quality—it's basically an F major chord, but with an open E string, giving it a more emotional sound.

J J also talks about how to play the song with smooth transitions between chords. He focuses a lot on how to hold each chord shape lightly and clearly, so the ringing notes don't get muddy. The Bb chord might feel like a challenge for some, since it's usually a barre chord, but J J breaks down a simplified version so even newer players can try it without stress.

The strumming pattern is kept subtle and steady—mostly downstrokes with light upstrokes filling the gaps. It reflects the slow-burning feel of the track. J J also offers an optional picking style for those who want to add more texture to their playing. He demonstrates how to pluck the individual strings of each chord in rhythm with the melody, which matches the orchestral style of the original arrangement.

Lastly, there's a small section where the harmony shifts in a surprising way, using the Bb to break the usual major pattern. J J points this out and explains how little moments like this can really pull at your emotions, even if you’re not actively aware of it while listening. It’s this kind of insight that makes the lesson a blend of both learning and feeling the music.

FAQs

Q. Is the Bb chord necessary to play Dhimu Dhimu?

Yes, but if you're a beginner, J J shows an easier version of it that works just fine for the song’s feel.

Q. Do I need to know music theory to follow this lesson?

Not at all. J J keeps the explanation simple—he talks more about how things sound and feel than using technical language.

Aasai Oru Pulveli was a standout song from the movie Attakathi, a Tamil film that was released back in 2012. Santhosh Narayanan did the composition of the song; with this track, Santhosh tried to capture the essence of innocence, which is present in youthful love. 

As the movie was released, this song became a cult favorite among modern Tamil music fans. The title of the song translates to My Desire Is Like A Blade Of Grass, which is there to depict the fragility of falling in love with someone for the very first time. 

Furthermore, this song marked a turning point in the life of composer Santhosh Narayanan, he used analog recording techniques in order to recreate nostalgic and retro vibes of the 80s. He even chose vintage synth sounds and layered vocals to give this song its dreamy texture, which makes it stand out in the sea of digital-heavy soundtracks. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction for this guitar lesson starts with J.J. Pattishall played the key chords for the song. In addition to this, J.J. will be your guitar instructor as well, so before proceeding any further, he will tell you how to tune up the guitar for this song. You will be playing the guitar parts as close to the original tune which was part of the recording. 

Song Arrangement - Part 1 (Intro Piece): J.J. talks about how the tuning changes up the tonality of the strings and gives you a sound that you can experiment with according to your requirements. Also, you have to use a capo on the 2nd fret for this song, 

Song Arrangement - Part 2: This part of the song lesson shows you how to play the chords for the extended chorus part of the song. 

Rhythm: Here, you will learn about the rhythm that you need to follow in this song; your guitar instructor divides the rhythm section into two parts: the first one is the chorus rhythm, and the second is the verse rhythm. 

Song Demo: This is the final part, where J.J. shows you how to play the guitar parts of the song with the backing track. 

Why Learn Aasai Oru Pulveli Song From Attakathi?

It is a beautifully composed song that is a blend of modern melodies and does hold a nostalgic retro feel to it as well. The song features simple and flowing chord changes that are pretty easy to grasp, making them great for practice. It helps in improving your timing, transitions and rhythm. 

Furthermore, you can experiment with gentle fingerpicking or mellow strumming, as the song lets you do both things, giving you space to showcase your versatility. It has a laid-back tempo, and the melody urges you to sing along, thus making it a fun song to perform solo with vocals and guitar in a live performance setup.  

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Tum Ho Toh as part of our guitar series on Indian 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!

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. 

Bandeyaa is a great track to learn on guitar; with this guitar lesson, you are going to have an understanding of musical structure and chord rhythms. The song has a deep emotional appeal to it, even though the entire composition is a combination of simple yet powerful chords with the addition of expressive vocals. 

With this guitar lesson from Mike Walker, you will learn how to play and capture the raw intensity of Bandeyaa with the help of smooth transitions, dynamic strumming, and beginner-friendly chord shapes. 

Whether you are learning this song to perform solo, thinking about jamming with friends, or just recording a heartfelt cover, this is the lesson that is going to provide you with a thorough guide on how to use different guitar techniques to make your version of Bandeyaa sound more polished and moving. 

Strumming Pattern 

When it comes to learning a strumming pattern for a song like Bandeyaa, you need to go with a pattern that compliments the sound of acoustic guitar, and we just got that for you; here’s the pattern that’s surely going to hit your audience in all the right places as you play this song: D – D U – U D U.

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

An optional strumming variation that you can follow to make the song more expressive: D – D – D U – U D U.

With this strumming, you are going to add a slight pause after the first two strums, giving more space and emotional weight to the song. 

Here are a few tips that will help you strum better and more cohesively: 

• When you are playing this song, make sure you keep the strums gentle and controlled, especially when you reach the verse section of the song; this will help you preserve the emotional feel of the song. 
• As the chorus of the song begins, if you wish, you can slightly increase the strumming intensity to match the build-up. 
• In case you want to play a more intimate version of the song, then it would be best to replace the strumming with light fingerpicking or arpeggios during the intro and the verse sections of the song. 

FAQs – Bandeyaa Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Is it possible to play the Bandeyaa song from the movie Jazbaa entirely with open chords on the guitar? 

Ans. Yes, you surely can play the entire song, but you have to place a capo on the 5th fret; with a capo, you avoid bar chords entirely while still maintaining the sound, which is closer to the original recording. 

Q2. Is the song Bandeyaa from Jazbaa good for practicing the fingerpicking technique on guitar? 

Ans. The song uses a slow tempo, and it does have a melancholic vibe to it, which makes it a perfect guitar lesson to practice basic arpeggios or Travis picking, especially when the verse or intro parts of the song come in. 

In this video lesson Pawan Jalan teaches how to play the song Jiyein Kyun as part of our guitar series on Indian 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!