Chords, Rhythm, and Song Arrangement

Bohemian Rhapsody – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on what is referred to as the greatest rock song of all time, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. It is a 6-minute ‘suite’ –a musical performance that typically includes four or five dances, according to Western classical music. But Bohemian Rhapsody is nothing like a classical piece. It is, in fact, the opposite of a classical piece. It is an alternative rock song parodying orchestral music.

Freddie Mercury was born to Parsi-Indian parents in Zanzibar, which is an island town on the east coast of Africa. After the Zanzibar revolution began, they had to flee to Middlesex, England, to save their lives. Since that is the environment Freddie grew up around, it makes sense for him to choose alt-rock and prog-rock as his genres.

Bohemian Rhapsody Guitar Lesson

The lesson on this song is taught by our beloved expert, Mike Walker, who explains all the different sections of the song –and there are many –in the simplest of ways. The lesson is divided into multiple sections, explaining all the parts of the song section by section –from the intro that talks about the chords and different voicings of those chords, to the rhythms and solos of the song.

The song contains an iconic intro, a ballad segment, an orchestral passage, a rock progression, an iconic solo, and an outro. It is almost as if the song is a contraption of multiple songs. Consequently, it has a number of chords and key changes. The instructor, though, gives time to explain all the changes meticulously.

The song follows the following keys: B♭ Major, E♭ Major, A Major and F Major. With most of the chords being non-standard shapes, for instance, the intro features flat-6 and 7th chords, and minor 7th chords. There is a motif in the verse that makes the section iconic –a set of repeating two notes –G to F while on a Bb chord, A to G on the Gmin, and D to C on the Cmin. The instructor shows how to play it in great detail and along with the original track.

Another iconic part of the song is Brian May’s guitar solo, which has been deemed one of the greatest solos of all time. Featuring a guitar that Brian built in his garage, sloppy vibratos, dynamics, and pure emotional playing make it one of the greatest.

The lesson also has a breakdown of the main solo and the outro solo, including the rhythm distortion guitar parts as well, shown in full by the tutor.

Q. Is Bohemian Rhapsody playable on an acoustic guitar?

Yes, once you master the chord shapes, you can easily play the fingerstyle version of the song and sing along.

Q. What effects does Brian May use?

Brian used a Phaser pedal into a treble booster that then went into a Vox AC30.

Q. How do I sing and play this at the same time?

Practice playing the chords first. The ballad actually follows the vocal melody and so mastering the chords can easily get you there.

Introduction:

Handy Man is a classic song written by Otis Blackwell in collaboration with Jimmy Jones. But the song became much more popular after James Taylor covered it in his own style of soft rock. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song requires you to use soft fingerpicking along with smooth chord transitions. The instructions below show how you can play the arpeggios for this song. Don’t forget to use the thumb-heavy fingerpicking technique.  

e|-----------0------------|  

B|------1------1---------|  

G|----0---0------0------|  

D|-------------2--------|  

A|--3------------------|  

E|----------------------|

Strumming Pattern 

You can use a simple flowing rhythm with a 4/4 time signature: D D U U D U. 

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum

The strumming pattern for the softer version should be played like this: D x D U x U D U.

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum
• X = Muted strum; here, you have to lightly touch the string as you strum. 

Song Structure 

Song Arrangement And Demo: For this song, your guitar instructor is going to be Steve Luciano; he shares the difference between this easy version of the song and how it can be played even by beginners. In addition to this, you will be using capo and simple strumming for this guitar lesson. The capo is going to be on the 2nd fret. 

Why Learn Handy Man Song?

This song uses easy to understand chords, thus, making it a great song to learn for beginners and for other guitarists no matter what their level is. In addition to this, it is a perfect song to play on acoustic guitar as well because it has that laid back feel to it. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who sang the original version of the song Handyman? 

Ans. James Jones, the American singer, was the singer and songwriter of the song. 

Q2. What is the meaning of the Handyman?

Ans. A handyman is someone who is skilled at repairing and making things inside or outside the house. 

Q3. Is there a hidden meaning to the song Handyman?

Ans. There is no such hidden meaning attached to the song, in this song a man is offering his services as someone who is able to fix broken hearts and make people happy again. 

Fun Fact: The Taylor version of this song made him win his second Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. 

Heaven By Bryan Adams

In this guitar lesson, instructed by Mike Walker, you will learn the clean electric guitar progression that comes in at the beginning of the song. The structure you have to follow is quite straightforward; it uses verse, bridges, chorus, and then again a bridge. 

But what sets this song and its lesson apart is the use of gravel-toned vocals, which carry a hint of vulnerability that was pretty rare back in the '80s rock anthems. On the other hand, if we look at the lyrics, they were quite earnest and at the same time universal. 

Why Learn Heaven Song On Guitar?

Heaven is a dream song to learn, especially if you are a beginner. Let us show you how it can be part of your musical journey and help you learn new techniques: 

Use of Basic Chords: It is the song that uses simple open chords such as C, G, Am, F and Dm. In addition to this, there’s also a capo version which allows you to use simpler fingerpicking. 

Slow Tempo: Heaven is played with a tempo of 65-70 BPM. This slow pace makes it a perfect song for learning clean transitions and rhythms. 

Emotional Expressions: It’s a great song for people who are trying to play songs that are heavy on feels. Besides this, it also teaches you how to move beyond mechanical strumming. 

Follows Familiar Structure: You have to follow a verse-chorus structure, which is beginner-friendly and, at the same time, makes you understand how popular songs are composed. 

Introduction:

The iconic song that we all used to listen to on our earphones but feared to play it loud when parents and elder siblings were around. It is the true rock anthem of Indian cinema, both the lyrics and the composition of the song come with zero filter. 

Fun Fact: The main title of the song uses a play of words that resembles a popular abuse in the Hindi language. This was done by the producers to push Bollywood censorship to its edge. 

Strumming Pattern 

The strumming pattern used for this song can be played well on both acoustic guitar and electric guitar. The basic pattern that you need to learn is as follows: D D U D D U.

D = Down Strum

U = Up Strum 

By strumming it fast and aggressively you can match up the rock-punk vibe of the song. 

Song Structure 

Chords, Rhythm, & Backing Track: This is the first part of the guitar lesson from Pawan Jalan; he will be sharing everything you need to learn 

Interlude Solo: This is the first solo present in the extended version of the song, and in order to play this part, it would be great to have an electric guitar with you. 

Outro Solo: This particular part of the song is played during the final part of a song, right before the song ends. This is a more rapid solo, and to get the right tone, we would request you to learn it on electric guitar. 

Song with Backing Track: This is the section where Pawan is finally going to give you a complete playthrough of the song; he will be combining all the elements that he mentioned in the guitar lesson and playing them with the backing track. 

Why Learn Bhaag D.K. Bose From Delly Belly Song On Guitar?

This is one of the rare songs from Bollywood, which has a raw, gritty sound that resonates with pure attitude. For the most part, you can say this is a modern Indian rock classic, making it a great song for channeling your inner rockstar and letting your energy flow into the guitar as you play it. 

FAQs-Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who wrote the lyrics for the song Bhaag D.K Bose from the movie Delly Belly? 

Ans. Ram Sampath is the man behind the composition of the song, and the lyrics of the song were written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. 

Q2. Is Delhi Belly a hit Bollywood flick? 

Ans. Yes, absolutely; the film became a major hit both in India and all over the globe where it was released. The film was able to earn 92 crores, while it was made on a budget of merely 36 crores. 

Q3. Is Delhi Belly a remake? 

Ans. No, there is one Indian-Tamil comedy film with the title Settai, which means mischief. This particular movie was released in 2013, and it was inclined toward a southern audience, resulting in the movie not getting the required fame to be released all across India. 

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.

Sau Aasoon, as hard-hitting as it sounds, isn’t actually a sad song. It does have a melodic feel to it, but that adds up to the reasons why you should be playing it on guitar. Sau Aasoon is from the movie Katti Batti, and musical maestro Shankar Mahadevan and Rasika Shekhar have given their vocals. It’s a song that beautifully holds an emotional ballad and soothing melody. In addition to this, the lyrics are just top-notch poetry, and there is a subtle instrumental arrangement, which is like a cherry on top. 

When you learn Sau Aasoon on guitar, you get to combine guitar techniques with an emotional feel. Here in this guitar lesson by Mike Walker, you are not just hitting the right notes, but you will also learn how to make your guitar playing sound more polished and heartfelt, which makes it possible for you to connect closely with the song’s original mood. 

Why Learn Sau Aasoon Song On Guitar?

You can play Sau Aasoon entirely from open chords; this makes the song accessible for people who are still looking to build confidence in their chord transitions and don’t feel like playing bar and other intricate chords. 

It’s a song that helps you convey emotions via guitar play, all thanks to its slow tempo and gentle dynamics. Furthermore, with a steady and relaxed rhythm, you are surely going to improve your timing as you practice this song. Apart from this, you also get control and the ability to feel rather than just mechanically play the chords. 

Due to its emotional appeal, this is the one song you should definitely keep on your setlist when playing for a live audience. 

FAQs – Sau Aasoon Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Can I transpose the song Sau Aasoon to a different key for my vocal comfort? 

Ans. Yes, if you wish, you can transpose Sau Aasoon to D major or even G major using a capo or by simply shifting chord shapes depending on your vocal range. With the transposing, you can adapt for both male and female vocalists while still maintaining their emotional depth. 

Q2. What are some of the modal characteristics of the song Sau Aasoon? 

Ans. Sau Aasoon predominately follows the Ionian model, which is nothing but a major scale, the use of natural major scale structure to create a soft, uplifting, yet melancholic mood. Thus, it’s a good example for newcomers to have an experience of modal sound. 

Q3. Is it possible for me to use hybrid picking or fingerstyle techniques for the song Sau Aasoon? 

Ans. You can try hybrid picking, where you can combine a pick or a bass note and fingers for higher strings; combining these two, you can easily arpeggiate the chords. With hybrid picking, you will also be able to enhance dynamic control, especially when you are playing an acoustic version of the song, which is quite stripped down in terms of chord progression. 

For retro Bollywood fans, “Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera” is more than just a song; it’s a song with energetic rock ‘n’ roll flair blended with romantic vibes. The composition is from R.D. Burman, and the vocalist is none other than Mohammad Rafi Saab and Asha Bhosle. This trio made an unforgettable song, which even to this day is listened to by people of all ages.

Strumming Pattern 

The lesson leans heavily on electric guitar riffs and percussive rhythm, so if you wish to go full-on rock ‘n’ roll mode, you can go with the song arrangement mentioned in the lesson, otherwise to capture the essence of the song. You can use the following strumming pattern: D – D U – U D U.  

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 
• – = Pause or miss the strings.

You should be using your palm to mute the strings, and it leads to a more rhythmic sound, especially if you are practicing on an electric guitar. Make sure you accent the second downstroke to match the energy and keep a consistent tempo; the song is fast-paced, so first practice chord progression slowly and then build it up. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction is from Mike Walker, who is going to be your guitar instructor for this guitar lesson. In the beginning, Mike will show you the required tuning for this song. 

Song Arrangement 1: Here, you will first learn all the individual licks that you need to play for this song, and once that’s done, you will get to piece them together to play the song. 

Song Arrangement 2: In this part of the guitar lesson, Mike will teach you the main riff of 

the song, which makes it so easily recognizable. 

Song Arrangement 3: This is the final song arrangement, and in this section of the song, you have to learn how to play sets of 16th notes. 

Song Demo: Right here is the final chapter of the song lesson. Mike, in this part of the song lesson, you will be playing the guitar parts of the song with a backing track to give you an example of how to keep up with the other instruments and the vocals of the song. 

Why Learn Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera Song On Guitar?

It’s an amazing song for guitar players because of its upbeat tempo in addition to the groovy baseline, which leads to super fun strumming patterns and also helps you with rhythmic practice. 

In addition to this, as you learn this song, you will get an understanding of twangy electric guitar licks and how to use early rock techniques that influenced retro Bollywood songs that we all love. With this song, you also learn major scale runs, quick chord switches, and how to improvise 60s-style arrangements. 

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire) as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Intro Lead, Chords, Rhythm, and Backing Track and Capo Version. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!