Song Arrangement

Introduction

Ironic is the song by Canadian singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette. It was the third single from her 1995 studio album, Jagged Little Pill. 

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

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: You will use open chords for this song. 

Chorus Variation: D G D E-minor are the chords you will use when playing chorus variation. 

Strumming Pattern 

This song has lots of repetition, making it easier for new guitar players to learn and play. The strumming pattern varies throughout the song, but for the most part, you will be playing:

Down-Down Up-Down Up-Down

Song Structure 

Chords, Rhythm, and Song Demo: This guitar lesson has only one section. Your instructor is Amy May, who will show you how to play specific chords for this song using a capo on the 4th fret. The tuning note for this song is Low-E. 

Why Learn This Song?

For six straight weeks, this song remained on top of the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, making it the second most successful song of the year in Canada. In addition to this, Ironic reached the top five spots in Australia, New Zealand, and Norway. This is a pretty catchy song, and once you start listening to it, you will be humming it day in and day out. 

Tips To Improve Guitar Playing: 

• When playing any chord, use one finger for one chord. 
• Always keep your thumb behind the middle finger and halfway down the neck. 
• You must understand that to become a better guitarist, you first need to be a better musician. 

Perfect - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that needs no introduction. Perfect by Ed Sheeran topped all the charts in 2017 and became a super duper hit worldwide. This song has now become part of mainstream pop youth culture. All lovers, depending on their heartbroken status, either love or hate this song. It has collected more than 4.9 billion views (almost half of humanity) on YouTube since its release and has been in all the romance playlists on every streaming service platform.

The song is a ballad celebrating the traditional marriage relationship between two lovers, written about Sheeran’s wife-to-be, Cherry Seaborn, whom he had known since he was in school and then reconnected with her when she was working in New York. Sheeran has said the song captures the feeling of finding "the one" - that magical moment when you realise you've met your soulmate.

Perfect Guitar Lesson

The guitar lesson on Perfect is an easy one. Nevertheless, the lesson has many sections that talk about the chords and rhythm of the song, and a section on improvisation where the instructor is demonstrating how to solo over the track.

The song only has four chords, namely – G - Em7 - Cadd9 - D, which the tutor explains is meant to be played with the capo on the 1st fret, as does Sheeran himself in live performances. The strumming of the song goes in triplets of 4, covering four bars of music.

The thing about minor 7th chords and augmented chords used in the song is that in the open position, they share some of the notes, and when chords share notes, the phenomenon of voice leading occurs. Voice leading is when the notes of one chord lead to another, creating an interesting movement between anticipation and resolution in the music.

Although the studio recording version of the song uses a capo on the first fret, the lesson here demonstrates both ways, with and without a capo, of playing the song in its entirety. The song follows a 12/8 time signature, and the rhythm sounds like that of a waltz, which makes it an easy song to dance to, especially with one’s lover.

The lesson makes available Perfect lyrics and chords along with the video lesson, which the advanced players can refer to when learning the song.

FAQs

Q. What is the story behind Ed Sheeran's song Perfect?

Perfect was written by Ed Sheeran as a love song for his then-girlfriend (now wife) Cherry Seaborn. The lyrics describe their real-life romance, from meeting as teenagers to falling in love as adults.

Q. What key is Perfect?

Perfect is written in the key of Ab major (G major for live performances), though most guitarists use a capo on the 1st fret to make the chords easier to play. This transposition means you'll be playing standard shapes like G, Em, C and D but hearing them in Ab major.

Introduction:

Smooth By Santana is a mix of rock, blues, and it combines some melodies of Latin rhythms as well. So if you are someone who is interested in learning the ways of Santana this should be a great starting point for your musical journey. 

Fun Fact: In the beginning the song was called Room 17 and the idea of the song came to the mind of Itaal Shur, but then lyrics were all take out from the song and it was given to Rob Thomas, who completely re-wrote the song and changed its original melody, that’s how Smooth came into existence by Santana. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The arpeggios for this song are as follows: 

e|------1-------------|

B|----3---3----------|

G|--2-------2--------| 

D|--------------------| 

A|--------------------| 

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

Strumming Pattern 

There are two strumming patterns for this song, the first one is pretty basic and you can play it like this: DD UU DU. 

• D = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum

Or you can play this version which adds more groove to the song: DD X UDU. 

• D = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum
• X = Muted Strum 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this introduction, Mike is going to show you how to tune up your guitar for this song. 

Song Arrangement: Here, you will learn about the different guitar rhythms that you will be following as you play the song. Mike starts explaining every rhythm starting with the intro section. 

Song Demo: Over here, Mike is going to show you how to play the guitar parts of the song with the backing track. 

Solo 1: From this part, you will start learning how to play different solos which come in the song. This is the first solo performed by Santana in the first part of the song. 

Overdub Licks: This particular section shows how to play a particular lick which is being played at the 32 second of the track. 

Solo 2: This is the second solo from the song. 

Solo 3: Solo which comes after the verses. 

Outro Solo: This one is the last solo which Santana played and it was used as an outro for the song. 

Why Learn Smooth By Santana?

Carlos Santana is known throughout the world for his amazing phrasing and his ability to sustain heavy tones on the guitar. As you learn this song, you will get to know about techniques like Vibrato, sustain, melodic soloing and smooth transition between the lead and the rhythm of the song. 

FAQs-This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who originally sang “Smooth?”

Ans. Smooth was performed by Santana & Rob Thomas who were part of a band called Matchbox Twenty. This song was released as a lead single from the 1999s studio album, Supernatural. 

Q2. What made Santana so famous in the music industry? 

Ans. Santana became much more popular after their incredible set which they performed live at Woodstock in 1969. In that same year, the band also released their self-entitled LP as well. 

Q3. Is Santana considered to be a good guitarist of his time? 

Ans. Santana is known to be the man who invented the Latin rock guitar genre, making it stand as one of the best of his generation. 

In the modern history of Pakistan, Aadat from Jal became the most iconic track, which resonated pretty well with the South Asian audience. The song has Atif Aslman’s vocals, and Goher Mumtaz is the one playing the guitar. With its emotive melody and unforgettable guitar riffs, the song was able to strike a deep chord among the listeners. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction is from J.J. Pattishall, who will be your guitar instructor for this lesson. In this part of the song, he talks about how the song takes inspiration from the rock genre. There are a lot of things that you need to learn in order to play this song, which makes it a unique song to pick for a guitar lesson. 

Chords and Rhythm: At the beginning of this part, J.J. shows you the different chords you have to practice for this song. Once you get accompanied by the chords, you can move to the next section, which is the rhythm. For this song lesson, you need to have a capo, which should be placed on the 4th fret. 

Song Arrangement: Right here, you will be learning how to play the song using arpeggios and fingerpicking techniques that are required for this lesson. 

Solo: This part of the song comes at exactly 2:45 seconds into the song. To play the solo, you need to put a capo on the 4th fret. The solo section is broken down into small sections to show you how part of the solo is played. 

Song Demo: Finally this is the part where J.J. Pattishall will play the guitar with the backing track to show you how you need to sync up the guitar chords with vocals and with other instruments that are part of this song. 

FAQs – Aadat (Complete Version) Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Why should I learn the song Aadat from the band Jal? 

Ans. It is a classic south Asian rock song; it will help you in building both acoustic rhythm and electric lead playing. Also, it is one of the songs from Jal, the band, which is the crowd’s favorite. 

Q2. What is the structure of the complete song? 

Ans. Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Guitar Solo – Final Chorus – Outro

Q3. Can I play this song on acoustic guitar? 

Ans. Absolutely. The unplugged version of Aadat is quite popular and sounds great on acoustic.

Q4. Do I have to use any special techniques in order to play this song? 

Ans. For this song, you need to have an understanding of 

• Palm muting
• Arpeggiated picking
• Distorted power chord riffs
• Simple lead guitar licks

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. 

Introduction:

This song was originally written and composed during the time of Schultz and Fraites in New York. It was meant to be a kiss-off to disinterested concertgoers. It was the first single from a folk rock band to get certified in the US. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The song is present in the key of C major. 

Strumming Pattern:

The most common strumming pattern used for playing this song is D - D - U - D - D:

• D = Down strum
• U = Up strum
• - = Pause (mute or let the chord ring)

The alternative strumming pattern is D - D - U - U - D - U, this adds more guitar movement in the song and makes the guitar play a bit more smooth. 

Song Structure:

Introduction: The introduction of the song is by J.J. Pattishall, in here he teaches you the tuning required to play this song on guitar. 

Song Arrangement: Here, your guitar instructor talks about the feel of the song and how it helps you play it. In addition, he shares with you all the chords you have to play and how they should be played.

Sing and Play: In this section, you will learn how to time your chords while you are singing. 

Song Demo: Finally this is the part where your guitar instructor will show you how to play the entirety of the song with the song running in the background. 

Sanam Teri Kasam – Introduction

Sanam Teri Kasam is one of those songs that just sits with you long after it ends. From the 2016 film of the same name, the song became an instant favorite for people who love intense, emotional love stories. Composed by Himesh Reshammiya and sung by Ankit Tiwari and Palak Muchhal, the track brings out themes of longing, heartbreak, and unshaken devotion. It fits perfectly into the narrative of the film, which is a modern tragic romance.

What really makes Sanam Teri Kasam stand out is its sincerity. There’s nothing flashy or over-produced about it—it’s just pure emotion, pouring through both the music and the lyrics. Sameer Anjaan’s writing feels personal and poetic, and the vocals carry it all with a kind of soft heartbreak. The song was released at a time when Bollywood was leaning heavily into dance beats and remixes, so a raw, classic-style ballad like this one really struck a chord with audiences.

Sanam Teri Kasam – Guitar Lesson

Instructor Steve Luciano teaches this easy version of Sanam Teri Kasam with a focus on making it playable and soulful at the same time. You’ll need to place a capo on the 3rd fret for this lesson, which helps match the key of the original while keeping the chords nice and simple. The main chords you’ll use here are Am, C, G, E7, Em, and F. These are all standard open chords, and Steve breaks them down one at a time, pointing out smooth finger transitions and how to let the emotions of the song come through even if you’re just strumming.

The strumming pattern Steve recommends is soft and flowing, following the melody more than a strict beat. It’s the kind of pattern that lets you slow down when the lyrics are heavy and pick up just a bit when the song starts to lift. He also gives guidance on dynamics—when to let the chords ring out and when to dampen them for a more intimate feel. The trick to this song isn’t in speed or flash, but in holding back just enough to let the emotion carry the performance.

Steve also touches on how to approach the E7 and F chords, which might trip up beginners. For E7, he shows how it adds a slight emotional tension before resolving back to Am, and for F, he offers a few fingering options—barre and simplified—so you can pick what works for your current level.

One of the best parts of this lesson is how Steve keeps the focus on expression. This is a great song to work on if you want to build emotional connection through your playing, without needing advanced theory.

FAQs

Q. Is this version suitable for beginners?

Yes! The chords are standard open chords, and Steve’s pacing is slow and clear enough for new players to follow along easily.

Q. Do I need to use a capo for this song?

Using a capo on the 3rd fret helps match the pitch of the original and makes the chord shapes easier.

Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai By Lucky Ali 

Lucky Ali’s “Kabi Aisa Lagta Hai” is one of those rare gems in the Indie music scene that made the artist’s name familiar in every Indian household. This particular song feels like it is made for calm evenings, thus making it less of a song and more of a feeling that you experience. 

The guitar chords are free-flowing, and they are soaked in nostalgia. As you practice this song, you will find that the song requires a lot of patience; you don’t have to rush it on guitar, it will smoothly drift. The use of open chords “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” creates a warm and earthy feeling, which is something a lot of songs desperately try to mimic but fail miserably. 

In addition to this, learning “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” by Lucky Ali on guitar will teach you how sometimes you don’t need to fill in spaces when playing a song, even silence can be a voice when it is done with perfection, and this song is a prime example of it. 

Why Learn Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai By Lucky Ali Song On Guitar?

The chord progression of the song “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” is quite repetitive, but that’s where its true strength lies; the progression makes listeners sink into a melody of calmness. Apart from this, as a learner, you can pick up this song in no time due to the ease of chords. Once all the chords are in their place, you can spend just a few weeks mastering their original feel and playing style. 

For beginners, the song “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” holds an easy strumming pattern that allows them to explore important concepts of control and flow. On the other hand, advanced players have the freedom to experiment with fingerstyle picking to get a richer and more intimate 

sound out of their guitar. 

FAQs – Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai By Lucky Ali Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Where do I have to place the capo to play the song “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” by Lucky Ali on guitar? 

Ans. Depending on your vocal range, you can put a capo anywhere on the neck of the guitar. But for most people, it is not required because the song uses a G major chord progression. 

Q2. Which tuning should I be using to play the song “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” on guitar?

Ans. The song uses standard tuning ( E A D G B E); there is no requirement to add alternate tuning. All you have to do is grab your acoustic guitar, tune it in, and start practicing the 

song. 

Q3. Which strumming pattern do I have to follow when playing “Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai” on guitar?

Ans. DD UU DU is the most common strumming pattern for this song. Try to maintain the tempo of the song around 80 - 85 BPM, and follow a 4/4 time signature. 

Iktara is the soul-touching song composed by none other than Amit Trivedi, and the lyrics of the song were penned down by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The song plays a crucial role in the movie, reflecting the personal growth of the main character and his introspection. 

Fun Fact: The song was not meant to be the emotional centrepiece of the movie; in fact, it was added pretty late in the film because the production team felt that there was a need for a soulful and reflective track in the movie. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The given progression C – G – Am – F has to be repeated throughout the verse, and it forms the base of the arpeggiated picking. 

Apart from this, the basic arpeggio pattern which you should follow is this: P – I – M – A – M – I. 

Apply this to:

• C chord (P = 5th string)
• G chord (P = 6th string)
• Am chord (P = 5th string)
• F chord (P = 6th string)

Strumming Pattern 

The strumming pattern that you need to follow for this song is D – D U – U D U.

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction of this song lesson, Steve gives an overview of the song and the things you are going to learn in this lesson. He also gives you a sneak peek of how the song uses open chords and easy strumming patterns that are beginner-friendly. 

Song Arrangement: Here you are going to learn the chords and rhythm of the main guitar, which sets the tone of the song. Steve will show you all the base notes that you require to play this one. 

Solo 1: This solo is present in the key of G, and Steve will play the solo for you to show you where you need to put your fingers in order to mimic the exact sound that you hear in the song. 

Solo 2: The second solo is a bit longer than the first one, and it is present in the G tonality. You can copy the finger placement that is used by Steve in this lesson, or you can change it according to your comfort and knowledge. 

Song Demo: In the final section of this guitar lesson, Steve is going to play the guitar parts of the song while the song is being played in the background. 

FAQS – Iktara (Original) Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who composed the song Iktara for the movie Wake Up Sid? 

Ans. The song was composed by Amit Trivedi and sung by Kavita Seth and Amitabh Bhattacharya. 

Q2. Is the song beginner-friendly for people who are new to guitar? 

Ans. Yes, it is considered to be a great song for beginners to learn as it features open chords and has a gentle strumming pattern. 

Q3. Are there any arpeggios present in the song Iktara? 

Ans. Yes, you can use arpeggios in the intro and verse section of the song; it works pretty well with the soft acoustic version. 

Tum Ho is a song that A.R. Rahman was made specifically for Mohit Chauhan’s voice. He asked Mohit to sing this song like a whisper that came from the heart, and the result of his instruction led to one of the most mesmerizing songs of the new Bollywood era. 

Fun Fact: According to many insiders, A.R. Rahman composed the song Tum Ho in complete silence, late at night, in his studio in order to make sure he is able to feel the spiritual and emotional loneliness of the character Jordan. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The arpeggio pattern you need to follow for this song is (P - I - M - A - M - I). In addition to this, the standard fingerpicking pattern is: 

• Thumb (P) for the bass note (6th, 5th, or 4th string depending on the chord)
• Index (I) for the 3rd (G) string
• Middle (M) for the 2nd (B) string
• Ring (A) for the 1st (high E) string

Strumming Pattern 

The main strumming pattern that you need to follow is D - DU - UDU

• U = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum 

Song Structure 

Tum Ho Lesson with Capo: In this part of the guitar lesson, the guitar instructor, Will MacMorran, shows you how to play the guitar parts of the song Tum Ho by using capo on the 2nd fret. 

Song with Backing Track: After he teaches you how to play the chords, Will is going to show you how to play the entire song with the backing track. 

Lesson without Capo: In case you don’t have a cap, you can watch this part of the guitar lesson to learn how to play the song without using a capo. 

Why Learn Tum Ho From Rockstar?

Tum Ho is a song filled with emotions, longing, and finding spiritual love. If you are someone who wants to express emotion through melody, this is the right song to begin with. It uses basic guitar chords that are easy to play but they do sound rich when you strum or pick them. 

FAQs – Tum Ho From Rockstar Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who was the vocalist for the song Tum Ho from the movie Rockstar? 

Ans. Mohit Chauhan was the man behind the soulful vocals of the song Tum Ho. Along with him the female portion of the song was sung by Suzanne D’Mello. 

Q2. What particular theme does the song Tum Ho touch? 

Ans. Tum Ho is a song about deep love, longing for someone, and trying to find a spiritual connection between the two souls. 

Q3. In which genre does Tum Ho fit in? 

Ans. Tum Ho is a soft rock. Along with this, it is also a romantic ballad with the addition of ambient textures that come to life with the help of acoustic guitar, piano, and even orchestral backing.