Outro Chord Progression

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. 

Introduction:

It’s My Life is known to be one of the rock anthems, it was released in May, 2000 as the lead single of the seventh album called Crush by the rock band Bon Jovi. This was the song which made it possible for the band to introduce themselves to the younger fanbase. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: This song uses power chords most of the time along with some strong strumming, but it is up to you to add arpeggios to add another dynamic layer in the verses 

Instead of strumming, you can also play the following arpeggios in the verse section:

E|----------------|  

B|------0--------|  

G|----0---0------|  

D|--2-------2----|  

A|--------------|  

E|--------------| 

Strumming Pattern 

This song uses palm muting and strong downstrokes in order to create the classic rock sound. The main strumming pattern for It’s My Life by Bon Jovi is: D D X U D X U D  

• D (Downstroke) → Hit the full chord with power.
• X (Palm Mute) → Lightly rest your palm on the strings for a muted "chug" effect.
• U (Upstroke) → Play lightly, focusing on the higher strings for dynamics.

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction of the song you will be getting to know the tuning required to play this song. 

Song Arrangement: Here you guitar instructor Mike Walker will be combining the guitar and piano parts of the song together which allows you to play the iconic guitar melody of this song. 

Song Demo: After understanding what chords you need to play and where, in this part Mike is going to show you how to play the entire song with the backing track. 

Solo: This is the final part of the guitar lesson, and here you will be learning all the licks which are part of the guitar solo. 

Introduction:

The Middle was released by the band Jimmy Eat World in October 2001 as the second single of their fourth album called, Bleed American (2001). The song became an instant hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2002 and it also reached top 50 in various other countries like Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The Middle is a power chord driven song which includes fast strumming as well. But if you want you can add arpeggios for adding a bit of variation. 

The optional arpeggio-picking pattern is as follows: 

E|----------------|  

B|------3--------|  

G|----2---2------|  

D|--0-------0----|  

A|--------------|  

E|--------------|  

Strumming Pattern 

This song has open power chords in the chorus section and palm muting in the verses, giving it a classic high-energy-punk rock feel. 

The strumming pattern goes like this: D - D - D - U - D - U  

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

Song Structure 

Introduction: In the introduction Mike Walker your guitar instructor will teach you how to tune up your guitar in order to play this song. 

Song Demo: This is the final part where Mike will play the guitar part of the song while it plays at the back to show you how to sync up with other instruments and vocals. 

Song Arrangement: Here you will learn how to play the intro, and the middle section of the song along with required intervals which provides the riff of the song that iconic sound. 

Overdubs: In this part of the guitar lesson, you will be learning about the overdubs that you will be playing besides verses 1, 2 and 3. 

Solo Lesson: In this section Mike is going to teach you piece-by-piece how to play the solo of The Middle and give you tips on how to make it sound melodic. 

Why Learn The Middle By Jimmy Eat The World Song?

For someone who is into punk-rock, Jimmy Eat The World’s The Middle is the holy grail of punk music to start with. The main riff of the song is pretty catchy and it can be played using easy power chords. Also, this song can be used as a great introduction to palm muting which allows you to build tight rhythm playing. 

FAQs-The Middle By Jimmy Eat The World Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. What is the meaning behind the song “The Middle?”

Ans. It reflects the hard time that the band had to go through when there was no funding, and they had kept things simple in their recording rather than doing experimentation as they were doing in their previous records. 

Q2. When did Jimmy Eat The World start?

Ans. The band was formed in 1993 and they released their debut EP, entitled One, Two, Three and Four in 1994 under Wooden Blue Records. 

Q3. What is the music genre of Jimmy Eat The World?

Ans. The sound the band created falls in the category of punk rock; the first demo tape of the band was released in 1993, followed by their debut EP.

Introduction

Voices of the Soul is the song from the seventh and final studio album of the Florida-based death metal band called “Death.” This particular song has an eerie spectre, and it is one of the most experimental and expansive songs from Death, with impressive songwriting. 

Chords Used in Wake Me Up When September Ends

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: Open chords. The song is played in the key of G, and there is no need for a capo. 

Chorus Variation: The chorus of the song is pretty short, and the guitar chords used in it are similar to those of the verse. 

Strumming Pattern 

The entirety of the song follows the same strumming pattern: Down-Up, Down-Up, Down-Up. (DUDUDU)

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this section, J.J. Pattishall will show you the key in which the song is to be played. 

Song Arrangement: Here, you will learn how and why the guitar instructor has broken down this song into several different parts. This particular section will show you how to play the guitar parts of the intro, verse, chorus, and bridge. 

Rhythm: Here, you will learn the open chords used to provide backing rhythm to the verse and chorus of the song. 

Song Demo: Right here, after showing you how to play all the different chords for this song, J.J. Pattishall will show you how to play the guitar alongside the song. 

Solo Lesson: This is the last part, where you learn how to play the epic solo from the song.

Introduction:

Fade to Black was the first power ballad recorded by the metal band Metallica in 1984. This was the first promotional single from the band’s second album which was Ride the Lightning (1984). The final solo of the song uses melody as a means to provide transition to heavy chords. 

Fun Fact: The song and its lyrics address the suicidal feelings because, during the time of its recording, some members of the band were having a really hard time in their personal lives. 

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson

Arpeggios: The solo has heavy chord progression and for the final solo section there are no arpeggios for you to learn. 

Strumming Pattern 

This particular solo is for the lead guitarist, so it doesn’t really follow a strumming pattern like a rhythm part. 

Solo Structure 

Final Solo Part 1: In this part of the guitar solo lesson your instructor is going to be Mike Walker. Mike has divided the final solo from the song Fade to Black in 3 parts, this is the first section from the three parts. 

Final Solo Part 2: This is the second part of the solo, here Mike shows you how to perform overlapping and using the licks that were present in the first part. 

Final Solo Part 3: The third and final section starts with a little pull 

Why Learn to Fade to Black-Final Solo By Metallica?

Learning the guitar solo of Fade to Black isn't an easy task, it is one of the things only lead guitarist in the band wants to try as it requires lots of technical knowledge of the guitar. Speaking of the solo it is the most emotional solo to be ever written and performed in metal history, for this solo you will have to learn how to use bends and vibrato efficiently.

FAQs-This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. Which one is the saddest song recorded by Metallica? 

Ans. Fade to Black is considered to be the saddest song from the metal group Metallica. 

Q2. What is the meaning of the song Fade to Black? 

Ans. The story behind the creation of Fade to Black is that Hetfield, one of the band members, was kicked out of the band's manager's home after he drank all his booze and broke things. He then went to his friend’s house, and there, on the couch, he wrote the lyrics of Fade to Black. 

Q3. Has Metallica ever performed in India?

Ans. Yes, Metallica did come to India, they performed in Bangalore on October 18 in 2011. There was one more date in Gurugram but the band was not able to perform at that venue. 

Aces High - Introduction

Aces High" is the eleventh single by legendary British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, written by bassist Steve Harris for their 1984 album Powerslave. The song's lyrics vividly depict a British RAF pilot's experience during the Battle of Britain (1940), with the band's mascot Eddie appearing as a Spitfire pilot on the single artwork. The track has become one of Iron Maiden's most iconic songs, featured in numerous video games and extreme sports films.

The song's B-side contains a cover medley of Nektar's "Crying in the Dark" and "King of Twilight" from their 1972 album. The music video, filmed during the World Slavery Tour in Poland, incorporates authentic Battle of Britain newsreel footage. This powerful imagery became a staple of Iron Maiden's live shows, often paired with Winston Churchill's famous wartime speeches as an introduction.

Aces High Guitar Lesson

This lesson with Mike Walker teaches you how to play "Aces High" properly. The song keeps changing keys - it starts in C, then goes to A, then G, then back to C. This makes the song exciting but tricky to play. When the key changes, the mood of the song changes too, just like how a dogfight has calm moments and crazy moments.

The main riff uses something called harmonised guitars - that means two guitars play the same tune but at different pitches, making a cool twin sound. The rhythm is called "galloping" because it goes fast like a horse (down-down-up, down-down-up). You need to palm mute the strings near the bridge to get that tight, machine-gun sound Iron Maiden is famous for.

The solos use a special scale that sounds Middle Eastern. It's basically the minor scale but with the second note lowered (so in E minor, you play F natural instead of F#). This makes the solo sound tense and dramatic, which goes well for a war song. The fast parts need alternate picking - down-up-down-up - to play cleanly at high speed.

For beginners, start by learning just the power chords (C5, A5, G5) and the galloping rhythm slowly. The chords are simple, but switching between them fast is hard. Advanced players should work on the twin guitar harmonies and the quick key changes. The song is tough, but satisfying to play once you get it right, like most metal songs.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is used in Aces High?

The original recording uses Eb tuning (all strings tuned half-step down) but can be played in standard tuning.

Q. How to play the galloping rhythm?

Use alternate picking with emphasis on the downstrokes: Down-Down-Up pattern repeated.

Q. Is this song suitable for beginners?

The simplified power chord version is accessible, but the full arrangement requires intermediate skills.

Introduction

Limp Bizkit recorded the song “Take a Look Around” in the year 2000. It was their first single and tenth track of the album called Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water. 

This particular song ranked as number six and number four by Louder Sound and Kerrang, respectively, as Limp Bizkit's greatest songs of all time. 

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Take a Look Around (MI Theme) as part of our guitar series on English songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Song Arrangement 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: The song is in the key of A, and the tempo of the song is 100 bpm. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: In this introduction, Mike Walker, your guitar instructor, is going to show you the tuning settings for the song. You will also get to know how to play this song in one and a half steps down. 

Song Arrangement: Here you will learn about the four bar space that comes in the intro and the second verse, which is something you get to hear a lot in Mission Impossible movies in the background. 

Song Demo: This is the final section of the guitar lesson, here you will get to see how to play the guitar chords alongside the song. 

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 favorite, 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 quiet, 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.