Electric Main Solo

Welcome to the guitar lesson on what is a fun experimental track collaborated upon by Pritam and Shah Rukh Khan, Safar from the movie Jab Harry Met Sejal, a modern Indian interpretation of the 1989 Hollywood film When Harry Met Sally. The song has received over 15 million views on YouTube since its release in 2017.

The song is about life as a journey, which is the underlying theme of the movie. Specifically, the narrative around the circle of life, returning to the place one started from after a long journey, i.e. Safar. The lyrical motif of the song is “I don’t belong here or there, I belong to the journey”.

Safar Guitar Lesson

Safar guitar lesson is taught by our beloved expert, Mike Walker, who explains all the different sections of the song in a section-by-section manner, starting from the intro that talks about the chords and different voicings of those chords, through the overdubs and the guitar solo section, to the final section that talks about improvisation on the track.

The song is mostly in the key of C major, but by the genius of Pritam, one of the most prominent music directors of the Bollywood music industry, the song also goes to the G major. The D major and the F major chords, which straddle the two keys, create a unique sound for the song.

The song intro has a swinging rhythm pattern and follows minor 7th and suspended chords, underlying the uncertain, ambiguous and suspenseful nature of the journey of life. The guitar solo is based on the A minor pentatonic scale and features string bending and controlled vibrato techniques, which are very good for practicing those techniques for a beginner.

The acoustic and electric overdubbed motifs play between the verses and chorus, again using techniques like palm-muted picking that the tutor refers to as ‘percolated’ effect on the electric guitar and a major 7th arpeggio on the acoustic guitar.

In the section on improvisation, the tutor demonstrates some of the advanced techniques like pinch harmonics and a whammy bar dive and legato runs. These techniques played over the A minor pentatonic scale up and down the neck make it sound like a classic rock guitar solo.

FAQs

Q. Is Safar suitable for beginners?

The chords themselves are basic, but the song's phrasing and dynamic control may require practice. Beginners can start by learning the chord changes and then focus on the strumming pattern.

Q. What are the main chords used in Safar?

The primary chords are Am7, Fsus2, Dmaj9, with occasional transitions to an F# major in the first section of the song; the latter part of the song features the standard F, C, G and D major chords.

Q. What is the strumming pattern for the song?

The strumming follows a gentle, flowing 4/4 rhythm, down, down-up, up-down-up sequence. Fingerpicking can also be used for the intro and verses to make it feel melodic.

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that has stood the test of time and continues to echo through generations, Chhookar Mere Mann Ko from the 1981 film Yaarana. Sung by the legendary Kishore Kumar, this track is a gentle, heartfelt expression of love and emotional intimacy. Composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics by Anjaan, the song was brought to life on screen by Amitabh Bachchan and Neetu Singh.

At the heart of this song is a deep sense of devotion. Lines like "Tu hi mera jeevan, tu hi jeene ka sahara" (You are my life, you are the support of my living) hold an emotional honesty that connects with listeners even today. The melody is soft, yet powerful in its sincerity. The reason it has lasted for so long is simple: it makes people feel seen and understood.

Chhookar Mere Mann Ko – Guitar Lesson

This lesson, taught by Steve Luciano, breaks down the capo version of Chhookar Mere Mann Ko into an easy-to-follow acoustic arrangement. In this version, the capo is placed on the 7th fret. This does two things: first, it matches the original key of the song to Kishore Kumar’s vocal range, and second, it makes it possible to play the song using simple open chord shapes. This is a big help if you're still getting used to barre chords or complex voicings.

The chords used in this version are A major, E major, D major, and C# minor all of which are very beginner-friendly. C# minor is the only barre chord, but with practice, it becomes easier to handle, especially since the other chords allow your fingers to rest. Steve walks you through each chord and explains where your fingers need to go in a relaxed, clear way. Even if you’ve never used a capo before, this lesson is a great place to start.

The rhythm of the song is very steady and flowing ideal for slow strumming. The strumming pattern in this version is kept simple to let the chords and the melody breathe. It’s the kind of song that relies on feel rather than speed. Steve emphasises dynamics and the importance of playing gently to match the emotion of the track. He also walks through the full song section by section, intro, verse, and chorus, and offers a demonstration at the end so you can play along with confidence.

FAQs

Q. What level of guitar playing is this lesson suitable for?

This version is perfect for beginners to early intermediate players. Most of the chords are open shapes and easy to play, especially with the capo.

Q. Do I need to use a capo to play this version?

Yes, for this particular lesson, a capo on the 7th fret is essential to stay in key and use open chord shapes. Without the capo, you’d need to play more complex barre chords.

Sadda Haq is one of the most rebellious songs in Indian music history; over time, it has become an anthem of rebellion and self-expression where people are demanding the right to speak freely, live, and love freely. It is the song in the movie that was performed by the lead character of the movie, Jordan, live in front of a massive crowd. The song is pretty raw and real. 

Fun Fact: The original song had a line that referred to Kashmir, but in the editing of the song, it was muted in order to make the song less politically sensitive. 

Strumming Pattern:

The most common strumming pattern that you are going to learn for this song, especially for the chorus and for the main rhythm, is: D - DU - DU - D - DU - DU 

• D = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum 

Song Structure:

Introduction: In this introduction, you will be meeting your guitar instructor, Mike Walker, for this guitar lesson. Here, Mike helps you prepare for the upcoming lessons as this is a complete version of the song. 

Intro, Power Chords, Riff, and Verse: With this part, you will be learning how to tune your electric guitar to play the intro, power chords, riffs, and verses that are part of the song. 

Intro Licks: Here, Mike is going to teach you how to play the intro lick, which is present at the beginning of the song. He will first play the lick and then show you how you, too, can play it. 

Intro Verse Singing: The singing part is divided into 3 to 4 different parts in this guitar lesson, and Mike will help you remember which of the following chords you need to play when singing the phrase. 

Verse 2: This is the part of the song that comes at exactly 2:28 seconds, where the first five bars are the same; the main thing you need to learn here is the rhythm that you need to follow. 

Main Solo: From this part of the guitar lesson, you will be learning how to play the iconic main solo of Sadda Haq, which comes at 3:07 seconds. 

Overdub Licks: This particular overdub lick sounds more like a guitar riff from the famous band Santana. In order to play this lick, you have to be quick with your fingers. 

Overdub Lick at 2:19: This is another overdub lick which is part of the song. 

Outro Solo: In this part of the guitar lesson, you will learn the outro solo, which made the song so popular. 

Song with Backing: Finally in this part, Mike is going to show you how to play the entire guitar parts of the song with the backing track. 

Scales Used and Improvisation: In this section, Mike teaches you some of the scales you can use to give the song its authentic sound and the improvisation, which makes it easier for you to play this song on guitar. 

Why Learn this Song?

The electric guitar part of the song features amazing guitar riffs by Orianthi, who is an Australian guitarist well known for playing none other than the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. This song has some of the grittiest power chords, and the intro riff has become a staple in modern Indian rock music. 

FAQs this song Guitar Lesson:

Q1. Who wrote the lyrics to the song Sadda Haq? 

Ans. The lyrics of the song were written by Irshad Kamil. 

Q2. What is the genre of the song Sadda Haq? 

Ans. Sadda Haq is a rock anthem that tastefully blends the elements of alternative rock, grunge, and Indian rock. 

Q3. For this song, do you need to have an electric guitar? 

Ans. If you want to play all the parts of the song it is necessary to have an electric guitar with you. 

In this video lesson Steve Luciano teaches how to play the song Hosanna as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction and Chords, Rhythm, Song with Backing Track, Discussion on Chords and Progressions and Improvisation. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

For many homegrown talents, Rock On was the first step towards choosing the life of an artist, be it guitarist, drummer, or vocalist for a band. One of the popular songs from the movie Rock On is Tum Ho Toh; this song is a power-packed rock ballad. It was composed by Shankar-Eshaan-Loy and sung by none other than Farhan Akhtar.

The composer trio Shanker-Eshaan-Loy did not go for a professional singer; they thought about having someone with an unpolished voice that brings out emotional honesty from the singer. As a result, the trio chose Farhan Akhtar as their lead singer for most of their composition for this movie, and this particular choice became the defining element of their album’s appeal. 

So, in a way, Tum Ho Toh was one of the songs that was born out of both musical expertise and vulnerability; the balance between the two was immaculate, and thus, it perfectly captures the ache of emotional emptiness. 

Song Structure 

Introduction and Song Arrangement: For this lesson, Ehsaan Noorani is your guitar instructor; he starts with the basic introduction of the song, where he shares how you can produce the exact sound with the help of delay. He starts with the verse of the song where you will be using C, Dm, and G. 

Song Demo: Once you get a nick of chord progressions you need to play for this song, the next thing to learn is how to keep up your guitar chords with that of other instruments, which are a keyboard and a drum. For this, Ehsaan shows you a full song demo, of the song, that allows you to grasp all the little details of playing this song on guitar. 

Improvisation: Right here, in this part of the song lesson, you get to see some of the improvisation techniques used by Ehsaan Noornai in the outro of the song. He shares his thoughts on how you should implement improvisation in this song to make it sound more unique and special. 

Why Learn Tum Ho Toh (by Ehsaan) Song On Guitar?

The reason why you should be learning this song on guitar is that it is acoustic friendly, the chords are quite simple, and you can play this entire song using open chords if you wish to; as a result, this song feels and sounds pretty impressive without even overcomplicating things. 

Furthermore, with this song, you learn how to infuse your guitar play with emotions; here, you will be going through soft verses and a powerful chorus, which allows you to understand the dynamics of expressive playing. The iconic fingerpicking intro is unmatched when it comes to playing it in a live setup; it is also useful in training your fingers for independence. 

In this video lesson J.J. Pattishall teaches how to play the song Gustakh Dil as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords and Rhythm, Song Arrangement, Overdub Section and Song Demo. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Muskurane Ki Wajah - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on one of the most famous romantic ballads from the previous decade, Muskurane by Arijit Singh. The song is from the movie ‘Citylights’, which is highly acclaimed for showing the cruelty of a modern city commonly referred to as the city of dreams. The song received the Song of the Year Award at the Mirchi Music Awards and has amassed more than 60 million views on YouTube since its release in 2014.

Muskurane Ki Wajah translates to ‘reason for a smile’, which is a romantic expression towards a beloved. The plot of the film revolves around a couple who migrate to a Tier 1 city in search of a livelihood, but have to face deceit from the city. Through the song, the character is conveying to his beloved that “you are the reason for my smile, in the times when life is tough”.

Muskurane Ki Wajah Guitar Lesson

Muskurane guitar lesson is taught by our expert, J.J. , who explains all the different sections of the song in a section-by-section manner –from the intro that talks about the chords and different voicings of those chords, to the rhythms and solos of the song. The song is in Eb standard tuning and in the key of D major, which is a common tuning for the classic rock sound.        

To play the song in the original key and with standard chord shapes, a capo is needed on the 2nd fret. Advanced players can move to barred versions of the chords, should they not feel comfortable with the capo. The strumming of the song is unique in the sense that although the song can be played using the standard eight-note strumming, the strumming used here is that of the fifth-note pattern. This gives the song a breathing-like movement, where the empty three strums of a bar rest. 

The song features a unique cadence that goes from an E major to an A minor, which creates a beautiful tension and release in the song, and even more unique is the fact that on the chord that brings the tension, the song lyrics also talk about discomfort, both of which later resolves to a minor chord and a comfortable meaning.

Muskurane lyrics, along with the tabs, are also available beside the video lesson that you can refer to while learning the song. 

FAQs

Q. Is Muskurane beginner-friendly?

This lesson is best suited for beginners to early intermediates. You’ll need basic knowledge of open chords and simple strumming patterns.

Q. What chords are used in this song?

The song revolves around Am, G, and F with the occasional E, with the capo on the 2nd fret. The song is originally in the key of B minor, and therefore, without the capo, you’ll need to play the barre chords. 

Q. Do I need a capo for this song?

Yes, we recommend using a capo on the 2nd fret to match the original pitch and make chord shapes easier to play.

Tere Mere Beech Mein is a song that has a strong sense of melody; it can also be used to practice chord transitions, and allows you to express emotions via guitar. If you are someone who performs, this one song is a must-have in the set list of your acoustic performance. Unlike most of the love songs that are part of Bollywood movies, Tere Mere Beech Mein is a bit different; the song does not idealise love; it shows the modern reality of relationships with a cheeky twist, which made its video more memorable.

Song Structure

Introduction: The introduction is from Mike Walker, who tells you how the song has a bit of a jazz feel to it. Along with this, he also tells how this song uses some really nice chords and licks, which are not easy to play but can be learned with practice.

Song Arrangement - Section A: The lesson is divided into different sections, this particular section starts at the beginning of the song and it continues till one minute, and even in this lick you will find little breaks present in it.

Song Arrangement - Sections B and C: In this part of the guitar lesson, you will find tunes and chords that keep on repeating themselves throughout the song. As a result, this section is quite literally the most important section to learn if you want to play this song on guitar.

Song Arrangement - Sections D, E, and F: The D section is only played once in the entire song, after which come E and F, which come at the end of the song.

Song Demo: In this part, you will find Mike playing the guitar parts of the song with the backing track to show you how you should be syncing up your guitar chords with those of the vocals and other instruments that are present in the song.

Overdub Licks: The overdub licks are basically the extra guitar chords that play on top of the main guitar. You can play a song without these, but adding them to your arsenal will help you become a better guitarist.

Easy Version: This particular section shows you how to play the easier version, which is specifically designed for those who are looking to sing and play the song altogether.

Why Learn Tere Mere Beech Mein Song?

The song uses both major and minor chords effectively; it is not easy to learn, but definitely worth a try even for beginners, as they will get to know about various technicalities of guitar playing. In addition to this, it’s a perfect song to practice lead melody on guitar or accompany a lead vocalist with lush chords.

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!

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Kyon (Barfi) as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Chords, Rhythm and Song Arrangement, Song Demo, Conclusion, Kyon (Advanced Version) and Improvisation. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

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

Ala Barfi is a song that depicts the sweet and childlike nature of the film’s protagonist, who is both deaf and mute, but at the same time, he is incredibly expressive. This particular song has become the theme for the entire movie as it resonates with the behavior and personality of the main character. 

Fun Fact: The song was composed in such a way that it felt like the music was telling a story without even requiring words, which is a perfect fit for a character who can’t speak. 

Strumming Pattern 

The basic strumming pattern that you should be following for this song is D D U U D U. 

• D = Down Strum. 
• U = Up Strum. 

Song Structure 

Introduction: The introduction of this guitar lesson is by Mike Walker, who is going to show you how to tune up a guitar for the song. 

Chords, Rhythm, and Song Arrangement: In this part, you will learn all the open chords and rhythms that you need to practice in order to play this song, starting with the intro chorus of the song. 

Song Demo: Mike will be playing the guitar parts of the song with the backing track to show you how to sync up the chords with the vocals. 

Solo Lesson: Here, you will get to know how to play the guitar solo, which is present in the song. 

Overdubs: This part shows you how to practice overdubs; Mike has divided the overdubs section into multiple licks for the viewer’s ease.  

Why Learn Ala Barfi Song?

Ala Barfi is a song that has a bouncy, whimsical feel to it, making it fun to play; it's a song that is perfect for turning your sad day into a happy one; using this song, you could learn how to be expressive with a guitar. 

FAQs – Ala Barfi Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. In which key is the song Ala Barfi present? 

Ans. Ala Barfi is present in the key of G. 

Q2. Is the song Ala Barfi a beginner-friendly song? 

Ans. Yes, the chord progression of the song is quite simple and the tempo is moderate as well. 

Q3. For the song, do I require you to learn arpeggios or fingerpicking techniques? 

Ans. Well, you don’t need to learn those because, in the original recording of the song, they are not present. You can add in light arpeggios if you wish to, but it is not mandatory. 

Q4. Can I easily play and sing the song Ala Barfi? 

Ans. Yes, the melody of the song is quite repetitive, thus making it easy to follow as you sing the lyrics. 

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Yaarian as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Intro, Chords, and Rhythm, Song Demo and Electric Overdub Parts. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

In this video lesson Bobby Koelble teaches how to play the song Main Kya Karoon as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Intro Piece, Verse 1 and Chorus, Solo Lesson, Violin Chords, Verse 2, Outro Section , Song Demo and Easy Version. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!