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.

Introduction:

Chet is a fingerpicking legend and in this song he used Travis picking technique which helped him in building amazing melody and harmonisation with other instruments.

Chords Used in Song Guitar Lesson:

Arpeggios Verse & Chorus Chords: The song follows the typical chord progression in the key of C major, which incorporates the dominant 7th in addition to the passing chords to add richness. 

The arpeggios patterns are as follows: 

Bass: C  - G  - C  - G  

(A)  (D)  (A)  (D)  

Melody: pluck pluck  

(B)    (G) 

Strumming Pattern: 

Mr Bojangles doesn’t follow your traditional strumming pattern because it uses fingerstyle arrangement. In here the thumb is playing alternative bass notes while fingers are used for plucking chords for harmony and melody. 

The most common fingerstyle arrangement that you can follow for this is T - F - T - F

• T (Thumb) plays the bass notes on the low strings (E, A, or D)
• F (Fingers - Index/Middle) pluck the melody notes on the higher strings (G, B, or E)

Song Structure:

Introduction: In this introduction by Muriel Anderson your guitar instructor for this song lesson you will get to know about the finger arrangement used and fingerstyle that you have to follow. 

Section A - Part 1: Muriel has divided the song in different parts and this is the part 1 of the song arrangement. Here you will learn the chords you will be playing at the intro of the song. 

Section A - Part 2: In this part you will learn the remaining chords for the intro section of the song. 

Section B: From here, you will be moving to the second half of the song. 

Turnaround Variation: Right here in the guitar lesson, you will learn how to smoothly transition from one guitar section to the other in the song. It will follow a shorter chord progression. 

Variation: Your guitar instructor is going to show you how to make a slight change or embellishment in the melody while keeping the core structure of the song intact. 

Tag: In here you will learn about the tag which is the small section repeated after you complete with the verse guitar tunes. 

Conclusion: This is the last part of this guitar lesson, here Muriel talks about the song and how one can make little improvisation in it to make it sound fuller. 

This song has fast paced, driving strumming which allows you to develop strumming rhythm and endurance. It is pretty great for practicing dynamic strumming and percussive accents. Due to quick chord shifting you will be able to build finger strength and speed. 

FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson

Q1. What happened to the Mumford & Sons lead singer?

Ans. The lead singer of the group said that he will be leaving the band in October 2022 due to some controversial issues with the members. But he made sure that none of the band members and their families had to suffer any consequences. 

Q2. Will Mumford & Sons be touring in 2025? 

Ans. The band is embarking on a global club tour, which will start in March 2025. 

Q3. What kind of band is Mumford & Sons? 

Ans. They are a British folk-rock band who are known for their raucous, fast-paced, and sonically dense instrumentation. The lyrics are highly concentrated on christianity. 

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.

In this video lesson Mike Walker teaches how to play the song Aahatein as part of our Guitar series on song lessons. The song lesson is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Easy Chords and Rhythms, Song Arrangement, Song Demo, Non-Capo Arrangement, Non-Capo Demo, Solo, and Improvisation. 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 Har Saans Mein as part of our guitar series on Indian songs. The song is broken down into multiple lessons for easy learning - Introduction, Song Arrangement , Easy Version, Song Demo, Solo 1, Solo 2, Solo 3, Solo 4 and Overdub Licks and Improvisation. Don't forget to make use of the chords and tabs provided with the song lesson!

Purani Jeans - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on one of the classic youth anthems of the early 90s, Pakistan – Purani Jeans by Ali Haider. This song rose to fame in the era of cassette tapes and vinyl records, and evokes emotions of nostalgia among the fans of Haider Ali, who are now in their 50s, by the way. The song was part of the Sandesa album released in 1993, and on YouTube has achieved almost 5 million views.

The song Purani Jeans, which translates to ‘Old Jeans’, is about celebrating the spirit of youth, especially the arriving adulthood phase –exploring themes of college life, self-discovery, rebellion, romance and more. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer looking back at his youth and reminiscing about the events and stories that he had lived, metaphorising the phase using the jeans as a symbol.

Purani Jeans Guitar Lesson

Purani Jeans 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 –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.

The intro of the song features a rhythmic riff that is based on the mixolydian scale, a major scale with the flattened seventh degree, which gives the riff a jazzy sound. The strumming and legato notes of the riff resemble those from songs like ‘Summer of '69’ and ‘Hey Joe’.

The song mostly features power chords, i.e. chords without the third, that are played on a distorted electric guitar and consist of standard shapes. The majority of the strumming is palm muted, which gives the song that rock-metal vibe. There are also a number of small overdubbed motifs that play over the rhythm guitar that embellish the progression.

Purani jeans also features a guitar solo that is based on the mixolydian scale, featuring jazz and bluesy licks and lines with minor 7th and half diminished chord arpeggios. This solo is a great example of how to mix different theory concepts in your soloing. The tutor here explains all the parts of the solo note for note.

FAQs

Q. What is the song Purani Jeans about?

Purani Jeans is a nostalgic Pakistani pop-rock song by Ali Haider that reminisces about youthful memories, friendships, and carefree days.

Q. Can I play this song on an acoustic guitar?

Yes! The original version of the song is a pop song with mellower but upbeat rhythm, which can be played easily on an acoustic guitar, which lends more to the emotional and nostalgic appeal of the song’s narrative.

Arms Wide Open - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that has the best rock song Grammy to its name –With Arms Wide Open by Creed. Scott Stapp’s wife was pregnant with his first child, he wrote the lyrics when he found out, with great surprise, that he was going to be a father. According to Stapp, the song was written in just fifteen minutes during a soundcheck. The song has received almost 200 million views on YouTube.

Stapp says, “It continues to have relevant meaning in my life because as I sing it now, I think of my daughter who's now on this planet and alive. And then I think of my newest son, my three-year-old, Daniel”. The song is about a man expressing his feelings about thinking about becoming a father.

Arms Wide Open Guitar Lesson

This is a guitar lesson that is an acoustic cover version of the song performed by James Boyce, taught by our expert Steve Luciano, in a section-by-section manner. They start with the introduction

The song is in the key of C major and features a number of suspended chords. There is a C major 9 chord with a B note in the bass, which sounds like a suspended chord because of the 9th scale degree. There is also a very unique A minor 11th chord, which also sounds like a suspended chord because of the 11th scale degree, which is actually the 4th scale degree on the octave higher. The instructor explains all the chord shapes in great detail. You can also refer to the Arms Wide Open tabs along with the lesson on the sidebar.

The strumming of the chords is very simple, compared to the chord voicings, that is – D - U U D - U U D - D U for the most part (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum).

There is also an easy verison of the song that the instructor demonstrates, which is a beginner-friendly version of the song focused more on the singing part of the track.

FAQs

Q. What skill level is Arms Wide Open for?

This lesson is ideal for beginner to intermediate players. If you know basic open chords, you can easily learn the song.

Q. Is this version different from the original Creed version?

Yes. This is a soft acoustic cover by James Boyce. It keeps the emotional depth of the original but focuses more on the singing part.

Q. What is the tuning of Arms Wide Open by Creed?

Nope! This version is played in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e), making it very accessible. Drop D is not required here.

Q. What chords are used in this version?

The song uses common suspended and power chords, with some being 9 and 11th chords. The tutor goes over each one slowly and clearly.

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.

Dil Haaray Pukaray - Introduction

Dil Haaray Pukaray is a timeless track from Pakistani pop-rock band JAL's debut album Aadat released in 2004. Composed and performed by Goher Mumtaz, the song beautifully captures the band's signature style of emotional lyrics blended with melodic guitar work. Its themes of love and heartbreak struck a chord with listeners across South Asia, helping establish JAL as one of the region's most influential pop-rock acts. The song's enduring popularity led to its inclusion in the remastered 20th anniversary edition of Aadat in 2024.

The track features gentle acoustic guitar arpeggios that create a melancholic yet soothing atmosphere. Goher's heartfelt vocals float over the instrumentation, delivering lyrics that speak directly to the pain of unrequited love. What makes this song special is its ability to balance simplicity with deep emotion - the melody stays with you long after the song ends. The 2024 remaster gives the recording new clarity while preserving its original emotional impact.

Dil Haaray Pukaray Guitar Lesson

Taught by Mike Walker, this lesson breaks down the song's beautiful guitar work. The track is in the key of G major and uses a flowing chord progression of G-Em-C-D throughout most of the song. The magic lies in the delicate fingerpicking pattern that carries the melody. Use your thumb for the bass notes (G, E, C, D) and fingers for the higher strings to recreate the original recording's texture.

The intro and verses feature a signature arpeggio pattern that moves between these chords. Play it slowly at first, focusing on clean note separation before building speed. The chorus introduces slightly fuller strumming while maintaining the song's gentle feel. Pay attention to the dynamics - the verses are softer, while the chorus opens up with more volume and emotion.

For the lead parts, the melody follows the vocal line closely using notes from the G major scale. The fills between verses incorporate hammer-ons and pull-offs on the B and high E strings. The solo section is minimal but expressive, with subtle bends and vibrato that match Goher's vocal style. Use a clean tone with reverb to mimic the song's soundscape.

Beginners should start by mastering the basic chord shapes and transitions. The slow tempo makes this a good song for practicing changes between G, Em, C and D. Intermediate players can work on fingerpicking nuances and dynamic control that give the song its depth.

FAQs

Q. What tuning is used in this song?

Standard tuning (E A D G B E) with no capo needed.

Q. Is this song suitable for beginners?

Yes, the chords are basic and tempo is slow, making it great for practice.

Q. What guitar tone works best?

A clean acoustic tone with light reverb matches the original recording well.

Q. Can I play it with a pick instead of fingers?

You can, but fingerstyle better captures the song's delicate character.

Introduction:

Aahatien made the Agnee band become mainstream in the Indian music industry. The track has melancholic lyrics along with mellow arpeggios that are fun to play and allow you to have yourself in an immersive musical space where every single note and word touches the soul and heart. 

Fun Fact: The band Agnee didn’t release the song after they finished composing and recording it because they didn’t feel that the song fit in with other tracks that were part of their album. But then MTV Splitsvilla approached the band for a song, and Aahatien became the title track for the live television series. 

Strumming Pattern:

The strumming pattern of the song resonates with its mellow and emotional connection along with the flowing rhythm: D – D U – U D U

• D = Down Strum 
• U = Up Strum 

Song Structure:

Intro Arpeggios, Chords, and Rhythm: In this introduction of a guitar lesson, you will be learning how to play arpeggios for this song, which you can easily play through the entirety of it, or you can simply play it in the beginning. 

Solo Part-1: The solo present in this song comes from the combination of two guitars, but you can also pick one guitar and play its part. In this section of the guitar lesson Steve Luciano is going to teach you the first part of the solo lesson. 

Solo Part-2: This part of the lesson will help you understand how to play the solo parts of the second guitar. 

Solo Part-3: Here, you will be playing the solo from the 12th position of your guitar 

Solo Part-4: In this part, you will learn how to play the ending notes of the solo. 

Easy Capo Version: This is the last part of the guitar lesson, where your guitar instructor is going to show you how to play the entire song in a much easier way using capo. 

Why Learn Aahatein By Agnee?

Aahatien is a song that provides you means to connect with your deeper emotions; the intro and the verse present in the song use clean and flowing arpeggios that are perfect for practicing fingerpicking techniques and learning how to have smooth chord transitions. 

FAQs – Aahatein Guitar Lesson

Q1. Who composed and performed Aahatien? 

Ans. Aahatien was composed and performed by the Indian rock band Agnee, who is well known for blending contemporary rock with Indian classical elements to produce a unique sound that has never been heard before. 

Q2. How many members are part of the Agnee band? 

Ans. Over a period of 20 years, there have been a number of people who joined the Agnee band and left it as well, but the two main pillars of the band were Kock, who is the lead guitarist of the band, and Mohan, who is the lead singer. Together, they create a unique sound. 

Q3. What is the hidden meaning behind the song Aahatien? 

Ans. Aahatien is a song that describes how one feels when they are distant from their loved ones; the song tells the feeling of fading love and the echoes of a relationship that is coming to an end.