At Guitar Tricks® we make learning how to play songs a lot of fun!
Our instructors cover every section of the song slowly at first, and once you get each part down you get to play along with a professional backing band! For difficult songs we offer a 'Songs Made Easy' version for beginners, which is simplified to the basic chords and one guitar part.
Each song includes accurate guitar tabs as well as standard music notation.
Free Lesson: Sweet Home Alabama (Made Easy!)
Anders will show you this classic Southern Rock anthem in a version that has been made easy, so you can hang at any level.
This is a really fun song that almost everyone knows, and it features three basic chords repeating throughout the whole song, so if you can learn and perform even the simplest version of it, it is bound to pay off.
In this set of song lessons, Mike Olekshy will be teaching you "Fat Bottomed Girls", as made famous by Queen. Mike will talk about how to get close to the Brian May tone, then take you into the main riff and verse. Next is a guitar break, the chorus, and another break. Mike will then break down the leads in verse 3, and then look at the outro and outro leads. Last up is the play along performance and the jam along with the backing track.
In this tutorial we will learn a simple, single note melody arrangement of "The Star Spangled Banner". We'll start by working through melody, note by note, using the C major scale in the open position. After we get the notes in place, we'll
learn how to add some performance flair by means of musical pauses called commas and fermatas. Finally, we'll add a few chord tones for a bonus banner. Let's get started!
Mike will show you the 2 guitar layers in this song. Guitar 1 plays harmonics that outline the chord progression, while Guitar 2 is a heavy crunch guitar that plays some dropped D style riffs in the arrangement.
Caren will show you a made easy version of this classic Jimmy Reed 12 bar blues. in the key of A Major. If you've been studying the blues, you are likely familiar with the 12 bar song structure, if not, this is an opportunity to dig in to a genre that goes very deep while being based on variations on a simple harmonic theme.
In this six lesson song tutorial, we'll learn the parts of the "Batman Theme", as made famous by The Ventures in the 1960's. You'll use your knowledge of basic pentatonic scales and box patterns, learn the simple chromatic hook riff that is central to the song, how the rhythm breaks work, how to play the simple solo, and how to voice the Batman vocals on guitar. We'll cap it all off with a play along to a custom "bat" backing track!
In this set of 10 videos, Anders Mouridsen will teach you "Susie Q", as performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Anders will give an overview and talk about the tones, then dive into the classic riff. You'll then learn the verses, and the rhythm guitar. The next 3 lessons are all solos, then you'll do a play along performance and then you're on your own in the jam along.
Mike Olekshy will show you how to play all the parts to the iconic "Peace Of Mind" as made famous by Boston. This is a classic rock anthem with all the essential ingredients: an acoustic intro, soaring vocal melodies, and guitars layered into a powerful arrangement with crunching rhythm riffs and screaming harmony leads.
In these ten videos, Tom Finch will teach you "Amie", by Pure Prairie League. After an overview of the song and and a look at gear and tones, Tom will break down the intro and verse acoustic parts. The verse electric fills are next, then it's on to the chorus acoustic part and the chorus electric fills. Tom will then teach you the acoustic solo, and the outro/ending of the tune. For the finale we'll do a play along, the you'll jam alone with the band.
In this song tutorial, Anders Mouridsen will teach you the 1974 hit by the Eagles, "Already Gone". Anders will explain the gear and tone for the song, then dig into the song intro, verse, and chorus. He'll then teach you the lead fills that come in the second verse and chorus, followed by the solo after the second chorus. Then he takes a look at some rhythm guitar, more lead fills, and the leads in the outro jam. We'll take it out with a play-along performance.
In this set of lessons, Sharon Aguilar will teach "ABC", as made famous by The Jackson 5. Sharon will introduce the song and go over the gear and tones, then break down the details for the intro and verse, the chorus, and the bridge for guitar 1. Next we'll look at the same sections for guitars 2 and 3, and a bridge part for an additional guitar. We'll then do full and single guitar performances, and end with a jam along.
In this tutorial Anders Mouridsen will teach you an instrumental solo acoustic guitar arrangement of the song Fields Of Gold as made famous by Sting. You'll learn to play the melody, the bass, the groove and the harmony all at once, which requires some hard work and concentration! We'll look at all the techniques necessary to play the verses, choruses, and interludes; we'll take it slowly, note by note. We'll finish it off with a play along where you'll be able to play the full arrangement of this beautiful song.
In these eleven videos, Mike Olekshy will teach you "Amarillo By Morning", by George Strait. Mike will talk about the song and the gear and tones, then break down the acoustic intro chords and strumming. From there it's on to the main progression and into the key change. We'll look at the main fiddle melody next, then there's two arpeggio lessons and the lead fills that lead us to the play along performance. Finally, you'll jam along with the backing track.
In this tutorial, Mike Olekshy will teach "Always On My Mind", as made famous by Willie Nelson. Mike will introduce the song then dig right into the intro; then into the verse chords and strumming. We'll examine the chorus chords next, then learn bridge before we take on the guitar solo. We'll do a full performance, then a single guitar performance; we'll cap it all off with a "guitar karaoke" jam along.
In this tutorial, Tom Finch will teach "Ventura Highway", by America. Tom will introduce the song and talk about the acoustic tone, then break down the iconic melody and chords in the intro. We'll break down the verse chords and melody next before heading to the chorus. You'll learn the post-chorus next, then the outro; then we'll do full and single guitar performances and end with a jam along.
In this tutorial, Eric Barnett will teach you "Whiskey in the Jar", as made famous by Metallica. Eric will introduce the tune and go over gear and tone, then dig into the verse and chorus rhythms before he gets into the 1st chorus, then the bridge. The 2nd and 3rd choruses are next followed by a 3rd guitar part, then we're into the solo rhythm and solo. We'll look at the harmony guitars, the breakdown, and the outro before we do full and 1 guitar play alongs, then we'll do a jam along.
Mike will show you the acoustic guitar part to this laid back easy rock tune. Any acoustic guitar is suitable to play along with this tutorial. The tune starts out with a descending series of chords played with a laid back groove. This becomes the verse section. The chorus is the same chord progression played with slightly differently finger picking. There’s also a bridge that changes up the progression and builds the arrangement.
Caren will show a simplified version of this classic old blues tune. Originally recorded in A-flat, this tutorial will teach the song by bumping it up a 1/2 step today for ease of playing. Whether you're jamming with our GT backing tracks, or with your friends, this one will get your toe tapping.
In this set of acoustic lessons, Henrik Linde will teach "Five Hundred Miles" by Peter, Paul, and Mary. Henrik will give a song overview and talk about the acoustic tones, then teach the intro, verse, and chorus parts in a strumming version. Following that we'll break down a more challenging finger picked approach to all the sections. We'll conclude with play along performances and jam along for both the strumming and finger picking.
In this tutorial Tom Finch will teach you to play "Oye Como Va", as made famous by Santana. We'll take a look at the signature lead lines and soloing, the classic ensemble rhythmic breaks, we'll learn the chords and comping styles, the rhythmic hooks, the chromatic descending line, and finally we'll play through the tune from top to bottom. Enjoy!
In this short, easy song tutorial, Mike Olekshy is going to guide you through the acoustic grunge song "Polly", as made famous by Nirvana. Mike will first talk about the grungy acoustic tone. Next up is the break-down of the verse section with just four easy power chords, and the chorus section with just four easy power chords too. Then we'll do a full song performance so you can play along.
