“Youngblood” – 5SOS continue strong with their irresistible, slippery and quirky riffs and rhymes.

The new song, “Youngblood” by Five Seconds of Summer (5SOS) is one of their better offerings. The chorus riff alone is worth learning off of this one. I examine the guitars parts for you and put into perspective how effective layered guitar lines (even easy pop ones) can be.

The version I present to you here is perfect for a full-band rendering. This is not what I like to call a “strum and grin” cheese version. This is playin’ it real.

I have pulled out what I have interpreted after a once over with the song yesterday. I may tweak things a little more as I listen, especially in the bass during the chorus. When I do, I will re-send the tab and comment here on additions or changes.

Have fun!

Guitar Pro Tab

Youngblood Guitar Pro Tab

YouTube Tutorial

Youngblood Guitar Tutorial

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The Weeknd: “Call Out My Name” Guitar Tutorial.

Original Audio Version

In order to play The Weeknd’s new song, “Call Out My Name” from his new release, My Dear,Melancholy, you will need to tune your guitar down one-half step to Eb tuning.

Once you are tuned and ready, go back and forth between A Minor and E Minor. Once secure, get familiar with the time signature 6/8.

Think, two sets of three beats each:

1-2-3 4-5-6

Now, count that out accenting beats one and four:

(1) 2 3 (4) 5 6

Cycle through the A minor chord two times:

Am (Am) Am (Am)

(1) 2 3 (4) 5 6 (1) 2 3 (4) 5 6

Next, cycle through the E Minor chord the same way:

Em (Em) Em (Em)

(1) 2 3 (4) 5 6 (1) 2 3 (4) 5 6

Notice that you are playing the chords on the strong beats only.

From here, add step two by strumming on each of the six beats making sure to accent one and four continuously. Check the tab!

Guitar Pro Tab

Youtube Tutorial

Lyrics “Call Out My Name” The Weeknd

We found each other

I helped you out of a broken place

You gave me comfort

But falling for you was my mistake

I put you on top, I put you on top

I claimed you so proud and openly

And when times were rough, when times were rough

I made sure I held you close to me

So call out my name (call out my name)

Call out my name when I kiss you so gently

I want you to stay (want you to stay)

I want you to stay, even though you don’t want me

Girl, why can’t you wait? (Why can’t you wait, baby?)

Girl, why can’t you wait ’til I fall out of love?

Won’t you call out my name? (Call out my name)

Girl, call out my name, and I’ll be on my way

I’ll be on my-

I said I didn’t feel nothing, baby, but I lied

I almost cut a piece of myself for your life

Guess I was just another pit stop

‘Til you made up your mind

You just wasted my time

You’re on top

I put you on top

I claimed you so proud and openly, babe

And when times were rough, when times were rough

I made sure I held you close to me

So call out my name (call out my name, baby)

So call out my name when I kiss you

So gently, I want you to stay (I want you to stay)

I want you to stay even though you don’t want me

Girl, why can’t you wait? (Girl, why can’t you wait ’til I?)

Girl, why can’t you wait ’til I fall out of love?

Won’t you call out my name? (Say call out my name, baby)

Girl, call out my name, and I’ll be on my way

Girl, I’ll be on my-

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On my way

On, on

“Find Me” – XXXTentacion’s Guitar Fronting Again

“Find Me” Guitar Tutorial

XXXTentacion has once again placed the guitar front and center in another of his mixes. The young man continues to use the instrument that was missing in the genre since the days of the famous collaboration with Run DMC “Walk This Way”.

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X’s guitar is very unlike Joe Perry’s as there are no wild guitar solos and few power chord excursions. What there is though is pure rhythmic and melodic contours that light up his music.

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For this song you will need a clean electric and delay. Check out the tutorial and I’ll have more to say here.

“Find Me” Tutorial

“Find Me” Guitar Pro Score/Tab

Sigur Rós – Góðan Daginn – The beauty of arpeggios.

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“Góðan Daginn” – Acoustic Guitar Tutorial (Part 1)

There is no way to do a thorough job on a song as long and dense as this one. Therefore, I will break it up into three videos. This first installment covers the Intro and Verse. Those sections alone take :45 seconds. Imagine that, a real introduction. Most pop songs are heading into the chorus by now.

The acoustic guitar score is brilliant in its non-stop arpeggiated beauty, It serves as a guide of sorts for the massive orchestration that eventually surrounds it. For those of you in the upper-intermediate playing range, this will further develop your playing in terms of what I like refer as “note streaming”. That being a constant flow of notes that are rarely interrupted (if at all) by stops or pauses. This is the perfect introduction concentrated guitar playing. Stay focused and keep your movements even and on the beat.

While not too difficult to play, you must take care to not become complacent and sloppy throughout. It’s very easy to create a lot of string chatter on this part. Make sure to lift your fingers and move quickly and accurately to the next chord. I also recommend using a pick on this but, you should do what comes natural to your playing style. Looking forward to completing this gem!

 

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Here are your links:

Sigur Rós – “Góðan Daginn” Youtube Tutorial

“Góðan Daginn” Guitar Pro Tab/Score

Sigur Rós Website

XXXTENTACION “Indecision” Guitar Tutorial and Guitar Pro Score.

“Indecision” by the 19 year old rapper XXXTENTACION is easily one of the most angry displays of angst and rage that’s come from an artist in years. This is “real feel”.

The reasons for such emotional displays are well-known by his fans. One thing is unmistakeable, this troubled, young man is one clever musician who knows how to creat a vibe that gets traction, and respect.

The music is dark and brooding, with a falling, chromatic bass line leading you astray. With this dark-minor dirge, XXXTENTACION drags you into a world of his own with the guitar becoming a willing ally in his misery and revenge-filled cries.

The guitar part is not difficult to perform technically, but the vibe is. It’s a one shot ode to life in the life of crime and swagger. Sounding “very” improvised this short but potent part is fun to play as one can feign anger and injustice from the perspective of, “Hey, glad it’s not my life, but I can pretend.”

To properly capture the emotion of this song use a messy-sounding overdrive setting on your amp and hit the strings like the hours are counting down and the bills are due. You can then unashamedly drench the guitar solos in reverb and play with the upmost feeling.

“Indecision” Electric Guitar Tutorial

“Indecision” Guitar Tab

A 1:01 “It’s Strange” cover takes off!

Acoustic Guitar Tutorial for  “It’s Strange” original by Louis the Child (Feat. K. Flay).

For this tutorial I think it’s fair to warn you that you’d better be  ready to work that right hand. Guitarist Ashley Juno is a firecracker of a player and is off the charts on this one minute barrage.

Handling both electric and acoustic guitars with ease this young lady is breathing fire into the word of pop and rock covers. She plays with an creative aggression not seen for a long time. Finally!!!!

I have provided the tab and tutorial for the first two measures! What? Why only two measures? Well, there is so much going on that I was not leaving any detail out of this wild acoustic guitar display. The into consists of only two chords, D Major 7 and an E minor 7. They are root 5 structures and will certainly get you up to speed on the shapes.

The challenge will be in the right hand. Well, I’ll have more to say about that soon!

“It’s Strange” Guitar Pro PDF

Youtube Video:

“It’s Strange” – Youtube Tutorial

“Fight Song” Chorus Guitar Rhythm

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I’ve been asked about the strumming pattern for Rachel Platten’s acoustic version of “Fight Song”.

“Live” Acoustic Version

I discovered this version and will go with her approach to the chorus section.

Strumming Pattern

Take your time if you haven’t played this pattern yet. It is a basic strumming pattern but of course that’s relative.

You can refer to my original tutorial to learn the whole song.

“Fight Song” Tutorial

 

 

Ayala (Outro) XXXTENTACION Guitar Tutorial

The new album by controversial rapper XXXTENTACION is full of surprises. You wouldn’t recognize him if you know anything about his past releases.

This song is both lyrical and downright gripping. Who else could mix acousitic guitar and piano with such minimalist skill than X.

Then there are the lyrics…

Ohh, ahh, ahh

She showed me the thing love can’t forget

How we fell in love, ohh

I made a list of my regrets

And you were first love, ohh

Oh it hurts, I can’t forget

How we fell in love

Made a list of my regrets …

It would be great if X keeps on this track.

Here is the guitar pro score and video for anyone wanting to play a duo or (if converted a bit) solo arrangement/accompaniment to Ayalya (Outro).

I may tweak the tab a bit more to finish up a couple loose ends.

tentation

TUTORIAL

Alana (Outro) Tutorial

PDF

Ayala

Justin Bieber’s “Fast Car”

“Fast Car” by Justin Bieber (Live Cover) Tutorial

I’ve put this post up in order to “house” the Guitar Pro score of “Fast Car” by Justin Bieber that I transcribed. Some have had a hard time getting the link to work on Dropbox. Sorry about that.

Here is the link:

Fast Car

In addition, since it’s a tutorial on the live version I’ve had questions about the basic, and alterations of, the guitar strumming pattern for the song. I’ve also had more than a couple questions about the the outro section. Justin seems to “improvise” his way out of the tune thereby creating some very interesting rhythmic devices. It is a little tricky as Justin has clearly learned a thing or three from Dan Kanter🙂

Here are the links to part 1 and 2 of my tutorial set for Justin’s unique and guitar-friendly cover.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Lorde’s Three Shades of “Green Light”

Lorde’s new single Green Light is a study in contrasts for a guitar cover/tutorial/play-through. It’s the kind of song that grows on you after a couple listens. But, still you sit and ponder. It is worth it? But then you realize that this one has something to work with, it does have merit after all! After listening to what seems like a patchwork of disjointed ideas scattered about it soon becomes clear in the mind of the listener that Green Light does what all pop songs are programed to do.

66c454136a8b9858252bf1bc4124d64bThe content is not heavy. Basically, we have a 5 chord pop song like many others. Where as Green Light revs up slowly and patiently, most pop songs don’t have the patience for such maneuvering as their game is always centered on getting to the point early and often. It’s a mainstay of popular music. Lorde, is a “developer”. Her tendency is to take sparse material and dial things up as the minutes pass. Green Light is no exception,

The pre-chorus/chorus sections are a thing of lighthearted genius as a masterful but typical riff takes over that lights up the song with such energy that even Lorde can’t stay in control (check 3:03 of the video).

For your part, keeping the chorus riff even and controlled is no easy task on guitar, especially acoustic. Keep your right hand solid and bear down on the strumming pattern. That is, if you are covering it at it’s recorded tempo.

I can see this section played a little slower without damaging the intention of the writer. Experiment and see what you come up with.

-Mark

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Here is the guitar tutorial:

“Green Light” Acoustic Guitar Tutorial

Here is the chord chart for “Green Light”:

“Green Light” Chords PDF