music – Page 2 – @MarkGTR

Ariana Grande meets Soundgarden.

Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Score, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, music, Performance, Review

You have to give credit to pop-music songwriters. They know how to conjure up hooks that pull you in and lead you to the land of guilty pleasure that you swore you had abandoned. Take the song “God Is A Woman” from the vocal queen of pop, Ariana Grande. She can deliver real vocal supremacy that is more than enough to perk your ears up. But, in the over-produced world of pop music, there’s always more.

From the start, “God Is A Woman” is a hook monster. The guitar enters immediately with jazzed-up arpeggios loaded with a “Black Hole Sun” vibe that instantly resonates with anticipation and drama. The mastermind of this musical addition must be credited with knowing how the concept of cross-genre composition works. Hats off to foresight!

Playing Tips:

There are five chord forms in this song. Each will require just a little woodshedding to get under your fingers. They are and they aren’t barre forms. I’d rather call them “jazz grips”. Once you get these under your fingers you will be well on your way towards supercharging your chord knowledge and performance on the guitar.

I recommend playing this on electric guitar, however there is no reason you can’t play it on acoustic. It will be a little more of a struggle of course but, the guitar is a challenge no matter what you wish to do beyond the typical capo up and play easy chords method that is infecting the YouTube airwaves.

I have included a link to the tab here as well as the YouTube tutorial. Have fun my guitar friends!

Guitar Pro PDF

God Is A Woman

YouTube Tutorial

“God Is A Woman” Tutorial

Play like Bruno. Be like Bruno.

Bands, Funk, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Tutorial, Hip Hop, music, Performance

“Nothing On You” Straight from the source.

Learning to perform acoustic versions of songs is much easier when it’s the artist who has performed it. It settles all arguments and for sure gives you the correct fingerings and chord voicing if you are unsure.

Of course, you had to figure that Bruno Mars played guitar. A musician of his stature has learned many things most of us never see out of pure necessity. More importantly, Bruno Mars is not just an entertainer, he is much more than that. He is a very wise musician who knows how to cultivate success. He knows how to write material with a groove unmatched in its groove factor more than anyone else in the last forty years.

But, there’s another angle, dare I say formula, which Bruno knows well. Surround yourself with top-flight musicians who are flawless in execution and navigating the stage. Choose also musician’s who share your mind-set. Don’t grasp for musical mechanics who can play your music backwards and forwards, chose the ones who take the gig because they belong there.

Screenshot 2018-04-26 17.25.49

Learning “Nothing On You” is a great way to get back the the foundation of a song. To see it’s parts in an unfiltered environment and to play like Bruno.

“Nothing On You” Tutorial

XXXTENTACION bares his soul on “Depression and Obsession”.

Bands, Composition, Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Score, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, Hip Hop, Metal, music, Music Review, Music Theory, Nu-Metal, Rap, Review, Videos

Less definitely is more when you are trying to get a message into a song. The less clutter instrumentally, the less business in the harmonies and sections the better. It enables the vocal part to stand out and brings every nuance to the forefront. On “Depression and Obsession” by the late Alternative, Hard Rock, Nu-Metal, Rap, and Hip-Hop-influenced artist, XXXTENTACION (Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy), this is certainly the case.

Take a somewhat rough acoustic guitar part, mix it with a tight beat and let the vocals do the rest. I’ve gone to great lengths to make this tutorial as close as possible to the original. This is not an “Easy Guitar” version, which serves collect views and deceives many to believe that anyone can strum along captured the vibe of a song that is far deeper than they could ever imagine. No, this version shows the rough edges and the way to play it with expression.

You will use only three chords throughout this song. But, in these three chords be prepared to dig deep if you want to bring life into this magnificent, minimalistic expression of darkness and pain.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: I’ve decided to use Drop-D tuning for this version. The reason is that I hear the lowered sixth string ringing out in two specific places. It makes the chords slightly more difficult to play but, I feel that to be authentic in replicating other’s songs, you should attempt to get as close as possible. The only chord that may take more work is the GMaj7. For that chord try to land your pinky first. It will take slow practice but, that chord shape comes up a lot in an Am/G context in many songs.

Here is the tutorial:

Depression & Obsession Tutorial

Here is the PDF of the tab:

Tab:

Guitar Pro Tab

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

Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, music, Music Review

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

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

music

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, on

“Find Me” – XXXTentacion’s Guitar Fronting Again

Bands, Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Score, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, Hip Hop, music

“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.

Bands, Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Score, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, Indie Music, music, Music Theory, Review

“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!

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.

Cover Song, Guitar, guitar lesson, Guitar Score, Guitar Tablature, Guitar Tutorial, Hip Hop, music

“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