Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Ok we’re looking at Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix, it starts off with your first finger sliding from fret 3 to fret 5 on the second string and you’re going to play that with the open top string.

So you’re playing two notes together as a slide. It’s an immediate slide you don’t want this….

And then go from fret 5 back to fret 3, both string still being played. Ok…string 3, second fret pull off to the open and then play your open fourth string and hammer on immediately to the second fret.

Play the low end of an E chord….followed by the top couple of strings. Play your low E again…slide into the 5th fret on strings 4 & 5.

Do that twice…low E again and then move that shape down to the 4th fret.

Ok…next we’re going to play the bottom part of your E chord and then play an E5 chord from fret 7 of the A string, slide down that your 7th fret on the A and 9 on the 4th string…slide down.

Take your first finger & place it on fret 7 of the 4th string, hammer to 9 and then hopefully your first finger should be barring those 2 middle strings and you should be able to pick out the 7th fret of the G string as the third note of that sequence…do that twice and then finish with a fast hammer from 7 – 9 on the D string.

Thanks for checking out GPP look at Hey Joe and check out our software.

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Have a Drink on Me by AC/DC – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Ok we’re looking at the main components of the ‘Have a drink on me’ riff by AC/DC.

Take your third finger and place it on the third string at fret 7, slide into fret 9 – use your second finger to play the eight fret of the B string and get them to bleed together so that they ring out together – add vibrato and that last for about 2 bars on the intro, it’s hard to tell because there is no timing by a drummer but I’m pretty sure it’s 2 bars…

Repeat that idea when the main riff starts and where your third finger is now on fret 9…slide down to fret 7 and off to fret 5 should feel triplet feel.

The next note is fret 7 on the D string and that’s going to be with your third finger. Back to the G string, fret 7 followed by 5 and back to 7 again.

Open A …bar across the two middle strings at fret 5, immediately hammer on the G string to fret 6 and let the two notes ring together.

Hit that A string open twice, hold that third finger across strings 2–4 at fret 7 and it forms at D cord.

Ok check out the record for the repeats on that figure, and at some point…

I think its 4th run through we go down to a C5 chord, fret 3 on the A string and fret 5 on the D.

Play that chord once…release the first finger and play the little finger note with the open A string and then place it, and then we’re back to A5.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this…make sure you have look at our software.

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Wild Side by Motley Crue – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

We’re looking at the main riff to Motley Crue ‘Wild Side’ track, found on the ‘Girls Girls Girls’ album.

This is D tuned on the original track and all the strings go down by 2 frets or a whole step.

The original track starts with the D tuned A string with a tremolo set down and the note is pulled up…that’s the only time that happens on the track.

We’re not going to cover that we’re just going to pick it but if you go tremolo hold the bar down and release it after you picked the first note.

Ok so open A string starts the riff and then with my second and third finger I’ve got that on fret 5 of the 2 middle strings 3 & 4 and then what I’m going to do is play that again those 2 strings.

Can you see first finger is waiting of fret 4 covering both those strings again and I’m pulling off to the 4th fret position.

Ok … back to the open A string and we’re going to play those two middle strings at the 5th fret whilst playing intermittent A strings….twice at the 5th fret and then there’s a slide into fret 7.

Keep that alternate picking if you want to get up to the speed of the track so you’re going to follow every down stroke by a up.

So that’s the first part…. Repeat, up until the point where you play that open A again.

And then we’re going to play the last part of this riff… my first finger is covering strings 2 – 4 at fret 7 and you can see my third finger is actually playing fret 8 of the second string.

I’m going to play all those 3 strings together 2 – 4, play it twice and then remove that third finger.

Ok last part of the riff is playing around what we’ve just done in a different way. So back to that third finger on fret 8…play the note pull off to fret 7…same string.

And then play the third string at fret 7…get that as smooth as you can.

Ok well that covers this intro to Wild Side by Motley Crue and check out GPP software.

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Sweet Child O Mine by Guns n Roses – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from Sweet Child O Mine by Guns n Roses

This is of course the classic introduction to Sweet Child O Mine by Guns n Roses.

It was originally played on a mahogany guitar with a neck humbucker, I’m playing a different sort of sound but I’m still using my neck position – ideally you should play it on a hum bucker type guitar on the neck position.

Let’s look at and break down the riffs so it’s easy to understand & the notes don’t run away from us.

I think it’s best if you memorise in groups of 4 because this is an 8th note pattern so 2/4′s are really good musical numbers to learn by.

Let’s see what’s happening with this riff hopefully we can help to get it moving. First finger I want you to dedicate this to the 12th fret of the D string, string 4 – down stroke.

Little finger and this riff is really good for little finger practice if yours is feeling in need of some exercise.

Up stroke fret 15 on the B String, and then we’re going to play 2 notes on the G string, string 3, fret 14 with your 3rd finger – it’s important that you do stick to these fingers to maintain smoothness while you play this.

Up to speed it’s quite quick. 14 on that 3rd string down stroke…and then 12 on that same string up stroke, 4 notes. Remember I said 4 & 2′s are good musical number to learn – makes learning easier.

Initially practise those 4 notes till they feel smooth.

The next four notes we’re going to look out don’t come out of position – notice I didn’t move my hand at all. Little finger is now ideally situated to play fret 15 on the top string which is the next note. Third finger plays fret 14 on the G so…2 notes there.

The last 2 notes of the riff…that little finger grabs a fret below so it should be (can you see what my fingers are doing there) using the ability really to grab over to grab an extra fret distance – those are the last four notes.

Ok now you’re going to play through that riff as we did at the beginning of this lesson.

But you’ll notice at certain points the riff changes, and the only thing that changes is the starting note, all the rest of notes are the same. So play through what we’ve learnt twice.

Then change the starting note from 12 to 14 on the D string – play that twice.

Then we change the starting note again, this time (remember the starting note is the only different note in the whole riff) the starting is on fret 12 of the third string – everything else exactly the same.

So that is how you get through the intro of Sweet Child O Mine…check out the GPP software.

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Half the World Away by Oasis – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from Half the World Away by Oasis:

Learn to Play Oasis,

Very simple guitar part for a fantastic sounding song.

The beginning to Oasis, Half a World Away – played on an acoustic guitar of course – I don’t have on today but get your acoustics out.

Very easy to play, Start with the C cord, first finger at second string fret 1, second finger on the fourth string fret 2 and the third finger down on the 5th string at fret 3 – should have 5 individual notes.

Check the cords for clarity by gently stunning slowly through those 5 notes. If you’ve got any chocking notes, adjust your fingers so that the strings can’t catch on the sides of your fingers and they’re fretted clearly against the metal frets on your guitar.

That’s the first chord… there’s the rhythm, slightly syncopated off beat – best to learn it by ear…notice the down up strokes.

Now for the next cord all you need to do is move the third finger and second finger up a string, second finger moves to string 3 (see it move – very small distance for it to go) and then the third finger does that same thing just goes up a string.

This time your target notes are just the top 4 strings, so you should have an open string on top and that’s an F major 7 chord.

Ok don’t forget to check out GPP software.

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Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple:

We’re looking at Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple

possibly the most famous guitar riff of all time

It can be played in different positions but the notes we’re using are exactly the same as the song

I’m going to start with some open strings

notice I’m picking with my first and second finger

rather than using my plectrum

I’ve got one but I’ve just tucked it away at the moment

Ok, all these notes are happening on them middle two strings 3 & 4

I’m picking the open strings first

then with my first finger I’m barring at the 3rd fret on both those strings

And then the same at Fret 5

Opens strings again, barring at fret 3, then 6/5

All the same strings, we don’t change strings at all

Next we’re going to play the first 3 strings we played

open 3…5

Then we finish with 3rd fret…barred and the open position

Ok good luck with that one, check out our new software

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Paranoid by Black Sabbath – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from Paranoid by Black Sabbath:

This is Paranoid by Black Sabbath

the opening riff

starts with an E5 power cord

fret 12 on the low string & fret 14

But there’s something that happens directly before that

make sure your first finger can play both strings the A and the E at the 12th fret because there is an effect gained by hammering two fret 14 with your 3rd finger on the A string

you do that 3 times.

Then we got an eight note figure that happens on fret 12 and 14 of the A & D strings.

12…14 on the A

same on the D

same on the A

so that’s six notes but that last two are different

12 on the D

14 on the A.

Ok have fun with that one and check out GPP software.

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Cold Sweat by Thin Lizzy – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from Cold Sweat by Thin Lizzy:

This is Thin Lizzy Cold Sweat main riff

uses just 4 power chords

E5, F sharp 5, A5 and B5.

I’m getting my E5 power chord by placing my first finger across the second fret of strings 5 & 4

and I’m playing that with the low E string

You play that once, and then do you see that I moved to my F sharp 5 power cord

that’s the second fret of the low string

and then on the A string 4 and then the D string 4

Ok…moving onto the A string

we’ve got an open A5 chord so the first finger is bracing the two middle strings

open A and second fret of the D and the G

play that twice, before playing a B5 power cord

which is the same shape as your F sharp 5 except you play all set of strings

Play everything again but play the last two chords in reverse

So that ends with two strokes of B5 and one A5.

Don’t forget to check out our software.

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American Idiot by Green Day – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the main riff from American Idiot by Green Day:

Ok we’re looking at Green Day American Idiot main riff

Starts with a G sharp 5 power cord, low string fret 4, A string fret 6, and the D string fret 6 using my first, third and little finger for that shape

and going to play that twice.

Then throw the shape directly up a set of strings

All those notes and play them up a string higher

So just change shape based of the E string, now it’s based of the A

Take the initial shape that you played of the low 3 strings and put it down on the second fret

Ok…go back to the C sharp 5 power cord based of the A string

play it once

go to your first cord play it once

and then the one that based on the second fret which is an F5 cord

that’s the end of your first riff.

Then play all of that again but miss out the last cord and play the top 4 strings only

and did you see that I muted that sound at the end so you didn’t get to hear that jarring sound at the end

it’s an effect used on the track

and you don’t hear that for long at all.

Don’t forget to check out our software.

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Aint No Love In The Heart of the City by Whitesnake – Guitar Riffs for Beginners

Learn the intro form this classic track, Aint No Love In The Heart of the City by Whitesnake:

We’re looking at the opening of Whitesnake’s “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” – starts with an open A string …

And then I want you to put your finger on fret 5 of that string …

And then slide up to fret 7 to create 3 distinctive notes: open, 5th fret and then slide without repacking to the 7th fret …

Brace your first fingernail across the 2 middle strings at fret 5 …

And play them D string G string – that order … We’ve got this …

Allow all the notes to ring together, you want to avoid this sort of sound …

Just be careful when you’re playing it, we want the notes to ring together …

Repack the G string, then go to the A string then slide the chord up by playing the note on the A string …

And create another note by sliding, like we did in the 1st instance, but this is 2 frets higher …

Then we’re going to brace our 1st finger nail across the 7th fret of the 2 middle strings …

That plays through and you should check the original recording to make sure you’re playing along properly, and then it comes to the point where that idea moves up forth – for more on intervals check out Guitar Practiced Perfectly software

But we’re going to play the same idea now, the only difference being the chord shape itself is out if you like by a fret. Before we were playing 3rd finger and the 1st finger was playing all the notes – now we need the 2nd finger a fret higher on the B string, so I’ve moved up a set of strings starting on the D …

But notice the shape now with my left hand needs to accommodate a note that looks higher …

Going to play the same pattern …

And move back to the original …

Thanks for watching, for more on chords check out Guitar Practiced Perfectly software

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