In this lesson, we are going to take a look at how to play the most recognizable part of "No Rain;" the lead guitar melody. This part introduces the song and is playable by anyone at any stage of learning to play the guitar. This is followed by two melody parts that are played throughout the entire track. We have our verse melodies, and our chorus melodies. WIthin each of these we have some slight variations using bends and other techniques. Both parts are equally as important and really showcase Blind Melon's ability to write memorable hooks. An important point to no...

In this tutorial, we are going to take a look at how to play all the guitar parts played in "No Rain" by Blind Melon. Our introduction will give us some insight into the history of the band along with some background on the track's success. Following our introduction, we will take a look at how to play all three guitar parts of "No Rain" and break down how you can work to play through this entire classic track. We will use three different guitars to get the tones just right along with a play along at the end to show you how all three guitar parts sound when played throug...

In our final lesson we are going to do a play along through the entire track. We will use multiple camera angles to show you close ups of the fingerings used along with wide shots to show you how all the parts go together using all three guitars. Enjoy the performance and work to get all these parts into your playing. Thanks for watching!

The Major Scale is the foundation for nearly all of what we know as Western Harmony. It's construction allows us to understand how nearly all rock music goes together, and our understanding of it's workings is an essential part of everyone's musical education. The construction of the major scale follows the same formula every time. Starting from your root note (the key you are playing in), you move up the following pattern: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 W - W - H - W - W - W - H C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G D - E ...

Our next guitar part we are going to look at in "No Rain" is the acoustic guitar parts played throughout the track. The acoustic in the song creates a nice consistent rhythm throughout the whole track and really works to bridge the gap between the vocals, melodies, and rhythm section. Like our lead guitar melody, there are two main parts. We are using a series of open position chords in the verses, and than moving to A string root barre chords in the choruses. All of these chords are very easy to play and account for a quick way to jump right into playing the song. One...

Our last breakdown of "No Rain" will be looking at the two guitar solos played throughout the track. The two solos are nearly identical with some slight variations within them. A series of different techniques are used in these solos, including peddling notes, blues licks, minor pentatonic sequences as well as hammers ons/pull offs. It is important to note that all of these ideas in this solo work very well in solos of your own as well, so take these licks and try to integrate them in your own playing. Let's break down these solos section by section!

In our first example, we are going to look at playing the major scale up the High E string. This is the best way for us to begin to explore this concept more in depth, as it follows our pattern (WWHWWWH) very literally. Starting on the first fret of the High E string (F), we will move up this pattern paying special attention to the whole steps and half steps. The notes in the key of F are: F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F Taking this concept on the high E string, let's take a look at an example of this concept in the lead style of John Mayer in the key of F.

Just as often as the use of Dominant 7 chords, minor chords are used in the 12 Bar Blues to create some nice variations. By simply substituting some of those 7th chords for minor chords, you can take your blues playing in several new and exciting directions. In our first example, we are going to look at a 12 Bar Minor Blues progression in the key of A minor. Our A7 (or I chord) becomes A minor, the D7 (IV chord) becomes Dmi, and our V chord stays the same as E7. Reason for this is that the Dominant 7 for the V creates a much stronger pull towards the I, regardless if it...

Another common way to explore the major scale is by use of your open strings (EADGBE.) You can play almost every key in this fashion in some way or another, and this can be applied to a variety of rock rhythm and lead styles. We will take a look at this idea using the key of G major, moving in the same pattern across open strings when available. The notes in the key of G are: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G Let's take a look at this concept in the style of Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd.)

Many new students to the guitar are first introduced to the major scale by way of a 3 note per string pattern. This sequence of notes is an easy way to understand the major scale in a very linear way. Each string possesses the same number of notes and there are 3 repeating patterns. We are going to explore this idea using the A major scale. The notes in the key of A are: A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G# Now that you have this idea under your fingers, let's apply it in the style of Slash (Guns N Roses.) in the key of A.

While the notes in a major scale sound great when played in a specific, there are certain notes that have to be carefully placed to work within the harmony. The Major Pentatonic Scale works to remedy this situation by eliminating two of the notes from the major, enabling every note to sound harmonically "in the right place." While stylistically this may or may not sound particularly innovative, the fact remains that these 5 notes sit almost perfectly inside their major key and create a foundation to work from when exploring rock soloing. "Penta" meaning five, and "tonic,...

Our next example of the minor blues is played in the key of D minor. As opposed to open chords from before, we are going to use the barre chords you are already familiar with. Rooted on the A string, our I chord is D minor, the IV chord is G minor, and the V chord is A7. We are also going to introduce a very common chord substitution in the blues, which is the addition of a flat VI chord. In the key of D minor, that chord will be a Bb. With that added to our mix of chords, we now have a common minor blues progression that demonstrates a great real world example of how ...

There are several ways to approach the major scale across all 6 strings. You can experiment with this idea in an almost infinite number of ways, but most commonly we start from the Low E and A strings and move in 2 and 3 note groupings. The first approach we will take is looking at the key of C major, playing the scale twice across all 6 strings ascending and descending from the Low E string from the same position. We are essentially playing the same scale from the same root, only working from a wider range on the neck of the guitar. The notes in the key of C are: ...

This example examines another variation within the Minor Blues form. Playing in the key of E minor, we are using a variety of barre chords along with our additional flat VII chord. Adding this chord gives us a little more movement in our traditional 12 Bar Blues Form. Our flat VII chord is a D major in our example. Our IV chord in this minor blues is an A minor, and our V chord is a B7. Try exploring this example in other keys in your own blues jams.

Playing with our traditional minor blues form, this example is played with slightly different feel along with our flat VI chord. Played in the key of Bb minor, our I chord is Bb minor, the IV chord is Eb minor, and our V is F (or an F7 voicing if you can.) Our flat VI chord is Gb and like in other examples, accounts for a more interesting movement in the progression. This also allows for better soloing phrases and can be a lot of fun to play in a variety of musical settings. Try this example in other keys as well once you have it under your fingers.

Like we did with our major scale pattern, moving your scales up and down one string is another way to demonstrate a use of major pentatonics in your soloing. Using an F major pentatonic scale, we are using this key to see the relation between these pentatonic notes and the major scale from Chapter 1. Once we ascend up the scale up the scale, we will than descend the scale using the B string to again visually see the scale's possibilities in this regard. The notes in the F major pentatonic scale are: F-G-A-C-D Taking this concept on the high E and B strings, let's t...

Another common technique for applying the major scale across all 6 strings is by beginning on the A string. While similar to our previous patterns, notice the slight variations in the order of notes and fingering positions. Again, we will start from the same place We are going to explore an example of this pattern in the key of D major. The notes in the key of D are: D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D Let's explore this idea by playing a lead example in the style of Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan) in the key of D.

In this section of Rock Guitar Level 2, we will focus on the concept of major triads and their inversions. A triad is a chord using 3 notes to create one overall sound. In many of the major chords you have previously learned from Guitar Tricks, their already exists major triads in your musical vocabulary. Each chord we reference will have three major triads, and each of these triads is called an inversion. While each example in the lessons will have different shapes, each of them still remains the same chord. We will use the triads you already know, demonstrating their...

Now that you have a better understanding of how to approach the major scale, let's put it all together by having you demonstrate a few examples. Make sure you play all the example ascending and descending. 1. Try playing the major scale in OPEN POSITION using the C major Scale. See the pattern example in the INTRODUCTION section of this chapter if you need help remembering the notes of the scale. 2. Play the 3 Note Per String pattern from the following two notes on the Low E String: G, B. If you want a real challenge, try naming all the notes as you move up. ...

 Jack Johnson's strength as a rhythm guitarist lends well to his singer-songwriter style. In this example, the focus is on strumming with the right hand and hitting the guitar on beats 2 and 4.  It is also crucial to use all bar chord voicings, with the root on the low E string.  The strumming occurs with the tips of the fingers, strumming back and forth across the strings along with the wrist hitting the body of the guitar. This combination of techniques played in the key of G creates a strong progression that lends itself well to the acoustic rock style.  A simil...

The use of open strings also works well with the major pentatonic scale. This motion creates a nice fluidity that works in the favor of rhythm and lead guitar playing. It is important when exploring open string scales to utilize the open strings as ringing "over tones" into the next notes. This again creates a new sound all it's own unique to guitar and creates an almost, sustaining effect similar to a piano. Using a C major pentatonic scale, we are going to explore this idea using two different patterns. One being the open position scale, the other being up the A stri...

The use of the sixth interval is used all over John Mayer's playing.  Whether it be in a guitar solo or a rhythm guitar part, you can find the use of sixth's throughout many of his recorded works.  This example focuses in on applying the use of sixths in between a set of chord changes in E Major, played in 6/8 time.  The use of these intervals in a rhythm guitar part adds a richer sense to the harmony and allows for a strong melody to be established between the chords. A similar technique can be heard in the songs: Belief (Continuum) In Your Atmosphere (Where the Li...

Using the notes of a D major chord (D, F#, and A,) we are going to look at all three triad inversions up the E, B, and G strings.  All will be played with an open D string ringing as a reference tone. We will than use those D major triad inversions to play a rock rhythm example in the style of Pete Townsend (The Who.) Adding some overdrive and reverb, we are now able to hear these major triads in a rock guitar context.

In our major scale lessons, we took one scale and started in from one place and utilized two different patterns. Thinking similarly, we are going to cover start from the same pattern, using the major pentatonic scale instead, and move to the same scale one octave higher when we descend. This creates a nice fluid motion that explores the possibilities of this scale, and allows us to think outside of just one standard pattern when playing this scale. We will be using the key of D major to demonstrate this idea. The notes in the D major pentatonic scale are: D - E - F...

In the singer/songwriter style, it is a common harmonic strategy to play single chords with moving bass lines underneath them.  Jack Johnson does this in a tasteful manner that creates a strong pop feel to the progression while still creating a musically interesting set of chords.  This progression in E major showcases that by taking major and minor chords, and moving the bass lines from the root of the chords to the 7th.  Nearing the end of the example, a strong turnaround creates enough of a difference to give the progression enough weight to repeat as both the main ho...

There are many times during the process of learning the guitar that players at any level hit a wall. You are stuck playing the same chords, the same riffs; literally running circles within the same idea. While it is always important to study the instrument from it's standard tuning, altering the instruments tuning is always a great way to explore new territory. All of a sudden those same shapes sound different, and a wealth of new riffs and songs evolve from a simple altering of one string. In this tutorial, we are going to explore some creative ways to use Drop...

Blind Melon's "No Rain" is an early 90's hit that has one of the most memorable guitar hooks in rock-n-roll. While the hook itself is an essential part of the song, there are also other guitar parts within the track that are equally as exciting to learn. In this tutorial, we will give you a step by step look at how to play the melodies, acoustic guitar parts, and guitar solos within this famous song.

A look at the 12 bar minor blues in 4 keys, with slight variations.

As just an added bonus to our already strong Lead Guitar Elements section, we are going to conclude this tutorial by looking at the use of intervals in the major and minor scales. We have taken an in depth look at many different ways to explore each of these scales. An important factor to realize is that within each scale resides a series of intervals that can be played together within a rock guitar solo. Each interval has a completely different sound and while some may sound harmonic and pleasing, others may resonate at odd frequencies and sound dissonant. Our focus in...

The Major Scale is the foundation for nearly all of what we know as Western Harmony. It's construction allows us to understand how nearly all rock music goes together, and our understanding of it's workings is an essential part of everyone's musical education. The construction of the major scale follows the same formula every time. Focusing on it's use in a rock guitar context, we are going to look at a few different ways to play this scale. We are than going to take each of these different approaches and play them in the styles of some rock guitarists that you already ...

While the notes in a major scale sound great when played in a specific way, there are certain notes that have to be carefully placed to work within the harmony. The Major Pentatonic Scale works to remedy this situation by eliminating two of the notes from the major, enabling every note to sound harmonically "in the right place." While stylistically this may or may not sound particularly innovative, the fact remains that these 5 notes sit almost perfectly inside their major key and create a foundation to work from when exploring rock soloing. "Penta" meaning five, and "to...

In our final installment of ROCK GUITAR LEVEL 2: CHORDS AND RHYTHM, we are going to look at the idea of Rhythm, Time and Feel. Rhythm is the basic foundation for the all music we know and love. It is what all instruments unite within to work together to produce musical ideas. We have the ability to count rhythm by applying the concept of time signatures. This firms our foundation by allowing us to have a set repetition of numbers to play our music within. And lastly, how we go about playing such rhythms in their respected time signatures is dictated by the feel we are ...

In this section of Rock Guitar Level 2, we will focus on the concept of Major Triads and their inversions. A triad is a chord using 3 notes to create one overall sound. In many of the major chords you have previously learned from Guitar Tricks, their already exists triads in your musical vocabulary. Each chord we reference will have three major triads, and each of these triads is called an inversion. While each example in the lessons will have different shapes, each of them still remains the same chord. We will use the triads you already know, demonstrating their inve...

We are going to shift our attention to the concept of minor chords and their inversions. Again, a triad is a chord using 3 notes to create one overall sound. Now matter what the shape, these chords all include the same notes and will create the same quality of sound. Shifting from major to minor, the only difference between minor triads and the major triads we learned in Chapter 1 is the lowering of one note, a half step (or one fret down the neck of the guitar.) We will again use triads you are already playing in the chords D minor, A minor, and E minor, also using th...

In the world of rock rhythm guitar, there exists a wide variety of alternatives to your every day major and minor chords. While these chords certainly serve their purpose, it is essential to also seek out the wide array of chord alternatives available to rock guitarists. Putting variation on barre chords, power chords, and open string chords; the examples below will introduce you to this never ending world of exploration on your instrument. We will also look at how adding distortion to your already existing bar chords can also bring these shapes to new heights. Seeking ...

In rock rhythm guitar, simple chords can often be played with slight variation to create what is called chord embellishment. The idea behind chord embellishment is taking any chord in your vocabulary and adding a slight variation to one or two of the notes you are playing to create a strong rhythm. With this idea, you also develop a strong melody on top of the chords you are playing. This technique is used by everyone from Chuck Berry to Led Zeppelin to Stone Temple Pilots to The Killers and just about any contributor to the rock guitar world. The following examples sh...

Covering topics ranging from moving chord shapes to hammer ons to right hand strumming techniques, each lesson will help showcase a different aspect of Johnson's voice in the instrument.  It is hoped that students, whether a fan of Jack Johnson or not, will take away something from this tutorial to see how the acoustic guitar used primarily as a song-writing tool can serve to better any player's approach to the instrument. 

The span of John Mayer's career from his aggressive-acoustic beginnings to his modern finger style approach showcases a player whose diversity has earned him the respect of guitar greats and the general public alike.  Focusing on his acoustic guitar style, this tutorial provides 10 examples, all of which showcase a different element of John's unique approach to the instrument.  By the end of these lessons, you should have a greater insight into the diversity of John Mayer's playing, and be able to see how you can introduce the elements of his playing into your own style. ...

"New Age" playing is used to describe acoustic guitar playing in its solo form that demonstrates a mixture of technical prowess and song-writing. Soloists such as Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, and others demonstrate exceptional playing on the instrument, all the while writing meaningful songs and great melodies. Artists such as Kaki King and the late Michael Hedges have taken such ideas a step further, employing the style alongside other instrumentation (i.e. drums, bass, vocals, samples, etc.) The "New Age" style can both be used as a solo technique, as well as a great add...

Following the lessons of Rock Guitar Level 1, you have now landed into the musical world of Rock Guitar Level 2. Before moving forward into this section, make sure you take the time review all the concepts from Rock Guitar Level 1 as well as Guitar Fundamentals Levels 1 & 2. The lessons and skills contained in those lessons are essential tools into understanding the lessons ahead. Ranging from alternative chord voicings to new soloing techniques to playing in the style of Jimi Hendrix; Rock Guitar Level 2 works to take not only your guitar playing to the next level, but ...