The Rotosound Blog

Pink Floyd is an enduring force in psychedelic, progressive, art, and experimental rock. The classic rock riffs, powerful lyrics, and unique approaches in their songs make them so popular among many generations. While they have many great tunes to play on the guitar there is one that is perfect for both those learning how to play guitar and advanced players. Here is a song lesson on how to play “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd.

Some of the best songs to use to learn how to play guitar are by The Beatles. Their music covers common chord progressions but with new twists on the orders and harmonies. Their earlier hits are especially perfect for all levels of guitar. You can play both simplified beginner versions or the real progressions which can get a bit complicated. A great example of a challenging song sounding simple is their early hit “She Loves You.”

In the early 80’s Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers recorded a Christmas song that has become a holiday staple. While it has all the hallmarks of the season the song stands out with Petty’s laid back and less than perfect vocals. In this guitar lesson, let’s break the song “Christmas All Over Again” down and see how to play it!

By the summer of 1964 The Beatles were going strong! They had made their American appearance on Ed Sullivan the winter before and Beatlemania was at its peak. This was a year before their music began to branch out with new instruments and even drug experimentation. At this point they were still playing standard rock tunes and ballads like “And I Love Her.” Here is a guitar lesson on how to play this song with its great chord changes and percussive rhythm.

The Darkness released “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” back in 2003, but it sounds like a song that could have been released in the ’60s or ’80s. It has all the hallmarks of a hard-rocking blues tune, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. Between the lead singers’ falsetto vocals and the quirky video, the band even leans into the silly aspect of the Rockstar sound, perhaps that’s why it was such a hit. Here is a quick song lesson on how to play this fun rock song “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”

The second and popular single by The Beatles “Please Please Me” is a great practice tune if you are learning to play guitar as it has both easy and challenging parts. While this song was originally slower and more bluesy it was their producer George Martin that made changes so it would be more upbeat like “Love Me Do.” Here is a quick guitar lesson on how to play “Please Please Me” by The Beatles.

This week we get to grips with Rival Sons’ Pressure and Time guitar parts. Rival Sons is a blues hard rock band from Long Beach California that started around 2009. Their 2011 hit “Pressure and Time” is not just catchy and riff laden, but also a perfect song to play for someone learning how to play guitar. It has a mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques and it follows a common blues rock structure. Here is a quick song lesson on the Rival Sons song “Pressure and Time.”

Despite the lead singer Morrissey being quite controversial and moody, The Smiths have endured popularity even though they broke up many years ago. In fact, the singing style of Morrissey and his demeanour is one reason the band has likely achieved such success. There are many great Smiths songs to play, especially if someone is just learning how to play guitar, but today we take a closer look with a song lesson on “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.”

The Irish rock band Thin Lizzy has some great songs to study in your guitar lessons. While predominantly known for blues rock, they also mixed a variety of genres into their music. Besides being riff and power chord heavy they used extended jazz chords and even had traditional folk music as inspiration. One of their best song examples to learn how to play guitar with is the popular hit “The Boys Are Back in Town.”

For many years in the music industry it was common to record Christmas covers and even try creating a new classic on occasion. Paul McCartney was one of the handful of artists to succeed with a tune that still sees heavy rotation to this day. In this song lesson we will show you how to play “Wonderful Christmastime” on your guitar.

The Oasis song “Wonderwall” is one of the most streamed 90’s songs on Spotify. Since its release it has never slowed in popularity. One of the reasons it is so enduring is that it has all the classic hallmarks of 90’s Britpop and Alternative music. The tune “Wonderwall” falls into the category of beginner guitar songs, and it is one of the beginner song lessons that will also prepare you for similar hits of the era.