The year was 1975 and famously Aerosmith at this time was living a pretty debaucherous lifestyle…

And this led to boiling tensions in the band.

But out of their unwavering dedication to the music…

Some amazing tracks came out of this period for them.

Today’s riffs are from the classic album Toys in the Attic.

And this song all started with a grooving bassline that Tom Hamilton stumbled upon one day in the studio. 

I’m going to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Sweet Emotion” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Sweet Emotion?

The song "Sweet Emotion" is a classic rock anthem written by Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton, members of the American rock band Aerosmith. It was released in 1975 as part of their album Toys in the Attic. The song has an infectious groove, of course, powerful vocals from Steven, and some epic guitar riffs.

Recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, "Sweet Emotion" features Steven Tyler on vocals, Joe Perry on...

Today I want to share with you a song that started off as an underground garage rock anthem...

And then went on to become a Woodstock showstopper and change rock and roll history forever...

It’s a 3 chord masterpiece...

It's a perfect example of less is more.

So grab your guitar and let's dive into this "Wild Thing" guitar lesson.

Who wrote Wild Thing?

“Wild Thing” was written by Chip Taylor (real name James Voight, brother of actor Jon Voight), he wrote the song under the pseudonym "Chip Taylor" in 1962.

The lyrics are intentionally ambiguous and open to interpretation. Some view it as a celebration of youthful freedom and untamed energy, expressed through themes of dancing and having fun. Others interpret the lyrics as metaphorically alluding to sexual desire, with lines like "wild thing, you make my heart sing" and "I think you move me." The open-ended nature of the lyrics contributed to its widespread appeal.

The Troggs' version was recorded at Decca Studios...

A few years back I got a call for one of the most exciting recording sessions of my life

It was here in a recording studio in Hollywood, California. As I walked into the studio carrying two guitar cases (one in each hand). I set them down and a guy walked up to me and put out his hand and said, “Hey what’s up I’m Jules.”

I shook his hand and that was when I first met and recorded with Hey Jude.

Jules is one of the nicest guys I ever worked with. If you want to hear the song we recorded that night I’ll link it up below. But today I want to share with you a tune that Paul McCartney wrote for him that has moved the world.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Hey Jude” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Hey Jude?

"Hey Jude" was written by the legendary English rock band The Beatles. It’s a timeless classic that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. While officially credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership, "Hey...

I’m sitting down to write you this while stuck in the Haneda airport in Tokyo Japan…

My flight just got delayed, and I still have a long and tiring travel day ahead…

But while in Japan…

Some cool things have happened…

Like I got to go to the world’s one and only Fender store.

They had all kinds of old-school Fender ads on the walls:

Take a look at this staircase that leads up to the custom shop floor:

Not bad eh?

Well, this brings me to today’s lesson…

I’d like to share with you a song that was inspired during a drive through a desolate desert area of southern Morocco. 

It’s one of Led Zeppelin’s most mysterious and hypnotic songs. In fact, Jimmy Page even said that he wished Led Zeppelin was known more for this song, than “Stairway To Heaven.”

The riff is in an unusual open tuning and I’m going to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Kashmir” guitar lesson.

Who...

On the journey to becoming a great rock guitar player, there are many skills and techniques we need to develop...

In this post, I want to share with you some of those crucial areas to focus on so you can get the songs of the songs we all know and love. Specifically in this lesson, I’ll be addressing things like power chords, palm-muting, and how to “lock in” your eighth-note rhythms.

So grab your guitar, get tuned up, and let’s dive into this “Hold On Loosely” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Hold On Loosely?

"Hold On Loosely" is a classic rock anthem by the American band .38 Special, released in 1981 on their album Wild-Eyed Southern Boys. The song's origins go back to guitarist Don Barnes, who was facing personal struggles in his marriage. He confided in co-writer Jim Peterik, expressing his wife's lack of support for his musical aspirations.

From this raw emotion, the first line, "Hold on loosely, but don't let go," emerged. It captured the essence of...

In 1966 the Rolling Stones were at a pivotal period in their musical evolution.

They were starting to break away from their earlier rhythm and blues roots. And were venturing off with experimental sounds.

Brian Jones, a founding member of the band, had come up with this awesome riff, after picking up a sitar and being inspired by Eastern music.

Today I want to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Paint It Black” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Paint It Black? 

"Paint It Black" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1966. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the primary songwriting duo of the band, and is credited to Jagger/Richards.

"Paint It Black" was created during a pivotal period for The Rolling Stones. The band was transitioning from their earlier rhythm and blues sound to a more psychedelic and experimental style. 

It all started when Brian Jones, a founding member of The Rolling Stones, stumbled...

I grew up with 3 wild brothers…

I’m the middle one.

And when I was in my first band. My older brother would come out to all our shows in Hollywood. It was a routine.

And he would always bring dates he was trying to schmooze and impress. I’d see him in the audience from the stage.

He’d point at me and say to his date, “That’s my brother”...as he’d try to get them out on the dance floor…

It was hilarious. But this brings me to today’s song.

...because before every show…

My brother would ask me…

“Are you going to play “x” song tonight?”

He always wanted to know…

Today I want to share with you that song...

It's one every party band guitar player should know.

It’s full of nostalgia. Making many listeners think about innocent crushes, summer days, and simpler times. 

You only need 4 chords to play it. And, the majority of the song just repeats one progression...

One of the core techniques every guitarist should have a handle on is arpeggio picking. 

The basic idea of arpeggio picking is you take notes of a chord. But instead of strumming them. You pick them individually.

This one technique has been the seed of many legendary guitar riffs. And today, I would like to share with you an example of this in this Rebel Rebel guitar lesson. 

So grab your guitar, and let’s get started!

Who wrote Rebel Rebel?

"Rebel Rebel" was written and performed by David Bowie. It was first released as a single in 1974 and then later included on his album "Diamond Dogs." The song has a catchy guitar riff and it’s known for its rebellious lyrics. 

Bowie recorded it in January 1974 at Olympic Studios in London.

"Rebel Rebel" is considered one of Bowie's signature songs and a glam rock anthem. 

The song features Bowie's distinctive vocals and Mick Ronson's memorable guitar work. 

It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. 

...

A fan on Reddit said this about today's song:

"Those opening lines, 'There are places I'll remember/All my life, though some have changed' - they just take you right back to your childhood." 

I would agree with that.

I’ve played this song at:

Weddings…

Anniversaries…

Private events… 

I’ve played it all over. And it always seems to hit an emotional note with the crowd. 

Today I want to break it down for you step-by-step. We’ll look at the signature guitar parts, the chords and progressions, and even an unexpected twist at the end. 

I’ll dive deep into how George Martin recorded and played the piano solo in this In My Life guitar lesson.

Who wrote In My Life?

The iconic song "In My Life" is credited to the legendary songwriting duo Lennon-McCartney. But its origins are a bit murkier than that.  

While John Lennon wrote the lyrics and is considered the primary author, there's been debate about the extent of...

Bob Dylan is often thought of as one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

But in an interview, he was once asked what he thought was the greatest song ever written…

What was Bob’s response?

“Wichita Lineman”

And many people agree with Bob… 

In fact, this song has moved the world.

So today I want to share with you the ULTIMATE Wichita Lineman guitar lesson.

We’ll unpack the history of this song, the chord progressions, and even the iconic guitar solo.

So tune up, and let’s get started! 

Who wrote Wichita Lineman? 

"Wichita Lineman" is a classic song written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb. It was made famous by the iconic American country singer Glen Campbell, who recorded and released it in 1968 as a single and included it on his album of the same name. 

The song was recorded at the famous Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. It featured the skilled and emotive guitar work of session musician James Burton,...