Here’s a song from an interesting period during the Rolling Stones’ career.

It has a slightly mellow feel to it in contrast to many of their more high-energy tunes. But the groove is deep and the song also features legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins

Grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Waiting On A Friend” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Waiting On A Friend?

“Waiting On A Friend” was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. But like many Rolling Stones songs, it was a collaborative effort. It all came together with significant contributions from the other band members and also some guest musicians.

Lyrically, the song is a departure from the Stones’ usual themes of love, sex, and rebellion. Instead, it leans more into the value of friendship and companionship. Mick Jagger has said in interviews that the song isn’t about waiting for a woman but rather about the camaraderie between friends. Given the Stones’ turbulent history, particularly in the 1970s, many interp...

One of my early mentors was a guy named Ron Anthony who has gone on to join the choir invisible. But he played guitar for Frank Sinatra. 

And one day in a guitar lesson he told me, “Jon all music is patterns.”

And it’s true.

So in this post, I want to share with you 5 super common chord progressions every guitarist should know. But before we begin, let’s first talk about…

How These Common Chord Progressions Work

In any major key, we have seven diatonic chords. In the key of C major they would be:

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - Bdim

These chords are built by stacking thirds on each note of the scale. They follow a specific pattern of major, minor, and diminished chords:

• I (C): Major
• ii (Dm): Minor
• iii (Em): Minor
• IV (F): Major
• V (G): Major
• vi (Am): Minor
• vii° (Bdim): Diminished

This pattern applies to every major key, and understanding it is key to identifying and playing common chord progressions. These progressions are combinations of these chords, often grouped t...

When you find yourself in times of trouble, here’s a comforting song to pull you through.

You see, we all go through seasons in life.  

Seasons of happiness and seasons of pain.  

I believe, wherever you might be right now, playing this song can help. And also, it will level up your guitar playing at the same time. While many think this song is about the Virgin Mary, there’s a twist, and I’m going to get into it below. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Let It Be” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Let It Be?

"Let It Be" was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership. It’s become one of the most iconic Beatles songs ever.

It all started with a dream McCartney had about his mother, Mary McCartney. It was during an intense period of recording with the Beatles. In the dream, his mother came to him and reassured him saying, ‘It’s going to be okay. Just let it be.’"

This dream deeply moved Paul, and he channeled that comfort ...

Picture this… 

You’re in a giant stadium for an event.

The crowd is stirring, feeling rebellious and rambunctious…

They’re wondering what is about to happen. Who will hit the stage or field? Suddenly, a guitar riff comes through the speakers…

What riff is it gonna be?

Well, a very common one is the mighty “Seven Nation Army” guitar riff.

In this post, I’m going to break down some insider tips on Jack White’s guitar style, and how you can get playing like this too.

So grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Seven Nation Army” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Seven Nation Army?

"Seven Nation Army" is one the most famous songs by the American rock band The White Stripes. It was written by Jack White, the band’s lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary writer. 

The song beats with a strong feeling of defiance and empowerment. As the lyrics sing of fighting back against forces and obstacles the narrator faces.

“Seven Nation Army” was featured on the band's fourth studio ...

Behold… THIS… was the first riff I ever done learned.

I was around 11 years old, went over to my neighbor’s house, and he showed me the notes. It’s a fun one – on only 2 strings. 

The problem was, I never got the counting right. 

You see, I thought the first note started on beat 1 but it didn’t…

It was a “pickup”... 

In music theory, this is called an anacrusis. Which means you start playing BEFORE beat 1. But I played the “Come As You Are” riff as if the first note was beat 1. 

This made my rhythm wonky. 

And guess what?

I didn’t correct this timing problem for decades…

Until one day, I tried to play with the recording and fell flat on my face. When I heard Dave Grohl’s drum groove against the riff, I started to figure out the timing…

It was weird. As a yute, trying so hard to learn the riff, I actually engrained the WRONG rhythm in me. Working with recordings can help you not mess up like this. It will help you sort out your favorite songs faster.

However, something was...

Have you ever said:

===

"I’ll do it tomorrow."

"I’ll get to it eventually."

"It’s on my to-do list."

=== 

Well if so, you might be able to relate to this epic Eagles rock song below. You see, the inspiration for it came from – putting off dreams until tomorrow.

This monumental tune also marks a pivotal change in the band’s sound.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “One Of These Nights” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote One Of These Nights?

"One Of These Nights" was co-written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, two founding members of the American rock band Eagles. Frey explained in an interview that the song's inspiration came from about from the them of postponing ambitions. 

He noted, "We've all said, 'One of these nights I'm gonna do something – get that girl, make that money, find that house.' We all have our dreams – a vision we hope will come true someday." 

The track was recorded between late 1974 and early 1975 at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. The reco...

Behold… an epic song about the dreamy California lifestyle and all its glory.

There are many guitars on the recording that create the sound you hear. But below I’m going to show you some tips for playing in this style and also getting a full sound with one guitar. 

You only need a handful of chords to play it. And, you get to blend together RHYTHM and LEAD.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Ventura Highway” chords and guitar lesson! 

Who Wrote Ventura Highway?

"Ventura Highway" was written by Dewey Bunnell, a founding member and singer-songwriter for the folk-rock band America. It reflects the spirit and vibe of the Calfornia lifestyle in the early 1970s. 

The lyrics of "Ventura Highway" are deliberately abstract. There are phrases like “purple rain” and “alligator lizards in the air.” These lines are meant to evoke imagery and feelings rather than tell a linear story. The "alligator lizards in the air" reference has puzzled listeners for decades. According to Bunnel...

I've always wondered about these famous songs titled a woman’s name...

Are they real? What was this person like at that time? Do they know said song was written about them?

Tunes like: 

* Jessica

* Layla

* Or Josie…

Well, below I’m going to break down the guitar style behind one of these types of songs. So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Roxanne" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Roxanne?

"Roxanne" was written by Sting, the lead vocalist and bassist for the English rock band The Police. The song sings of a man's romantic feelings for a woman named Roxanne, who is implied to be a prostitute. He drew inspiration from his experiences in Paris, where he observed the city's red-light district. The name "Roxanne" was inspired by a character from the play Cyrano de Bergerac, a poster of which was present in the hotel where the band stayed. 

"Roxanne" was recorded in 1978 at Surrey Sound Studios in Leatherhead, England. It was released on April 7, 1978, as part of the...

Behold... the forbidden riff.

I’m thrilled to announce a brand new series of posts where I’m going dive deep into the guitar style behind “Stairway To Heaven”. We’re going to go slow and leave no stone unturned. 

So get excited, grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Stairway To Heaven" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Stairway To Heaven?

“Stairway To Heaven” was co-written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – the guitarist and lead vocalist for the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. 

They wrote the song in 1970 while they were staying at Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales. It started with the guitar instrumental Page had already composed and the Plant developed the lyrics and melody around it. Plant described the lyrics as reflective of a journey and a warning against materialism, touching on the idea that chasing the wrong things in life can lead to spiritual emptiness. This journey is symbolized by the “stairway,” suggesting a path to enlightenment or transcendence...

Ever been at a party and stuck in the middle of an awkward conversation? 

This can be quite uncomfortable, and that’s where the inspiration for this song came.

It only uses a handful of chords. Below I’m going to break down a couple of ways to play it – easier to advanced.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Stuck In The Middle With You" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Stuck In The Middle With You?

"Stuck in the Middle with You" was co-written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, two members of the Scottish band Stealers Wheel.

The song’s inspiration came from an awkward industry party hosted by their record label. They were at this party and feeling out of place. They took their discomfort and channeled it into the lyrics which poke fun at the superficiality of the music industry. The chorus, "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right," reflects their sentiments of being caught between insincere individuals. 

“Stuck In The Middle With You” was released as a single...