Welcome the a new section on the Ghost on a String Website. Here we will be taking a look at some of my favorite acoustic songs that I have been playing over the years. As you could read in my introduction of this category, there are some rules when it comes to playing any type of music. But one of my favorites comes from on of the best singer/songwriters put there in the world of music. - "If you can't play the song acoustic, then it is a crappie song. - Paul Stanley".
That is the main idea about these tutorials, take a song and make it playable on the acoustic guitar. So you can sit down play and sing along with them, and maybe impress your friends and family.
For most of the songs in these tutorials my guitars are tuned one half step down to Eb. You can also find the tuning in the Song-PDF that I will include for each tutorial-video. In the video's I will try to show you both the Rhythm and solo parts from the songs. Plus I will try to add the little extras you can add to the songs for when you are playing the songs together with another guitarist.
Songs that you can find in this tutorial section are
from artist around the world, names like: Kip Winger, Bret Michaels, Prince, Robby Valentine, Richie Kotzen, Peter Criss, Paul McCartney, Mr. Big, Saigon Kick, Paul Gilbert, Tommy Lee, Bon Jovi and a lot more will be added over time.
Every rose has it’s thorn by Poison’s record “Open up and say………Ahh!”, this is one of my favorite songs to play. Bret Michaels is an amazing artist/singer/songwriter and for this reason I wanted to start the acoustic songs section with this song. Like this original recording, my guitar is tuned one half step down to Eb, and for this I’ll be using my Washburn Heritage WD10s 12-String.
The basic how I play this song is very easy and I only use a few chords, G, Cadd9, D and some little variations. When I recorded this song, I tuned my guitar back to normal E tuning, since I wanted to use the Harp in G for the solo sections. But if you want to play along use Eb.
This is one of my favorite Mr. big songs “seven impossible days” which came on the “Japandemonium” Live cd as a bonus track. I love it because of the Harmony in the vocals and the sound of the 12 string guitar. Plus I believe Paul Gilbert plays some unbelievable chord progression
for this song. To be true, the song isn’t that hard to play, but there are some tricky chord’s in it. And it took me a while to figure out what he was playing. One of the things I change for you, is the solo
since in the original it is a bass solo by Billy Sheehan, but I did my best to translate it for you to the guitar.
Since I don’t really know the names of some of the chords, I marked them with * above the lyrics and chords, so you have a good idea where we are in the song. I use the Washburn Heritage 12-String guitar for the chord progression, and the Washburn D10 6 string for the guitar solo. The Chords used in this song are: D, A, Bm, G, A, and E
This KISS song comes of the record “Revenge” and if I am right I was written in a half step down tuned, and Paul was using a Capo on the 3rd fret of the guitar neck. In this tutorial I will not use the cape because I wanna make sure that if you don't have any capo that you are still able to play along with the
video. In this video tutorial I'll be using the Washburn Heritage 12 string and he is tuned down one half step to Eb. The chord that I’ll be playing in this songs are: G, C, F, Bm, Am, D, Em, and D#, A# at the bridge end of the songs
The film Young Guns with Emilio Estevez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland is one of my favorite Western movies, and in 1990 the second Young Gun film was released. Jon Bon Jovi made the Soundtrack record “Blaze of Glory” for this, and Blood money is really one of my favorite Bon Jovi Songs.
I love the opening on the Harmonica and it has some great story telling lyrics, That is why that song is listed here in the Acoustic Songs section. The songs I played on the 6 string Washburn D10 guitar, tunes in standard E Tuning, contains just a few chords…..so let’s dive right into it.
First of all, Tommy is an amazing drummer and I really love the Motley Crue records, but what a few people know he is also an amazing singer/songwriter, and from his solo record “Tommy Land” comes the song Hello again, which was also played in the TV hit series “Tommy goes back to collage”. On the cd there are two versions of this song, and we pick the .
acoustic version. The Guitar is originally recorded with a Capo on the first fret, but to be sure that you can play along when you don’t have a capo, I won’t use one in this video. The guitar is the Washburn D10 in standard E tuning.
The chords are somehow easy to remember, since the D note on the B string isn’t really changing you only have to focus on the remaining finger settings. I guess you will get the idea what I mean when you see the chords appear in the video screen. So lets dive right into it.
Metallica and country-western doesn’t really work for the most Metallica fans, but I believe this is one of there best songs in the none-Metallica style. Mama Said comes of there Load Record, and is tuned down a half step. In the original, Kirk Hammett plays some amazing steal slide guitar.
When I play this song, I use my Hohner Marine Band harmonica to play those solo parts. The Chords are kept simple to get that real country-western style sound.
If I am right Richie recorded this song first with Mr.Big in 2001 and it was later released at his own records. Richie is really a one of a kind song writer, and I really love his songs. If you want to hear some more of the Richie Kotzen acoustic songs, take a listen to his Acoustic Cut’s cd, and I am sure you will like it.
I really love this song, and I believe it fits perfect in this acoustic song tutorial section. For this I use the Washburn D10 6 string guitar, tuned down one half step. The chords are pretty standard, simple D, A,G….some Bm F and Em in the bridge. Know the right hand’s strumming and you will have a great song.
To be with you in the ’80 power ballet from Mr. Big, recorded for there “Lean into it” record. Eric Martin wrote this song originally for piano, and work this song into one of there biggest hits. The song has some basic chord strumming, and a interesting guitar solo. I know that I don’t play the solo 100% correct, but this will be my best
attempt on how to play it. I’ll be using the 6string tuning in a normal E tuning. The Chord’s in this song are: C#m, E, Asus2, D, B
Who is the one comes of the 1993 Winger “Pull” record. To be true, I am not 100% about my interpretation on how to play this, compare to the original recording. Still you can come along way on how I play it. This song has both the chord strumming and chord finger plugging
technique, you can switch between them with or without any plectrum....what every you like or hear in the song. I use the Washburn D10 6 string guitar, tuned down 1 half step to Eb. Here are some of the chords I am using to play this: C, Dm, Am, C, G and F
I grow up with the music of the Beatles and the solo work of Paul McCartney since my parents where fans and because of this, Paul McCartney became one of my favorite singer/songwriters. The song that I will show you in this tutorial comes from the Paul McCartney “Flowers in the dirt” record.
The song will be played on my Washburn D10 6 string guitar and the guitar is tuned down one half step to Eb. The chord progression has some peddle tones and chord strumming, the chords I’ll be using are: A, F#m, C#m, D, E, Em, E7sus4, G and B.
