Wednesday, August 20, 2025

September-October Supplemental

Howdy, guitar players!!

Happy birthday Joe Perry of Aerosmith

STUDENT PERFORMANCE: Next recital will be in November - detail soon!

Remember EVERY Second Sunday is our open mic!!

SONGWRITING SERIES: As of this writing, I have 13 lesson articles in the new "Sonic Sorcery" songwriting series, which you can access HERE. Unlike the songwriting workshops, we're deconstructing individual songs to look at chord progressions, forms, lyrics, and more. ALSO in the works: the new 8-week songwriting class video series!

SD MAGAZINE: The songwriting series mentioned above is not all at SD Magazine. We also have 80+ articles from the "Guitar Gods" interview series (unknown gurus to Grammy Award winners), music reviews, art & photography, and more.

WEB RESOURCES: If you haven't already, please sign up as a member at the SDML membership page so you will have access to all the material we offer.

TUITION: Those students signed up with me, I do all invoicing via SQUARE, but if you prefer you can use one of the following methods: you can pay with card or Paypal account at my directly link http://www.paypal.me/skinnydevilmusic or Venmo at www.venmo.com/David-McLean-47 ....and I'm told I need to open a BITCOIN wallet, so I suppose I'd better look into that, also (if you have advice there, please let me know)....though I'm told you can use Bitcoin or Etherium via PayPal and Venmo, so if that's your preferred method of payment, that works for me!

ALSO...if you sign up at my PATREON ($5/month), I'm happy to discount your tuition by the same amount.

1) GROUP STUDENTS 

NO GROUP CLASSES through October due to family issues.

Link & password to the entire 8 weeks session is below the schedule....The schedule is as follows:

4pm - G4

5pm - G1

Join Zoom Meetings at:

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5343966529?pwd=N09CWXhvOFFzY0RHSjBBaWs2TWUzUT09

Meeting ID: 534 396 6529

Password: 949288

NEW AUDIO INSTRUCTIONS:

Here's how to enable and use "Original Sound" for musicians on your tablet app:

1. Enable "Use Original Sound" in the App Settings (Pre-Meeting):

  • Sign in to the Zoom mobile app on your tablet.

  • In the bottom-right corner, tap "More" (or the three dots ...).

  • Tap "Settings."

  • Tap "Meetings."

  • Look for an option like "Use Original Audio" or "Enable Original Sound." Toggle this ON.

2. Enable "Original Sound" During a Meeting (In-Meeting):

Even after enabling it in the app settings, you need to activate it during each meeting you want to use it for.

  • Start or join a Zoom meeting on your tablet.

  • Once you're in the meeting, tap the "More" (or three dots ...) icon in the meeting controls toolbar.

  • You should now see an option like "Enable Original Sound" or "Original Sound: Off". Tap this to turn it ON.

    • The text might change to something like "Original Sound: On" or "Disable Original Sound" to indicate it's active.

    • You might also see a brief notification confirming that "Original sound for Musicians is on. Noise suppression is disabled."

On a desktop/laptop, when you go into Settings > Audio, you'll typically see a dedicated "Audio Profile" section (or similar) where you can select "Original Sound for Musicians" and then fine-tune things like:

  • High-fidelity music mode

  • Echo cancellation

  • Stereo audio


2) PRIVATE STUDENTS - The above link should also function for ALL private lessons. You'll simply be directed to the "waiting room" if you log in early.

Each of you should be receiving (via email and/or text) your individual lesson sheets (in some cases with links to doc or video supplements). I'll be sending these weekly, as a general thing, unless we are just reviewing.

If you have NOT received these, please contact me immediately so we can rectify the situation today!


3) SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL - Below are videos that include several song walk-thrus & play-alongs, as well as a drill material. Some of this several of you started on last week. The rest is new material.

All videos are UNLISTED (except where noted), so you have to have the link to access the video.

This page will be up-dated throughout the month with additional material, so check back each week (though I will often be sending notifications).

G3 and G4 level:
Workout #1 (dexterity, rhythm, scale drills)
Workout #2 (chord drill, including barre chords)
Workout #3 (improvisation - minor blues)
Am Blues Improv Track
C major Improv Track

Advanced Only:
Rhythm drill call & response
Rhythm drill 4-level counting
"Blackbird" by The Beatles walk-thru (Happy Birthday, Paul McCartney)

OCT 5 is global JAMES BOND DAY. Read my 2025 article about it HERE and read my 2020 lesson "The Music of James Bond".

SONG CHARTS

Ace Frehley of KISS
RIP Ace Frehley of KISS

"New York Groove" Ace Frehley
originally by musician & producer Russ Ballard & recorded by the glam band Hello, Ace covered the song for his 1978 solo album. It features a Bo Diddley beat.
guitar is tuned down 1/2 step - charted for standard

verse
E - - - /E - - - /E - - - /B - - - /
A - - - /A - - - /E - - - /B - - - /

pre
E - - - /E - - - /E - - - /E - - - /

chorus
E - - B /A - - B /E - - B /A - - B /

moves up 1/2 step for second verse


The song DAVE GROHL called "the most beautiful piece of music ever written":

"Never Let Her Slip Away" Andrew Gold (1978)
*** simplified version ***
capo @1

verse
A - - - /A - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
A - - - /A - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

chorus
Bm - - - /E - - - /C#m - - - /F#7 - - - /
G - - - /E - - - /A - - - /A - - - /
G - - - /E - - - /Bm - - - /E - - - /
A - - - /A - - - /A - - - /A - - - /

***note: Andrew Gold is best known for the songs "Thank You for Being a Friend" and "Lonely Boy", both Top 40 hits in the US, as well as his work as writer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist for artists like Linda Ronstadt, Art Garfunkel, Cher, Celine Dion, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, and more. Sadly, Gold died of heart failure in 2011 at only 59 years of age.

John Denver Requests:

"Country Roads" John Denver
capo @2

verse
G - - - //Em - - - /D - - - /C - /G - - - /
repeat

chorus
G - - - /D - - - /Em - - - /C - - - /
G - - - /D - - - /C - - - /G - - - /

bridge
G -D - /Em - - - /C - G - /D - - - /

Em - F - /C - G - /D - - - /D7 - - - /


"Leaving on a Jetplane" John Denver

G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /
G - - - /C - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
repeat


"Rocky Mountain High" John Denver (1972)
capo @2

verse
D - - - /G - C A /D - - - /G - - - /
D - - - /G - C A /D - - - /G - - - /
repeat

pre
G - A - /D - - - /G - A - /D - - - /
G - A - /D A /G - - -/G - - - /

chorus
D - - - /G - - - /D - - - /G - - - /
repeat as necessary



More requests:

"Hey Jude" Beatles 
Wilson Pickett version
capo @2

verse
E - - - / B - - - / B7- - - / E- - - /
A - - - / E - - - / B7- - - / E- - - /
(transition E7 - - - /)

bridge
A - Amj7 - / F#m - F#m7 - / B7- - - / E- - - /E7 - - - /
A - Amj7 - / F#m - F#m7 - / B7- - - / E- - - /x - - - /x - - - /

vamp
E - - - / D - - - / A- - - / E- - - /
E - - - / D - - - / A- - - / E- - - /
repeat


"I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)" traditional

chorus
D - - - /D - G - /D - - - /D - - - /
D - - - /D - - - /A - - - /A - - - /
D - - - /D - G - /D - - - /D - - - /
D - - - /D - A - /D - - - /D - - - /

verse
A - - - /A7 - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
D - - - /D - - - /A - - - /A7 - - - /
G - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
D - - - /D - A - /D - - - /D - - - -/

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" Hank Williams 

capo @4

C - - /C - - /C - - /C - - /
C - - /C - - /C - - /C(7) - - /
F - - /F - - /C - - /C - - /
C - - /G - - /C - - /C - - /


"Wish You Were Here" Pink Floyd 

see tab for riff

intro
Em7 - - - /G - - - /Em7 - - - /G - - - /
Em7 - - - /A7 - - - /Em7 - - - /A7 - - - /
G - - - /G - - - /

verse
C - - - /D - - - /Am - - - /G - - - /
D - - - /C - - - /Am - - - /G - - - /
   repeat as necessary



"Rainbow Connection" Kermit the Frog
intro:
A - - /D - - (repeat)

verse:
A- - /F#m - - /Bm(7) - - /E(7) - - /
A - - /F#m - -/Bm(7) - - /E(7) - - /
repeat
chorus:
Bm - - /Bm - - /Bm7 - - /Bm7 - - /
C#m - - /C#m - - /C#m7 - - /Gdim7 - - /
Bm - - /E7 - - /C#m - - /F#7 - - /
Bm - - /E7 - - /
(return to intro)


birthday songs:

"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" Sting (1993)
**Simplified version**

verse
A - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
A - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
A - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /
A - - - /A - - - /

chorus 
E - - - /F# - - - /G - - - /A - - - /
E - - - /F# - - - /G - - - /A - - - /

bridge 
F# - - - /G# - - - /A - - - /B - - - /
F# - - - /G# - - - /A - - - /B - - - /

bridge 2
E - - - /E - - - /
B - - - /C# - - - /D - - - /E - - - /
B - - - /C# - - - /D - - - /E - - - /



"Comfortably Numb" Pink Floyd (1979)

verse
Bm - - - /A - - - /G - Em - /Bm - - - /
Bm - - - /A - - - /G - Em - /Bm - - - /


chorus
D - - - /A - - - /D - - - /A - - - /
C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /
D - - - /A - - - /D - - - /A - - - /
C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /
A - - - / C - G - /D - - - /

first guitar solo uses chorus changes
second guitar solo uses verse changes


"Cover Me in Sunshine" Pink (2021)
(capo @3)

verse
D - - - /D - - - /G - - /D - - - /
D - - - /D - - - /G - - /D - - - /
G - - - /A - - - /

chorus
Em - G - /D - A - /Em - G - /D - A - /
Em - G - /D - A - /Em - G - /D - A - /


"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" John Mayer
(simplified)

verse
C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /E - - - /
C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /E - - - /
C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /E - - - /
C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /E - - - /

chorus
B - - - /B - - - /A - - - /E - - - /
B - - - /B - - - /A - - - /E - - - /
C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /E - - - /


"Lyin' Eyes" the Eagles (1975)

verse
G - - - /G - - - /C - - - /C - - - /
/Am - - - /Am7 - - - /D - - - /D7 - - - /
G - - - /G - - - /C - - - /C - - - /
Am - - - /C - - - /G - - - /G - - - /
repeat

chorus
G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /G - - - /
Em - - - /Bm - - - /Am - - - /D7 - - - /
G - - - /G7 - - - /C - - - /A7 - - - /
Am - - - /D7 - - - /G - - - /G - - - /


"Ice Cream Man" Van Halen (1978)
(cover of old blues song by John Brimm - standard 12-bar blues)

intro
E7 riff...

verse/chorus
E7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /E7 - - - /
A7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /E7 - - - /
B7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /B7 - - - /


Suggested Reading

My 2014 interview with Grammy nominated, "Best Guitarist" award winning, platinum album selling guitar god George Lynch!
Happy birthday George Lynch!

Suggested Listening

Grammy winning legend Nile Rodgers live clinic clip
George Lynch improv in studio
Joe Perry solo (without Aerosmith, Hollywood Vampires, or Joe Perry Project))


Happy Birthday
September:
Mark Ronson, Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Dweezil Zappa, Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders), Pink, Aimee Mann, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Ben Folds, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Nick Jonas (Jonas Bro), Nile Rodgers, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Don Felder (Eagles), Joan Jett, Ani DiFranco, Lita Ford, Bruce Springsteen, Avril Lavigne, Les Claypool (Primus), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob).....

October:
....Sting (Police), Don McLean, Chubby Checker, Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Steve Miller, Lewis Capaldi, Thom Yorke (Radiohead), John Mellencamp, Bruno Mars, David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Sammy Hagar (Monstrose/Van Halen), Paul Simon, John Mayer, Alan Jackson, Steve Lukather, Katy Perry, Mattias Jabs (Scorpions), Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Keith Urban, KK Downing (Judas Priest)....


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September-October Supplemental

Info, links, and song charts below..... For 2026 GOAL SETTING, check out the SAGE Guitar Awards criteria! RECITAL: We have, for now, replac...