AC-DC’s Back in Black has a riff where the phrasing is a bit a tricky, and the chord changes come quite quickly. So I wrote this exercise based on the phrasing of the rhythm guitar but, instead of chord changes, the top line changes — let’s call it a melody.

The result is quite folksy. And easier to learn.

Powertab file for Back In D Major. It also contains a variation, written in 16th notes then 8th notes.

The bass riff (arranged for guitar) is fairly easy.

The lead part is mostly based around the 2nd shape of A minor pentatonic. It’s mostly sparse, so it’s easy to play if you can do it by ear. If you have trouble with the faster parts — slow it down!

Note that the lead score is on the bass tab. (Yes, I should have done it the other way round!).

Here’s the powertab file for Greenish Onions.

Various ideas on how to play through the chords:

G – D – | C – - – ||

The powertab file isn’t meant to be played from beginning to end. It’s arranged for printing in a single page.

NB: Similarity to any songs, living or dead, may not be coincidental.

I forget which ones now, but here’s a powertab file of nursery rhymes for beginning guitarists.

Power Tab can print out notation and TAB. It also imports from MIDI.

I may be converting some of my posts into this format — when I have time.

The Guitar Techniques Practice Plan develops 8 playing skills. I recommend the magazine, too.

Here’s a Power Tab file for Asturias. It’s only the first section. And I’ve moved it into open position, where it’s easier to play.

Leaving the chord of D major, one finger at a time.

Play the D major with your 1st, 3rd and 2nd fingers.
2nd finger leaves the top-string, to play on the 5th string.
1st finger leaves next
Then the 3rd finger slides down a fret to play the A7, final bar.

The TAB should make things clear:

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-------2---------|-------0---------|
|-----3-----------|-----3-----------|
|---2-------------|---2-------------|
|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-------0---------|-------0-----0---|
|-----3-----------|-----2-------2---|
|---0-------------|---0---------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-0---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|

And here’s the MIDI file for Leaving Dee.

Every Breath You Take by The Police uses the same chord sequence as Stand By Me — but not all the way through. And the chords are modified by adding the major second.

It’s often played in the key of A (or Aflat), using some stretchy chords. But I’ve seen Sting play it in G using open chords.

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------0-------|---------0-------|
|-----2-----2---2-|-----2-----2---2-|
|---0---0-----0---|---0---0-----0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|
  Gadd2

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------0---------|-------0---------|
|-----4---4---4---|-----4---4---4---|
|---2-------2---2-|---2-------2---2-|
|-0---------------|-0---------------|
  Em add 2
 

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----0-----------|
|-----3---1-------|---------3-------|
|---0---0---0---0-|---2---2---2---2-|
|-------------2---|-0-----------0---|
|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
  C                 D

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------0---------|-------0---------|
|-----2---2---2---|-----2---2---2---|
|---0-------0---0-|---0-------0---0-|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|
  G add 2

Another way through the chords is to pick the bass note, then strum a block of notes. EG: Using the same chords, but in a slightly longer sequence.

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|-------------|-------------|
|-----2---2---|-----2---2---|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|
|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|-----4---4---|-----4---4---|
|-------------|-------------|-----2---2---|-----2---2---|
|-3-----------|-3-----------|-0-----------|-0-----------|

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|-------------|-------------|
|-----2---2---|-----2---2---|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|
|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|-----4---4---|-----4---4---|
|-------------|-------------|-----2---2---|-----2---2---|
|-3-----------|-3-----------|-0-----------|-0-----------|

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----3---1---|-----3---1---|-----3-------|-----3-------|
|-----0---0---|-----0---0---|---------2---|---------2---|
|-----2---2---|-----2---2---|-0-----------|-0-----------|
|-3-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

Here’s a MIDI file for Turnaround Waltz.

There are bonus points for anyone who spots where the lead riffs where taken from. The middle part gives it away, I think. So, okay… only ONE bonus point, then.

Unfortunately — in spite of the source of the riffs — the result is Easy Listening. Oh well.

There are three chords which are very important in music. And they’re easy to find on the guitar.

Suppose we are to play in the key of G.
Locate G on the 3rd fret 6th string.
The note on the 3rd fret 5th string is C
And two frets up from that is D

And so G, C, D will be the root notes of the three chord trick.

We can arrange the chords very simply:
| G – - – | G – - – | C – - – | D – - – |

A common trick is to substitute an Eminor for the second G. The result is called a turnaround .
| G – - – | Em – - – | C – - – | D – - – |

The chords don’t have to be played one per bar. And it’s common to add G to the end of the sequence. This can be tricky for beginners if they don’t keep track of whether they are at the beginning or end of the sequence!

| G – - – | G – - – | Em – - – | Em – - – | C – - – | D – - – | G – - – | G – - – |

Ben E King’s Stand By Me is entirely a repeat of that sequence. The recording I have is in the key of A. But the F#minor that is then required can be a little tricky for beginners. To play along to the record, you could use a capo at the second fret and then just play the open chord shapes for the chords given here.

Alternatively, here’s a MIDI file — Stand By for a Turnaround. The bass line is close to the Ben E King classic. But the guitar part is totally different.

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------3---------|-------3---------|
|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|
  G5                G5

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------3---------|-------3---------|
|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-2---------------|-2---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
  Em7               Em7

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------3---------|-------3---------|
|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|
|-----------------|-0---------------|
|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
  Cadd2             D5

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------3---------|-------3---------|
|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|
  G5

I find that a percussive strum on the 2nd beat helps to get the feel of the Ben E King version. I generally use:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
*   x /   / /

Where,
* is a bass note
x is a percussive strum (mute the strings with the right hand as you strum. Difficult to put into words, but it can be done. The aim is to find a substitute for the scrapping sound in the original).
/ is a regular strum