rock

F/tCTFlLES &
WJ\LKTHR0fI8HS
 Hot Rock
Guitar Grade 1
8 classic rock tracks specially edited for Grade
1 for use in Rockschool examinations

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

All accompanying and supporting audio can be downloaded from: www.rslawards.com/downloads

Input the following code when prompted: QT9RLAP3U3

For more information, turn to page 4

www.rslawards.com
 Acknowledgements

Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2014 under license from Music Sales Ltd
Catalogue Number RSK041401R
ISBN: 978-1-910975-16-9

AUDIO
Produced by Tom Farncombe, Music Sales Ltd
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Jonas Persson, Music Sales Ltd

MUSICIANS
Dave Cottrell, Arthur Dick, Tom Fleming, Tom Fleming, Paul Honey, Noam Lederman, Brett Morgan, Jonas Persson,
Ian Thomas, Paul Townsend

PUBLISHING
Compiled and edited by James Uings, Simon Pitt, Simon Troup and Jeremy Ward
Layout, internal design and music engraving by Simon and Jennie Troup, Digital Music Art
Cover designed by Philip Millard, Philip Millard Design
Audio and photographic copyright notices can be found at the back of the book

DISTRIBUTION
Exclusive Distributors: Music Sales Ltd

CONTACTING ROCKSCHOOL
www.rslawards.com
Telephone: +44 (0)845 460 4747
Email: info@rslawards.com

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

2
Table of Contents

Introductions & Information

1 Title Page
2 Acknowledgements
3 Table of Contents
4 Welcome to Hot Rock Guitar Grade 1

Rockschool Grade Pieces

5 Snow Patrol............................................‘Chasing Cars’

9 Thin Lizzy.....................................................‘Jailbreak’
13 Bon Jovi.......................................‘Living On A Prayer’
17 Bryan Adams............................................‘Run To You’
21 Cream.....................................‘Sunshine Of Your Love’
25 Free........................................................‘Wishing Well’
29 Eric Clapton..................................‘Wonderful Tonight’
33 Red Hot Chili Peppers............................‘Zephyr Song’

Additional Information

37 Guitar Notation Explained

38 Introduction to Tone
40 Entering Rockschool Exams
41 Marking Schemes
42 Copyright Information
44 Introducing Rockschool Popular Music Theory

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

 Welcome to Hot Rock Guitar Grade 1

Welcome to Hot Rock Guitar Grade 1. This book of classic and contemporary tracks has been compiled to give you a
resource to help you develop your guitar and performance skills.

Songs
Hot Rock Guitar Grade 1 contains eight songs that cover a wide range of styles and artists of the last 40 years. They are
arranged for use as free choice pieces in Rockschool exams. In the grade exams you can play up to two tracks from this book
as alternatives to those in the Rockschool Grade 1 book. If you are taking the Performance Certificate exam you may play
up to three tracks from this book alongside two choices from the Rockschool Grade 1 book. The songs can also be used in
the performance units in public exams such as GCSEs. You can also enjoy playing them for their own sake, broadening
your repertoire and learning many popular riffs and chord sequences in the process.

The songs in this book are arrangements of the original songs. While adjustments have been made to make the pieces
playable at Grade 1 and to make them appropriate as examination pieces, we have worked hard to maintain the integrity and
spirit of the original music.

Each song is printed over 2 pages and is preceded by a Fact File detailing information about the original recording, the band
and the guitarist who played on it and some recommended listening if you wish to research the artist further. At the end of
each chapter there is a Walkthrough which gives you tips on how to play the exam arrangement and any technical
challenges to look out for as you practise the song.

Audio
Each song in Hot Rock Guitar has two audio tracks that can be downloaded from RSL directly at the following URL:

www.rslawards.com/downloads

You will need to input this code when prompted: QT9RLAP3U3

The first audio track is a full track that includes the guitar part and a full band. The other is a backing track with the guitar
taken off so you can play along with the band. The backing tracks should be used in examinations.

The audio files are supplied in mp3 format, the most widely compatible audio format in common usage – mp3s will likely
be familiar to anyone with a computer, iPod, smartphone or similar device. Once downloaded you will be able to play them

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

on any compatible device; we hope that you find this extra versatility useful.

Tone
We have also included some general advice on getting an authentic tone for each track, including suggested amp settings.
Treat these as a guide to point you in the right direction rather than a strict set of instructions that must be followed
slavishly: guitar and amplifier sounds differ significantly, so the right setup for one guitar may not be the correct setup
for another. Your ears should always be the final judge about whether something sounds good or not. If you require more
information on amplifiers and their controls, pickups and guitar tones in general, please refer to our Introduction To Tone
on pages 38 and 39.

We hope that you enjoy playing these pieces. You can find further details about Rockschool’s guitar and other instrumental
syllabuses by visiting our website at www.rslawards.com.
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

4
 Snow Patrol

SONG TITLE:
CHASING
ALBUM CARS EYES
: OPEN 2006
RELEASE POLYDOR
D: INDIE
LABEL
: GARY LIGHTBODY
GENRE (VOX+GTR) NATHAN
: CONNOLLY (GTR) PAUL
WILSON (BASS) JONNY
PERSONNEL: QUINN (DRUMS)
TOM SIMPSON (KEYS)

6
5

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘Chasing Cars’ is the second single from Snow
Although it didn’t achieve a number 1 in the UK
Patrol’s 2006 album Eyes Open. It is a based on a
or the U.S. ‘Chasing Cars’ still receives massive
single three-chord progression, but ‘Chasing Cars’ is
airplay and can be heard almost constantly in TV
far from simple. The song starts with a sparse
shows. A moving acoustic version of ‘Chasing Cars’
picked eighth-note guitar line which is augmented
appears on the soundtrack for the US TV show
by subtle keyboard parts. The arrangement uses
Grey’s Anatomy.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

changes in dynamics to develop the song. The third
chorus
sees ‘Chasing Cars’ move up another notch adding RECOMMENDED LISTENING
drums and several distorted guitars playing different
inversions (where the notes of a chord are arranged Snow Patrol’s songs are masterpieces of
in a different order) to create an orchestra-like wall arrangement and see the guitar adopting a supporting
of guitars. The end of the song sees the song return role on their songs rather than the dominant riffs
to its sparse beginnings with the re-stating of the and extended guitar solos you might expect to hear
simple picked guitar part. from a rock, blues or metal band. Their other mega-
hit is ‘Run’. A single from their third album, 2004’s
Final Straw. It starts with the same understated feel
THE BIGGER PICTURE as ‘Chasing Cars’, based primarily on a simple guitar
riff before moving to a dramatic, perfectly crafted
Snow Patrol’s rise to super-stardom has been chorus. ‘Set Fire To The Third Bar’ from 2006’s Eyes
slow and steady with their first top ten hit (‘Run’) Open has an earthy rhythm and some subtle acoustic
coming in 2004, six years after the release of their and electric guitar playing. It also features Martha
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

first album. They have grown to become one of the Wainwright on vocals.
most successful British indie acts of the last decade
and even have the dubious distinction of a reality
TV winner, Leona Lewis, achieving a UK number 1
with her cover of ‘Run’.
5
 Chasing Cars
Snow Patrol
Words & Music by Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly,
Tom Simpson, Paul Wilson & Jonathan Quinn

###4 104
q=Indie

. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A
&
TAB

9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
7 777 7 77 7 7 777

& ### ........ ................

E

TAB 9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
7 777 6 66 6 6 666

[4]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

# #D add . . . . . . . .
A
. . . .
& #.
9

. . .
. . . . . . . 9
.

TAB 9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
0 000 0 00 0 7 777

[7]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& ### .......

................
0000000000000000
2222222222222222
2222222222222222
TAB 9 9 9
2222222222222222
0000000000000000
7 777

[10]

6 © Copyright 2006 Universal Music Publishing Limited.

All rights in Germany administered by Universal Music Publ.
GmbH. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 E D
& ### ........................

000000000000000022222222
TAB 000000000000000033333333
111111111111111122222222
222222222222222200000000
2222222222222222
[13] 0000000000000000

& ### ........ A

‰
...............
22222222
TAB 33333333
22222222
00000000 00002222 4444444

[16]

& ###A................ E ........

TAB

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

[19]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

& ### ........ D ................

77777777 55555555 55555555

TAB 55555555 77777777 77777777

[22]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& ###A................w
TAB

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

[25]

7
 Walkthrough

Tone Bars 11–16 | Changing chords

The original version of ‘Chasing Cars’ features lots of The best way to become faster at changing chords is to
guitars using a variety of different tones layered on top of ‘drill’ the changes. Play each chord with a single strum and
each other to produce a wall of sound. For the exam version then move to the next chord. Repeat this several times for
you need to create a tone that contains elements of all these the whole progression. Start slowly and make sure you
sounds. play each chord accurately without fret buzz or dead notes
Select a light overdrive that sounds almost completely clean and gradually increase the speed.
in the intro and verse sections but is only slightly distorted
when you strum (which will be naturally louder) in the Bars 17–18 | Single note picking
chorus section. These notes can be played using all down strokes, but
alternate picking (down-up-down-up) is a more efficient
Distortion
Channel Equalisation Reverb
motion which produces a more fluent sound. It’s a good
5
4 6
4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6
technique to have at your disposal when you come to play
3 7
2 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 more challenging songs.
2 2 2 2
8
1 9 8 8 8 8
0 10 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS
WET
MIDDLE TREBLE DRY – Verse 2 (Bars 19–27)
This verse is based on one of the other guitar parts played in
the heavily layered original arrangement. It uses two-note
Intro/Verse 1 (Bars 1–10) 8
The intro consists of a two-note pattern based on an A5
powerchord. This pattern continues in the verse and
develops to follow a three-chord progression that’s the
basis of the whole song.

Bars 1–10 | Consistent picking

This pattern looks deceptively simple. Aside from playing
the correct notes you will need to focus on striking the
strings with the same force every time to maintain a
consistent, even sound.

Bar 7 | Open and fretted strings

The challenge of these two bars is to keep the open string’s
volume consistent with the fretted note. An open string
naturally has more resonance than a fretted one so you will
need to strike them more lightly to maintain consistency.

Chorus (Bars 11–18)

The chorus consists of open chords strummed in an eighth-
note pattern. The final two bars are an ascending single note
part that leads back into the verse.

Bars 11–16 | Consistent strumming

The strummed sections can be played with either all down
strokes or alternating up and down strokes. Using all down
strokes (Fig. 1) gives a more even, consistent sound, but
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

some guitarists may find it hard to maintain at this tempo.

Alternate strumming (Fig. 2) has a less consistent sound, but
is potentially easier to achieve at tempo and can therefore
sound more fluent. Experiment with both to see which you
prefer. Whichever technique you decide to use, you should
maintain throughout – switching between them mid-song
may affect the performance.
chords played in eighth notes.

Bars 19–27 | Strumming the high strings

Unlike the strummed and picked sections earlier in the
song it’s much harder to get a fluent sound using an
alternate strumming action as there’s a tendency to strike
one string at a time - the lowest sounding string on the
down stroke and the highest on the up stroke.

Bars 23–23 | Fretting accuracy

Make sure you play these notes with your thumb behind
the neck and on the tips of your fingers. This will ensure
your third finger doesn’t accidentally mute the first string.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

Pick each note individually to make sure they ring out
clearly.

≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Fig. 1: Consistent Strumming – All down strokes
 ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤

. . . . . . . .
Fig. 2: Consistent Strumming – Up and down strokes
 Thin Lizzy

SONG TITLE:
JAILBREAK
ALBUM JAILBREAK
: 1976
RELEASE VERTIGO
D: CLASSIC ROCK
LABEL
: PHIL LYNOTT
GENRE (BASS+VOX) SCOTT
: GORHAM (GTR) BRIAN
ROBERTSON (GTR)
PERSONNEL: BRIAN DOWNEY (DRUMS)

31
N/A

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
The title track from 1976’s Jailbreak was the first
Aside from the ‘Jailbreak’ guitar duo of Scott
single. As with many Thin Lizzy songs, the verse’s
Gorham and Brian Robertson, blues/rock icon Gary
tasteful, choppy guitar riff serves to support bassist/
Moore also spent time in the Thin Lizzy line up.
vocalist Phil Lynott’s off-the-cuff vocal delivery. In
After two short periods with the band in the mid
the chorus the rhythm guitar takes even more of a
1970s, he recorded and contributed to the writing of
back seat playing simple sustained chords while two
1979’s Black Rose: A Rock Legend teaming up with

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

lead guitars add high register licks throughout. There
Scott Gorham on guitar duties. Moore has performed
are also lead licks before each verse which make use
his own version of ‘Don’t Believe A Word’, which
of a wah wah pedal. Unusually for a Thin Lizzy
begins as a slower tempo blues before reverting to the
track, ‘Jailbreak’ features very little harmony guitar.
original, uptempo rock feel.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

RECOMMENDED LISTENING
While Wishbone Ash guitarists Andy Powell and
1976’s Jailbreak contains some of Thin Lizzy’s
Ted Turner should receive credit for their twin guitar
best guitar work. ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ is
innovations, Thin Lizzy’s twin axe attack had a huge
their most famous song and the harmonised melody
impact on the guitar world, influencing many bands,
is a fine example of their twin guitar sound. ‘The
including metal giants Metallica, Iron Maiden and
Cowboy Song’ is another excellent harmonised riff.
The Darkness. Metallica recorded their own version
Elsewhere, ‘Emerald’ features an extended trade off
of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Whiskey In The Jar’, converting the
outro solo between Gorham and Robertson. Another
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

famous melody line into a heavy metal riff.

classic Thin Lizzy moment is their version of the
Irish folk song ‘Whiskey In The Jar’. Aside from the
catchy melodies throughout the song, there’s also the
free time solo guitar intro and the perfectly crafted
melodic solo.
9
 Jailbreak
Thin Lizzy
Words & Music by Phil Lynott

q =143 Classic Rock

& ### 4 A5 E 5
F#5 5 F #5 E 5 A5 ‰ ‰ E F# 5
5
5
F#5 E5

TAB .j‰ ‰.j y . . N y.C.‰ .jj

E .j y . . Ny.C.‰ .jE . . . .
0 0 0 0 00020
22 00020 22

& ### F#5 F#5 E5 F#5

TAB
A5 j ‰‰E.j y ..
5
N y.C. ‰.j .....
E5
A5 j ‰‰E.j y .. 5 N.C.
∑
. 2
0
44
22
2
222420
2
0
44
22
2
00020
0

[5]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

& ###B E5
‰j B E5
‰j
‰ .j˙. ‰ .j˙.
5 5

TAB
˙. 2
0
.˙. 2
0
.
4
4 2
2

4 4
2 2

[9]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& ###B E5 ‰j F # 5
y
5 N.C.
TAB ....
.....w 2 .. ˙.
04 4
4 02

4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2
0
[13]

1 © Copyright 1976 Pippin The Friendly Ranger Music Company Limited.

Universal Music Publishing Limited.
All rights in Germany administered by Universal Music Publ. GmbH. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 & ###A E
F# 5
E5
F#5 E 5 A5
E5
F#5
E5
F#5 E5

T A B .j ‰‰.j y .. y.C. ‰.jj ‰‰.j y .. y.C. ‰.j ....

5 5
N N

0 0 0 0 00020
22 00020 22

[17]

& ###A j ‰‰E F# 5 F#5 E5 F#5

‰J.
TAB
5
.j y ..
5
N
E5
y.C. ‰.j ..... A5 j ‰‰.j y ..E5
NÓ.C. y 2

. 2
0
44
22
2
222420
2
0
44
22
2
00020
0

[21]

& ### B. ..... . . . .... . .

. Ó y Ó
5 B 5
E 5 E 5

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

22000 0 2 0
2 0

2 2 2 0 0
TAB

[25]

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& ### B. ......

E.
‰j F #
. Ó
5 N.C. 5
5
220000 0 . .. .
2
2
04
. .w
4
4 02
2
TAB

[29]
11
 Walkthrough

Tone Bar 9 | Pushes

The original version of this song was played on the classic The first E 5 chord of the chorus starts on the ‘and’ of beat
rock setup of a Gibson Les Paul played through a Marshall 4 and continues into the next bar. Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4
amplifier. If you don’t own a guitar with humbuckers use &” and play the chord on the correct beat. Start slowly
the neck pickup to get a thicker tone. Make sure your and gradually increase the speed.
sound isn’t too distorted: you’re looking for an overdriven
sound that ‘breaks up’ when the guitar is played
aggressively rather than full-on distortion that will turn the Verse (Bars 17–24)
sound to mush. This section is similar to the intro consisting of the
same single-note riff followed by powerchords formula,
Distortion
but
features the first note of the chorus at the end of the last bar
Channel Equalisation Reverb
instead of a full bar’s rest.
5
4 6
5 5 5 5
4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2

8
2 2 2 2
Chorus 2 (Bars 25–32)
8 8 8 8
1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
This version of the chorus is single notes based on Phil
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET
Lynott’s original vocal melody. It’s played in open position
(the open strings and first four frets or the guitar) and
concludes with the same riff as the first chorus.
Intro (Bars 1–8)
The first half of this tight, snappy riff uses single notes on Bar 25 | Pull-offs
the fifth and sixth strings. The second half is a variation that The pull-off is indicated by the curved line joining the third
uses two-note powerchords. and fourth notes of the bar (Fig. 2). Play the first note and,
without picking, pull your finger off the string towards the
Bar 1 | Muting floor in a snapping motion.
The key to this riff is to make sure the notes ring for the
correct duration. To mute the eighth notes, simultaneously Bar 31 | Correct note values
place your pick and the edge of your picking hand on the The final chord lasts for five beats. A guitar with a distorted
string after striking the note. tone can sustain for a long time, so you’ll need to stop the
strings from ringing at the appropriate point.
Bar 2 | Up beats
Divide the bar into equal eighth notes and then count aloud

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

“1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”. The first note of bar 2 starts on the ‘&’
of beat two (Fig. 1). The high tempo means you should
start slowly and gradually increase the speed. 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

y ‰ j
Bar 6 | Quick Changes . . . . .
T h5 e best way to perfect the fast change between the E 5 and Fig. 1: Counting eighths
F # chord is to ‘drill’ the changes by repeatedly playing
chord once then moving to the next.

Bar 8 | Counting Rests

You must count the rests in this ‘empty’ bar to help you
play the first chord of the chorus in time. Count “1 2 3 4”
### .
5 5
B
. . . . . .
E
through the bar then play the first chord of the chorus where
the next ‘1’ would be. &
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

2
T 2 2 0 0 0 0
Chorus (Bars 9–16) A
This section is built on sustained chords, some of which are B
‘pushed’ (i.e. they start on the last eighth note of the previous [25]
bar) and some are preceded by a quick eighth note. The
section ends with a challenging single-note riff. Fig. 2: Pull-offs
12
 Bon Jovi

SONG TITLE:
LIVING ON A PRAYER
ALBUM SLIPPERY WHEN WET
: 1986
RELEASE MERCURY RECORDS
D: POP ROCK
LABEL
: JON BON JOVI (VOX)
GENRE RICHIE SAMBORA (GTR)
: ALEC JOHN SUCH (BASS)
TICCO TORRES (DRUMS)
PERSONNEL:
4
1

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
co-writing hits for KISS, Heart, Alice Cooper and
Aerosmith. He co-wrote four songs on Slippery When
‘Living On A Prayer’ was the second single from
Wet, most significantly their two biggest hits: ‘You
Bon Jovi’s 1986 release Slippery When Wet and is by
Give Love A Bad Name’ and, of course, ‘Living On A
far their biggest hit. It remains a dancefloor sing-
Prayer’. He also co-wrote four songs on New Jersey
along and is the climax to many a Bon Jovi stadium
including the fan favourite, ‘Bad Medicine’.
show. The guitar parts in ‘Living On A Prayer’ are
quite simple and play a supporting role to the vocal
line. The distinctive repeated main riff (augmented

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

NOTES
with a distinctive voice box effect) chugs along
behind the verses and the pre-chorus guitar part
The Springsteen-style ‘hope in the face of adversity’
closely follows the rhythm of the vocal melody.
lyrics are a theme that Jon Bon Jovi has drawn on
These devices keep the song’s arrangement
throughout his career. ‘Born To Be My Baby’ (from
uncluttered and allows the listener to focus on the
New Jersey) and ‘Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night’
melodies – one
(from These Days) all owe a debt, lyrically at least, to
of the main reasons ‘Living On A Prayer’ is The Boss’s classic tunes, particularly ‘The River’.
now considered a bona-fide classic.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Bon Jovi and 7800° Fahrenheit are solid efforts,
While their early releases Bon Jovi and 7800°
but Slippery When Wet and New Jersey are where the
Fahrenheit achieved some critical acclaim, it was
real Bon Jovi quality lies. Aside from the tracks
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

Slippery When Wet that heralded the start of Bon

already mentioned, ‘Let It Rock’ and ‘Social
Jovi’s golden era. They enlisted producer Bruce
Disease’ from Slippery… are essential listening and
Fairbain (his contribution earned him big production
‘Lay Your Hands On Me’ and ‘Bad Medicine’ are
jobs with the likes of Aerosmith and Poison)
among the best tracks on New Jersey.
who helped shape the band’s ultra radio-friendly
sound. They also enlisted the services of songwriter
Desmond Child. Child had huge success writing and
13
 Living On A Prayer
Bon Jovi
Words & Music by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora & Desmond Child

q =122 Classic Rock

#4 E5

&4. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
TA

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
B 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 77 7 7 7 7 7 7 77 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

& #C 5 D5 E5

T A Bw w
w
w
5
3
7
5
. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .

22222222 22222222
22222222 22222222
00000000 00000000
[5]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

& # .. .J.. .J. . .. J.. . . . . . . .....y
TAB 3 0
0

0 0 000 0 0
0 3 33330 3 3

[9]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& #C 5 j E5 D5 C 5 D5 j‰
..
D5

TAB ... ..j . .

.. 7 7 7 . w ˙. 7
5 5 05 5 9 7 5 7 5
3 7 5 3 5

[13]

1 © Copyright 1986 Bon Jovi Publishing/PolyGram International Music Publishing Incorporated/Aggressive Music/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, USA.
Universal Music Publishing Limited (66.67%) (Administered in Germany by Universal Music Publ. GmbH)/Sony/ATV Music Publishing (33.33%).
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 & #E 5 C 5 D5 G 5
j
C5 D5
.. j . ..
T A B......˙ ˙ .. ... .˙j ˙ .. .
j
... 5 7
5 3 05 0

5 57
2 3 35
0 0 0 0 3
[17]

& #E 5 C 5 D5 G 5
j D5
T A B......˙ ˙ .. j
C 5
w
.. ... #.w
...
5

5 57 5 7
2 3 35 3 345
0 0 0 0 3
[21]

& #E Ó Ó Ó Ó
5

. .. . .. . .. . ..

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

TAB
. . . .

7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5
0 7 0 7 0 7 0 7
[25]

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

#C 5D5 Em

&w . ... w
˙
TA ˙ 7 .... w
7 5
5
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
5 2 2 2 2
B 3 2 2 2 2
2
2
0 0 0 0 0

[29]
15
 Walkthrough

Tone Chorus (Bars 17–23)

The original version of this song uses a voice box effect for The chorus is made up of two-note powerchords some of
the main riff, but the rest of the guitar parts on this track which are preceded by passing notes played on open strings.
feature a modern hi-gain sound that is ‘distortion’ rather
than ‘overdrive’. This kind of tone is typical of rock music Bars 17–23 | Complex rhythms
of this era. At Grade 1 you are not expected to use any If you struggle with this section try removing the open
effects, so aim for a full, thick sound that’s quite distorted, strings and playing the basic chords (Fig. 2). Once you can
but still has clarity. play this comfortably, you will find it easier to embellish the
progression with the passing notes played on open strings.

Clean
Channel
Equalisation Reverb
Verse 2 (Bars 25–32)
5
4 6
4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6
The first four bars of the second verse consists of the
3 7
2 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 first two beats of the original riff. After three, two-note
8
2 2 2 2
powerchords the final E minor chord is played in a quarter
1 9
8 8 8 8
note rhythm for one bar before the final chord.
0 10 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET
Bar 25 | Fingering options
The second and third notes can be played with two different
fingerings. You can use your fourth finger to play the E note
Verse (Bars 1–8) 16
The first four bars are an E 5 powerchord played in an
eighth note rhythm. The two remaining chords of the
progression are sustained powerchords. The section finishes
with a lower three-note version of the E 5 powerchord.

Bars 1–8 | Powerchord fingerings

You can play the powerchords with either the first and third
or the first and fourth fingers. You should choose whichever
feels more comfortable, but you may find on some other
songs you will need use the first and third fingers so you can
use the fourth finger to fret other notes.

Pre-chorus (Bars 9–16)

In this arrangement the first half of the pre-chorus is based
on the original vocal melody. The second four bars consists
of two-note powerchords.

Bars 10–11 | Alternate Picking

The first three notes of bar 10 can be played with all down
strokes or using alternate picking. However, the remaining
notes of bars 9 & 10 should all be played using strict
alternate picking starting with an up stroke (Fig. 1) as the
tempo of the songs means it would be difficult to play this
phrase using single direction picking.
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

Bars 13–16 | Moving powerchords

As you move between the powerchords in the pre-chorus
lock your fingers in position and move your whole hand to
the next chord. This will make your changes more efficient
and, as a result, much faster.
at the 7th fret of the fifth string and use your third finger to
play the B note on the 7th fret on the sixth string. If you
opt for this fingering make sure the first note does not ring
for too long. The other, more challenging, option is to
play the E note with the pad of your first finger and ‘roll’
it onto the tip of the same finger to play the B note. This
will eliminate any note value problems.

Bar 25 | Correct note values

The last note of the riff is an eighth note. Mute the fifth
string to ensure it sounds for the correct note value.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

≥. ≥. ≥ ≤≥ ≤≥ ≤≥ ≤≥ ≤
. . .J . . . . . . . .

Fig. 1: Alternate picking

 E 5 C 5 D 5

# j j
& . ... . ww
..
T
A 5 5 7
B 2
0
3 3 5

[17]

Fig. 2: Simplified chorus

 Bryan Adams

SONG TITLE:
RUN TO
ALBUM YOU
: RECKLESS
RELEASE 1984
D: A&M
LABEL
CLASSIC ROCK
:
GENRE
BRYAN ADAMS
:
(GTR+VOX) KEITH
SCOTT (GTR) DAVE
PERSONNEL:
TAYLOR (BASS)
TOMMY MANDEL
(KEYS) MICKEY CURRY
(DRUMS)

11
UK CHART 6
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘Run To You’ was the first single from 1984’s
The main guitar parts are treated with a chorus
Reckless. It’s built around a repeated riff that gets its
effect (probably added post-production). This effect
distinctive sound from the open fourth string that’s
was used widely on guitar parts, particularly picked
repeated in every chord. The original song is played
chordal parts, through the mid-to-late 80s. Def
with a capo at the second fret, but sounds just as
Leppard’s Hysteria album is probably the most famous
effective without a capo, as can be seen in the exam
example of this tone, particularly the single ‘Love

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

version. The chorus uses simple open chords which
Bites’. As with all genres there are a whole host of
are the perfect contrast to the rolling arpeggios found
‘also rans’ who imitated this sound. As popular as it
in the verse and pre-chorus. The bridge section
was, the chorused guitar tone dated quickly and was
changes the dynamic further with a breakdown that
largely discarded by the simplistic production values
features a simple repeated motif before the song picks
that were associated with the grunge movement of
up again with a reprise of the chorus.
the early 90s. However, you can still hear the chorus
effect on Nirvana’s Nevermind, most notably the
main riff to the single ‘Come As You Are’.
THE BIGGER PICTURE

Reckless was Adams’ big break. While its

RECOMMENDED LISTENING
predecessor Cuts Like A Knife achieved
recognition in his native Canada and the U.S., the
Aside from ‘Run To You’, Reckless contains
catchy, radio friendly hits found on Reckless
some of Adams’ biggest hits including pub band
secured him global
favourite, ‘Summer Of ‘69’ and the U.S. number
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

success. Though he released Into The Fire in 1987

one ‘Heaven’.
and a subsequent live album, he didn’t achieve the
1991’s Waking Up The Neighbours features the raucous
same success again until he teamed up with producer
‘Can’t Stop This Thing We Started’ and the mega-hit
Mutt Lange to record the phenomenally successful
‘Everything I Do (I Do It For You)’ which, Hollywood
Waking Up The Neighbours in 1991.
production aside, features a tasteful guitar solo.
17
 Run To
You
Bryan Adams
Words & Music by Bryan Adams & Jim Vallance

q =125 Classic Rock

# 4 Em 7 G Aadd 11

&4........ .
. . 0 . ˙
2
≥ ≥ ≤ ≥
TAB 3 5

0 0
2 2 2
0 ≥ ≥ 0 ≥ ≥ ≤ 0 ≤
≤ ≤

& # Em 7 G Aadd 11 E m7

............˙ ........

TAB
0 0 0 0 0
2 22 2 2 22
0 00 35 0 0 0
[3]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

&#G Aadd 11 E m7 G
T A B.... #................ #....

0 0 0 0 0 0
2 44 2 22 2 440
3 55 0 00 3 5
[6]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

&#
w
C D
T A Bw ˙.
˙. .. w
w
0 0 0 2
1 1 1 3
0 0 0 2
2 2 2 0
3 3 3

[9]

1 © Copyright 1984 Testatyme Music/Almo Music Corporation/Irving Music, USA/Adams Communications Incorporated.
Rondor Music International.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 G .j. D Em .j..
G .j..
D
j
A
#
&‰.. ....y #..
. .. .
. .. 0
.
... 2
2
2
3 0
2
. .
2 2
0 2
33 2 2 0 3 0
TAB 33
00
3
2
3
2
. 0
0
3
0
2
0 .
00 0 0 2 0
22 2 2
[12] 33 0 3

Em G D A Em G D
& #. .........#..
. ......
0
.
2
0 0333322220 2 0 033332
T A B0 0333333332 2
0
0 033333
0 0000022222 0 000002
2 2000000002
22222 0 2 200000
2 03333 2 22222
0 0 03333
[15]

&# w E m7 Aadd

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

G 11

w ............ #....

TAB
0 0 0 0
2 22 2 44
0 00 3 55
[18]

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& # Em 7 G Aadd 11 Em

............˙ w
w
0
TAB 0
000 0
2 22 2 2
0 0035 2
0
[21]
19
 Walkthrough

Tone Bar 12 | Counting rhythms

Guitar sounds in the 80s were often heavily processed (lots This rhythm is quite challenging, so start slowly as you learn
of effects were added) sometimes making use of multiple the part and gradually increase the speed. Count the bar
effects pedals at the same time. While the original version in eighth notes (“1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”) and move your
of ‘Run To You’ uses a chorus effect, you are not expected picking hand in a constant ‘down-up’ motion. Fig. 1
to use this in Grade 1. A clean sound with the treble shows you where each note should be played in relation to
boosted will produce a bright rock sound that’s perfect for the count.
the song, especially the picked rhythm parts. If your guitar
is fitted with humbuckers you should use the bridge pickup
to get the required sound. Chorus (Bars 13–18)
The first four bars of the chorus use open chords played in
Clean a syncopated rhythm (this is where the music accents the
weaker beats in the bar). The final four bars fill out this
Channel Equalisation Reverb basic rhythm with extra chord strums.
5 5 5 5 5

3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7
Bars 13–15 | Constant strumming motion
2 2 2 2 2 Keeping your picking hand in a constant motion between
8 8 8 8 8 the chord hits in bars 13–15 will help the part sound more
1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10

GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY – fluent. Fig. 2 illustrates the strum motions that don’t strike
WET
strings which are commonly known as ‘ghost’ strokes.

Bars 17–18 | Counting long note values

Intro/Verse (Bars 1–8) 20
This section consists entirely of arpeggios based on a three-
chord progression. The first two cycles of this progression
end with a sustained A note, while the final two are made
up of eighth notes. Although the chord names look quite
complex, they are all relatively simple fretboard shapes.

Bars 1–8 | The ‘Next Note’ method

There are many picking options for the main riff. One
popular method is the ‘Next Note’ method. Start with a
down stroke, then pick the following notes in the direction
that the pick has to travel in order to reach the next note. A
consistent picking approach like this will increase fluency.

Bars 1–8 | Consistent arpeggios

Aim for a consistent sound when playing these arpeggios
where each note is played at the same volume. Watch
particularly for the first up stroke in the sequence (the third,
sixth and eleventh notes of the riff) as many players have a
tendency to play this type of note too hard.

Bar 8 | Shifting positions

Instead of playing the final A note of the riff at the 5th fret of
the sixth string, play it on the open fifth string. This allows
you to move your hand in position to play the pre-chorus
chords as you play the open string, eliminating the quick
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

shift at the end of the bar.

Pre-chorus (Bars 9–12)

The pre-chorus uses open chords throughout. It starts with
simple rhythms but finishes with a challenging bar that
starts on an upbeat.
From a technical point of view playing a sustained chord is
fairly straightforward, but make sure you count and/or tap
your foot through bar 18. This will help you keep your
place in the music and play the first note of bar 19 in time.

Outro (Bars 19–23)

This is a variation of the intro and verse. This time the
section starts with the eighth-note version and is followed
by the variation with the sustained A note.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

j
# G . . .3 .&
D

& ‰
1 & 2 & 4 &

y
. .
. .
Fig. 1: Counting rhythms
E m G D
≥ ( ) ( )
≤
( ) ( ) ( )
≤
1 & & &4 &
j j
. . .. . . ..
.. . ..
Fig. 2: ‘Ghost’ strokes (bracketed)
 Cream

SONG TITLE:
SUNSHINE OF YOUR
ALBUM LOVE DISRAELI GEARS
: 1967
RELEASE
REACTION
D:
BLUES-
LABEL
ROCK
:
GENRE
ERIC CLAPTON
:
(GTR+VOX) JACK BRUCE
(BASS+VOX) GINGER
PERSONNEL:
BAKER (DRUMS)

25
5
UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO of slowing the revolutions of his vinyl record

player to hear Clapton’s licks at slower speeds so
The song is based on a two-bar syncopated riff he could transcribe them.
(where the notes are placed on the weaker beats of
the bar) that uses the D blues scale. There are two
versions of this riff: the single-note version played NOTES
in unison with the bass guitar in the intro and the
version where the first four notes are substituted Legend has it that one of the band hammered out

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

with chords. After 24 bars in D, the riff moves to G a clichéd Native American rhythm on the table to
before returning D. This I–IV chord movement is drummer Ginger Baker and the thumping tom
based on the first part of a 12-bar blues progression. tom pattern that drives the song was born.
Eric Clapton’s guitar solo famously quotes the
melody from the classic ‘Blue Moon’, before moving
into more standard blues-rock territory. RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Cream’s 1966 debut Fresh Cream contains ‘I

THE BIGGER PICTURE Feel Free’ which features Clapton’s solo that
embellishes the vocal melody. Disraeli Gears
Cream’s studio albums were generally made up of features ‘Strange Brew’, a funky blues track
concise songs with short, well constructed solos. punctuated with Clapton’s tasteful fills between
This was a sharp contrast to their live performances vocal lines. The guitar solo is a fine example of
where extended improvisations were a large part of Clapton’s early lead style. The live
the show. Clapton’s later work is restrained in portion of the Wheels On Fire release, particularly the
comparison, but it’s important to remember that his 16-minute ‘Spoonful’, show off the improvisations
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

playing in the 60s was groundbreaking and that Cream were so famous for. In 2005 Cream
influenced many guitarists, including Edward Van reformed for a set of live performances. The
Halen who likened Cream’s improvisational style to imaginatively titled Royal Albert Hall May 2-3-5-6
‘falling downstairs and landing on their feet’, a 2005 contains interesting, though relatively
phrase he used in connection with his own playing. pedestrian, versions of their classic songs.
He has also recounted stories
21
 Sunshine Of Your Love
Cream
Words & Music by Jack Bruce, Pete Brown & Eric
Clapton

q =116 Blues Rock . . .. ‰ b .. ‰ . ‰.

b4. .. . ‰.b ....‰
.. ‰
. ‰... ‰. .
N.C.
& . . .
..
TAB 0

. .
. 3 3 1 3
2 1 0
03
3 3 1 3
2 1 0
03 0
.

& b ..... ‰.. ‰b .. ‰.. ‰.. ..... ‰.. ‰b ..

.
0

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

3313 3313
TAB 3 2 1
0 3
3 2

[5]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& b ‰..‰.. ..... ‰.. ‰b .. ‰.. ‰..

. .
0
0

TAB 1
03
3 3 1 3
2 1 0
0 3

[8] Words & Music by Jack Bruce, Pete Brown & Eric Clapton
22 © Copyright 1967 & 1996 Warner/Chappell Music Limited (66.66%)/Eric Clapton (33.34%).
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 & b ..... ‰.‰ b .‰.‰ A .j‰Ó
.. . .. . . #.
0 0
..
. 0 0
T A B3313 2 1
0 3
. 2
2
2
2
2 2
0 0
[11]

C 5 G 5 A .j C
˙
G

& b˙ .#. . .‰Ó ˙ n˙

TA ˙
0 0
2
˙
0
5 2
1
3 2
0
0 3
2

5
. 2
2
3 0
0
2
B 3 0
0
2
3
[14]

A5 ..... ‰.. ‰b ..
N.C.
&b

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

T A B................
[17]

3313
22222222 2222222 2 2 1
22222222 2222222 2
00000000
0000000 0
≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥

..... ‰.. ‰b .. ‰.. ‰..

& b ‰..‰..
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

T . .
0 0

3 3 1 3
0 2 1 0
AB 03 0 3

[20]
23
 Walkthrough

Tone Main Riff 2 (Bars 9–12)

Eric Clapton used a Gibson SG through a Marshall, though This is a reprise of the main riff that brings a sense of
live videos also show him using a Fender Stratocaster. Aim resolution to the song after the riff variation ready for the
for an overdriven sound that is aggressive, but still has chorus.
clarity when the chords are struck aggressively. Boost the
middle to help the guitar cut through the rest of the track.
Chorus (Bars 13–18)
Clean The aggressive on-beat rhythms in the chorus contrast the
Channel Equalisation Reverb syncopated main riff. It makes use of both powerchords and
open chords. The section builds to climax with a repeated
4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 A 5 powerchord that sets up the transition to the main riff.
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2 2 2 2 2

8 8 8 8 8 Bars 13–16 | Muting chords

1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10

GAIN The A chord played on beat 2 of bars 13 and 15 should last

BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET for one eighth note. Chords played with a distorted tone will
sustain for long periods unless they are controlled. To make
sure the chord rings for the correct duration you will need to
Main Riff 1 (Bars 1–4) 24
The main riff forms the bulk of the song. It combines
syncopated rhythms (when notes are played on the weaker
beats of the bar) with staccato (short, detached) phrasing.

Bars 1–12 | One finger per fret

The most obvious fingering option for this riff is: first finger
plays the 1st fret, the second plays the 2nd fret and the third
plays the 3rd fret (Fig. 1). This will reduce unnecessary hand
movement and give you an organised, systematic approach
to your fingering which will allow you to focus on the other
aspects of the performance.

Bar 1 | Fluent phrasing

When you start the riff (using the third finger) make sure
your first finger is in position on the 1st fret of the first
string ready to play the note. Don’t not remove it until you
have played the D note (at the 3rd fret for the third time).
This will make the movement between the first four notes
of the riff as smooth as possible.

Bars 1–4 | Performing staccato notes

Staccato notes are indicated by a dot above or below the
note (Fig. 2) and should be articulated by releasing pressure
on the string. Don’t take the finger all the way off the
string, this will slow you down and produce unwanted
string noise, just stop pressing. The open string notes
should be muted by placing the pick back on string after
playing the note.
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

Riff Variation (Bars 5–7)

This variation of the riff sounds identical to the preceding
four bars but transposed (moved) to a higher pitch. You
may have expected that the fingering pattern would be
identical to the previous phrase, but it is not – this is
because the G and B strings are tuned a 3rd apart, whereas
all other strings are a 4th apart.
mute the chord after you have played it. Release the
pressure on your fretting fingers, don’t take your fingers all
the way off the strings, just stop pressing. Simultaneously
mute the strings with the edge of your picking hand.

Main Riff 3 (Bars 19–22)

This is the final reprise of the main riff that brings the
song to a close.

Bar 22 | Ending the song cleanly

Don’t allow the final note of the song to ring for longer than
the notated quarter note duration. Mute the open string
by placing your pick back on the string after the note has
sounded for the correct amount of time.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

b 4 . . . . .. ‰ . ‰ b .
& . .

T 3 3 1 3
A
.
2 1
B
Fingers: 3 3 1 3 2 1

Fig. 1: One finger per fret

 .. ‰ . ‰ b .
. .
Fig. 2: Staccato notes (Bar 1 excerpt)
 Free

SONG TITLE:
WISHING
ALBUM WELL
: HEARTBREAKE
RELEASE R 1973
D: ISLAND
LABEL CLASSIC ROCK
:
GENRE PAUL RODGERS (VOX)
: PAUL KOSSOFF (GTR)
JOHN BUNDRICK (KEYS)
PERSONNEL: TETSU YAMAUCHI (BASS)
SIMON KIRKE (DRUMS)

7
N/A

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
while Kossoff went on and recorded a solo album
called Back Street Crawler, which he subsequently
Like all classic rock songs, ‘Wishing Well’ is based
used as the name of his band. Back Street Crawler
on a simple, yet irrepressible, riff. The verses move
recorded two albums, The Band Plays On (1975)
between staccato (short, detached) octaves and
and 2nd Street (1976). Kossoff died on a plane
more flowing powerchord parts. As the song
bound for New York, in his sleep, in 1976 after a
moves into the pseudo choir-laden bridge and guitar
long period of drug-related ill-health which had
solo
affected his ability to perform both live and in the
it changes from E minor to the key of A minor and
studio throughout his time with Free and Back

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

for the rest of the song the main riff is played in A –
Street Crawler. He
higher on the guitar’s neck. This gives the music a
is commemorated by a plaque at Golders Green
‘lift’ that maintains interest as the song progresses.
Crematorium that simply reads ‘All right now’.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Free’s combination of Paul Rodgers’ soulful classic
1970’s Fire And Water contains some of Free’s
rock voice and Paul Kossoff ’s laid back, effortless
most famous songs. The title track and ‘Mr Big’ are
guitar playing made Free one of the most successful
fine examples of their blues-based rock. ‘All Right
British bands through the late 60s and early 70s.
Now’ is a genuine rock guitar classic and its extended
They released six studio albums, the most successful
guitar solo is an excellent example of Kossoff ’s
of which was 1970’s Fire And Water, which reached
tasteful playing and is a great study in constructing
number 2 in the UK album charts and contains the hit
a solo. It starts with simple phrases that make use
‘All Right Now’.
of bends and slides, before climaxing with a fast,
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

high register hammer-on lick and some blistering

NOTES bends. 1971 single ‘My Brother Jake’, shows Kossoff
in a more supportive role, provided a gentle chordal
After Free disbanded, singer Paul Rodgers formed accompaniment to the main piano part and adding
Bad Company (with which he recorded six albums), the occasional fill to augment the vocal.
25
 Wishing Well
Free
Words & Music by Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Tetsu Yamauchi, John Bundrick & Paul Kossoff

q =116 Classic Rock

#4 N.C.
&4....˙ ....˙
TA ....˙

20 20
B 20 2 0
3 0
20

&#G E

T A Bw
w #w #w
w w w w
3 3 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1
0 0 2 2
2 2 2 2
3 3 0 0
[4]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

# C D E

&#.... #..... ˙ ˙˙
˙ #....
0 2
1 3
0 2
2 0
T AB1 1 1 1 111 1 1 3 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 222 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 222 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 000 0 0 0 0 0 0
[8]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

# C 5 D5 E

&.... .......
˙ ˙
..... 5
3
7
.......
5

TAB
9999999
7 7 7 7 777 7 7 7777777
0 0 0 0 000 0 0 0000000
[12]

2 © Copyright 1972 Keepers Cottage Music Limited, Cayman Music Incorporated & Island Music Limited.
Universal/Island Music Limited.
All rights in Germany administered by Universal Music Publ. GmbH. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 C 5 D5 E5 C 5 D5 E
& #...... ...........˙
w
9
9
7

TAB 57 5 7 9
5 7 5 7 79
3 5 3 5
7
[16] 0

C 5 D5 E5 C D
& #... ........˙
˙ ˙
0 2
1 3
0 2
2 0
TAB 5 7 9 3
5 7 7 9
3 5 7
0
[20]

& # N.C.
....˙ ....˙

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

....˙

TAB
2 0 2 0
2 0 2 0 2 0
3 0
[23]

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

&#G E

T A Bw
w #.... #w
w w .... w
3 3 0 00 0 0
0 0 0 00 0 0
0 0 1 11 1 1
0 0 2 22 2 2
2 2 2 22 2 2
3 3 0 00 0 0

[26]
27
 Walkthrough

Tone size, but in this case it may be advisable to use your first
Like a lot of classic rock songs, the tone on ‘Wishing and third fingers as this will aid a smooth transition to the
Well’ is the product of the humbucker-loaded Gibson Les three- note powerchords in the chorus section.
Paul played through a Marshall amplifier. If you have a
guitar with single coil pickups use the pickup nearest the
neck to get a full, warm sound. While the sound is quite Chorus (Bars 16–22)
heavily This section is based on powerchords. They are either
overdriven, using too much gain or a modern distortion will strummed or arpeggiated (each note played separately), and
compromise the guitar’s clarity. finishes with open chords leading into the main riff/outro.

Distortion
Channel Equalisation Reverb Bars 16–17 | Moving between powerchords
Think of the C 5, D 5 and E 5 chords as a single shape that
5 5 5 5 5
4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 is moved around the fretboard. Lock your hand into the
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2 2 2 2 2 powerchord shape when you play the C 5 chord then move
8 8 8 8 8 your whole hand rather than the individual fingers.
1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET
Bar 16–21 | Picking arpeggios
Consider using the ‘Next Note’ method. Start with a down
stroke, then pick the following notes in the direction that the
Intro/main riff (Bars 1–7) 28
The song opens with a single-note E minor pentatonic riff in
open position and moves to sustained open chords that lead
into the verse.

Bars 1–3 | One finger per fret

While it’s possible to play this section with a single finger,
use either your first and second or second and third fingers
to play this riff (Fig. 1). This will keep your fingering
organised – a good habit to develop for when you attempt
more challenging material.

Bars 1–3 | Fretting accuracy

Make sure you keep your fingers as close to the frets as
possible without physically being on top of them, as this will
help you avoid fret-buzz.

Bar 10 | Strumming accuracy

Although this bar is rhythmically straightforward, take care
not to play any unwanted strings as this will affect the
clarity of the part. If you find it difficult to hear whether
you are hitting the right strings, you can check this without
looking at your picking hand by watching to see if the
unwanted strings are vibrating.

Verse (Bars 8–15)

This section starts with open chords then moves to octaves
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

and powerchords. The final chord is an E 5 powerchord with

an ‘extra’ low sixth string, E note.

Bars 14–16 | Powerchord fingerings

Two-note powerchords can either be played with the first
and third or the first and fourth fingers. Usually you should
select the fingering that’s most comfortable for your hand
pick has to travel in order to reach the next note. This may
help with the tricky string skips in bars 19 and 21 (Fig. 2).

Outro/main riff (Bars 23–29)

This is a variation of the intro. The main riff is identical,
but the first bar final E chord is played in quarter note
rhythm to help bring the song to a climax on the final
chord.

#4 N.C.

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

& ... ...
. ˙ . ˙
T
A 2 0
B 2 0 2 0
Fingers: 2 2 2 33 0

Fig. 1: One finger per fret

E
≥ ≥ ≤ ≥
. .
.
. ˙
9
9
7
0

Fig. 2: ‘Next Note’ technique

 Eric Clapton

SONG TITLE:
WONDERFUL TONIGHT
ALBUM SLOWHAND
: 1977
RELEASE
RSO
D:
ROCK
LABEL
:
ERIC CLAPTON (VOX
GENRE
+GTR) CARL RADLE
:
(BASS) JAMIE OLDAKER
(DRUMS) DICK SIMS
PERSONNEL:
(KEYS)

N/A
60

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘Wonderful Tonight’ was a single (un-released in
‘Wonderful Tonight’ is written about Clapton’s
the UK) from the 1977 album Slowhand. ‘Slowhand’
lover, Pattie Boyd while he was waiting for her to
is Eric Clapton’s nickname: an ironic reference to his
get ready (note the impatient slant to the lyrics in the
fast fingers derived from the slow clapping bored
first verse). ‘Wonderful Tonight’ isn’t the first song
audiences use to jeer bands (slow hand clap[ton]).
he wrote about her. ‘Layla’ from 1970’s Layla and
While it wasn’t a hit when first released, ‘Wonderful Assorted Love Songs was written about his

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

Tonight’ is a perennial live favourite and a constant unrequited love for Boyd, who, at the time, was
feature in the setlists of function bands the world married to another guitar legend: George Harrison.
over.
‘Wonderful Tonight’ is a rock ballad. The
arrangement is based on two simple chord RECOMMENDED LISTENING
progressions that are played using arpeggiated chords
(each note of the chord is picked individually). The Clapton’s later material sees him moving away
song’s main hook is the catchy major scale melody from his middle-of-the-road rock music and back
that is stated throughout the song. towards his blues roots. 1994’s From The Cradle
was a collection of blues covers. Of particular note
are ‘I’m Tore Down’, which sees Clapton return to
THE BIGGER PICTURE the fiery blues-rock playing that he made his name
with in Cream. There’s also his version of Freddie
Much is made of Clapton’s lead playing, but a King’s ballad ‘Someday After A While (You’ll Be
big part of his commercial success are the songs, Sorry)’ which showcases Clapton’s tasteful
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

particularly the memorable riffs, he writes. Songs phrasing. In 2004 Clapton recorded ‘Me and Mr
like ‘Bad Love’ (co-written with Foreigner guitarist Johnson’, which featured re-working’s of a
Mick Jones) and the acoustic ballad ‘Tears In selection of blues legend Robert Johnson’s small,
Heaven’ feature memorable riffs and catchy choruses but immensely influential recordings. One standout
that make Clapton’s music highly digestible and has track is the ragtime influenced ‘They’re Red Hot’.
helped him avoid appealing to a ‘guitarists only’
audience - unlike a lot of his peers.
29
 Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton
Words & Music by Eric Clapton

q =95 Rock Ballad

& # 4 GÓ .... ....
.... Ó
D C D

TAB ˙ ˙ 0 ˙

0 0
202 20 202
2

&# . .
G Ó .... D
.... C
... D
.
TAB ˙ ˙ .

0
0 0 0 0 1
202 20 20 2
2

[5]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

& # G.‰J..... ... ˙ y‰.J.... .j ˙
TAB
D
3
C D .J. 2
2

3 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
2

[9]
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

& # Gy‰.J.... ... ˙ y‰.J.... .j ˙

TAB
D
3
C D .J. 2
2

0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
2

[13]

3 © Copyright 1977, 1999 & 2004 Eric Clapton.

All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 D/F #
˙
&Ó# ....
C D Em

. ..˙
G
˙
. . . . . . . .
2
TAB
2
˙ 3
2
0
0
2
0 0 0 3
3 0
0
0 2 02
2 0 3
[17] 3

&# C
.. ..
D
... ..
G D
...
T A B. .. . . 3 y˙ .
. 2
. 0
0
20
2

3
1 3
0 0 0 22 20 2
2 2 2 0 0
3

[21]

&#C .... .... ...

D
Ó Ó D

.
G

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T A B˙ ˙ ˙ 0

0 0
202 202 20

[25]

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

&#C . . w
T A B˙
... D
. G
0 . 0 1
0

20

[29]
31
 Walkthrough

Tone ends with a three-note ascending scalic phrase that leads

This arrangement uses lots of the higher pitched open into the, somewhat more challenging, open position
strings. These have a tendency to sound thin, so aim for a arpeggios in bars 21 and 22.
full, warm tone. If your guitar is fitted with singlecoils, opt
for the pickup located near the neck. Adding some reverb Bar 19 | Strumming accuracy
(if you have it) will add atmosphere to the performance Playing the six string G chord is straightforward, but take
and help the longer notes sustain, but be wary of adding care not play any unwanted strings on the D chord.
too much as this will swamp the notes and affect clarity.
Bar 20 | Picking options
Clean There are two options for picking the final three notes of
Channel Equalisation Reverb bar 20. Ideally the following bar should start with a down
stroke, so you should either pick the three notes in bar 20
5
4 6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 4
5
6 with consecutive down strokes or use alternate picking
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2 2 2 2 2
starting with an up stroke (Fig. 2).
8 8 8 8 8
1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10

GAIN Bars 21–23 | Playing arpeggios

BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET This is undoubtedly the most challenging part of the song.
Make sure you use an organised picking approach that is
consistent and stays the same every time you play the part.
Intro Melody (Bars 1–9) 32
This section is an open position (open strings and first four
frets) version of the original’s lead guitar melody. The
eight- bar melody consists of a four-note motif where the
final note follows the chords in the accompaniment. The
final two bars end with an ascending line that finishes on
the first beat of the first bar of the verse.

Bar 8 | Timing
Playing in time at a slow tempo is more difficult than it
seems. Although technically this bar is straightforward, take
care not to rush the notes and play them ahead of the beat.

Verse (Bars 9–16)

This section is an arrangement based on Eric Clapton’s
original vocal melody. It’s a single-note open position
melody in the key of G major. It starts on an upbeat and
features a rhythm that emphasises the weaker beats (Fig. 1).
This is known as ‘syncopation’.

Bars 11 – 12 | Counting rhythms

These bars feature a tricky syncopated rhythm that looks
complicated on paper, but can be learned by ear by listening
to the full recording. Alternatively you can count the bar ≥≤ ≥ ≥≤
in eighth notes (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &) at a slow tempo and play Em . .
the notes on the correct beats. Fig. 1 shows the melody in
relation to the count. As you become more comfortable with
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

the phrasing gradually increase the speed.

Chorus (Bars 17–23)

The chorus begins with single strums of open position
chords. The third bar opens with an arpeggiated (single
notes of the chord played separately) E minor chord and
One option, the ‘Next Note’ method, is outlined on page
30. Start slowly and break the two bars down into two-
beat chunks, once you feel more comfortable join the two
beats together and work on a bar at a time.

Outro (Bars 23–31)

The outro is a reprise of the intro melody that brings the
song to a close.

C D

y & ‰2 &. .3 &. .41..&.& 2 .&j ˙3 & 4 &

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

1
J J

0 0 1 0 0
22
. . . . . .
0
2 02
Fig. 1: Counting rhythms
2 3
0

Fig. 2: Picking options

 Red Hot Chili Peppers

SONG TITLE:
ZEPHYR SONG
ALBUM BY THE WAY
: 2002
RELEASE WARNER BROS.
D: ALTERNATIVE ROCK
LABEL
: ANTHONY KIEDIS (VOX)
GENRE JOHN FRUSCIANTE (GTR)
: FLEA (BASS)
CHAD SMITH (DRUMS)
PERSONNEL:
11
49

UK CHART
PEAK: US
CHART PEAK:

BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘The Zephyr Song’ was the second single from
Although John Frusicante played on five albums
the 2002 release By The Way. It follows a familiar
with the Chili Peppers, they recorded One Hot
format to a lot of Chili Peppers’ songs such as
Minute with former Jane’s Addiction guitarist
‘Californication’ and ‘By The Way’, where the verses
Dave Navarro in between Blood Sugar Sex Magik
are built on a repeated catchy riff while the choruses
and Californication. Frusciante left the band in
make use of simple strummed open chords to allow
1992 (reportedly struggling with drug addiction)

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

room for Anthony Kiedis’ vocal.
before returning in 1998. One Hot Minute was a
more straight-ahead rock album as Navarro was
not comfortable playing funk. While it contained
THE BIGGER PICTURE
hits like ‘Aeroplane’ and ‘My Friends’, it is now
largely ignored by band, media and fans alike. John
Like a lot of bands that have been successful for
Frusciante left the band again in 2009.
a long time, the Chili Peppers’ sound has gradually
evolved. They started life as a wild funk-rock
outfit centred around Flea’s hyperactive slap
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
basslines and Kiedis’s rap-influenced vocals. After
the death of
The Chili Peppers’ discography falls into three
their original guitarist, Hillel Slovak, John Frusciante
distinct phases. From their early, frenetic albums The
(himself a lifelong fan of the band) was drafted in as
Uplift Mofo Party Plan contains ‘Backwoods’, ‘Fight
replacement. He introduced a different take on the
Like A Brave’ and the Beatles-influenced ‘Behind
Chili Peppers’ funk sound, adding Leo Noncentelli-
The Sun’. The first Frusciante period features the
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

influenced single-note lines and more pronounced

outstanding Blood Sugar Sex Magik which contains
variations in dynamics to Mother’s Milk and Blood
the funk-rock classic ‘Suck My Kiss’, dance floor
Sugar Sex Magik. The Chili Peppers have continued
favourite ‘Give It Away’ and mega-hit ‘Under The
this process of maturation towards a more ‘straight’
Bridge’. The second, mellower, Frusciante period
rock sound, with their trademark funk stylings
yielded Californication which contains the hits ‘Scar
making less frequent, more controlled appearances
Tissue’ and the acoustic gem ‘Road Trippin’.
in their latest work.
33
 Zephyr Song
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Words & Music by Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante & Chad Smith

q =120 Rock

& 4 A .m . ˙. G 7 ˙. Em
˙. F
.˙.
. .0 ..
7

T
3
1
1
0 .
0 0
2

1
2
AB 2
3

& A..˙.
m ..˙.
G
..˙.
Em
..˙.
F

0
T A2B 1
4
3
0
0 1
2
5 2
3

[5]

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

.
[9]
Am 7 .. G 7 ... Em
....
&˙ ˙ ˙
3 0

2
1 0 1 0
T A2B 3 3 1 0 1
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

F
.. ˙. #.
D
......
.J ... y
. ......
&. 0
2
3
TA 3
2
0 22 222
01 1 33 333
3 22 222
B 00 000

[12]

3 © Copyright 2002 Moebetoblame Music, USA.

All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 #. ....... G
......#. A
......
&. .......
2
...... . ......
0
2
22 222 3 33 333 2 00000
TAB
3 33 333 0 00 000 2 22222
2 22 222 0 00 000 0 22222
0 00 000 0 00 000 22222
2 22 222 00000
[15] 3 33 333

& . Dy .#..J. J.... # J... G y .#.. ..

0 0
3

.
T A .B 32 3 3 3 2 3 32

[18]

[21]

& .A .#....‰.˙ Am . .. G 7 ...

˙

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

3 0

1 0 1 0
TAB 32 0
2 . 2
3

.... .J...
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

w
Em F Am
&˙ .. 0

TA w
3 0
1
2
3 1 0 1 3 1 1 2
0
2
B
[24]
35
 Walkthrough

Tone Chorus (Bars 14–21)

Live videos of the ‘Zephyr Song’ show John Frusciante The chorus is split into two sections, the first 4 bars are
using a Fender Stratocaster through a Marshall amp. You strummed open chords and the remaining 8 bars are an
should aim for a warm, well-rounded clean tone. If you arrangement of the original vocal part.
have a guitar fitted with singlecoils, use the pickup
nearest the bridge to get the warmest sound. Guitars Bars 14–17 | Constant Strumming Motion
fitted with humbuckers should use the bridge pickup to Your strumming hand should move in a constant eighth
avoid the chords sounding too muddy in the chorus. note motion. It should not stop when it’s not striking the
Avoid the temptation to add too much reverb as this can strings as this will hinder fluency.
swamp the sound, especially in the strummed sections.
Bars 18–21 | ‘Predictive’ Fingerings
Clean If this section was played in isolation then any two-finger
Channel Equalisation Reverb combination would be acceptable. However, the reprise of
5 5 5 5 5
the verse that follows should start with the first note played
3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7 3
4 6
7
with the second finger. To prepare for this you should play
2 2 2 2 2 this section with your second and third fingers (Fig. 2).
8 8 8 8 8
1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY –
WET
Verse 2 (Bars 22–26)
This slight variation of the first verse and brings the song to
Intro (Bars 1–8) 36
The section uses arpeggiated chords (each note of the
chord is played separately). The second half of the riff is a
variation of the first that uses different versions of the Am
and G chords.

Bars 1–8 | Fretting Accuracy

Ensure that you play on the tips of your fingers so you
don’t mute the highest strings. If you find this difficult,
examine the position of your thumb as this can sometimes
restrict your finger motion.

Verse 1 | Bars 9–13

The verse uses the same chords as the intro, but is a more
melodic part that starts with the ‘root’ note of the chord held
for two beats and is followed by a short phrase using the A
natural minor scale. The root is the note that gives the chord
its name, for example, the root note of an A minor chord is
‘A’, and the root of a D major chord is ‘D’.

Bars 9–11 | Correct Note Values

Make sure the half notes at the beginning of each bar don’t
ring on into the third and fourth beats. This will not only
cause clashes with the subsequent melodic passages it will
also make them more difficult to play

Bars 9–13 | Alternate Picking

Hot Rock Guitar Grade

While there are no examination requirements specifying

which picking patterns you should follow, it is important to
use a picking technique that produces a fluent and consistent
performance. The melodic lines in these four bars are quite
challenging at this tempo, so alternate picking (sticking
strictly to a ‘down up down up’ picking pattern) is the most
efficient picking action (Fig. 1).
an end with a sustained A minor chord.

Bars 25–26 | Smooth transitions

At the end the of bar 25 your first finger is already in place
to play the subsequent A minor chord. Practise by starting
with just your first finger on the first fret of the second string
and then adding the remaining two fingers that make up
the rest of the chord. This will reduce excessive motion
and make a smoother transition to the songs final chord.

F
≥≤ ≥≤ ≥ ≤≥≤ ≥≤

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

....
. ..
. . . .J
3 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
3 3

Fig. 1: Alternate picking

 . . #. . . . ‰ . A˙m
& A

0
T 3 2 0
2 2
A
B .
Fingers: 3 2 2 2

Fig. 2: Predictive fingering (Bar 21 into 22)

Guitar Notation Explained

THE MUSICAL STAVE

4 # wwD Am F
shows pitches and rhythms Notes:
Ó ’’’’
and is divided by lines into
bars. Pitches are named after
EF
ACB
˙ w
the first seven letters of the F
E 2 2
alphabet. 3
Strings:
2
E 0
TABLATURE graphically
represents the guitar
B T 0
1
fingerboard. Each horizontal
G
D A 2
line represents a string and A
E
B 2
each number represents a fret. 0
Fourth string, 2nd fret Open D chord Rhythm notation with Solos and Cont. sim.
suggested fingering sections are shown in slash
notation

Definitions For Special Guitar Notation

HAMMER-ON: Pick the lower
note, then sound the higher note PULL-OFF: Pick the higher note then SLIDE: Pick the first note and slide GLISSANDO: Slide off of a note at the
by sound the lower note by lifting the to the next. If the line connects (as end of its rhythmic value. The note
below) the second note is not that follows is repicked.
repicked.
fretting it withou t picking. finger without pi cking.

. . . .
. . . .
T T T
T
5 7
A A 7 5
A 2 4
A 2 4
B B B B

STRING BENDS: Pick the first note then VIBRATO: Vibrate the note by bending

TRILL: Rapidly alternate between the NATURAL HARMONICS: Lightly touch the
bend (or release the bend) to the and releasing the string smoothly two bracketed notes by hammering string above the indicated fret then
pitchcated
indi in brackets. on and pulling off. pick to sound a harmonic.
... and continuou sly.
g
w~~~~~~~~~~~ . .w ‚ ‚
~~~~
~ g ~~~~~ NH

T A 5(
B6 )
BUBD
(5)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
T 8 T T 12
12
A A ( 5 7)

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

12
B B 5 A
B

PINCHED HARMONICS: Bring the

thumb of the picking hand into PICK-HAND TAP: Strike the indicated FRET-HAND TAP: As pick-hand QUARTER-TONE BEND: Pick the note
note with a finger from the picking tap,use
butfretting hand. Usually indicated and bend the string up
contact with the string immediately
——— .
hand. Usually followed by a pull-off. #. .
followed by a pull-off or hammer-on. by a quarter tone.
afte
r the pick. #. .
PH
2
1/4
1/4
.
7

T A5B 75 TAB
7
TAB
9 5
TAB
5

PRE-BENDS: Before picking the note,

WHAMMY BAR BEND: Use the ▪ Go back to the sign (%), t h e n play until
bet
bend the string from the fret whammy bar to bend notes to
ween the staves, to the equivalent pitches indicated in brackets in the TAB.
D.%. al Coda the bar marked To fi
then
pitc
. ˙
h indicated in brack ets in the TAB.
. w/bar .. D.C. al Fine ▪ Go back to the beginning of the song and
PB 7 play until the bar marked Fine (end).
. .
BD w/bar
▪
Repeat the bars between the repeat signs.
 has different endings, play the first
ending only the first time and the
▪
When a repeated section 1. 2.
. .
second ending only the second time.

the section marked fi

Coda.
 Introduction to Tone

A large part of an effective guitar performance is selecting the right tone. The electric guitar’s sound is subject to a wide
range of variables. This guide outlines the basic controls present on most amplifiers as well as the common variations
between models. There is also a basic overview of pickups and the effect their location on the guitar has on the guitar’s
tone. Finally, it covers the differences between the distortion types – crucial to getting your basic sound right.

At Grade 1 you are only expected to use one tone throughout the song and you are not expected to use any additional
effects units, though you may use them if you wish. You do not have to use distortion and remember that at Grade 1 a
performance on an acoustic guitar is acceptable.

Basic amplifier controls

Most amplifiers come with a standard set of controls that are the same as, or very similar to, the diagram below. It’s
important to understand what each control is and the effect it has on your guitar’s tone.

Distortion
Channel
Equalisation Reverb

5
4 6 5 5 5 5
4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6
3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7
2 8 2 2 2 2 8
1 9 1 9
8 8 8
0 10 0 10
1 9 1 9 1 9
0 10 0 10 0 10
GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE DRY – WET

■Channel (Clean/Distortion)
Most amplifiers have two channels, which can be selected by either a switch on the amp or a footswitch. One
channel is usually ‘clean’ while the other can be driven harder to create a distorted (or ‘dirty’) tone. If your amp
doesn’t have two channels, look at the ‘variation of basic controls’ to see how to get clean and dirty tones from a one
channel amp.

■Gain
In simple terms the gain determines how hard you drive the amp. This governs how distorted the dirty (also called
‘drive’, ‘overdrive’ or ‘distortion’) channel is and acts as a second volume control on the clean channel (though a
high gain setting will distort even the clean channel).

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

■Bass
This adjusts the lowest frequencies. Boost it to add warmth and reduce or ‘cut’ it if your sound is muddy or woolly.

■Middle
This is the most important equalisation (often shortened to just ‘EQ’) control. Most of the guitar’s tone character is
found in the midrange, so adjusting this control has a lot of impact on your tone. Boosting it with a dirty sound will
give a more classic rock sound, while cutting it will produce a more metal tone.

■Treble
This adjusts the high frequencies. Boost it to add brightness and cut it if the sound is too harsh or brittle.

■Reverb
Short for ‘reverberation’. This artificially recreates the ambience of your guitar in a large room, usually a hall. This dial
controls the balance between the ‘dry’ (the sound without the reverb) and ‘wet’ (the sound with the reverb) sounds.
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

Variations of basic controls

The diagram above shows the most common amp controls. There are many variations to this basic setup which can be
confusing. The following section is a breakdown of some of the other amp controls you may encounter.

■Presence control
Sometimes this dial replaces the ‘middle’ control and sometimes it appears in addition to it. It adjusts the higher
midrange frequencies (those found between the ‘middle’ and ‘treble’ dials).
38
 ■No reverb control
Reverb can be a nice addition to your guitar tone, but it is not essential. Don’t be concerned if your amp does not
have a reverb control.

■Volume, gain, master setup

Single channel amplifiers often have an extra volume control (in addition to the master volume) located next to the
gain control. For clean sounds keep the gain set low and the volume similarly low and use the master control for
overall volume. If the master control is on 10 and you require more level, turn the volume control up, though you
may find this starts to distort as you reach the higher numbers.

To get a distorted tone turn the volume down low and the gain up till you get the amount of distortion you require.
Regulate the overall level with master volume. As before, if the master control is on 10 and you require more level, turn
the volume up. In this case, however, you may find you lose clarity before you reach maximum.

Pickups
Entire books have been devoted to the intricacies of pickups. However, three basic pieces of information will help you
understand a lot about your guitar tone:

■Singlecoils
Singlecoils are narrow pickups that you’ll see fitted to many guitars. The Fender Stratocaster is the most famous
guitar fitted with singlecoils. They produce a bright, cutting sound that can sound a little thin in some situations,
especially heavier styles of rock music.

■Humbuckers
Humbuckers were originally designed to remove or ‘buck’ the hum produced by singlecoil pickups, hence the
name ‘humbuckers’. They produce a warm, mellow sound compared to singlecoil pickups, but have a tendency to
sound a little muddy in some situations. They are usually identifiable because they are twice the width of a
singlecoil pickup. The Gibson Les Paul is a well-known guitar that is fitted with humbucking pickups.

■Pickup location
Pickups located near the guitar’s neck will have the warmest sound, while pickups located near the bridge will have

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

the brightest sound.

Different types of ‘dirty’ tones

There are lots of different words to describe the ‘dirty’ guitar sounds. In fact, all the sounds are ‘distortions’ of the clean
tone, which can be confusing when you consider there’s a ‘type’ of distortion called ‘distortion’! Below is a simplified
breakdown of the three main types of dirty sounds and some listening material to help you through this tonal minefield.

■Overdrive
This is the ‘mildest’ form of distortion. It can be quite subtle and only evident when the guitar is played strongly. It can
be also be full-on and aggressive.
Hear it on: Cream – ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’, AC/DC – ‘Back In Black’, Oasis – ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’.

■Distortion
Distortion is usually associated with heavier styles of music. It is dense and the most extreme of the dirty tones and
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

usually associated with heavy styles of music.

Hear it on: Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’, Avenged Sevenfold – ‘Bat Country’, Bon Jovi – ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’.

■Fuzz
As the name implies fuzz is a broken, ‘fuzzy’ sound. It was very popular in the 60s, but while still popular, is
less common now.
Hear it on: Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘Purple Haze’, The Kinks – ‘You Really Got Me’.

39
Entering Rockschool Exams

Entering a Rockschool exam is easy, just go online and follow our simple six step process. All details for entering online,
dates, fees, regulations and Free Choice pieces can be found at www.rslawards.com

■All candidates should ensure they bring their own Grade syllabus book to the exam or have their KR app ready and
the full book downloaded.

■All Grade 6–8 candidates must ensure that they bring valid photo ID to their exam.

■Candidates will receive their exam results (and certificates if applicable) a maximum of 3 weeks after their
exam. If nothing has been received after this time then please call +44 (0)845 460 4747 or email to
info@rslawards.com

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

40
Hot Ro
Marking Schemes

GRADE ExAMS | DEBUT TO GRADE 5 *

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20

20
Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
20
Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
20
Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 13+ out of 15
15
Sight Reading
or 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9+ out of 10
Improvisation & Interpretation

Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9+ out of 10

General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+

GRADE EXAMS | GRADES 6–8

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 15 13+ out of 15

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

Quick Study Piece 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9+ out of 10

Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9+ out of 10

General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+

PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES | DEBUT TO GRADE 8 *

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20

20
Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
20
Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
20
Performance Piece 4 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
20
Performance Piece 5 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 18+ out of 20
 Hot Rock G
20
TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 75%+ 90%+
41
* Note that there are no Debut Vocal exams.
 Copyright Information

Audio Copyright Photographic Rights

Chasing Cars Gary Lightbody – Snow Patrol
(Lightbody/Connolly/Simpson/Wilson/Quinn) Page 5
Universal Music Publishing Limited. Focka
flickr.com/photos/focka
Jailbreak c CC BY-ND 2.0 License
(Lynott)
Universal Music Publishing Limited. Scott Gorham – Thin Lizzy
Page 9
Livin’ On A Prayer Richard Marchewka
(Bon Jovi/Sambora/Child) flickr.com/photos/rmarchewka
Universal Music Publishing Limited /Sony/ATV Music c CC BY-SA 2.0 License
Publishing.
Richie Sambora – Bon Jovi
Run To You Page 13
(Adams/Vallance) Alberto Carrasco Casado
Rondor Music International. flickr.com/photos/albertocarrasco
c CC BY 2.0 License
Sunshine Of Your Love
(Bruce/Brown/Clapton) Bryan Adams – Bryan Adams
Warner/Chappell Music Limited/Copyright Control. Page 17
Marco Maas
Wishing Well flickr.com/photos/qnibert
(Rodgers/Kirke/Yamauchi/Bundrick/Kossoff) c CC BY 2.0 License
Universal/Island Music Limited.
Eric Clapton – Cream
Wonderful Tonight Page 21
(Clapton) F. Antolin Hernandez
Copyright Control. flickr.com/photos/f_antolin
c CC BY 2.0 License
The Zephyr Song

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral /

(Kiedis/Flea/Frusciante/Smith) Paul Kossoff – Free
Moebetoblame Music, USA. Page 25
© Ian Dickson/REX

Eric Clapton – Eric Clapton

Page 29
ultomatt
flickr.com/photos/ultomatt
c CC BY 2.0 License

John Frusciante – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Page 33
Rafael Amado Deras
flickr.com/photos/rafamado
c CC BY 2.0 License
Hot Rock Guitar Grade

Use of Creative Commons licensed material based

on the information provided by the assumed rights
holder. Detailed license information is available from
http://creativecommons.org/licenses.

42
 Hot Rock Guitar Grade 1
4

RSL-593261608293 / 1 / Paulo Cabral / pauloviolas@hotmail.com

 Introducing…

POPULAR
MUSIC THEORY
GRADES DEBUT–8

OUT NOW!
Discover more at
www.rslawards.com/th
eory
Enter online at
www.rslawards.com/enter-
online
His songs for Rockschool exams, GC$E music or jusr rocking out!

Roc kschoo! is abour playing I he mus tc you ! one. H or Ro ck Gu+ra n Gra de T conz ns eight of rhe b\gge4 I i ac k z\ ac ks from

your Gnd e Exam or r hree zo p!ay in yardr her for manc e C ei t\ flea ze.

Find out more about Rockschool exams at.: ' .

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