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American Pie Guitar Lessons
Whats more epic than American Pie?!? This lyrical master piece must be played to be fully appreciated.
Lets break down each section, practice to loops and then finally, invent a 2nd guitar part.
A long long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile.And I knew if I had my chance, that I could make those people dance,and maybe theyd be happy for a while.
Don Mclean American Pie
Learn how to play Don McLean American Pie note-for-note on guitar.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Thumb-Over Chords: Yes
Playing Style: Strummed with some picked notes using hybrid picking
Tuning: Standard
The lesson teaches Don McLeans guitar part as played on the Solo live album. This version was chosen because Don plays the whole song accompanied by just his acoustic guitar.
Because there is so much material in this song, the lesson is divided into 3 parts. Youll get a play thru and a lesson video for each part.
The complete file contains 3 lesson videos, 3 performance play thru videos, full tabs, chords and lyrics. Youll receive a link to download the lesson which will download as three zip files of 448 Mb containing all the lesson content
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You Can Learn How To Play American Pie By Don Mclean
American Pie was the first single and most successful song by American singer-songwriter Don McLean.
Telling the story of the day the music died, American Pie has become legendary, earning the #5 spot on RIAAs list of songs of the century.
The chord progression can be tricky to remember since the same chords seem to be repeated in lots of different ways.
Thinking of them as numbers really will help as every number has a sound. If you can tap into this, you can hear where the progression wants to move next.
American Pie is in the key of G, one of the chords below is an X chord , can you spot which one?
Verse And Outro Chords
These are the chords for the verse and the outro.
Verse
| G | Am | C | Am | C | D Dsus2 D | Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Dsus4 || G D/F# | Em | Am | C | Em | Am | D Dsus2 D | Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Dsus4 |
| Em | D | Em | D | C Gsus4/B | Am | C | D Dsus4 || G D/F# | Em | Am | C | G D/F# | Em | C | D || G C | G D Dsus4 |
Outro
| G D/F# Em | Am C | EmD | 2/4 Dsus2 D || G D/F# Em | Am Em | Em C | Dsus4 D Dsus2 D |
| Em Am | Em Am | C Gsus4/B Am | C D | 2/4 Dsus2 D || G D/F# Em | C D | I D/F# Em | C D | G |
In the intermediate acoustic guitar course, we learn how to play this song in eight steps. First on just one guitar, then we change key and use a capo to create a 2nd guitar part.
Learn this 2nd guitar part and we can play the song together with the singer, like a band.
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American Pie By Don Mclean American Pie Chords
American Pie Chords/Lyrics/Verse
A long, long time ago,Am C Em DI can still remember how that music used to make me smile G D/F# Em7And I knew if I had my chance, Am C Em C DThat I could make those people dance and maybe they’d be happy for a while Em Am Em AmBut February made me shiver, with every paper I’d deliverC G/B Am C DBad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t take one more step G D/F# Em Am7 DI can’t remember if I cried when I read about his widowed brideG D/F# EmSomething touched me deep inside C D7 GThe day the music died
American Pie Chords/Lyrics/Chorus
So bye, bye Miss American Pie G C G DDrove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry G C G DAnd them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Em* A7 Em D7Singin’ this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
American Pie Chords/Lyrics/Verse 2
Did you write the book of love C Am Em DAnd do you have faith in god above, if the bible tells you so?G D/F# EmDo you believe in rock and roll Am7 C Em A7 DCan music save your mortal soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow? Em D Em DWell I know that you’re in love with him ‘cuz I saw you dancin’ in the gym C G/B A7 C D7You both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues G D/F# Em Am CI was a lonely teenage bronckin’ buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck G D/F# Em C D7 G C GBut I knew I was out of luck the day the music died, I started singin’
American Pie Chords/Lyrics/Chorus
American Pie Chords/Lyrics/Verse 3
Exclusive: American Pie Singer Don Mclean Wants To Teach You How To Play Guitar
Don McLean is hoping to share some light and wisdom with music fans who are bored at home.
On Friday, the American Pie singer and Songwriters Hall of Fame member released a guitar tutorial on his YouTube channel, revealed exclusively on usatoday.com. The 30-minute video features McLean on acoustic guitar, offering tips and tricks about rhythm playing, finger picks, syncopation and more using classic songs such as Empty Chairs,Grief and Hope, and of course, American Pie.
We have a situation here where there seems to be no clear path out, and I think that music and those kinds of things you love are probably the best friends youll ever have in a situation like this, McLean says of the pandemic. I want to send my best wishes to everybody. This will be over. Dont despair. Go back to your records or music that gives you comfort. It will help you.
McLean, 74, who is quarantining at home in Palm Desert, California, tells USA TODAY what you can expect from his inaugural virtual lesson.
Question: What sparked the idea for this guitar tutorial?
Q: Why is American Pie a good song for learning how to play?
McLean: Its a good song to sing to get your breath control. Its long and probably has a chord change every two words, and requires you to strum the guitar. Its kind of hard strumming with a flat pick and to keep that going, so its a little bit of an aerobics as well.
Q: Whats the biggest mistake you see new guitarists make?
Q: How many guitars do you own?
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