Dave Celentano's Guitar Lessons

Dave Celentano is one of the industry's hottest and most sought-after guitar
instructors, and has been teaching for over 30 years. He has written numerous
tutorial books and DVDs for guitar, and released several CDs throughout his
career.
Dave is proficient in many styles of music including rock, blues, heavy metal,
jazz, and classical. His technique specialites include multi-finger tapping,
sweep picking, music theory, and reading music.
Artist Studies

In this tutorial we're going to study the guitar tone and playing style of the legendary classic rock band AC/DC. AC/DC's legendary sound is built on the foundation of brothers Angus and Malcolm Young's playing. Angus played lead, while his older brother Malcolm handled the rhythm guitar parts. Combined they were the perfectly blended one-two punch of all the classic AC/DC rock tunes! Their playing styles were firmly grounding in the early rock & blues rock of the 60s bringing those traditions to the present and expanding on them into the future!
Published: 08/14/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you Joe Perry's playing style by breaking it down into several key factors, learn what makes it special and then learn to play some licks in his style! His style was a key component of the unique, instantly identifiable sound of Aerosmith. Perry's playing was a great combination of powerful, but always grooving rhythm playing, electrifying lead lines that were informed by early 50's rockers up through his own 60's guitar heroes & blazed a path of his own to the future of rock guitar.
Published: 07/07/2017 Upgrade
Betts plays with a clean to sweetly rounded sustained tone using mostly pentatonic major scales with a country flavor adapted to the Allman Brothers rock style. He plays mostly simple, but flowing phrases that emphasized melodic devices of repetition, variation, and rhythmic displacement. Along with Duane, Dickey's style is a key component of the unique, instantly identifiable sound of the early Allman Brothers Band. Their sweet as sugar twin harmony leads are an iconic sound of rock and roll guitar vocabulary.
Published: 11/17/2017 Upgrade
George Lynch's legendary playing formed the foundation of Dokken's hair metal sound. His rhythm riffing held their songs together and his solos were often the high point of the songs. Like many 80s guitarists, Lynch was among the first generation directly influenced by Van Halen's innovative playing. This included hot-rodded, humbucker loaded guitars with locking vibrato bars, high gain tones, lots of heavy rhythm and speedy fretwork for solo lines!
Published: 08/28/2018 Upgrade
Megadeth's legendary sound is built on the foundation of Dave Mustaine's rhythm riffing and various lead guitar players that have worked with the band. Combined they were the completely over the top metal sound of Megadeth tunes! These playing styles were firmly grounding in the early hard rock of the late 60s & 70s like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath & the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Megadeth brought those heavy riffing traditions to the present and expanded on them into the future!
Published: 12/29/2018 Upgrade
Rhoads was most famous for his role as guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne after Ozzy left Black Sabbath to start a solo career. Ozzy's first two solo albums were immediately metal classics largely due to the larger than life playing and sound of the young guitarist trying to make a name for himself. Rhoads's playing was influenced by earlier hard rock and metal players of the 60s and 70s, but he added a layer of complexity and neo-classical influence that was totally his own and very innovative.
Published: 10/15/2018 Upgrade
Dave breaks down Stevie Ray Vaughan's style into several key factors, showing you what makes it special, and then teaching you to play some licks in his style!
Published: 09/05/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the signature licks and tricks including two VH inspired mini-songs and a stand alone guitar solo, fast boogie rhythms, two hand tapping, a solo using the MXR Phase 90, hybrid picking, and palm muting triads.
Published: 06/19/2015 UpgradeSongs

Dave will show you this iconic blues tune that's played at many open jams! There are only three chords a classic boogie, shuffle rhythm and some riffing on the lower strings.
Published: 04/21/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar layers in this song. There is a strummed acoustic guitar holding down the rhythm and an electric guitar playing rhythm fills and lead solos throughout.
Published: 01/16/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you the fun acoustic guitar part that helps keep the groove going on this classic singer-songwriter tune.
Published: 01/31/2019 Upgrade
This song features one clean electric guitar playing ornamental fills and licks in a R&B style. In this tutorial we'll flesh out the guitar parts a little more by learning some stereotypical R&B style rhythm guitar moves. This song uses piano voiced chords on the upper strings, chord embellishment licks & fills.
Published: 06/30/2022 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the guitar layers in this classic rock radio hit. There's a clean guitar part that sets the pace of the song using an R&B style playing style in an uptempo groove.
Published: 01/05/2018 Upgrade
This song has one acoustic guitar part, but any guitar is suitable to play it. If you have an electric guitar, just play with a clean tone. This song uses fingerpicking, open chords, higher chord voicings and an open pedal note.
Published: 10/13/2022 Upgrade
Dave will show you two overdriven electric guitar parts in this arena rocker. Guitar 1 plays the rhythm parts while Guitar 2 plays the melodic guitar solo with plenty of dramatic bends and vibrato.
Published: 10/21/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you how to play this iconic tune that features two guitars. There is an electric guitar playing R&B style fills during the Verses and strumming barre chords at the Chorus. There is an acoustic guitar part that holds a consistent strum throughout and acts as a supporting part for the electric part.
Published: 01/06/2021 Upgrade
There are two electric guitars using huge 80s overdriven Marshall tones in this 80s arena rocker. Guitar 1 plays the rhythm and riffs, while Guitar 2 plays the lead fills, main solo, and outro solo. This song uses palm muted power chord riffing, triads and fast all downstroke 8th note rhythms, as well as lead techniques including pinch harmonics, vibrato, and legato.
Published: 07/08/2022 Upgrade
Dave will show you this classic 90's alternative rock song featuring two electric guitars with loads of grungy distortion, a slow-tempo groove, and layered dynamics.
Published: 12/22/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the parts to this funky rock tune from the monster riffs, to the Hendrix like chorus chords, to the frenzied over the top guitar solos, to the double ending.
Published: 10/10/2016 Upgrade
Dave will show you both guitar parts in this advanced laid-back classic rock tune. There's an electric that plays upper chord voicings, R&B licks throughout and an acoustic that plays jazz flavored chords using some beautiful modulation twists and turns.
Published: 10/20/2016 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the great riffs and licks for electric guitar in this iconic song. There's also a bonus lesson where I'll teach the Intro fiddle part arranged for electric guitar.
Published: 03/21/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar parts in this song. Guitar 1 is the iconic finger-picked acoustic part. Guitar 2 is an electric playing atmospheric fills. This song uses delicate finger picking, volume swells, and R&B style fills.
Published: 10/16/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you every part of this tune including the cool powerhouse rhythm guitar parts, wild whammy bar tricks, intense picking, and dramatic multiple guitar harmony parts. There's also a single guitar version if you are up to the challenge!
Published: 05/05/2015 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 overdriven electric guitars that carry this weighty instrumental. Guitar 1 holds down the rhythm riff and guitar 2 overlays melodic leads drenched in high gain and reverb. This song is in E minor and 4/4 time at a tempo of about 85 BPM.
Published: 05/22/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the great licks in this classic blues tune. There's a variety of dynamics from slow and soulful all the way to high-octane intensity. There are a lot of classic techniques: string bending, major and minor pentatonic interplay, repeating licks, tasty call and respond between the guitar and vocals, and a classic Freddie King solo.
Published: 07/08/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you the classical guitar part that consists of sophisticated jazz chords in a sparing way, single notes lines and 6th interval diad lines. There's also an elegant guitar solo and some triads by an overdubbed second guitar.
Published: 10/13/2016 Upgrade
Dave will show you both guitar parts to this song that comes crashing out of the gate with huge riffs and a swaggering swing groove. After a few verses and choruses the song unleashes a blazing solo. Then brings it down dynamically in the Bridge section, before wrapping up with a dramatic finish.
Published: 03/31/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 electric guitar parts in this song. There’s a high gain electric guitar playing rhythm as well as a second playing the solo through a wah-wah effect pedal. This song is in B minor and 4/4 time at a tempo of about 84 BPM.
Published: 04/29/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show all the parts to this classic power ballad from the acoustic intro to the electric leads.
Published: 08/18/2016 Upgrade
“Holy Diver” as made famous by Ronnie James Dio is a mid-tempo arena rocker with power chord fueled rhythm guitar riffs and a killer solo loaded with speedy licks, pinch harmonics, string bends, and double stops.
Published: 10/07/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you both the acoustic and electric guitar parts in this song. The song begins with a solo acoustic guitar playing a boogie pattern in a blues swing rhythm. After a couple of verses the electric comes crashing in with the rest of the band. There's a blazing guitar solo by a young Van Halen and a big bluesy ending to close it out. This song is in the key of E and a fast boogie shuffle in 4/4 time at a tempo of about 176 BPM.
Published: 01/08/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the rocking guitar layers in this tune that starts out quiet and sneaky with finger-plucked diads. Eventually it blasts into huge swaggering riffs and dynamic variations from quiet to blasting, all over a deep rocking groove. There's also a short, but tasty guitar solo.
Published: 10/02/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 3 guitar layers in this song. There is an acoustic guitar and 2 electric guitars. The acoustic guitar plays a gentle sections and the electrics add an upbeat rock section with boogie diads and a fun lead licks.
Published: 12/20/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar parts in this tune. There are fast 16th note rhythms as well as stop breaks are sure to keep you on your toes in this power chord extravaganza. It's also a great study in dynamics throughout the song, going from loud to soft and back to loud. In addition, there's a classic 80s style wah-wah effected guitar solo.
Published: 10/21/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you how to play the electric guitar parts in the original song as a single composite part rhythm part and a lead guitar part.
Published: 08/14/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you how to play the two clean electric guitar parts in this song. There is a clean rhythm guitar part playing a part that combines rock, funk and jazz elements. There's also a clean tone guitar solo.
Published: 04/21/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you the great blues guitar parts in this uptempo tune that has a swing shuffle feel, a great solos and plenty of tasty guitar licks throughout.
Published: 10/11/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 3 electric guitar layers in this classic rock tune that uses an iconic arrangement alternating between loud and quiet dynamics.
Published: 07/31/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the two electric guitar parts in this song. Guitar 1 plays epic power chords and riffs throughout most of the song. Guitar 2 uses a clean and slightly chorused tone for the arpeggiated chorus section. Guitar 1 also plays an expressive guitar solo using the whammy bar.
Published: 04/22/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 electric guitar parts in this song that use grungy distorted tones and classic alternating quiet and loud dynamic levels to dramatic effect.
Published: 06/08/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar parts in this song. There is an acoustic guitar that holds down the main part strumming rhythm chords. There are two electric guitars in the original recording, arranged here for one, playing rhythm and fills throughout. This song has acoustic guitar strumming using a capo, country/bluesy electric grooves, and simple bluesy licks.
Published: 12/16/2020 Upgrade
Dave will show you the single acoustic guitar part in this classic 60 pop rock song. The part features delicately finger-picked chords, melodies, and bass notes. This song is in the key of E minor and 4/4 time at a tempo of 110 BPM.
Published: 11/12/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the great layers to this iconic tune. The piano intro has been adapted and arranged for guitar. There are lots of great electric guitar parts as the song goes from a quite introspective dynamic to dramatic loud and anthemic. And then, he'll show you the lyric, fluid, legendary whammy laden solo.
Published: 01/12/2015 Upgrade
Dave will show this Zakk Wylde song that has a laid-back groove with an acoustic guitar for a foundation. The song also features a killer solo loaded with plenty of Zakk-isms like wide vibrato, melodic phrases, and shred speed licks.
Published: 03/07/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the parts to this classic tune from the iconic opening riff, to the verse & chorus riffing to the climatic solo.
Published: 08/17/2015 Upgrade
Dave will show you the guitar parts to this song, from the heavy rhythm guitar riffs, to the blazing lead guitar solo loaded with plenty of Zakk traits like wah-wah, fast finger vibrato, melodic phrases, and lightning speed licks.
Published: 06/11/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the leads & rhythm parts to this classic tune. If some of the material in this lesson is over your head, Guitar Tricks rock courses can help you get up to speed on the techniques and ideas powering these rhythms and solos.
Published: 06/23/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar parts in this pop hit. There's an acoustic guitar that holds down the main rhythmic groove and chord progression. And there's a spicy lead guitar played with a overdriven electric.
Published: 07/24/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you this classic early rock and roll dance hit with lots of influence from rockabilly, blues, and big bands. There's one rhythm guitar that plays through the entire song. There's also a bonus lesson on how to play the sax solo arranged for guitar.
Published: 07/18/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you the guitar parts in this song, from the squealing intro licks, to the power chord riffs in a boogie rhythm, to the whammy bar filled solo. "Tobacco Road" is in the key of D minor and 4/4 time at a tempo of about 140 BPM.
Published: 03/10/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you how to play the single electric guitar part in this song. An overdriven tone is used to play the epic power chord riffs, arpeggiated patterns and an angular solo.
Published: 04/14/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar parts in this song. Guitar 1 is an acoustic guitar strumming the light and airy chords while providing rhythm support. Guitar 2 is an electric guitar using a clean to slightly overdriven tone to play the fills peppered throughout the song.
Published: 01/27/2021 Upgrade
Learn Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here chords as Dave will show you the iconic acoustic intro, the great lead work and the slide section using the electric guitar. Included in this guitar lesson are the Wish You Were Here tabs and lyrics. You'll also learn how to play this song using a single guitar.
Published: 05/02/2019 Upgrade
Dave will show you all the guitar parts in this song. There are several drop-D tuned electric guitars, two clean and one with heavy overdrive for rhythms, and a fourth that plays the wah-wah effected solo. The guitarist layers the parts with a variety of dynamics.
Published: 03/31/2021 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 2 guitar layers in this popular and fun 60s pop rock hit. You'll play a basic 12 bar blues using a I-IV-V blues progression. As a bonus the sax solo has been arranged for guitar! The song is in the key of G major and 4/4 time at a tempo of about 140 BPM.
Published: 02/08/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you the single guitar layer in this 'Made Easy' arrangement of a popular and fun 60s pop rock hit. You'll play a basic 12 bar blues using three chords and simple quarter note down strums with the band.
Published: 02/12/2018 Upgrade
Dave will show you the three guitar layers in this song, from the laidback rhythm guitar clean tone, to second guitar lower in the mix holding chords longer with few rhythm embellishments, to the third using a whammy bar and grungy overdrive for the solo.
Published: 09/20/2017 Upgrade
Dave will show you the 4 electric guitar parts in this song. Guitar 1 is an overdriven rhythm guitar that holds down the chord progression. Guitar 2 is a catchy lead guitar that adds aggressive licks, fills, and a solo. Guitar 3 plays arpeggiated fills with a clean chorused tone. Guitar 4 plays a harmony line in the solo.
Published: 09/04/2020 UpgradeGT Channel Episodes
Technique

In this first of a two part series you'll learn single finger tapping ideas with arpeggios, sliding, string bending, pentatonic scales, diatonic scales, pedal points, and tapping harmonics.
Published: 03/04/2019 Upgrade
In this second of a two part series you'll learn playing independent ideas with left and right hands, fast legato shred lines, percussive tapping, jazzy bass lines with independent chords tapped on top and acoustic banging and tapping harmonics.
Published: 04/05/2019 UpgradeTheory

In music theory the word triad refers to a group of three specific notes from a scale that form a chord. There are four basic types of triads in music. In this tutorial series we will take an introductory look at how to play all of them. Then we'll mix & match them in some musical examples.
Published: 10/19/2015 Upgrade