Starman Guitar Lesson

Learn how to play Starman on one acoustic guitar!

Spy Tunes one guitar arrangement of Starman use cross rhythms in places, for example at 0:58 til 1:04.

The rhythm feels as if it travels across the beats, turning itself around.

This is a brilliant trick to build up to an important section, in the case of Starman, we build for the chorus.

Use the DIY TAB to work out what the cross rhythm actually is.

Notice how the strumming pattern opens up during the chorus, compared to the more muted feel of the verse.

When playing songs on just one guitar, this type of approach is vital. In order to make some parts sound bigger; you have to make other parts smaller.

Muting and opening up strumming patterns is usually the best way forward.

Rhythm Guitar Principles

As we come back to the verse after the first chorus, make sure you go back to the muted style of playing.

This will help the listener understand that we are now calming down, moving back to the verse.

The attention now automatically moves to the lyrical message and the vocalist performance.

There is also a clear difference in the actual strumming pattern between the verse and the chorus, make sure you nail the different patterns as soon as they appear.

Should you want to vary the strumming pattern, make sure you do this in between the vocal melodies, or even better, during instrumental sections.