Green Day: Power Chords & Muting

Green Day: Basket Case

Today we’ve two great Techniques for Rhythm & Lead Guitar, a great Song and a fun Jam Session with the Band.

In this lesson we’re going to cover two techniques that will add a different feel and texture to your guitar playing. So, we’ll be looking at Palm Muting and Power Chords and then progress on to bring these together to play part of Greenday’s classic song, Basket Case.

As usual we break everything down for you, to make it easy to understand and follow. And with the band video and Jam track you get a real feel for what you are trying to play. And more importantly, you’ll be starting to build a better understanding of rhythm and timing, as well as song structures. So, are you ready?

And remember, do leave me a comment at the bottom of the page. Thanks, Andy


Guitar Techniques – An Overview Palm Muting

The Band playing the full song Basket Case by Green Day

Video Lesson – Basket Case Song Intro and Verse 1 Chords

The Drums & Bass – Practice and Jam video
NOTE: The Drums and Bass do not kick in til the 24 second mark, as the first part of the Intro is just vocals and Lead Guitar

The Downloads for Song Structure and Chords>
song_structure
chord_diagrams
Your comments please…
Hope you’re enjoying the videos, but please do remember to leave us a comment below. We really need and value any input you can provide – even if it’s just to say if you think this is ‘the best thing ever’ or just OK. Whatever your comment, we’d love to hear from you. Thanks – and have fun! Andy


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Leave A Reply (94 comments So Far)


  1. Michael
    95 days ago

    Thank you Andy, Your stuff are really great
    All are well explained and easy to follow.

    More power and God Bless


  2. Dick
    153 days ago

    Niet te veel lullen.

    Gewoon zeggen waar het om gaat!!


  3. Peter KaDaw LaRing
    154 days ago

    Thank you Andy… It’s great stuff for me as a beginner.It makes sense.
    Great Job.

    Greeting From Myanmar (Burma)


  4. dean robinson
    208 days ago

    thanks andy.


  5. john lee
    221 days ago

    This is NOT the blues I want it’s just a noise!! Can I have my money back please.

    When you do some great blues played by the Black guys let me know.

    Sorry John


  6. j.samuel david chelliah
    234 days ago

    Thanks. very nice.very useful and easier to learn. like to have a lot like this. hope andy will give me
    a lot of candy. thanks a lot.


  7. stephanie
    267 days ago

    i love greenday, hope to see more music lessons like this . just after a few minutes, i was already jammin with the band.sweet, thanxs andy. i reaalllly like this website..


  8. Robert Robinson
    285 days ago

    Thanks Andy,

    On the last vid there is a prob with the sound. Apart from that great tutorial. Looks like your getting some other Christians beside myself as students.

    God Bless

    Robert


  9. Chaliq
    285 days ago

    Man Andy I really love this song. Thanks for all of your help


  10. ERROL CARROLL
    294 days ago

    BRILLIANT AS USUAL REGARDS ERROL


  11. shane
    309 days ago

    by far the easiest way to learn to play i have ever seen…and ive seen quite a few!!


  12. ERROL CARROLL
    381 days ago

    A MUCH BETTER MANNER THAT I HAVE BEEN USING VERRY IMPRESSED I AM ABOUT TO CHANGE MY METHOD REGARDS ERROL


  13. Umo
    466 days ago

    Your teaching approach is very easy to understand! I’m new to playing the guitar, so I have a question which I hope somebody can answer for me! How on EARTH do you press down 3 strings at once with your little finger for the Eb chord? I have this confusion with every chord that has more than 4 finger places…


  14. mozee
    482 days ago

    hi andy i couldn’t view issue #102 finger tapping video . i guess that there is some problem in the video .


  15. kev
    487 days ago

    hi andy, excellent explanation of muting (definitely a great guitar
    trick!) very helpful explanation of 5th (power) chords which i’ve
    rarely used before but will so now!
    good job!
    -kev


  16. kev
    487 days ago

    hi andy, finally able to finish through lesson 1! video 2 seemed to only
    show a few flashy licks but the band jam (video 3) was great!
    -kev


  17. Dude
    490 days ago

    I recognize the end example chords you played! they were from closing time by semi sonic!! very good lessons!


  18. Grant
    491 days ago

    another good lesson…thanks mate


  19. Vinny
    508 days ago

    Not sure if this has been pointed before, but in your Chord Diagram pdf, the “C Position 2″ diagram is incorrect. You need to be at frets 8,9,10.


  20. stuart
    511 days ago

    hi andy i joined your bandjammer and got lots of emails and i bought your dvds but could you help me out ive not hardly looked at my emails for mnths and it was going to be my summer course but i deleted them all bye mistake could you be able to send me these emails as ive accidently deleted them byr mistake would be very gtatefull if you could there were abour 30 weamils i was keeping to start in the summerr i should have done it on the dark nights instead i tried ,me hardest not to delete them coulsd you send me them agqain pleas would be very gt=rate full cos i think your ah wonderfull teacher


  21. Shep
    512 days ago

    Thanx Andy, got this of to a ‘T’


  22. BILL
    516 days ago

    I cant wait for my next lesson thanks andy


  23. BILL
    516 days ago

    fantastic cant stop playing


  24. Tom
    542 days ago

    Great lesson again Andy, I thought in the first email you said it would be “back in the ussr riff for number 2″? No Matter all good. keep up the great work, you certainly have got me re-motivated after years of teachers who take your money to show you how good they are. Tom


  25. Rfmrfixxit
    545 days ago

    Great Thanks


  26. Richard
    547 days ago

    Great lesson! Learn how to play here in Brazil through bandjammer! Bandjammer Congratulations!


  27. Ray
    562 days ago

    Great lessons Andy, i just have to find more time to practice , thanks again


  28. Bob
    564 days ago

    Andy
    I am so glad you have such an amazing gift to share with everyone. I will continue the lessons with growing expectations……..


  29. Wilson
    573 days ago

    My friend this was a lesson I spent about 11 hours perfecting since last night I liked it a lot hope you continue sending me this great delivery of this material buenaso already had some experience but with this I visualize my technique improved thanks


  30. Fr.saturnino
    575 days ago

    WoW, Andy, May God bless you. Your lessons are super. Yes, I will share your technique to my young students.
    Loves saturnino


  31. Fr.saturnino
    575 days ago

    Wow,Andy,You are making people feel more younger. I play the violin, the Piano,the classical guitar and now you have given me a new feeling for me to play the electric guitar. Thanks a lot.
    Loves saturnino


  32. Ron
    576 days ago

    THANKS! I’m 67 and JUST learning to play! A life long dream of mine. You make it LOOK so easy! Keep’em coming, and I will keep on practising!GOD BLESS YOU!


  33. Joe
    599 days ago

    You are a great player and a very informitive teacher keep it comimg.


  34. Mary
    601 days ago

    I can only play the E Chord progression..I can’t seem to get my hands to stretch to other chords.. I’m a pianist.. but it is hard for me to remember the chords/strings … Is there an easier technique you suggest for me to play other chord progressions which you don’t found in most lessons..

    I’m a 70 yrs old newbie… so I hope to catch up soon… although I’m doing two live performance after watching the first lesson this week… I’m not really dumb!

    Thanks and do a lesson using the E Chord soon


  35. rolex eugene
    606 days ago

    hi,my friend.thanks so much ,keep sending lessons to me please you are great.May the lord richly bless you.


  36. elvis
    608 days ago

    what a great lesson! You’re too good. please keep sending your lesson they are too special. I call your lessons “the bolt and nut of guitar playing and secrets”.


  37. George Booth
    614 days ago

    I’m slow at this point. I’m almost through with lesson 1 and will start this lesson. I find your teaching methods very useful and easy.


  38. Paul Ledsham
    616 days ago

    This was a really fun lesson. I was already doing a certain amount muting without really thinking about it but when you are more conscious of these techniques you realise how much further you can take them.

    Paul.


  39. Gary
    617 days ago

    another excellent lesson, I wish I’d found you guys twenty years ago.


  40. Michael Witfoth
    622 days ago

    It helps to understand my playing style a lot better. When I was young I used to be a wild strummer. As I got older I learned to play closer to the Bridge and learned Quality not Quanity was the better Thing. I have always used the palm technique but never used both styles and I Like the sound. Thank You!


  41. ROGER
    623 days ago

    GREAT JOB. KEEP UP THE LESSONS PLEASE.THANK YOU.ROGER


  42. aries
    623 days ago

    nice job andy!!keep it up


  43. azman
    629 days ago

    Once again u made the basics easy to play. Its clear and I enjoyed the video.


  44. Penny
    629 days ago

    Great lesson…..I picture music as for a keyboard playing. Now I can begin to understand and experience better guitar playing techniques. If you’re ever in Tasmania, we’d welcome you to pop in for a jam session….

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BandJammer
Facebook IconMay 9, 2012 at 7:41 am

Free Coaching & Riff Sessions now live on the site, including Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, Johnny Cash and more
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Easy Guitar Songs | Guitar Coaching | Easy Songs To Play On Guitar | BandJammer

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Today we're looking at Power Chords and the classic JJ Cale song Cocaine. Although this is very much more in the style of the Eric Clapton version.

BandJammer
April 5, 2012 at 10:48 pm

Sad news................"The Father of Loud" Jim Marshall, the founder of Marshall amps, died today aged 88. Slash tweeted "The news of Jim Marshall passing is deeply saddening. R & R will never be the same w/out him. But, his amps will live on FOREVER!"

I say, set up yer stack and rock heaven 'till it shakes.

That man defined the heavy rock guitar sound.

Andy

BandJammer
March 21, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Yes it's happy birthday to Johann Sebastian Bach...born in 1685. Did he influence any great rock guitarists????