Share This Article:SharePinTweetWhen it comes to singing, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, some people can belt out a tune in perfect pitch while others struggle with the simplest of songsWhen you think about it, there are several factors that come into play when determining what makes a song difficult to sing: range, tempo, key signature and vocal tessitura (which is the specific way your voice resonates)This article will focus on the Top 20 hardest songs to sing based on these four criteria
We hope this list helps you find your new favorite song!
“Back In Black” by AC/DC The song is about a guy who wants to get into the rock and roll world, but he has no money
He feels like “I’m back in black” The lyrics are more than half of the words from this song
They start with “I’ve been too long away,” then sing through some other lines before singing another verse againThis repeated part goes on for two minutes until it finally ends after seven verses and five repetitions around four minutes later
That’s why this has become one of their most popular songs!It was first released only as a single release in 1980 and also appeared on Iron Man II soundtrack
The song was played during iron man’s first flight scene in an alternate ending2
“Dancing Queen” by ABBAAn international hit song famous for its catchy beat and memorable lyrics
It was released as a single on September 27
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody* is a song written by Freddie Mercury and recorded in 1975
It was released as an A-side single with “I’m In Love With My Car,” reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart while it peaked at number nine on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1976The song is a six-minute suite, consisting of several sections without a chorus: an intro, a ballad segment (refrain), an operatic passage (aria), and a heavy metal sectionRolling Stone ranked Bohemian Rhapsody #13 among their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”4
“Hallelujah” by Leonard CohenThis song was written by Cohen and released on his singer-songwriter album Various Positions
It is one of the most popular pieces of music in history, as well as one that has been covered extensively over time (hence its title)Cohen wrote ’Hallelujah” about his relationship with singer Suzanne Elrod, though it was originally written and sung by John Cale on Cohen’s 1984 album Various Positions5
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones released “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in 1965
It was the group’s second single from their album Aftermath, and it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart while also topping several other charts around the world including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and NorwayThe song is one of few examples where Mick Jagger wrote lyrics as well as music for a track; he attributed this to his recent lack of inspiration at the time6
“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin This song
Led Zeppelin’s best-known and most successful single, is a rock ballad with folk musical motifs
It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page for the band’s untitled fourth studio album (1971)A quiet acoustic guitar intro sets the mood of mystery, but soon heavy electric guitars move in to create one of hard rock music’s most iconic riffsThe lyrics are from Plant’s perspective about travelling through an “otherworldly” realm before arriving at a stairway that brings him back to Earth where he can find salvation7
“Smoke On The Water” by Deep PurpleA song that is played in heavy rotation on classic rock stations
“Smoke On The Water” was released by Deep Purple as a single from their 1972 album Machine HeadWritten primarily by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ian Gillan while the band was touring England at great success during 1971-72, it tells of how they escaped an arson fire in Montreux near Lake Geneva where they were staying to finish recording their new albumIt’s one of the most distinctive songs in hard rock history with its instantly recognizable riff or lick repeated throughout both verses about what sounds like children playing: Diddly Dee…Diddy Wah (or Dickie Dee)8
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” By Simon And Garfun ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is a song written by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel
released as the title track on their 1970 album Bridge over Troubled WaterThe song was written by Simon and Garfunkel while the two were spending time in England during 1969The music for ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is composed by musician James Taylor, who had been performing with both artists as a rhythm guitarist on their previous album, Parsley Sage Rosemary And Thyme9
“Eleanor Rigby” by The BeatlesBrief Summary: Eleanor Rigby is a song written by Paul McCartney and released in 1966 that tells the story of Eleanor Rigby, who died aloneIt was also on The Beatles album Revolver, which came out in 1966 as well“Eleanor Rigby” has been covered many times since its release date and is considered to be one of the most iconic songs everParsley Sage Rosemary And Thyme10
“The Impossible Dream” by The Andy Williams It’s easy to understand why “The Impossible Dream” has become one of the most beloved songs in American history
1968 – Andy Williams’ last televised concert from his Christmas Show that yearIn this album recording, made just weeks before he died, you can hear how much love had penetrated every fiber of both singer and listener alike during these final moments together – a consummate perfection as sublimely bittersweet as any moment captured in music or film”11
“Hallelujah” by Leonard CohenThis is one of the most popular songs in the world
It is ranked as number seven on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs” and has been featured on various television shows, movies, and commercials over the yearsOne possible explanation for its popularity: Cohen was able to make an emotional connection with his audience through simple lyrics that are poetic but not too abstract
He creates this feel-good vibe by writing about a romantic partner who does something nice like feed him breakfast in bed or take off all her clothes just to please himThe song also communicates a sense of longing–the protagonist sings about being lonely even though he knows that love exists and wants it so badly12
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra This song is one of the most recognizable songs in modern music
The song was released in 1969 and it became Sinatra’s signature song, but he never wanted to sing it at all because he felt that his fans would think it meant that his career had come to an endIt is a sad ballad about lost love with lyrics such as “And now these precious days are gone/l’m not afraid anymore”The 1973 version of this song written by Paul Anka has been adapted into Hindi Mandarin Chinese
“Imagine” by John Lennon The song was recorded in 1971
“Imagine” has been covered by artists including Stevie Wonder
Nine Inch Nails with Johnny Cash and many moreThe lyrics are about imagining the world as it could be if people lived in peace with each other, without any religious or political divisionsLennon said:” Imagine’ is like a greeting to people from me…It’s not telling them what it is I’m imagining; you use your own imagination”14
“I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton)” by Whitney HoustonThe song was first released as a single in 1973 and became one of the world’s best-selling singles for 20 years, selling over 13 million copies worldwide by 2011It is list on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at number 124—and ranked ninth among “The 25 Most Powerful Country Singers” according to TIME Magazine”Dolly Parton wrote the lyrics to her famous hit “I Will Always Love You”, which she offered up for Houston’s use; Whitney recorded it with producer David Foster in 199115
“Somewhere Out There” by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram The song is a duet with vocals by both Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
It was written for the 1986 animated feature “An American Tail”The song was released as a single and peaked at number four on the “Billboard Hot 100” It also became a top-ten hit in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand Norway and SwedenThe video for this song features both Ronstadt (singing and playing piano) and Ingram (sitting beside her), along with animated segments from the film which are integrated into their live performance of the tune16
“All By Myself” by Eric CarmenAll by myself is a 1974 single written and composed by Carmen
The song was initially released on his debut album, “Eric Carmen”The lyrics of the song are about a person who has lost someone in their life and needs to find a way to go on without them
It is sung from the perspective of somebody whose lover had been killed in an accident – ‘I feel so alone’ he sings at one point; other lines include: ‘It’s just not fair’He states that he feels as if his whole world is slipping away – he says this through the phrase “All my dreams have vanished” which can be heard near the end of the track when Eric does it with such sorrowful emotion for emphasis17
“Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton The song was written about the pain Clapton felt after his son Conor died in 1991
In the lyrics, he sings of how “the beauty we love is always passing by” and that one day they will be able to walk together again with no more tears in heavenIn a video for MTV News when talking about “Tears in Heaven,” Eric said: “I wrote it at my house … I finished writing it on an airplane coming home from Ireland where we had scattered our younger boy’s ashes… It really just started out as this simple little instrumental idea — all these years later what people see now, which is tremendously emotional and very powerful — almost never happened”18
“The Sound of Silence” by Simon and GarfunkelThe Sound of Silence is a song written by Paul Simon and performed with Art Garfunkel
The lyrics are about the consolations, or lack thereof, that one might find in silenceThe lyrics of the song are about how people in silence have problems with loneliness, fear and despair
The singing can be lonely as well as frightening at times – which has made it one of the most popular songs among mental health professionals to help patients deal with depression19
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha FranklinThe song is the second of five songs on side two of her album, “Aretha Now” The title and lyrics refer to a woman’s sense of naturalness in herselfSo often women feel that they must be something other than what society wants them to be in order to find happiness
Franklin sings about how she doesn’t need anyone else but can just look at herself for all the beauty that she needs: “You make me feel like I’m living again”20
“Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn It was written by Marc Cohn, a singer-songwriter and musician from New JerseyHe wrote it while he had been living for some time in Memphis, Tennessee after touring Europe with his rock & roll band The Young Fresh Fellows before starting as a solo artistThe song was originally recorded by The Staple Singers using Cohn’s guitar and vocal arrangements, but the single, released to radio stations on January 19, 1994, was re-recorded with Booker T
& the MGs as session musicians in Memphis at Ardent Studios during December 1993Final ThoughtsSongs are a great way to express yourself and show off your vocal range, but not all songs will be easy for everyoneHave you ever tried to sing one of these songs?
You might be surprised how difficult it is!Share your favorite hard song with us on Facebook or Twitter and don’t forget to subscribe for more fun posts like this one!
Looking for a real guitar challenge?
Maybe you’re just curious to see what some of the all-time hardest guitar songs are (so you can compare yourself against them)
Either way, what one finds challenging, another may find easy
But the songs found here?
So, let’s get to the hardest songs to play on the guitar
“Cliffs Of Dover” by Eric Johnson“Eruption” by Van Halen, A Difficult Guitar Song“Juice” By Steve Vai, One Of The Hardest Guitar Songs Ever“Far Beyond The Sun” by Yngwie Malmsteen“Waves” by Guthrie Govan, A Hard To Play Song On Guitar“City Nights” by Allan Holdsworth“Get Out Of My Yard” by Paul Gilbert“Mediterranean Sundance” by Al Di Meola, A Hard Guitar Song“Play With Me” by Extreme“Through The Fire And Flames” by DragonForce“Tornado Of Souls” by Megadeth“Neon” by John Mayer, One Of The Hardest Guitar Songs Of All Time“Breaking All Illusions” by Dream Theater“FraKctured” by King Crimson“Jordan” by Buckethead“CAFO” by Animals As Leaders, Another Hard Guitar Song“Sultans Of Wing” by Dire StraitsHardest Songs To Play On Guitar, Final Thoughts
“Cliffs Of Dover” by Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson is one of few guitarists who turned playing the guitar into an artform
Johnson doesn’t just play guitar
He’s intentional about every note he plays and how he plays them, uses plucked chords, riffs, and licks in favor of strumming, and is just as meticulous in crafting his perfect, violin-like tone as he is in fussing over technique
“Cliffs Of Dover” is not Johnson’s only hard song to play
But the intro alone combines dizzying speed with scary string-stripping and phrasing that only the most experienced guitarists can pull off perfectly
And that’s before Johnson settles into any semblance of a riff
After that, the song continues to evolve, and throughout, Johnson captivates with his guitar melodies (no vocals on this tune)
Other good Johnson picks that will put your fingers in a pretzel – “Manhattan,” “Zap,” and “SRV”
“Eruption” by Van Halen, A Difficult Guitar Song
If nothing else, the late and great Eddie Van Halen deserves mention because of how far-reaching his impact has been on modern guitar playing
Besides Jimi Hendrix, it’s hard to think of anyone that has had a more lasting, dramatic influence on the direction of guitar technique since
From frustrating whammy bar antics to non-linear riffs embellished with fills (rarely played the same way twice), there are numerous Van Halen songs that are sure to put up a challenge, especially if you want to copy them note-for-note
Many have emulated, few have come close to playing every note exactly as Eddie played it
“Juice” By Steve Vai, One Of The Hardest Guitar Songs Ever
If the only thing you knew about Steve Vai was that he played with the legendary Frank Zappa, you’d already have context for how skilled and quirky his musical sense was (and still is)
But where Zappa was more improvisational and looser with his feel, as a pupil of Joe Satriani, Vai had a strong theoretical foundation in music, serious compositional chops, and guitar playing facility like few other
The guitar instrumental “Juice” is the perfect meeting place of catchy melodies and dizzying guitar technique (almost like the A to Z of guitar playing)
But there is no shortage of Vai songs that will put up a serious fight, be it “Freak Show Excess,” “Blue Powder,” “Erotic Nightmares,” or otherwise
The image of a smoking guitar is a meme that’s existed for decades, and while guitarists like Eddie Van Halen surely played a part in perpetuating such imagery, it might be Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen’s frantic fingers that are the greatest contributing source
And it was on full display in neoclassical wizardry like “Far Beyond The Sun”
“Black Star” is another memorable pick for me, but It’s really a “take your pick” situation because of how similar many Malmsteen compositions tend to be
Guitar Chords: Songsterr
“Waves” by Guthrie Govan, A Hard To Play Song On Guitar
While he may not have found mainstream success (yet), Guthrie Govan is known as the consummate virtuoso in the guitar community, with the ability to play just about anything you throw at him – style, genre, artist, song, or otherwise
If those riffs don’t present enough of a challenge, then the blistering solos surely will
Guitar Tab: Guitar Lovers
Allan Holdsworth might have wanted to become a jazz saxophonist
Instead, his parents gave him a guitar, so he became an impossible to duplicate fusion guitarist
Given his choice of genre, it’s understandable that he would never go totally mainstream (despite his short-lived collaboration with Eddie Van Halen), but you also get the sense that he never really wanted to
Whether it’s his impossibly smooth legato leads or his beautifully articulated and clean stretch chords, there’s scarcely a song of his that’s easy to play
Just about all Holdsworth songs will have you sweating bullets
It was clear, even from the early days, that lanky and long-fingered Paul Gilbert was a guitar whiz
His work with Racer X and Mr Big amply demonstrated this fact, but his solo work since has only reinforced his astronomical playing ability
Stylistically, he’s like the unruly, illegitimate child of Eddie Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen, but it’s obvious that he’s taken inspiration from the likes of Pat Travers, Randy Rhoads, and Kim Mitchell too, and has a place in his heart for J-pop and other lighthearted pop as much as anything else
“Get Out Of My Yard” is an intense, wild, blazing solo from start to finish, but there isn’t a shortage of tunes Gilbert has played on that will give your guitar skills a serious beating
“Mediterranean Sundance” by Al Di Meola, A Hard Guitar Song
When it comes to shredders, many credit Al Di Meola with inspiring them to learn how to play ridiculously fast
“Mediterranean Sundance” is exactly as it sounds, but it should give you a good idea of what we’re talking about here
The scorching acoustic guitar licks on this track are simply surreal
Di Meloa’s electric guitar playing style is also worth a look
Nuno Bettencourt if often overlooked on lists like these, but that has nothing to do with his skills – which Queen’s own Brian May approved – and probably more do with the fact that Extreme only found mainstream success with “More Than Words,” an acoustic ballad, which was quite a departure from their “funk metal” wont
And I’m going to say something controversial here, but in terms of evolution and versatility, I would go so far as to say Bettencourt surpassed the late and great Eddie Van Halen
“Play With Me” comes from Extreme’s self-titled debut, and if the nauseating tempo wasn’t punishing enough, Nuno shows off his palm-muted speed licks, string-skipping magic, and neoclassical chops throughout
Power metal band DragonForce blew onto the scene in 2005 with “Through The Fire And Flames,” complete with fiery, video game inspired twin guitar riffs and solos
The music video version was chopped down to five minutes, but the recorded version clocks in at 7:22 with additional sketches and riff ideas scattered throughout
The appeal is instant, though power metal tropes are on full display, with embarrassing lyrical content (kind of emo – “life is so hard”), and an all-out freakshow speed excess (not just on the guitars, but on every instrument)
Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman themselves said it took them a decade or so to master the playing style heard on Inhuman Rampage, the song this album belongs to
Metallica rival Megadeth never came close to outselling their peers, despite vengeful front man Dave Mustaine’s undying competitive spirit
Speaking of Marty Friedman, though, his guitar playing is always exquisite, and on “Tornado Of Souls,” it’s near impossible to duplicate
Maybe you’ll breeze through the intro and verse riffs without much problem
But it’s after that, that things start to heat up
The unforgettable guitar solo is melodic, lighting fast, and highly technical
“Neon” by John Mayer, One Of The Hardest Guitar Songs Of All Time
Many YouTube personalities – be it Tyler Larson or Paul Davids – make a strong case for John Mayer’s “Neon” being one of the all-time hardest guitar riffs to play
It’s certainly a challenge already
The combination of right-hand slaps and plucks with unusual left-hand chording make for a finger pretzel many guitarists take a long, long time to navigate (and Mayer sings while playing it! )
And while Mayer’s talent is not in question, a song like “Who Did You Think I Was” is very playable by comparison
With a name like Dream Theater, expectations are set
If you don’t wow your audience, you aren’t living up to your name
And while bands like these have a tendency of falling into musical ruts (everything starts to sound the same after a while), the talent on display is the real deal, including guitarist John Petrucci, whose tone is often superb
The 12-minute prog-rock epic “Breaking All Illusions” obviously has plenty of time to prove itself, but simply trying to memorize the entire song, never mind playing at the speed and accuracy Petrucci does, will prove a task big enough for mere mortal guitarists
The dual guitar attack of Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp is severely underrated
And while Belew will be quick to tell you that he’s not the most technical player in the world, he’s more than qualified to play in the somewhat obscure prog-rock setting of King Crimson, and Fripp is a masterful and experienced player whose fingers seem effortlessly fused with the guitar itself
What makes “FraKctured” challenging, though, are the various harmonized, cascading, and contrasting guitar riffs they seem to pull off so effortlessly
If the two guitarists weren’t perfectly in sync, this would simply be impossible
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Guitar Tab: Songsterr
Buckethead is largely recognized as a masked Paul Gil… just kidding!
The catchy “Jordan” features some seriously fancy fretwork, including kill switch riffing, speed tapping, and seriously tasteful and melodic licks
“CAFO” by Animals As Leaders, Another Hard Guitar Song
Count on young instrumental prog-rockers to rock the boat
Relative newcomers Animals As Leaders’ “CAFO” simply erupts from the opening notes
Guitarist Tosin Abasi is simply otherworldly
It’s as if he’s absorbed every guitar technique on the planet, and now he’s a step ahead of mortal guitarists
The Dire Straits’ “Sultans Of Swing” features the fearful fretwork of Mark Knopfler, who doesn’t use a pick, and in this song, plays new licks and fills every four bars or so
Which might not seem like a big deal, but over the course of a 5:47, when there’s little repetition, it kind of adds up!
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Guitar Tab: Ultimate-Guitarcom
Hardest Songs To Play On Guitar, Final Thoughts
Those were some hard guitar songs!
Well, not really, because there are so many other challenging songs worth exploring, by the likes of Rush, Andy McKee, Cacophony, Joe Satriani, Metallica, Jeff Beck, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Prince, and more
If your favorite artist or band wasn’t represented here, we mean no offense – putting a list like this together takes something
Either way, the above songs should keep you busy for a long time to come
Work hard and have fun!Side note, do you want to learn to play guitar songs the easy way?
Many guitarists have pushed the envelope of guitar techniques in history
That is how we discover new ways to play guitar and make music
From crazy tapping solos to unbelievably fast picking techniques or very complex riffs to mind-blowing musical implementations, you’ll find various challenges to achieve on the guitar
Try to understand what is happening in the songs first, then practice the techniques patiently
I wish you all good luck and fun with this list of guitar gods!
This tune was recorded in the famous AIR Studios in London
In 1974 the progressive rock giants released their biggest mind-blowers of all time
The song is written in the 5/4 time signature and has a very fast tempo
Robert Fripp is the genius behind the fantastic riffs, arpeggios, and chord changes
Fracture Guitar Tabs
For years, this guy led generations to meet with innovative guitar techniques and musical capabilities
Since the late 70s, he has been included in the top 5 guitar virtuoso lists
This 1995 release of Vai is a swing-infused giant with a tempo of 200 bpm
Juice Guitar Tabs
Mark Knopfler is one of the other guitar gods who has taught us that you can make rock music without a pick!
This tune is one of his band’s biggest hits from 1978
You can find it on the self-titled album
It is insane how he can shift between melodies and beautiful chords
His playing is one of a kind!
Sultans Of Swing Guitar Tabs
If you are interested to learn more hard songs, check out my other list
Top 50 Easy, Intermediate, Advanced Fingerpicking Songs – Tabs Included
This song is one of the band’s masterpieces we all know
It’s maybe not the most challenging Metallica tune, but it is one of the hardest
Their same-titled 1986 album features it
The tune is a great example of how trash metal music can be progressive
You hear aggressive guitar sounds turning into clean epical realms and giving birth to beautiful solos
Master Of Puppets Guitar Tabs
Here is the most-known power metal, a speed metal band from the early 2000s
Every guitarist who likes metal music and started playing in this era knows them
As the band’s most challenging song, it takes you on a journey of various advanced techniques shifting into each other through a mind-blowing fast tempo
Through The Fire And Flames Guitar Tabs
When this band first came out, they took lots of guitarists’ attention
They released this tune in 2008 and recorded it in California
All the band members are genius musicians, but as the guitarist, Synyster Gates blows minds
His unique techniques and sound brought so much to the thrash metal scene
Afterlife Guitar Tabs
Here is another list of advanced songs you can play
50 Intermediate/Advanced Acoustic Guitar Songs – Tabs Included
After being a crazy vocalist for years in Black Sabbath, Ozzy started his solo project with amazing guitarists like Randy Rhoades, Zakk Wylde, and many more
This song was released in 1981
In this record plays, Randy Rhoades
He was an authentic guitar player, loved by many, and died unfortunately in a plane crash
He contributed well to the heavy metal genre
Mr Crowley Guitar Tabs
Here is another famous fingerstyle guitar player
He has written beautiful but challenging songs over the years
This tune was released in 2006 with his album Art Of Motion
McKee is using his guitar as a percussive instrument as well
He combines fingerstyle progressions, tapping melodies, and arpeggios with a percussive beat and bass walkings on top of it
Drifting Guitar Tabs
For The Love Of God – Steve Vai
For The Love Of God – Steve Vai
Here is another instrumental heavy metal song by the beast
You can find it on his album Passion & Warfare
They released it in 1990 with the labels Epic and Relativity
Check the music video clip of the tune on YouTube beside the live performance
He is playing with the god on a mountain!
You can see his techniques and how he plays as well
For The Love Of God Guitar Tabs
This tune is a 2004 release by the band
You could have seen it in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
The band’s album Sonic Firestorm features the song
This track is a very challenging speed metal tune
They took the music of their influences, such as Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, or Helloween to another level
Fury Of The Storm Guitar Tabs
Eruption – Van Halen
Eruption – Van Halen
VH, one of the greatest guitar players of all time, recorded this amazing solo in 1977
It has a 1:42 length on the record, but he usually performs Eruption for more than 10 minutes on stage
This feast of guitar music includes examples of tapping, fast picking, an amazing sound, and the VH genie
He plays it in half-step down tuning
Eruption Guitar Tabs
He doesn’t only play the blues
If you believe that blues can’t be progressive or there is not much to do with the blues, check out this one
Firstly, he can play so fast, and his mind and playing expand in blues structures
He released this tune in 1983
He released this tune in 1983
You can find it on his album Texas Flood
Pride And Joy Guitar Tabs
This guy was an instrumental classical crossover pop player from the ’60s
He released this masterpiece in 1968
This record is a milestone for many guitarists
Williams plays arpeggios and chord progressions with a classical perspective
Tommy Emmanuel has an amazing performance with this composition
He took the classical playing of Mason to another level
Classical Gas Guitar Tabs
This tune is the first track of the fourth Metallica album, “…And Justice for All” The band released this progressive thrash metal album in 1988
The song includes fast-picked riffs, and its complexity grows with every minute
It is very hard to play
Blackened Guitar Tabs
If you know this guitarist from the glam metal band Nitro, you know what you are dealing with here
He is the master of speed, and he can play very emotionally at the same time
This one is a record from his 1991 guitar method book
Like his crazy left-hand positionings, fast shredding, and picking techniques he can use in every scale possible
Speed Kills Guitar Tabs
Here is the hardest Megadeth tune ever
You can find it on the legendary thrash metal album Rust In Peace
The tune starts with a riff, including harmonics, and goes to another one and then another one
It has 13 riffs and very technical lead solos
Tornado Of Souls Guitar Tabs
This track is the 10th song of the DT album, Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes from a Memory
It was released in 1999 and became a milestone for 2000’s’ progressive metal music
The song has complex time signatures throughout the tune
The Dance Of Eternity Guitar Tabs
Here is another DT tune from 1992
Their beautiful album Images and Words features it
This album is the most fan collector studio album of the band
As with many DT tunes, this track also includes mind-blowing guitar compositions
Playing any DT song is a challenge for even advanced guitarists
The riffs and the melodies change almost every second
Pull Me Under Guitar Tabs
This tune is a 2001 release from the album Room for Squares
He received a Grammy award for his vocal performance with it, but he is incredible on the guitar as well!
This track is maybe the most technical song of Mayer
He shows every possible trick he can play on this one
And the sound of his guitar is fantastic here
Neon Guitar Tabs
Here is a classical masterpiece that guitarists have loved to play for years
The original piece was written in 1899 and is likened to the flight of a bumblebee because of its fast-changing patterns
Check out the live performance of Nuno Bettencourt as well to be inspired
It is not an easy song to play, so be patient
Flight Of The Bumblebee Guitar Tabs
Cliffs Of Dover – Eric Johnson
Cliffs Of Dover – Eric Johnson
This guy is another innovative guitarist
The song is one of his masterpieces from 1990
And it appears on his album Ah Via Musicom
The tune is considered to be a neo-classical rock song
He plays classical structures on his guitar with perfect technicality -a great composition!
Cliffs Of Dover Guitar Tabs
Far Beyond The Sun – Yngwie Malmsteen
Far Beyond The Sun – Yngwie Malmsteen
The 1984 release of Malmsteen is a grammy awarded piece as the best rock instrumental performance
He is another unforgettable guitar god who still plays fantastic pieces
In modern times, he writes unique classical pieces with a Fender Strat and an aggressive guitar sound
This piece flies from technique to technique, and it flies fast
Far Beyond The Sun Guitar Tabs
Here is a beautiful and challenging duet by two famous guitarists
You can find it on Meola’s album Elegant Gypsy
Paco and Al change from lead to rhythm according to each other and jam together on a flamenco progression
Al plays a steel strung acoustic while Paco plays a classical guitar
Mediterranean Sundance Guitar Tabs
This song is a classical guitar piece from 1899
It is a popular piece used as a soundtrack in many fields, like video games, movies, and TV shows
The tune is played with fingering
The same rhythmic pattern goes throughout the song with different chord progressions and melodies
Recuerdos De La Alhambra Guitar Tabs
Guitar Boogie – Arthur Smith
Guitar Boogie – Arthur Smith
This track is maybe not the hardest song on the list, but it was a mind-blower for its genre and time
It is a hillbilly boogie rock and rolls tune from 1946
So many guitarists recorded their versions over the years
From Tommy Emmanuel to Jeff Beck or Chuck Berry to Freddie King tributed, the guitar legend
Guitar Boogie Guitar Tabs
The famous band Rush writes this instrumental, progressive rock song
Their album Moving Pictures features it
They released this piece in 1981
When playing any Rush song, every guitarist should think twice
And YYZ is one of their trickiest tunes to play
Because of its complex timings and patterns in 10/8 time signatures, it is hard to play for many
YYZ Guitar Tabs
The tune is a 1999 release and appears on the same-titled album
This one is the band’s most famous song
You might have heard this speed metal band from the fantastic guitarist Paul Gilbert
As befits the name, this song includes various difficult techniques throughout the whole tune
Nobody does the tapping like Paul Gilbert!
Tecnhical Difficulties Guitar Tabs
This guy is one of the first guitar masters in South America
He wrote music for his entire life and should be one of the firsts who recorded his vinyl in the early 10s
This piece is a beautiful classical guitar composition with Latin influences
It includes harmonics, arpeggios, melodies, and complex progressions
La Catedral Guitar Tabs
This one is a bebop tune composed by Thelonious Monk
It was released in 1944, became a standard for jazz music, and was honored in the Grammy Hall of Fame in the early 90s
The song might not be the most challenging, but it has a complex structure
But it is so much fun when you play it right
Round Midnight Guitar Tabs
This song is a mind-bender
It is a progressive metal tune from 2009 and was released as a single
You can also find it in the 2006 Guitar Hero video game
The tune is already hard to play, and in addition to that, you have to deal with lunatic digital effects and setups to sound right
Jordan Guitar Tabs
Here is a gigantic death metal song from 2004
This band deserves attention and respect
The song is so hard to play
And they have so many songs like this
This song is played in A# Standard tuning setup with a 7 string-guitar
They play so fast
Frantic Disembowelment Guitar Tabs
This track is one of the most tricky tunes to play by Opeth
It appears on their 2005 album Ghost Reveries
The tune is written in DADFAD Tuning
And starts with a 6/4 time signature, then shifts into 12/8 in the middle of the song
Keep tracking the time!
Ghost Of Perdition Guitar Tabs
Arpeggios From Hell – Yngwie Malmsteen
Arpeggios From Hell – Yngwie Malmsteen
This tune wasn’t recorded for an album first
Now we can find it on a compilation album of YM called High Impact
It includes his recordings after 1993
The song is a neoclassical heavy metal tune
Malmsteen composed this one for a video for guitar players
It is called this because it has an extreme arpeggio composition
Arpeggios From Hell Guitar Tabs
The song was featured in Becker’s only studio album, Perpetual Burn, in 1988
It is his only album before he was diagnosed with ALS
Jason doesn’t need any other record to prove his playability, though
This track is a highly technical and difficult tune to perform for many guitarists out there
Altitudes Guitar Tabs
This band is a huge alternative metal band
It makes incredibly creative compositions
As one of the hardest tunes to play from them, Divinations is a must to listen to and practice
The song was released in 2009 and appeared on the album Crack the Skye
It is played in D Standard tuning
Both the solos and the riffs take time to understand
Divinations Guitar Tabs
You can find this tune on the 2001 album Le Bleu by King
You can hear on the record how he effortlessly plays it
This tune is written in DADGAD Tuning
It is one of the masterpieces of modern fingerstyle guitar playing
Phunkdified Guitar Tabs
Here is another Satriani tune from 1987
His fantastic guitar album Surfing with the Alien features it
It is the 55th song on the Guitar World Magazine list of greatest guitar solos
The song is an instrumental rock fusion tune
And it has an insane composition and is hard to play
Still, you see him playing it on stage like it’s nothing
Satch Boogie Guitar Tabs
Play With Me – Extreme
Play With Me – Extreme
This band is not a regular glam metal band at all
The band always pushes its genre’s limits and plays on the edge
Their self-titled 1989 album includes this tune as the album’s last song
Bettencourt plays this tune in half-step down tuning
Welcome to the combination of classical compositions with glam metal and not sounding bizarre
Play With Me Guitar Tabs
This band includes John McLaughlin as a guitarist
And it is already something challenging even to listen to the song
In 1973 this tune appeared on the same-titled album
The song is a jazz fusion, progressive rock tune
And the band uses crazy time signatures throughout the record
Birds Of Fire Guitar Tabs
The tune is the second song of the same-titled album
It is one of the greatest examples of neoclassical metal music
Perpetual Burn Guitar Tabs
Speed Metal Symphony – Cacophony
Speed Metal Symphony – Cacophony
Marty Friedman and Jason Becker form this band
Here is a 1987 release of the duo
Some say that they play even faster than Malmsteen on this record
Speed Metal Symphony Guitar Tabs
This tune is another song from Satriani’s second album from 1987
He produced it himself with John Cuniberti back in the day
The song has very sophisticated melodies and riffs
Ice 9 Guitar Tabs
Here is a very challenging song by a technical death metal band
It was released in 1999
It was released in 1999
It contains various time signatures to play
Extreme Unction Guitar Tabs
Let’s look into another neoclassical metal song by the guitar gods
This one is a 1995 release from an album called Magnum Opus
It requires lots of fast picking, sweeping, knowledge of complex modalities, reverb, distortion, a Fender Strat, and a big heart!
Vengeance Guitar Tabs
Pass is an Italian-American jazz guitar player
He has played with many jazz giants since he was even 14 years old
This tune is one of his most-known performances of all time
Django Guitar Tabs
This guy is an amazing guitar player
You must study his music if you are into folky, jazzy playing styles
The song was released in 2000 on his album Only and recorded in Germany
Mombasa Guitar Tabs
This band is making djent, avant-garde groove metal music
The tune is a 2002 release and appeared on its album Nothing
Pay attention to the complex tuning systems the guitarists use before you dig in
Closed Eye Visuals Guitar Tabs
Get Out Of My Yard – Paul Gilbert
Get Out Of My Yard – Paul Gilbert
This song is a fantastic instrumental guitar piece from 2006
You can find it on Gilbert’s album Get Out of My Yard
He plays this in EADEEE tuning
The first three strings are tuned to octaves of E
It is an incredible tapping performance
Get Out Of My Yard Guitar Tabs
This jazz fusion tune is from a 1989 album called Secrets
It is a challenge for any guitarist
Every instrument in this song is going wild and beyond comprehension
City Nights Guitar Tabs
Here is another djent band and its tune from 2009
The self-titled album has this track as the 4th song
The guitarist plays it with a 7-string guitar in standard tuning
On Impulse Guitar Tabs
There are so many geniuses and crazy people pushing the limits of musical structures in history
Be patient if you want to achieve your goals on your guitar
Practice well and listen to different kinds of music and guitar players from various genres to improve your musical capabilities
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