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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll show you how to play an easy version of the Game of Thrones theme song on guitar. This will use no capo, and not worry about any advanced lead guitar riffs. Instead, Iβll show you the simple chord shapes you need and very approachable ways to tackle the main distinctive riffs you hear in the song. Iβll include chord shapes, tabs, strumming patterns, and plenty of contextual explanation. I hope you enjoy!
Capo 3rd fretβ¦
If you want to play along with the official version, that is. You donβt need a capo β you can use the chords shown here, and itβll sound fine. Youβll just be in a different key than the official version (i.e., if you play along with the TV show opening credits, itβll be off).
Quick note about the rhythm
In this song, youβll want to count to 3 for each measure (1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3, etc)β¦ as opposed to counting to 4, which is what most songs tend to use. Whether this is 3/4 time or 6/8 time, Iβll leave that to the music theory experts β but if nothing else, know for each chord you have three counts (not four).
Chord progressions needed
Big picture, the song looks like this. There are three distinct parts. Each β/β below represents one additional measure (3 counts) of the chord listed. You should repeat any of these sections as you desire β it depends on how you want to play the song. Iβm fairly certain the βmain partβ and βrefrain / ending partβ are played twice each, at least, in the official version.
(1) Intro:
Am . . . A . . .
(2) Main part:
Am . . . Em . . . G . . . Am . . .
(3) Refrain / ending part:
F . C . Dm . Am . F . . G Am . . .
How to play the chords
Here are the tabs for the chords youβll need. The trickiest one is F β you can get around that by only playing some of the 6 strings (e.g., the middle 4 strings, or the thinnest 4 strings, etc).
E βββ0ββββ0ββββ0ββββ3βββ(1)βββ0ββββ
B βββ1ββββ2ββββ0ββββ0ββββ1ββββ1ββββ
G βββ2ββββ2ββββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ
D βββ2ββββ2ββββ2ββββ0ββββ3ββββ2ββββ
A βββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ2ββββ3ββββ3ββββ
E βββββββββββββ0ββββ3βββ(1)ββββββββ
Am A Em G F C
Intro riff
When playing this riff, understand that youβre switching from a A-minor tonality to an A-major tonality. While you technically donβt need to play each of these full chords when playing the the riff, I 100% recommend you get it the habit of putting your hands in the chord position while playing it. This is advice I would generally give anytime youβre playing a repetitive riff: understand the chord sound youβre playing withinβ¦ odds are, having your left hand in that chord shape will make playing the riff much easier (itβs just a matter of picking + adding a left-hand finger to this or that note, usually).
E βββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββββ
B βββ1βββββ1ββ3ββββββββ1ββ3ββββββββ1ββ3ββββββββ1ββ3ββββ
G βββ2ββ2βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββββββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Am
E βββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββββ
B βββ2βββββ2ββ3ββββββββ2ββ3ββββββββ2ββ3ββββββββ2ββ3ββββ
G βββ2ββ2βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββββββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A
Verse riff
That is, the βmain partβ I show the progression for above. This is probably the part a normal person would start humming if you asked them to hum the Game of Thrones theme song.
E βββ0βββββββββ0βββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββ1ββββ1ββ3βββββ1ββ3ββ0ββββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0ββββ
G βββ2ββ2ββββββββ2βββββββ0ββββ0β2βββββ0β2βββββ0β2ββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2ββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2ββββββββββ
A βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββ3βββββ0h1ββ3ββββββββ1ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββ0ββ0ββββββββββ0βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββxβββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Lead guitar riffs
Sorry, not included yet! Iβll work it out one day. I wanted to start with this easy version. There are plenty of tutorials out there showing you various ways to play this, check them out and good luck.
Check out the Song Exploder episode about this song
There is a fantastic podcast called βSong Exploderβ where composers of different songs will describe, in spoken audio format (with music spliced in for context), their process in writing certain songs. Thereβs an episode about this song, and itβs fantastic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Itβs quite wonderful to hear the composer describe his process and why he took several of the paths he did when crafting the different components of this theme.
View the episode webpage or listen below:
I hope you enjoyed this lesson!
Best of luck. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Enjoy the show! And books, if you havenβt read them yet.
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