How to Strum the Song Hotel California
Recorded and performed by The Eagles, "Hotel California" is regarded as one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. Using a classical guitar, catchy bass line and lyrics laced with imagery, "Hotel California" is a popular song to learn on a regular acoustic guitar. This is not a terribly difficult song to play because the chord structure repeats throughout the song.
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Instructions
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Form a B Minor chord by barring your index finger over the seventh fret and placing your pinkie and ring finger on the ninth fret's A and D strings. This is the first chord of the song. The introduction is done by picking with your fingers, and the rest of the song is strummed with a pick.
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2
Form an F# Major chord by barring the second fret with your index finger and placing your middle finger on the third fret of the G string. Place your pinkie on the D string on the fourth fret and ring finger on the A string.
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3
Form an A Major chord by placing your pinkie on the B string, ring finger on the G string and middle finger on the D string of the second fret. Mute the low E, and keep the A and high E strings open. Continue and form an E Major chord by placing your ring finger on the A string and middle finger on the D string of the second fret. Place your index finger on the G string of the first fret to complete the chord. Leave all the remaining strings open.
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4
Form a G Major chord by placing your index finger on the low E and pinkie on the high E of the third fret. Place your middle finger on the A string of the second fret. Continue to form a D major chord by placing your index finger on the G string and middle finger on the high E string of the second fret. Place your ring finger on the B string of the third fret to complete the chord.
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5
Form an E Major chord and then an F# Major chord to complete the introduction and first verse. This is how the rest of the verses will go.
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6
Play the chorus by forming a G Major chord at the start and a D major chord when the word "California" is sung. Form an F# Major chord when "Such a Lovely Place" is sung and then a B Minor chord at the start of "Such a Lovely Face." Play a G Major and D Major chord once more and then end with an E Major chord going into an F# Major chord.
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Tips & Warnings
Listen and play along to the song to understand the rhythm. The album version is played with a classical guitar.
