How to Play Paradise City by Guns N’ Roses on Guitar

If you want to learn how to play Paradise City on guitar, you will need to know some basic chords, strumming patterns, and techniques. In this article, we will show you how to play the song in the original key of Gb, using a capo on the first fret. You can also transpose the song to any other key that suits your voice or preference.

Intro and Chorus

The intro and chorus of Paradise City are based on four chords: G, C, F, and C. You can play these chords using open or barre shapes, depending on your skill level and comfort. The strumming pattern for the intro and chorus is D D UDUDUDUD DD for each chord, where D is downstroke and U is upstroke. You can also add some palm muting or dead notes to create some variation and dynamics.

Here are the chord diagrams and tablature for the intro and chorus:

G   C   F   C   G
e|-3---0---1---0---3-|
B|-0---1---1---1---0-|
G|-0---0---2---0---0-|
D|-0---2---3---2---0-|
A|-2---3-------3---2-|
E|-3---------------3-|

e|-3-3-X-X-X-0-0-X-X-X-1-0-3-| x2
B|-0-0-X-X-X-1-1-X-X-X-1-1-0-|
G|-0-0-X-X-X-0-0-X-X-X-2-0-0-|
D|-0--X--X--2--X--X--3-2-0--|
A|-2--X--X--3--X--X--3-3-2--|
E|-3-----------------------3|

Verse and Bridge

The verse and bridge of Paradise City are based on five power chords: G5, F5, C5, Bb5, and D5. You can play these chords using only the low E, A, and D strings. The strumming pattern for the verse and bridge is DDUD for G5, UDU for F5, D for C5 and Bb5, and DUDUDDUD for C5 at the end of each line. You can also add some slides or bends to make the riff more expressive.

The solo of Paradise City is one of the most iconic and challenging parts of the song. It is played by Slash using a Gibson Les Paul guitar and a wah-wah pedal. The solo consists of several phrases that use different scales, modes, and techniques. Some of the techniques include hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, vibrato, harmonics, and tapping.

The solo is too long and complex to explain in detail here, but you can find many tutorials and tabs online that will help you learn it. One of the best sources is the official tab book by Guns N’ Roses, which contains the accurate notation and fingering for the solo and the rest of the song. You can also watch some videos of Slash playing the solo live to get some inspiration and tips.

Conclusion

Paradise City is a classic rock song that showcases the talent and style of Guns N’ Roses. It is a fun and rewarding song to play on guitar, whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. By learning the chords, strumming patterns, and techniques for this song, you will improve your rhythm, timing, and expression skills. You will also impress your friends and family with your rock star abilities.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to play Paradise City on guitar. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below. Happy playing!