Classic Albums - Rising
Song Lessons in this Course
Song-by-Song Guitar Lessons Taught by Danny Gill
Tarot Woman
Run With The Wolf
Starstruck
Do You Close Your Eyes
Stargazer
A Light In The Black
This Course is Ideal for Players Who...
This course is ideally suited to intermediate and advanced guitarists who are ready to commit to a serious, in-depth study of one of rock's greatest albums. If you have a solid grounding in pentatonic soloing and basic rock technique but want to push into more sophisticated territory — neo-classical phrasing, modal scale application, complex riff structures — then these Rainbow guitar lessons represent exactly the kind of challenge that will accelerate your development. It is particularly well-suited to players who are drawn to the more ambitious end of classic rock and heavy metal: guitarists who find themselves inspired by the compositional depth of artists like Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, or Michael Schenker, and who want to bring that same sense of drama and structure to their own playing. If you have always been curious about how classical music theory intersects with hard rock guitar, Rising is one of the finest possible entry points — and this course is the most direct route to understanding it. This Rising guitar lesson course is also a strong choice for players who already love the album and want to go beyond simply listening to it. There is a significant difference between knowing a record and truly understanding how it was built, and Danny Gill's track-by-track approach bridges that gap with precision and depth. If you are serious about guitar lessons and want to invest your practice time in material that will genuinely transform your playing, this is the course for you.
What will I achieve from completing this course?
Rising is one of those rare albums where every guitar part rewards close study. Ritchie Blackmore's playing on this record is not simply technically impressive — it is architecturally brilliant. His riffs are constructed with a composer's ear, his solos unfold like miniature concertos, and his tone is crafted to serve the drama of each song. These Rainbow guitar lessons give you the tools to understand and internalise all of that, transforming your appreciation of the album into genuine playing ability.
By working through this course in full, you will develop a range of skills that extend well beyond the album itself:
• Neo-classical scale application: Learn to use the harmonic minor, natural minor, and Phrygian dominant scales the way Blackmore does — not as exercises, but as expressive, musical tools that give your solos a sense of grandeur and tension.
• Advanced lead phrasing: Develop the kind of melodic, wide-interval phrasing that characterises Blackmore's soloing on Stargazer and A Light in the Black, building solos that feel composed rather than improvised.
• Chromatic riff construction: Understand how Blackmore builds riffs using chromatic movement and modal colour to create a sense of darkness and momentum that goes beyond standard pentatonic rock.
• Vibrato and expressive control: Refine your vibrato — one of the most personal and identifiable elements of any guitarist's voice — by studying Blackmore's aggressive, controlled approach across the album's lead sections.
• Dynamic rhythm technique: Master the palm-muted, staccato precision of Blackmore's rhythm playing, and learn how he shifts between tight, percussive riffing and open, resonant chord work to control the energy of each song.
• Legato and picking fluency: Tackle the demanding legato runs and alternate-picked passages that appear throughout the album, building both speed and accuracy in a musical context.
Whether your goal is to master these specific songs, absorb Blackmore's approach to the guitar, or simply raise your overall technical level, this course delivers results that will stay with you long after you have learned the last note.
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1-ON-1 COACHING
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** Disclaimer **
*This product is not endorsed by or made in association with
Rainbow
nor does
Rainbow
perform or appear on this course.*
"Rising" by Rainbow: A Guitarist's Perspective
Rainbow's second studio album, "Rising," is a classic in the heavy metal genre and features a range of guitar techniques and elements that make it a must-listen for guitarists. Released in 1976, the album features the lineup of Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Cozy Powell on drums, Jimmy Bain on bass, and Tony Carey on keyboards. In this course, LickLibrary veteran Danny Gill walks you through the many highlights of each song from Rising one phrase at a time, including Richie Blackmore’s legendary guitar riffs and iconic solos from the tracks “Tarot Woman" “A Light in the Black,” and the epic “Stargazer.” In this description we'll take a closer look at each song on the album and the guitar techniques and scales used.
Tarot Woman
"Tarot Woman" is a fast-paced and riff-heavy song that features a range of guitar techniques and elements that are common in classic rock/metal. The song starts with a catchy guitar riff that features a lot of power chords and palm muting, creating a driving rhythm that propels the song forward. The guitar solo section is a highlight of the song, featuring a range of techniques such as alternate picking, string bending, and vibrato. The solo is melodic and technically demanding and is a great example of the classic rock/metal guitar style. The guitar scales used in this song include the E minor pentatonic scale and the E natural minor scale.
Run with the Wolf
"Run with the Wolf" is a blues-influenced hard rock song that features a heavy guitar riff and a powerful vocal performance from Ronnie James Dio. The song also includes a guitar solo that features a lot of string bending and vibrato. The guitar scales used in this song include the E minor pentatonic scale and the E blues scale.
Starstruck
"Starstruck" is a fast-paced and catchy song that features a memorable guitar riff and a soaring vocal performance from Ronnie James Dio. The song includes a guitar solo that showcases a range of techniques such as alternate picking, string bending, and vibrato. The guitar scales used in this song include the E minor pentatonic scale and the E major scale.
Do You Close Your Eyes
"Do You Close Your Eyes" is a hard-hitting song that features a driving guitar riff and a powerful vocal performance from Ronnie James Dio. The song also includes a guitar solo that features a lot of string bending and vibrato. The guitar scales used in this song include the E minor pentatonic scale and the E blues scale.
Stargazer
"Stargazer" is a progressive rock/metal song that features a range of guitar techniques and elements that are a hallmark of the genre. The song starts with a slow and atmospheric intro that features a clean guitar tone and a melodic guitar line. The main riff of the song is based on a descending chromatic scale that is played in unison by the guitar and keyboard. This riff is played with a distorted guitar tone and features a lot of palm muting and staccato picking to create a tight, precise sound. The song also includes a guitar solo that is played over a fast and complex chord progression. The solo features a range of techniques such as alternate picking, string skipping, legato playing, and tapping. The guitar scales used in this song include the E natural minor scale and the E harmonic minor scale.
A Light in the Black
"A Light in the Black" is the longest song on the album, clocking in at over eight minutes. The song features a range of guitar techniques and elements that make it a standout in the heavy metal genre. The song starts with a slow and atmospheric intro that features a clean guitar tone and a melodic guitar line. The song then moves into a driving rhythm that features a heavy guitar riff and a powerful vocal performance from Ronnie James Dio. The song includes a guitar solo section that is a highlight of the track, featuring a range of techniques such as alternate picking, string bending, and vibrato. The solo is melodic and technically demanding and showcases the skill and virtuosity of Ritchie Blackmore, the guitarist who played on the album. The guitar scales used in this song include the E natural minor scale and the E harmonic minor scale.
In conclusion, "Rising" is an essential album for guitarists who are interested in classic rock/metal and progressive rock/metal. The album features a range of guitar techniques and elements that are a hallmark of these genres, including power chords, palm muting, alternate picking, string bending, vibrato, and more. The guitar solos on the album are particularly impressive, showcasing the skill and virtuosity of Ritchie Blackmore, one of the most influential guitarists in the heavy metal genre. By studying the guitar techniques and scales used on this album, guitarists can improve their playing skills and develop a better understanding of the elements that make up classic rock/metal and progressive rock/metal.
NB: PERFORMANCE FOOTAGE NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS COURSE
Guitar techniques used on this album:
These techniques are used throughout the album, with each song showcasing a different combination of them. Ritchie Blackmore, the guitarist on the album, was known for his virtuosity and skill on the guitar, and the album is a great example of his playing style. Guitarists who are interested in classic rock/metal and progressive rock/metal will find a lot to learn from the guitar techniques used on this album.
- Power chords
- Palm muting
- Alternate picking
- String bending
- Vibrato
- Hammer-ons and pull-offs
- Chromaticism
- Legato playing
- Tapping
- Sweep picking
About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Danny Gill
Danny Gill is, without a doubt, the most loved tutor by our community. With an incredible array of DVDs and web lessons for LickLibrary covering a wide variety of topics all of which he covers with incredible detail, it's no wonder he carries as much respect as he does. As...