Learn to Play The Darkness with Licklibrary.com

Licklibrary.com is thrilled to offer an in-depth instructional course from Danny Gill that takes you on a journey through the electrifying guitar artistry of British glam rockers, The Darkness. Spearheaded by the exceptional lead guitarist Dan Hawkins, you'll traverse through five quintessential tracks: "Black Shuck", "Get Your Hands Off My Woman", "Friday Night", "Love is Only a Feeling", and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love". These songs provide a masterclass in riffs, solos, and techniques that are sure to escalate your guitar skills to new heights.

Justin Hawkins and His Contributions

Let's begin by acknowledging the prowess of Justin Hawkins. The lead guitarist, co-founder, and backbone of The Darkness, Hawkins’ unique guitar work amalgamates classic rock's grandeur with the modern rock's precision. His distinct playing style and technique employ a variety of guitar scales and modes, making their music a fantastic platform for any budding guitarist to learn and improve.

Song Breakdowns

1. Black Shuck

The opening track to their debut album, "Black Shuck" employs an aggressive main riff using the minor pentatonic scale. Its catchy, power-chord driven rhythm presents a perfect study in downpicking and palm-muting. The guitar solo, built around the E minor pentatonic, showcases a mixture of alternate picking, string bending, and vibrato techniques, with a sprinkle of chromaticism.

2. Get Your Hands Off My Woman

"Get Your Hands Off My Woman" dives into fast-paced riffs and high-energy soloing. Hawkins' use of the B minor scale in the intro riff sets the stage, while the rapid legato licks in the solo provide an engaging exploration of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.

3. Friday Night

"Friday Night" is a change of pace, with its melodic chords and rhythm guitar parts demonstrating Hawkins' range. The use of a capo on the third fret allows open chord voicings and open-string riffs, employing techniques such as finger-picking and hybrid picking. The solo incorporates arpeggiated chord progressions and sustains that offer a soulful touch to the song.

4. Love is Only a Feeling

A power ballad of The Darkness repertoire, "Love is Only a Feeling" showcases exquisite guitar work throughout. Its combination of dual guitar harmonies, chord progressions, and octave melodies make it a complete package for learning. The solo offers a chance to dive into sweeping arpeggios, tapped harmonics, and a good dose of string bending, creating a profound emotional connection.

5. I Believe in a Thing Called Love

A hit that needs no introduction, "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is a staple of modern rock. The song’s main riff is constructed in the D Mixolydian mode, incorporating syncopated rhythms, power chords, and galloping rhythms. The solo, a marvel of speed and precision, highlights fast alternate picking, two-handed tapping, and pinch harmonics.

Guitar Techniques

Your journey through these tracks with Licklibrary.com will enable you to explore and master a diverse range of guitar techniques. These techniques include:

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Tapped Harmonics
• String Bending
• Chord Progressions
• Arpeggios
• Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs
• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Two-Handed Tapping
• Sustain
• Syncopated Rhythms
• Open-String Riffs
• Octave Melodies
• Galloping Rhythms
• Dual Guitar Harmonies
• Arpeggiated Chord Progressions
• Slides
• Finger-Picking
• Hybrid Picking
• Chromaticism

Learning and mastering these techniques will not only enable you to play The Darkness songs to their true potential but also develop you as a guitarist with a comprehensive skillset. So, strap up your guitars and let's delve into the brilliant world of The Darkness with Licklibrary.com!