Call Me Little Sunshine – Ghost
In this note-for-note guitar lesson for “Call Me Little Sunshine” by Ghost, Richard Shaw breaks down every key rhythm and lead guitar part from this dark, hypnotic modern metal classic. Designed for players who want to capture the exact feel, tone, and articulation of the original recording, the lesson focuses on the techniques that give the song its ominous weight, groove, and melodic identity. From the crushing low-end riffs to the atmospheric lead phrases, this tutorial shows you how to play the song accurately while also developing transferable skills you can apply across heavy rock and metal styles.
The arrangement of “Call Me Little Sunshine” is deceptively simple on the surface, but the real power lies in precision, control, and tone. This lesson takes you through each section of the track in detail, helping you understand how Ghost create tension, space, and drama through tightly controlled rhythm guitar work and expressive melodic lines.
Song Structure and Guitar Approach
The lesson begins with the main riff and verse sections, where the guitar parts rely heavily on tight, palm-muted power chords and carefully placed open strings. You’ll learn how to lock in with the groove, maintain consistent timing, and control note length to achieve the ominous pulse that drives the song forward. Attention is given to picking consistency and muting technique to ensure every note sounds intentional and heavy without becoming messy.
As the song develops, the guitars open up into more melodic territory. The pre-chorus and chorus sections introduce wider chord voicings, octave-based ideas, and sustained notes that contrast with the tighter verse riffs. This lesson shows you how to transition smoothly between these feels, keeping the performance dynamic while remaining solid and controlled.
Lead Guitar and Melodic Detail
The lead guitar elements in “Call Me Little Sunshine” are subtle but essential. Rather than flashy shredding, Ghost use melody, space, and phrasing to reinforce the song’s dark atmosphere. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to approach these lead lines with the correct touch, focusing on vibrato control, note choice, and sustain. Each phrase is broken down slowly before being built back up to tempo, ensuring accuracy and confidence.
You’ll also explore how slides and octave melodies are used to add movement and drama without overcrowding the arrangement. These techniques help the guitar lines sing while still serving the song, an essential skill for any guitarist looking to play musically rather than mechanically.
Guitar Techniques Covered in the Lesson
Power Chords
Power chords form the backbone of “Call Me Little Sunshine.” Learning to play them with consistent pressure and clean muting will improve your overall rhythm guitar tone and help you deliver riffs that sound tight, heavy, and authoritative.
Palm Muting
Palm muting is crucial to the song’s pulsing groove. This technique teaches control over note length and dynamics, allowing you to create contrast between tight, percussive riffs and more open, ringing sections.
Alternate Picking
The steady riffs in this track demand reliable alternate picking. Developing this technique improves timing accuracy, picking efficiency, and endurance, all of which are essential for modern metal rhythm playing.
Vibrato
Controlled vibrato brings life to sustained notes and lead phrases. In this lesson, you’ll learn how subtle vibrato enhances expression without overpowering the dark mood of the song.
Slides
Slides are used to connect phrases smoothly and add a sense of movement. Practising clean slides helps with fretboard navigation and improves the fluidity of your lead playing.
Octave Melodies
Octave shapes are used to reinforce melodic ideas while keeping the guitar tone focused and powerful. This technique strengthens fretboard awareness and adds a professional polish to melodic lines.
Sustain
Sustain plays a major role in the atmospheric sections of the song. Learning how to control sustain through fretting technique, picking attack, and muting will greatly improve your tonal consistency.
Harmonics
Natural harmonics are used sparingly for texture and emphasis. Understanding how and when to use harmonics adds colour and interest to both rhythm and lead parts.
Open String Riffs
Open strings are integrated into riffs to create depth and resonance. This technique helps develop coordination between both hands while adding a heavier, more expansive sound.
The Guitarists Behind the Song
Ghost’s guitar work is performed by the band’s anonymous lineup, often referred to as the Nameless Ghouls, under the creative direction of Tobias Forge. Forge’s vision blends classic heavy metal, doom, and hard rock influences with modern production, resulting in guitar parts that prioritise mood, groove, and memorability over technical excess. This approach has made Ghost’s music instantly recognisable and highly influential within contemporary metal and rock.
Guitar Techniques Used in This Lesson
About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Rich Shaw
Richard is most well known as the guitarist and co-songwriter for UK metal band, Cradle of Filth, from 2014 until 2022. In his time with the band, he co-wrote and performed on the albums ‘Hammer of the Witches’ (2015), ‘Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay’ (2017), and ‘Existence is Futile’...