Why Does It Always Rain On Me – Travis
"Why Does It Always Rain On Me" by Travis is one of those timeless tracks that captures emotional depth and melodic beauty through simple, yet powerful guitar work. Our note-for-note guitar lesson for this song is designed to help guitarists of all skill levels master its iconic sound, focusing on a variety of essential techniques. By learning these techniques, you’ll not only be able to play this beloved song accurately but also improve your overall guitar skills and musicality. Michael Casswell breaks down this classic 90s track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.
About the Song and the Guitarist
"Why Does It Always Rain On Me" was released in 1999 on Travis' critically acclaimed album The Man Who. The song is driven by the lush, melancholic guitar lines of Andy Dunlop, the lead guitarist for Travis. Dunlop's playing style is rooted in simplicity but demonstrates a keen sense of melody and harmony that contributes to the song’s haunting and introspective atmosphere. His tasteful chord choices and smooth arpeggios have inspired countless guitarists to explore the emotional power of stripped-back, melodic guitar work. Dunlop’s understated style emphasises musicality over technical complexity, making his playing accessible yet deeply expressive.
Breakdown of Techniques in the Lesson
Chord Progressions
The backbone of "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" lies in its beautifully crafted chord progressions. The lesson covers how to transition smoothly between the open chords and barre chords used in the song. Understanding and mastering these transitions is crucial, as it teaches you how to move across the fretboard with ease while maintaining the song's flow and emotional intensity.
Benefit: Learning chord progressions enhances your ability to recognise patterns, making it easier to play a wide variety of songs and build your own chord-based compositions.
Arpeggios
One of the key techniques highlighted in this lesson is the use of arpeggios. Instead of strumming full chords, Dunlop often breaks them up into arpeggios, playing the individual notes of each chord to create a more dynamic, layered sound. The lesson walks through these patterns, emphasising how to pick each note cleanly and smoothly.
Benefit: Mastering arpeggios improves finger dexterity and timing, which is essential for playing more intricate pieces with finesse.
Finger-Picking
In this song, Andy Dunlop incorporates elements of finger-picking to give the guitar lines a softer, more intimate tone. The lesson delves into basic finger-picking patterns, showing you how to maintain consistent timing while alternating between the thumb and fingers.
Benefit: Finger-picking helps in developing hand independence and adds versatility to your playing style, allowing you to adapt to different musical genres and arrangements.
Vibrato
In certain sections of the song, subtle vibrato is applied to sustain notes, enhancing the emotional depth of the performance. This lesson focuses on how to properly execute vibrato, ensuring that you add controlled fluctuations to your notes to mimic the expressive style found in the original recording.
Benefit: Vibrato adds emotional expression to your playing, helping you communicate the mood of a song through subtle note manipulation.
Slides
Slides are another key technique featured throughout the track. This lesson shows you how to glide between notes smoothly, which is a crucial part of maintaining the song's fluid, flowing nature. It also covers how to execute both upward and downward slides for maximum tonal control.
Benefit: Slides help in creating smooth transitions between notes and add a professional touch to your playing, making the movement across the fretboard feel more connected and seamless.
String Bending
Dunlop uses expressive string bending to emphasise certain phrases in the song. The lesson will guide you on how to execute precise bends that reach the correct pitch without over-bending or under-bending, which is key to keeping the melody intact.
Benefit: String bending teaches you pitch control and adds an expressive quality to your lead playing, making your solos and melodies stand out.
Barre Chords
Throughout the song, you'll encounter barre chords that are essential for playing certain sections. Our lesson covers the proper technique to apply pressure across all strings and switch between different barre chord shapes effortlessly.
Benefit: Learning barre chords expands your ability to play complex chords up and down the neck, unlocking new areas of the fretboard and allowing for more dynamic playing.
Syncopated Rhythms
The rhythm of "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" features subtle syncopated rhythms, where the guitar is not always played on the downbeat. The lesson explains how to navigate these offbeat strumming patterns, ensuring that your playing remains tight and in sync with the song's overall groove.
Benefit: Mastering syncopation enhances your rhythmic precision and helps you develop a more dynamic strumming style.
