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Bread - "If" - Guitar Lesson

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Bread - "If" - Guitar Lesson

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Bread - "If" guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Manna album cover
Manna
1971 2:36
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Bread Rock 1971 A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

"If"

"If" is a soft rock ballad written by David Gates and recorded by Bread, released in 1971. It reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Easy Listening chart for three weeks. The song's gentle melodic structure and clean chord progressions make it a rewarding piece for electric guitarists looking to develop fingerpicking technique and expressive, restrained playing.

  • Written solely by David Gates, "If" showcases his signature blend of lyrical melody and straightforward chord movement, ideal for clean-tone electric guitar work.
  • The song runs just under two minutes and 36 seconds, making it a concise study in melodic economy and arrangement.
  • "If" reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1971 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.
Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

James Griffin's semi-hollowbody choice delivered the warm, full-bodied tone essential to Bread's soft rock ballads, with PAF humbuckers providing clarity for fingerpicked arpeggios without harshness.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This clean, powerful amp gave Griffin's electric parts the warm, reverb-soaked character that defined Bread's studio sound, running completely clean to preserve dynamic sensitivity in quiet passages.

Fender Deluxe Reverb
Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

A more compact alternative delivering the same clean warmth and natural spring reverb that complemented Bread's intimate, effect-free approach to electric guitar arrangements.

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