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Def Leppard - Bringin' On the Heartbreak - Guitar Lesson

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Key A minor
Def Leppard - Bringin' On the Heartbreak guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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High 'N' Dry album cover
High 'N' Dry
1981 4:34
Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music
Def Leppard Hard Rock 1981 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

About Bringin' On the Heartbreak

At 95 BPM in A minor, "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" sits in that deceptively comfortable mid-tempo range that actually demands real control. The twin-guitar work by Steve Clark and Pete Willis is the heart of the song, blending clean arpeggiated chords in the verses with heavier, harmonized lines as the track builds. Getting those arpeggios to ring cleanly without rushing is trickier than it looks, because the natural tendency is to push the tempo when the chord changes arrive. The Hard Rock power-ballad feel relies on you staying relaxed and letting notes breathe, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse picking pattern slowed down until it feels effortless at full speed. The lead guitar harmonies in the chorus and outro are a great introduction to the twin-lead approach that defines Def Leppard's sound, and working them out by ear is worth your time.

  • The song is in E Standard tuning and A minor, making it approachable for intermediate players already comfortable with open and barre chord work.
  • The verse features clean arpeggiated guitar figures that require a light, controlled picking hand to keep each note distinct and even.
  • The harmonized lead guitar lines in the chorus are a practical introduction to twin-guitar harmony playing, worth learning both voices separately.

How to Play Bringin' On the Heartbreak

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A minor · Tempo: 95 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 95 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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