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Cutting Crew - Died In Your Arms - Guitar Lesson

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Cutting Crew - Died In Your Arms - Guitar Lesson

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Cutting Crew - Died In Your Arms guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Broadcast album cover
Broadcast
1986 4:40
Listen on Spotify
Cutting Crew Pop Rock 1986 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

Died In Your Arms

"Died In Your Arms" by Cutting Crew is a power ballad released as the band's debut single from their 1986 album Broadcast. Written by lead vocalist Nick Van Eede, the track blends synth-rock, new wave, and progressive rock into a polished mid-tempo arrangement. For electric guitar players, it offers a rewarding mix of clean melodic lines and rock-driven rhythm parts that reflect the layered production style of 1980s rock.

  • The song was written by Nick Van Eede and served as Cutting Crew's debut single from their first album, Broadcast.
  • At just over four and a half minutes long, the track gives guitarists space to explore both rhythm and lead dynamics.
  • The arrangement blends new wave, synth-rock, and progressive rock, making it a useful study in 1980s genre crossover guitar work.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Kevin MacMichael's primary choice for Cutting Crew's studio work, the Strat's bright single-coils and bridge/middle pickup positions delivered the glassy, chimey clean tone essential to their 1980s pop-rock sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

MacMichael switched to the Les Paul in live settings for thicker sustain and warmer tone on lead passages, providing the rounder character needed when driving Marshall amps into breakup.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Similar to the Standard, the Custom's humbuckers gave MacMichael a warmer, fuller-bodied tone for sustained lead work during live performances where added midrange punch was needed.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This clean-headroom amp was MacMichael's studio foundation, providing pristine articulation that let his chorus and delay effects shine without muddying the signal or compressing his responsive single-coil dynamics.

Boss CE-2 Chorus
Pedal

Boss CE-2 Chorus

The cornerstone of MacMichael's signature sound, the CE-2's lush stereo shimmer created the wide, shimmering texture heard throughout 'Broadcast' and defined Cutting Crew's sonic identity.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

MacMichael used rhythmic digital delay repeats to add spatial depth to arpeggiated passages, maintaining clarity while creating the spacious, layered soundscapes characteristic of their arrangements.

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