Extreme - Hole Hearted - Guitar Lesson

Extreme II - Pornograffitti

1990 3:39

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About Hole Hearted

Stripped back to acoustic guitars in G major, "Hole Hearted" is one of the more deceptive tracks in the Hard Rock catalogue. At 92 BPM it sits at a relaxed, conversational pace, but the fingerpicking and chord voicings demand clean left-hand technique and steady right-hand control throughout. The signature part is an intertwining acoustic guitar figure built on open-position G shapes that move through the song with a folky, almost country feel, quite a contrast to the heavier material Extreme were known for at the time. Getting that fingerpicked intro to feel natural rather than mechanical is the real challenge, so isolate just that passage with the Practice Toolbar, slow it down, and focus on keeping each note ringing cleanly before you bring it back up to tempo. Chord transitions need to be smooth and quiet, because at this dynamic level any fumbling is immediately audible. Pay close attention to where the melody sits within the chord shapes, since the top voice carries the hook.

• The song is built on acoustic guitar in E Standard tuning, relying on open-position G major chord shapes and a fingerpicked melodic figure rather than any electric lead work.
• At 92 BPM the tempo feels relaxed, but maintaining an even fingerpicking pattern while voicing the melody on top requires deliberate, careful right-hand control.
• Looping the intro figure slowed down is the most effective way to practise the intertwining acoustic parts before attempting them at full speed.