Kings of Leon - Use Somebody - Guitar Lesson

Only By The Night

2008 3:51

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About Use Somebody

Few songs from the late 2000s put an arpeggiated guitar figure so front and centre as "Use Somebody." The signature opening riff is built around a repeating arpeggio pattern in C major, and nailing its steady, almost hypnotic feel is the first real challenge. At 103 BPM in E Standard tuning, the tempo is comfortable enough, but the riff demands clean right-hand consistency so that each note rings out evenly without rushing the pulse. Where many players stumble is in keeping that controlled touch through the chorus, where the dynamic pushes up and the temptation is to dig in too hard and lose clarity. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop that chorus transition slowed down until the pick attack stays even at both volumes. Kings of Leon layer a lot of ambient space into the track, so any flubbed note sits exposed in the mix. If you play Alternative Rock regularly, the chord shapes here are approachable, but the real work is in the subtlety of the dynamics.

• The main guitar riff is an arpeggiated figure in C major that repeats throughout, making right-hand picking consistency the core technical focus.
• E Standard tuning is used, so no retuning is needed, but clean fretting hand muting matters to keep the open arpeggios from muddying.
• Practise the shift from the delicate verse riff into the louder chorus by looping that section slowed down on the Practice Toolbar to control dynamics.