Journey - Separate Ways - Guitar Lesson

About Separate Ways

Few songs announce themselves as immediately as "Separate Ways" does, with that driving keyboard riff that every guitarist knows well. On guitar, your job here is to lock in with the rhythm section and deliver tight, punchy power chords that hold their own against the wall of keys. The song sits in E minor, which means open-position Em shapes and movable fifth-position chords feel right at home, and the 120 BPM tempo is brisk enough to demand clean left-hand muting to keep the rhythm crisp. The lead work later in the track calls for confident picking with a firm sense of phrasing, so if any of those runs are giving you trouble, the Practice Toolbar is your friend: loop the section slowed down until the fingering is second nature. Journey built this track on hard-driving Pop Rock energy, and replicating that on guitar means committing to every attack rather than letting notes blur together. Keep your picking hand aggressive and your muting deliberate throughout.

• Played in E Standard tuning in the key of E minor, the song sits in a guitar-friendly tonality that makes both open chords and power chords feel natural.
• The 120 BPM tempo demands precise right-hand muting to keep rhythm parts punchy and clean, particularly during the chord-driven verses.
• Lead phrases in the song require confident picking and clear phrasing, so looping those passages slowed down in the Practice Toolbar will help build accuracy before playing up to speed.