David Bowie - Starman - Guitar Lesson

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (2012 Remaster)

1972 4:14

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About Starman

Few songs from 1972 open as memorably as "Starman," and on guitar the entry point is that bright, arpeggiated chord figure that carries the verse. Playing it well in F major means committing to clean, even picking across open-voiced chords, keeping each note ringing without muddying into the next. At 96 BPM in standard tuning the tempo is relaxed enough that the challenge is not speed but feel: the part needs a light, almost floating touch rather than any kind of drive. The chorus lift depends on the rhythm guitar locking into the groove with confident strumming that does not overpower the melody. If the chord voicings in the verse feel slippery at first, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until the shapes become automatic. David Bowie built much of the record around Mick Ronson's guitar work, and studying this song is a good entry point into the whole Glam Rock guitar style: melodic, tuneful, and always serving the song.

• The verse is built around arpeggiated open-voiced chords in F major, so clean left-hand muting and consistent right-hand picking are the core skills to develop.
• Standard E tuning and a relaxed 96 BPM mean the focus is on tone and feel rather than technical speed or complex fretting.
• Guitarist Mick Ronson kept his parts melodic and song-serving, making this a useful study in restrained, supportive rhythm and lead playing.