Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) is a fantastic song for developing your right hand techniques.
Originally Billie Joe Armstrong played it using a pick but many people prefer to play it fingerstyle, and as we're dedicated to the art of fingerpicking that's how we're going to learn it.
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) consists of just 4 chords - G, Cadd9, D and Em and thankfully it isn't too tricky to change between them. If you are unfamiliar with these chords I recommend practising the changes first by strumming between them:
Song Details:
- Key - G major
- Tuning - standard
- Tempo - 190 bpm
- Difficulty - super-easy
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Intro/Verse
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) has a really fast tempo at 190 bpm, so make sure that you don't rush when first learning it. Take your time and focus on accuracy over speed.
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Chorus
Let me know what you thought of the lesson in the comments section below. Tell me what you found hard/easy and add any song suggestions that you may have.
Hi,
Fitst I’d like to thank you for the information provided on this site.
I’ve been playing my SG for years with a pick, sometimes strumming with my fingers, but never really fingerpicking style.
Last year I got a steel string acoustic for my bithday, giving me the push to start fiddling with fingerpicking, starting with this song, working well.
I only have a small comment on the remark about the third fret on the B string never leaving its position, but while plaing the Em chord said string shoulf be played open.
Anhyway thanks again and keep up the good work!
I think SGs are one of the coolest guitar designs of all time. I’m a massive Derek Trucks fan and the way he plays his is just breathtaking!
In the videos lessons I sometimes (a lot more than I’d like) say the wrong thing. I say things like “pluck the B string” when I mean the G and things like that. I’m far from infallible, it was probably a silly mistake. Always trust my hands over my voice if you think I’ve said something a little odd.
Thanks Marcel.
Chris
No problem, everyone makes mistakes every now and then!
I was reading the tabs, afte I read the text and it just struck me.
So I figured it can help anyone reading your article.
Happy playing.
Thanks for all the great lessons that you have provided for us lesser talented individuals. I enjoy your teaching method and am amazed at your skill set. You are a very talented man.
What prompted this comment was your lesson for “The Time of Your Life.” I always felt this great song was forever out of my grasp. It was easy to play but I didn’t get the rhythmic pattern to make it sound right. As I watched your video I was sure I would still not get it until you stopped playing and explained the cadence. Wow, then I got it. Now I own that song and I owe it to you.
Thank you again,
Bart
Thanks Bart, it’s always very good to know I’ve helped someone out. All I can say is keep it up! Thanks again.
Thank you!
Pleasure.
Thanks for this…great tutorial and everything was clear as a bell.
It would be awesome if you could, at some point, do a tutorial on “Stay (Wasting Time)” by the Dave Matthews Band
It’s a super happy song but the Acoustic riff sounds quite tricky I would love to learn how to play it properly
Thanks again for your site….you’ve created a fab resource for players of all levels
Thanks a lot Steve, can’t make any promises about your request as I get dozens every day but it’s always appreciated. Thanks again.