Do you dare transcribe these very difficult riffs?
These are excellent riffs to improve your transcribing. They’re not particularly hard under the fingers and they’re not difficult to remember either.
The hardest part, for me at least, is keeping an open mind. Once you got the first few notes down, you’ll have an idea of the key and/or scale that are being used. The trick is to really listen for each note and don’t just pick one of the notes that you’d expect. Sometimes the notes are outside of the key you’re in, or blue notes, or passing notes etc.
1 Like
Do we have the finished transcribes anywhere? I have real fun doing these challenges but……
On a couple of occasions (on previous lessons) I’ve gone and checked on UG and been a key out or way off. Even when convinced I was on it.
It would be cool to have the riffs somewhere to cross check against.
FWIW - I spent about 40mins on beat it today. Was really difficult on acoustic, switched to my electric and it was a bit easier. I had the first couple of notes correct on the acoustic but then there was a bigger jump that I wasn’t matching correctly until I got the electric out.
I would agree. I think all of these transcription exercises should come with the answers at the end of the videoclip or written tan at the end of the written lesson. Without the actual answers, those who can’t figure something out are only left wondering where they went wrong.
I was able to find independent tutorials on YouTube for all of the riffs assigned here, so you can definitely check your results against an “official” notation. I would spend a practice session working on it on my own, then double check with a YT video at the very end to confirm my results (or catch any mistakes).
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share a bit about how transcribing has played a key role in my guitar journey, especially as I’ve been progressing through Justin’s courses.
Like many of us, I started out learning songs by replicating them from tabs or watching tutorials. I even learned the solo to Green Day’s “Holiday” that way. But over time, I realized that while this approach helped me get the notes down, it didn’t contribute much to my understanding of the music or how those notes fit into the broader context of the song.
Then, I began to take Justin’s advice to heart—especially his emphasis on transcribing. I started challenging myself to learn solos, riffs, and even chord progressions by ear. What I found was that transcribing not only improved my ear but also deepened my connection to the music. I began to notice patterns on the fretboard, understand the theory behind what I was playing, and even started improvising more confidently.
One of my most surprising experiences was when I was transcribing a guitar solo and, thanks to my absolute pitch and familiarity with the fretboard, I managed to do it within minutes. It felt almost automatic, which was a huge confidence boost. I also realized that even when I didn’t rely heavily on absolute pitch, the patterns on the fretboard were becoming second nature.
Now, I’m at a point where I much prefer learning songs by understanding the underlying theory rather than just replicating what I see or hear. I can’t overstate how much transcribing has contributed to this shift. It’s allowed me to move beyond just playing notes to truly making music.
If you’re on the fence about transcribing, I highly recommend giving it a go. It’s challenging at first, but the rewards are well worth it.
1 Like
@spath051 congratulations on the breakthrough in transcribing.
I’d like to add this for beginners trying to learn strumming pattern. Listening to songs you’re trying to learn the strumming pattern to and using your ears will advance your playing faster than any strumming course, app or someone telling you down down up etc.
Glad that you found transcribing helpful (and easy by the sounds of it) but my experience has been the opposite. I have found transcribing extremely hard to the point that I have decided not to progress with it. I watched the first video in module 15 but couldn’t work out the chords for what Justin notes are simple songs!! I did watch the video in module 17 but couldn’t work out the simple riffs! I’ve not watched anymore and wont be watching this video. I have a lot more things to struggle with !! 
Hi Stuart,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I can see how transcribing can feel really challenging, especially when the notes or chords don’t seem to click. I’ve been fortunate to have absolute pitch, which makes transcribing a bit easier for me, but I still remember how tough it can be when things don’t come together as expected especially when songs are fast.
One thing that might help is starting with really simple melodies or riffs—something that feels less intimidating—and working up from there. Even just getting a couple of notes down can build confidence. Also, trying to hum or sing the notes before playing them might make the process smoother, as it connects what you’re hearing with what you’re playing.
It’s also perfectly okay to take a break and come back to transcribing when you feel more ready. Sometimes a little distance can make a big difference.
Cheers
Thanks, Stitch! I totally agree with you on the importance of using your ears to learn strumming patterns. For example, when I was learning the strumming pattern for “Basket Case” by Green Day, I initially checked out Justin’s lesson. The notations for the strumming pattern were there, but I found them a bit challenging to follow. So, instead, I decided to focus on listening carefully to the instrumental version of the song. It actually took multiple listens to really get it down, but eventually, I was able to improve and play it just like on the record. Listening closely made a huge difference for me!
PS: in general one should know how to distinguish between a palm muted sound, a down strum , and an up strum. They all have a distinct percussive feel.