Chicago – If You Leave Me Now Guitar Lesson Info
Learn how to play Chicago – If You Leave Me Now note-for-note on guitar with our detailed step-by-step guitar lesson.
This lesson teaches both the rhythm and lead guitar parts to If You Leave Me Now by Chicago, giving you everything you need to perform the song as either a solo singer-guitarist or with a partner.The main lesson focuses on the fingerpicked rhythm guitar part, which forms the heart of the arrangement and is the part most solo performers will want to play. The accompaniment is delicate and expressive, built around flowing arpeggios and carefully voiced chords that perfectly support one of the band’s best-known ballads.
In addition to the rhythm part, the lesson also includes the lead guitar part, including the memorable solo. Played with a pick, the lead complements the fingerpicked accompaniment beautifully. Although it contains a few expressive phrases, it is considerably easier than many classic rock guitar solos, making it very approachable for intermediate players.
Both the rhythm and lead parts are rated intermediate. The rhythm guitar demands clean fingerpicking, smooth chord changes, and good control of dynamics, while the lead part relies more on phrasing and accuracy than speed or technical complexity.
The arrangement includes barre chords but no thumb-over chords, and each section is broken down carefully to help you build the song step by step.
Whether you’re looking to accompany yourself, play alongside another guitarist, or simply learn both parts of this classic recording, this lesson provides a complete guide to the guitar work that gives If You Leave Me Now its timeless sound.
The download includes full video lessons for both parts, a play-through performance, and detailed tab and chords for both the rhythm and lead guitar parts, so you can learn the arrangement exactly as demonstrated.
- Difficulty level: Intermediate
- Barre chords: Yes
- Thumb over chords: No
- Playing Style: Fingerpicked
- Tuning: Standard
- Separate Solo: Yes
- Separate Bass Part: No
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Chicago – If You Leave Me Now Download Details
The complete lesson contains a lesson video and a performance-standard play-thru video. It also contains the guitar tabs as PDF files and a songsheet with the chords and the lyrics of the lesson (if applicable), also as PDF files.
The videos are MP4 format and will play on PC’s, Macs and most mobile devices.
You’ll receive an email with a Zip file containing a total of 8 files as follows:
- Part 1: Guitar Video Lesson – Intro
- Part 2: Guitar Video Lesson – Verses
- Part 3: Guitar Video Lesson – Bridge, etc…
- Part 4: Guitar Video Lesson – Lead Lesson
- Part 5: Guitar Tab – Lead Tab
- Part 6: Performance-standard Playthru Video
- Part 7: Guitar Tab – Rhythm Tab
- Part 8: Songsheet with tabs & lyrics
Total Download size: 584.5 Mb
You’ll need to extract the MP4 and PDF files from the Zip file/s to be able to use them and you’ll need software to do so. If you don’t have a Zip program on your PC you’ll need to install one to open the file. I use Peazip which you can get free, here.
If you want to download to an iPad or iPhone you’ll need an app to do so, please read here to know more about it.
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now Lesson Previews
Playthru & Intro
Tab Preview
Chords & Songsheet Preview
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