Yesterdays by Guns N’ Roses – Guitar Lesson Breakdown

Master the heartfelt tones and subtle technique behind “Yesterdays” by Guns N’ Roses with this note-for-note guitar lesson from LickLibrary. A standout track from Use Your Illusion II, “Yesterdays” is a mid-tempo rock ballad that blends melodic songwriting with expressive guitar work. The track may sound laid back on the surface, but underneath its nostalgic vibe lies a tapestry of nuanced rhythm parts and soulful lead lines. This lesson focuses on four key techniques essential to capturing the feel and accuracy of the song: arpeggiated chord progressions, altered tunings, hammer-ons, and vibrato.

Whether you’re looking to build expressive phrasing, explore layered rhythm guitar, or improve your technical control, “Yesterdays” is the perfect lesson for players who want to play with emotion and clarity. This lesson is taught by Danny Gill.

Techniques Used

Arpeggiated Chord Progressions

One of the standout features of “Yesterdays” is its clean, arpeggiated chord progressions in the verses. Rather than strumming full chords, the rhythm guitar parts delicately pick through chord tones, allowing each note to ring with clarity and emotion. Learning arpeggios in this context helps develop your picking accuracy, fretting hand coordination, and understanding of chord shapes across the neck. This approach is ideal for guitarists aiming to add depth and color to their rhythm playing, and it forms the emotional core of this track’s intro and verse sections.

Altered Tunings

As with much of the Use Your Illusion era, “Yesterdays” is performed in altered tunings, with all guitars tuned down a half-step. This tuning brings a slightly darker, fuller tone and allows the guitar parts to blend more seamlessly with Axl’s vocal range. Learning to play in altered tunings not only enhances your versatility but also encourages new ways of thinking about the fretboard. It’s essential for capturing the authentic feel of Guns N’ Roses tracks and is a great way to explore fresh voicings and tone.

Hammer-Ons

While not overly flashy, “Yesterdays” incorporates tasteful hammer-ons in both the rhythm embellishments and lead fills. Hammer-ons add fluidity and motion to your playing by allowing notes to ring smoothly without needing to pick each one. Practicing this technique sharpens your fretting hand control and helps develop smoother transitions between notes. This is especially valuable for melodic soloing and phrasing, which are central to Slash’s lead parts in this track.

Vibrato

Slash’s use of vibrato in “Yesterdays” is subtle yet highly effective. Vibrato gives life to sustained notes, adding character and emotional depth to solos and melodic lines. In this lesson, we’ll walk through different types of vibrato and show you how to control speed, width, and tension to match the feel of the song. Developing a strong vibrato will make your lead playing more expressive, and it's one of the most identifiable characteristics of Slash’s guitar voice.

Why Learn “Yesterdays”?

“Yesterdays” is an essential piece for guitarists looking to combine melodic sensitivity with rock fundamentals. It’s not the most technically demanding song in the Guns N’ Roses catalog, but it offers a perfect platform for mastering expressive techniques and dynamic control. It teaches players how to convey emotion through clean arpeggios, subtle lead phrasing, and supportive rhythm work.

This lesson offers a complete breakdown of every guitar part in the song, showing you how to deliver them with the same finesse and feel found on the original recording. It’s a perfect track to enhance your overall musicality while adding a timeless ballad to your playing repertoire.

About the Guitarists: Slash & Gilby Clarke

“Yesterdays” features the signature guitar pairing of Slash and Gilby Clarke, who brought a refined and textured dynamic to Guns N’ Roses’ later studio work. Slash handles the soaring leads and subtle fills with his signature blues-rock tone and lyrical phrasing. Gilby delivers rock-solid rhythm guitar work, combining open chords, arpeggios, and subtle embellishments that elevate the song’s emotional weight. Together, their parts create a rich harmonic landscape that serves as a perfect canvas for Axl Rose’s vocal performance. This track is a brilliant study in how to support a song’s mood with tasteful and expressive guitar work.

Guitar Techniques Featured in This Lesson

• Arpeggiated Chord Progressions
• Altered Tunings
• Hammer-Ons
• Vibrato

Add expressive depth to your playing with our complete “Yesterdays” guitar lesson. From delicate rhythms to soaring lead phrases, this track captures a softer side of Guns N’ Roses—and offers a wealth of learning for guitarists looking to enhance both technique and feel.