Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

Discover the timeless masterpiece "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd with our comprehensive guitar lesson, offering a note-for-note breakdown of this iconic track. This lesson focuses on the techniques that shaped the song’s soulful and emotive sound, helping you master the skills necessary to elevate your guitar playing. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, our detailed instruction ensures you’ll learn every nuance of this classic piece. Jamie Humphries breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Song and David Gilmour

“Wish You Were Here,” the title track from Pink Floyd’s 1975 album, stands as one of the band’s most poignant and enduring compositions. The song features the exceptional guitar work of David Gilmour, whose expressive style combines technical precision with emotional depth. Gilmour’s use of melodic phrasing, bends, and subtle dynamics has made him one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. His ability to convey profound emotion through his playing is a hallmark of this track, showcasing techniques that are both accessible and powerful.

Techniques Covered in the Lesson

String Bending

String bending is central to the emotive solos in "Wish You Were Here." This technique involves pushing or pulling the string to change its pitch, creating a vocal-like quality. Learning string bending will enhance your expressiveness and improve pitch control, a key element of Gilmour’s iconic style.

Slides

Slides add a smooth, fluid motion between notes, a technique frequently used in the song to connect melodic phrases. By mastering slides, you’ll develop a seamless playing style, adding depth and character to your solos.

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

The song's melodic embellishments often feature hammer-ons and pull-offs, techniques that create a legato feel. These skills will improve your finger strength and dexterity, enabling you to play faster and more fluidly.

Vibrato

Gilmour’s signature vibrato brings his notes to life, adding richness and sustain. By incorporating vibrato into your playing, you can make your guitar sing, giving your solos a more dynamic and emotional quality.

Arpeggiated Chord Progressions

The intro’s delicate arpeggios highlight the song’s introspective tone. Learning arpeggiated chord progressions will enhance your fingerpicking skills and introduce you to a new way of voicing chords, enriching your repertoire.

Double Stops

Double stops are used throughout the song to create harmonic interplay between notes. This technique adds fullness to your playing, making it ideal for rhythm or melodic fills.

Open String Riffs

The acoustic section of “Wish You Were Here” features open string riffs, blending fretted notes with resonant open strings. Practicing these riffs improves accuracy and introduces a new dynamic range to your playing.

Slides and Bluesy Bends

The bluesy bends in the lead sections are quintessentially Gilmour, blending traditional blues techniques with modern rock sensibilities. Mastering these will help you develop a lyrical and expressive soloing style.

Benefits of Learning “Wish You Were Here”

Learning “Wish You Were Here” not only teaches you how to play an iconic song but also develops critical skills such as phrasing, timing, and emotional expression. Each technique you master in this lesson will translate into greater versatility across multiple genres, from blues and rock to acoustic finger-style.

Guitar Techniques Used in These Lessons

Below is a list of the techniques covered in this lesson, along with helpful links to explore each in detail:

• String Bending
• Slides
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• Vibrato
• Arpeggiated Chord Progressions
• Double Stops
• Open String Riffs
• Bluesy Bends

Unleash your potential with our Wish You Were Here guitar lesson and take a journey through one of the most heartfelt tracks in rock history. Mastering these techniques will not only bring this classic song to life but will also equip you with a versatile toolkit to expand your musical expression.