Hotel California Guitar Solos Tab
In this free online guitar lesson I demonstrate how I play the guitar solos in “Hotel California” by the Eagles featuring guitarists Don Felder and Joe Walsh. These examples are suitable for intermediate and advanced level players who have learned pentatonic, major and harmonic minor scale patterns. You can follow along using the free tools below including guitar tab, a play along guitar backing jam track, and an audio mp3 of the performance.
Guitar Tabs
You can view and download my free Hotel-California-Guitar-Solo-Tabs PDF file here. This file is just an interpretation of some select song parts. You may only use it for private study, scholarship, or research.
Backing Track
You can stream and download my free Hotel California jam track here. It includes the accompaniment for just the guitar solo sections. This mp3 was made with a MIDI file and GuitarPro6 (the same program I used to make the guitar tab).
Gear Setup
I used a PRS P22 with 57/08 pickups, staying on the bridge (treble) pickup through all the solos, and using 10 gauge strings. I plugged into a PRS Custom 50 amp head and used the lead channel with the following settings (12 represents 12 O’clock). Volume: 12 Treble: 12 Middle: 12 Bass: 10 Master: 8 Presence: 12. I used a plate reverb on my Alesis MultiMix8 mixer. The amp head was plugged into a Rivera Silent Sister isolation cabinet with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker and then miked with a couple of Shure SM57s. I used the phaser effect in the Line 6 M5 for Joe Walsh’s parts beginning at 1:39. I recorded and played back the first set of arpeggios with a Boss RC-3 Loop Station. I use Dava Jazz Grips Delrin guitar picks.
thanx for your explanations i am not an intermediate player but i want to be.. where do you recommend i do. thank you.
ken
dearborn michigan USA
I would suggest you visit my beginner guitar page. Be sure to check out some of the additional resources down toward the bottom of the page.
Thanks for your efforts…
Pretty easy to follow and well presented.
WELL DONE!
Thanks.
Frank
Pretty good pretty good
Desi, I’m at the upper intermediate level with lead guitar. I understand chord structure and minor and major pentatonic scales and major key modes. I use these in the praise band I play in at our church. My brother is a professional musician (guitar) out in Seattle Washington who also teaches. He has been coaching me along now for about 2 years. He recently recommended that I learn 2 solos. The one from Stairway to Heaven and the one I personally like even better is the solo from Hotel California. Your lesson is awesome and I am progressing at a rate that I am happy with. Thank you for putting this together. It is extremely professional and easy to follow. It will be awhile before I get it all but that is my goal.
Mike
hi…im from mauritius island…very well explanation an presentation im beginer on guitar….i got some difficulty to built phrases for solos can you help me plz….
Please see my blog post How to Guitar Solo and Play Lead Guitar.
Thanx mate…. gr8 stuff…
Thanks for posting this. I have to learn this song to play in a few weeks and you made it easy. At least to learn what to play. My fingers are still hurting from all those 1 1/2 bends. I like the way you explain things in terms of the chord progressions and keys. I’ve been playing a long time but I still haven’t grasped the theory. I may use this as a case study in modal progressions to see if I can make it stick. Thanks again
Hi, I pray you and your love ones are in good health. Excellent . I bookmarked the video so I can go back and review it. I look forward to learning more techniques and songs from you. You are a PRO! Thanks for the lesson, Lonnzie
Hi, Desi! I try to learn hotel california solos and i find your interpretation better than Eagles’ ones… It goes not fast, but i think that i will do it!!!Thank you for your work!!!
great stuff as always from Desi. thank you
I have been playing guitar for many years but since finding your podcasts and other material I am progressed immeasurably. Thanks Desi.
I looked and looked and never found anything about string gauges. Thanks
10s. Will add to gear details.
Hi Desi,
Great work on the solo. I was wondering, can you use the RC-3 loop pedal in a live situation to play back the 2nd guitar part? if so how would you exactly do this? I am guessing I will need to get the timing right so both parts will be in sync? I am new to this so any help is much appreciated. is there a better and easier way to do it?
Thanks.
Yes, you can loop in live situations–that’s what the pedals are made for. When the solo would get to the harmonized guitar part, I would play part 1 and record it with my loop station, then play it back at the top of the progression while I moved to part 2. So it wasn’t until the second time around that both parts were heard. Another option is to pre-record one of the parts. If you choose this option, be sure to both record and perform to a metronome so that parts will be in sync.
I would like to get solo guitar, mutirial of how to play lead guitar
Do you have a course in music theory?
Yes, I have a course in music theory. Go here to see it: https://www.guitarmusictheory.com/store/
Osom Bro,tks.i like d way You teach dat hotel califonia solo.very much appreciate if You can teach me d aucostic end solos.
i wish i can download this video tutorial you are the best desi serna..
Thanks a lot man!
Can you give the notes in alphabetical form so that I can play it on my keys!!!
The tablature includes standard notation.