18 and Life Guitar Lesson (Chords/Outro Solo) - Skid Row

In this 18 and Life guitar lesson video series, I will show you how to play this classic by Skid Row song note-for-note.

The first video will cover all of the rhythm guitar parts, including the intro and the outro guitar solo.

The intro is instantly recognizable and is built around a C minor bar chord. It is arpeggio picked with slight variations added each time the pattern is repeated. Getting this riff to sound correct is probably the most difficult task of all the rhythm guitar parts.

For the other sections of the song you mostly encounter power chords except in the chorus where there is also an arpeggio picked guitar riff doubled over the power chords. All-in-all though, the rhythm guitar parts for "18 and Life" should be pretty easy for the intermediate level guitarist. I will finish up the first video lesson with a look at the highly melodic outro guitar solo!

Up next in the second video lesson, the MAIN GUITAR SOLO!

The lead guitarist on this Skid Row track was Scotti Hill who created an instant classic with a solo containing some nice melodic licks, liberal use of pinch harmonics and little bit of flash at the end.

In this 18 And Life guitar solo lesson, I will teach you note-for-note how to play all of those techniques.

Besides being one of the greatest power ballads ever written, "18 And Life" is Skid Row's most successful single to date. You need to have a great solo to compliment such a great song and it is a good thing that Scotti Hill definitely delivered the goods with this one.

Except for a couple fast licks towards the very end of the solo, I think an intermediate level player could handle playing this guitar solo. The pinch harmonics can be a bit tricky, but finding the right spot on your guitar for those harmonics is the key. After you have done that it shouldn't be much of an issue.

I think the solo for "18 And Life" is also a great one to study to learn how to create a solo that compliments a song well. There were lot's of good ones written in the 80's, but in most players opinions, the solo for "18 And Life" is one of the very best. It has everything a great 80's guitar solo needed, melody, a few cool guitar tricks, a memorable hook and a little bit of guitar flash.

I Hope you guys enjoy learning this classic song from probably the greatest era for rock guitar lovers! Well at least it's my favorite era! #18andlifeguitarlesson #skidrow #guitarcovers

Carl...

[TMS]

80s music is the best! awesome lesson.

[ManBroTheDude]

This channel is so active I love it. Knocking out lessons and songs one by one.

[scooter]

Dude EVERY dam song I type in to get a tutorial, you have a video up for. Thanx for

[emmetarnett]

How in the hell could anyone give this a thumbs down?? Awesome lesson Carl!!

[billyvurrich]

Good video, you don't use excessive words like most others that seem to just like to hear themselves talk. Just what you need to say to get things across. I appreciate it, really

[maxstockman]

Thank you so much I’m in a band and I can always turn to you for the best lessons for my next show

[jacobstark]

Your the best guitar youtuber. You keep me motivated!
Thank you

[adamallsopp]

Great lesson. Was totally lost with this song just looking at the music. So much easier when some 1 shows you how. Thanx

[MrMonsterJamFan]

dude i love your videos. i have been learning how to play guitar a lot better because of them. thank you for uploading these. you're a great teacher :)

[connorjibson]

Carl when are you gonna finish Fear of The Dark??? Thanks for all the lessons though you're an amazing teacher!

[yliu]

Awesome lesson, Carl, I appreciate it very much!!! Thanks you Carl!

[fardeenahmed]

You're teaching style is great, simple yet so cool....Keep posting more awesome content..🔥

[jonsword]

This song reminds me of a time in my own life when there was a day where I drunk 2 wine coolers per day!

[autizmo]

YESS!!! Thank you Carl!!! Ok so I maybe shouldn't have done this but I made like 6 new YouTube accounts just so I could like the solo video more. I'm so happy!!! Thank you!

[michaelangio]

I love these guitar lesson videos, but i wish there was a section of the video where you play the song in its entirety

[rossburg]

Saving this for when I get a little better! Thank you!

[liamfenwicker]

"BY THE WAY" -RHCP please Carl

[joker]

Hey Carl, I learned a lot of songs from your youtube channel over the last month, I improved a lot and your lesson are by far the best, I don't think I would have improved my playing without your videos. Thank you very much. I also have a request for a Song that I really want to learn but can't find anything good on the Internet. "It is I appear missing" by queens of the stone age.
Please continue being so awesome!

[johnroche]

Dave "The Snake" Sabo's brother was the inspiration for this song. Dave's brother was a Vietnam vet and found it hard to adjust to normal civilian life.

[CPUrafael]

Excellent! Great lesson, amazing music. Thanks, Carl :))