Down In A Hole Unplugged Guitar Lesson - Alice in Chains

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In this lesson we are going to take an in depth look at how to play the unplugged version of "Down In A Hole" by Alice In Chains.

This stripped down version of this great 90's hard rock classic, is simple yet very effective.

In this Down In A Hole unplugged guitar lesson I will show you a nice version to play of this great song that works well on just one acoustic guitar.

On the original live recording, Alice In Chains had a second guitarist helping them fill out the more intimate acoustic setting, but you won't need him here!

The intro is based around 3 simple chords and is the only time in the song that guitarist Jerry Cantrell uses fingerpicking to create the melodic material within those chords.

As the band comes in we continue to play the same three chords in a arpeggiated picking style. The picking here is pretty random so it is more about recreating the sound and the style instead of learning everything note-for-note.

The chorus gets a little bit more adventurous using a melody over drone a note-for-note, arpeggio picking and power chords.

This song doesn't use and barre chords and includes a few different simple techniques. Because of this I think it would be a great study for the beginning guitarist. There is nothing here that will challenge you very much. All around a great song that is very accessible.

Have fun!

Carl...

[luizamatos]

Don't understand the language but thank you for this video, i play now this beautiful song (Sorry for my english, i am Brazilian, i speak portuguese, not english)

[stellaschmidt]

Bury me softly in this womb
I give this part of me for you
Sand rains down and here I sit
Holding rare flowers
In a tomb, in bloom
Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved
See my heart I decorate it like a grave
You don't understand who they thought
I was supposed to be
Look at me now a man
Who won't let himself be
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied
Down in a hole and they've put all the stones in their place
I've eaten the sun so my tongue
Has been burned of the taste
I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth
I will speak no more of my feelings beneath
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly but my wings have been so denied
Bury me softly in this womb
Oh I want to be inside of you
I give this part of me for you
Oh I want to be inside of you
Sand rains down and here I sit
Holding rare flowers in a tomb (oh I want to be inside of you)
Oh I want to be inside
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, outta control
I'd like to fly but my wings have been so denied

[musicismylife]

Omg you play all the Alice in chains songs that I love

[roccomiller]

Thank you, Sir! I am doing open mic tonight for the first time in my 15 years of playing guitar and your video has really helped me tie up all my loose ends. I feel excited instead of nervous. Cheers!
also props to you for having good sound in your video... so many "instructors" forget the essentials *face palm*

[superjoop]

2:45 was not a mistake. When your down in a hole, you make them intentioonally.

[barracudafighter]

Bury me softly in this womb
I give this part of me for you
Sand rains down and here I sit
Holding rare flowers in a tomb, in bloom

Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved
See my heart, I decorate it like a grave
Oh, you don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be
Look at me now, a man who won't let himself be

Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied

Down in a hole, and they've put all the stones in their place
I've eaten the sun, so my tongue has been burned of the taste
I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth
I will speak no more of my feelings beneath

Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied

Bury me softly in this womb (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
I give this part of me for you (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
Sand rains down and here I sit (oh, I wanna be inside of you)
Holding rare flowers in a tomb, in bloom (oh, I wanna be inside)

Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, out of control
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied

[TheMeJustMe]

Dirt, what an awesome album! I never considered them Grunge like most people when they came out. They had hard hitting riffs that rival a lot of hard rock/metal bands of the time. When I heard Them Bones for the first time, I about lost my mind. Dirt was a great follow up album from Facelift.

[jennifercaton]

This dude is a genius - no other channel compares.

[trigintatres]

Saved my life... gotta play an AiC acoustic set in a couple of days

[ShaakTisElectricKoolAid]

Great tutorial, but I have one small thing to add. During the prechorus, when Layne is singing "Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved...", Jerry is playing 9 10 9 7 on the D string. So, it's like what he plays at the beginning of the chorus, only one string down. You can see him playing this prechorus thing during the Unplugged performance.

[zillavanilla]

Man I would love it if you could go over the acoustic version of sludge factory.

[travisfletcher]

Just stumbled across your channel and started watching your videos. I must say, your lessons are great.
No wasted time teaching people what a G Chord looks like. You make lessons for people who already play guitar. You skip all the appetizers and get right to the main course. Thank you for that! Great job!
I subscribed and will be watching.

[countsmyth]

Carl Brown, still the best guitar channel!

[hammer]

this really is the best lesson that matches the way i hear it. you are a champion

[littlehouseontheprepostero]

you're the best. you're the f*cking best. thanks mate.

[ZiggyTheManiac]

Any way you could do a lesson on I stay away?

[alementary]

Holy cow...that little passage that starts at the 14th fret sounds like a Ghost song.

[DOGOID]

The support guitarist for the chorus switches to Dminor then C and G, verse is DMAJ after the G

[joshtimmons]

Straight to the point and awesome video editing. Great tutorial man.
Thank you for this

[VirginiaWolf]

Thank you. I was curious about this songs chords etc. thank you so much ❤🎉