How to Play "Soma" by Smashing Pumpkins | Complete Guitar Lesson

[@AZ-hg6kw]

In my humble opinion... the greatest solo to come out of the Gen X era. Thank you for the breakdown!!

[@LetsPlayAll]

you're welcome!

[@average-to-mediocre]

I strongly agree. It's hard, heavy, melancholic and beautiful... all encompassing solo.

[@donovanmcclusky2521]

This and Geek U.S.A.

[@JasonCleghorn1975]

The only Smashing Pumpkins song that gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. It's IMO their best song, and it really captures all of the parts of the band arguably perfectly.

[@KingofCrusher]

Everything on Siamese Dream is their best song.

[@elliottrichmond6589]

@@return2sender791 apparently James iha wrote this one and mayonnaise.

[@elliottrichmond6589]

@@return2sender791 surprised me tbh when I saw him say it. I think of those as two really iconic SP tunes as someone who switch off after Mellon collie. Just always assumed they’d be Corgan tunes

[@schmidt776]

Well said

[@salski70]

song sends chills down my spine... brings back alot of memories from the early 90's.

[@Steaminlidz]

I saw them at the Astoria in London in ‘94 and they opened with ‘Soma’. Mesmerising stuff

[@LetsPlayAll]

Wow great venue to see them!

[@salski70]

billy is a fuckin under rated guitarist. he uses a bunch of weird chords and notes which i love. he interviewed eddie vanhalen for guitar world and did a really great job. he knows music because his dad was also a musician back in the day.

[@robertgraham1573]

Yay. More Pumpkin’s lessons. Really enjoying them. Thanks very much. Such a great band. And your channel is awesome 🤩.

[@LetsPlayAll]

You're welcome and thanks for the kind words Robert!

[@schmidt776]

Unreal, Matt. Thanks so much. The Soma solo was always one I wouldn't dare try but you've broken it down so well. Best guitar teaching channel on YT, bar none!

[@LetsPlayAll]

Ahh thanks so much mate!

[@locksmithdb5987]

Billy Corgan made the most creative solos during that era. They didn't sound like every other rock and roll type solo. Completely original

[@TySoSerious]

Fav song on my all time fav album

[@tuirnb]

That whole album is fantastic, but this is one of my favorite off of it. Great job with explaining it and your tone.

[@LetsPlayAll]

Thanks Ronald!

[@JPTRFX]

THANK YOU! i love to hear the warlow in one of my fav songs. One of the greatest Solos ever written

[@LetsPlayAll]

You're welcome Chris! Awesome pedal :-)

[@noveltycrusade]

Top 5 bucket list guitar solo. You're doing a public service,mate✌️

[@LetsPlayAll]

Cheers mate!

[@jacamania]

I love the Pumpkins. Thank you for this.

[@nick3718]

unreal song

[@landonhaynes9503]

I love this song sooo much. It’s got me through rough times. Thanks you so much for this lesson!❤️

[@LetsPlayAll]

You’re welcome!

[@kristopherguilbault5428]

Likewise ❤️💜

[@claffertymusic]

Dang son beastly tones!!! This was quite the lesson! I love the Pumpkins!! Thank you so much for all of your hard work!!!

[@LetsPlayAll]

Yea that took a while to work out and edit tbh haha, thanks for the kind words mate!

[@kristopherguilbault5428]

This song evokes emotions of my teenage past that I lived through regretfully.. but painfully made it through...

[@LetsPlayAll]

❤️

[@PresidentMateo]

Out of all the guitar tutorials I always check yours first to see if you covered it. The best. Love to see even more Pumpkins....Drown?

[@Stringprodigy]

that would be a great tune to learn

[@LetsPlayAll]

Awesome! Thank you! Lots more pumpkins to come, Patreon's have requested Rhinocerous next ;-)

[@harrygottschalk3429]

Forgot how good this song was..what an album that was.

[@LeonH12789]

This is awesome, keep up the pumpkins stuff, your lessons are fantastic!

[@LetsPlayAll]

Cheers Leon!

[@theKid87]

Such a great song! Easily one of my favourite SP tunes.

[@LetsPlayAll]

banger!

[@TylerO772]

thank god someone has a awesome lesson for the smashing pumpkins

[@LetsPlayAll]

:-)

[@chrisw4192]

Sick TONE!!!

[@LetsPlayAll]

cheers Chris!

[@artemanan4540]

Great tune, great album! Thanks for the lesson ☺️

[@LetsPlayAll]

you're welcome!

[@jamlemon]

Video hasn’t even started yet and I’ve liked! Had to be done for Pumpkins!

[@LetsPlayAll]

thanks Jamie!

[@jamlemon]

@@LetsPlayAll no probs. 👍🏻

[@simondriedijk7553]

Yesssssss i wanted this for so long

[@LetsPlayAll]

enjoy!

[@kyleshoemaker3198]

Yes! So hard to pick favorites from Siamese Dream but this is definitely one of them!!!

[@LetsPlayAll]

yea beautiful tune isn't it?!

[@pyroguitars1296]

Brilliant. I can follow this, so it must be good. Thank you again.

[@MitchellHD02]

My joint favourite song of all time. Can't always listen to it though as it hits me right in the feels. Beautiful song

[@Harsh-yg3cc]

great stuff, one of the best solos of all time, looking forward to get a "starla" lesson someday

[@LetsPlayAll]

For sure eventually!

[@HeartandSoul59]

such a great and wonderful song... Cheers :) great job as always

[@LetsPlayAll]

Thanks so much!

[@Sir_Gonzo]

This is THAT SONG that beginners say... 'fuck it, I'm gonna go for it'. And it breaks hearts. But damn man, this is an awesome tutorial and I'm gonna try my luck. I'll let you know how I go.

[@LetsPlayAll]

stick with it man, not as hard as it may seem! honest!

[@ElectroFokkusuNakatsukasa]

hey dude one year passed, did u ever get it?

[@Sir_Gonzo]

@@ElectroFokkusuNakatsukasa I did... Kinda. I'd get as close as I could for a week or 2, and then move on to another tune. But then a few months later, circle back and try and crack it again. I'm still working on my speed, bends and vibrato for the solo, but I'm loving the journey.

[@guitarz]

what a banger... I have to wait to take these in cause it immediately takes me back and I have to consume all of this and rip this tune out. Cheers!

[@LetsPlayAll]

Enjoy James!

[@douglasvaughn9349]

Brilliant ⭐️ love it 0:29

[@tonehammer7276]

Finally someone plays it right. Cheerz ✌️

[@XyZCwP]

Excellent tutorial thank you

[@kastle4774]

great lesson!! was so shocked and happy to see this. btw i was serious about that smashing pumpkins good in goodbye guitar lesson.

[@LetsPlayAll]

you're welcome! For requests best place s Patreon tbh mate!

[@pirandello6968]

That's a lesson, ladies and gentlemen! Doesn't get any better than this. 👏👏👏

[@LetsPlayAll]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the kind words!

[@doh4828]

Thank you, having a lot of fun playing this! But is it me or is there a little part missing, the ‘on that you can depend on me yeah’ part where Billy goes to E-D-G-C before returning to the chorus part again. I always found this part to be particularly powerful, and Siamese Dream to me is one of the greatest landmarks of the last great age of music that were the Nineties.

[@wishkahzyricks]

Thank you, great choice of a tune for a full lesson!

[@LetsPlayAll]

My pleasure!

[@zeldalove]

I love this song - thanks for making this tutorial

[@LetsPlayAll]

You’re welcome!

[@Bokuma01]

This is the best guitar tutorial i've seen, subbed! Also, I've always played octaves with my first and ring finger, but I noticed you use your pinky, is there a benefit to doing that?

[@LetsPlayAll]

Thanks mate! Personally I find it more comfy but it does have its advantages in that you can switch between octaves and power chords more quickly when moving between strings. Check Tom Morello out for examples 🤘

[@Frenchmelodymaker]

That’s awesome, would love to see more Gish stuff

[@LetsPlayAll]

cheers Lucas, more to come!

[@baratiecook]

Before it's just a tape and Walkman and figuring out. Trying to save to buy guitar mags with tabs. Now I get to revisit these songs w ease.

[@LetsPlayAll]

Enjoy!

[@dragonp1ss]

yes love the pumpkin lessons. could u please look into pennie’s. i’ve been struggling for ages

[@LetsPlayAll]

you're welcome! best place is Patreon for specific stuff but I'll get to them all eventually!

[@ianblackmore-allen163]

Thanks for the video. I needed this in 1993, cradling my painful 13 year old fingers as I squinted at the tab book I got for my birthday! I've always loved this song, but always bungled my way through it hahahah

[@LetsPlayAll]

Hey Ian, you're welcome - glad it helped!

[@michaelavarice]

Oh hubba bubba !!!!! Excellent excellent 🖤🤘❤️

[@LetsPlayAll]

Thank you kindly!

[@sans6956]

Just wow 🤩

[@LetsPlayAll]

thanks!

[@Dartheomus]

Hehe you and Sparky are going to get in a fight! 🤣 This is great though. It's always nice to have a couple takes on great songs like this! 😎

[@LetsPlayAll]

Haha he must have excellent taste ;-)

[@ednaplate]

Fantastic! Have you ever heard the playing of James Mankey from Concrete Blonde? His playing is so tasteful and textured and his solo from Carry Me Away is just gorgeous.

[@LetsPlayAll]

Thnaks mate, I haven't but I'll check them out!

[@Asunder09]

You should cover all the effects and how to play Porcelina of The Vast Oceans! one of the 'Pumpkin's best songs

[@LetsPlayAll]

Will get to them all eventually!

[@MrOnthewing0]

Great lesson, I like that you don't go too fast and I've watched a bunch of times as I walk myself through each part. During the solo though, what is James doing? Just the chorus part?

[@LetsPlayAll]

Cheers Keith and thanks for the feedback! Yea behind the solo the same riff just played beforehand until James' solo bit

[@4cancel]

nice like always ... what do think about wax ecstatic from sponge ?

[@LetsPlayAll]

thanks! not familiar with that one to be honest will have to check it out!

[@4cancel]

@@LetsPlayAll i m sure thats a good one for you !! ;-)

[@Ian_sheridanuk]

I have no intention of attempting any of this..I know my limits. But this is incredible work.

[@LetsPlayAll]

Give it a go Ian! Not as difficult as you may think 🤘😀

[@Ian_sheridanuk]

@@LetsPlayAll have you seen my Chanel?!?😂

[@albret43]

Had a recent loss in my family. I'd like to learn to play "Rocket" from Siamese Dream the proper way. Greatly appreciate it!!

[@LetsPlayAll]

So sorry for your loss mate ❤️ Rocket’s on the list so we’ll get to that one for sure! 🤘😊

[@littledittymusic727]

Thanks! Could you play some Third Eye Blind? Maybe "Losing A Whole Year" or "Semi Charmed Life"?

[@LetsPlayAll]

Patreon best bet for specific stuff mate! 😀🤘

[@jeffreyhall76]

Hell yes!!!

[@h-dawg969]

Please do some GISH stuff also. This is wicked.

[@LetsPlayAll]

cheers! on the list mate!

[@dalmochequer6211]

What guitar is this? Its phenomenal

[@LetsPlayAll]

thanks! Seth Baccus Shoreline T (awesome UK luthier)

[@chrissoto6912]

I noticed the your jptr warlow has a extra switch… what is it? Thank you

[@LetsPlayAll]

Gives you a different tone style between rat style, big muff style or a mix of both! 🤘😊

[@tdawes33]

hey why don't you come out to seattle and we start a band?

[@LetsPlayAll]

I was in Seattle in November, had an awesome time, great city!

[@andrewb7519]

side issue but I love that guitar

[@LetsPlayAll]

Cheers!

[@colmkelly5524]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h16neaybgMyKhck The closest you can get to the delay sound short of using a H3000

[@LetsPlayAll]

Nice! I read there was a plug in you can get too with that effect. Defo need a H9 haha

[@FeelItRising]

just not a pumpkins song w/o some octaves thrown in

[@wowyummyyy]

L I K E 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 😻 😻 😻 😻😻🤍💯🤍💯🤍

[@LetsPlayAll]

cheers!

[@hemingwaynro]

Really appreciate these vids and this channel, been wanting to tackle this and your explanations of how to play things are so thorough. IIRC the tone on this was originally done on an Eventide H3000, which is now a really sought after and pricey piece of vintage rack gear. This dude has a great channel on getting Smashing Pumpkins tones, and he really nails the tone with an Eventide H9 pedal -- but that's still pretty pricey. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h16neaybgMyKhck Thanks for the explanation of how to get there with more basic and affordable pedals!

[@LetsPlayAll]

You're welcome mate! ah that's a nice vid! Yea I did read about the Eventide H3000, although I also read there's a plugin you can get for that, but honestly it's such a small part of the tune that I figured I'd just get something similarly cool and run with that so glad you enjoyed the tone run through!

[@craig6753]

Love it, thanks! If anyone is interested, here is Billy playing Soma solo on piano a few years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2qYmZ-JfNdopZI

[@michaelschweitzer6718]

Aesthetically, the pink and white Telecaster is a little awkward and off-putting.

[@LetsPlayAll]

not to my eyes, but each to their own :-)

[@beansnrice_forever3351]

Why? Don't be weird

[@burnedoils]

this is rick bieto

[@LetsPlayAll]

😂