Learn "Into Temptation" by Crowded House on the Acoustic Guitar

In this easy lesson, we'll learn how to play Into Temptation by Crowded House on the acoustic guitar. I had a blast recording this cover and tutorial, and I hope you'll enjoy this video too! I've loved this song since I was a teen, and I've no idea why I took this long to do a song lesson.

The chords in this song are pretty curious. Not difficult, just unusual. But also lots of fun to play. :) Let's check it out!

Into Temptation by Crowded House: Chord Progressions

The main chord progression used in the intro and verses is Em, Em/F# (022X00), CMaj7/G (332000), which I'll call C, to B7* (X21000). It lasts two bars in total; each lasts half a bar.

For the Em/F#, try to mute string 4 with the underside of finger 3. What I've called B7* means some variation of B7. I haven't figured out what to call this chord, but the name is irrelevant. If it sounds good, it is good. :)

🤔 To name or not to name? Naming chords can be a quick and easy way to communicate with other musicians. But naming the B7* chord for real would create more problems than it solves. It’s easy to play, and it sounds good. Use it! :)

In the first verse, we have Em, C (I'm calling it C instead of CMaj7/G), A5 (X02200), B7sus4 (X22200), and B7 (X212000). Use fingers 2, 1, and 3 for the sus4, then slide finger 1 back one fret for B7.

After that, we play the intro sequence five times, then Em to Em/F. The first chorus comes next. The second verse is identical, except we play the intro progression six times before moving into the chorus.

Into Temptation by Crowded House: Chorus Progression

The chorus progression is standard. We go G for a bar, D for a bar, then Em for two bars. Then it's G for a bar, D for half a bar, then B7 for half a bar.

You can hear a riff over the Em on the original. It uses a minor 7 and a minor 6 chord. Fret the basic Em chord (022000) with fingers 2 and 3. Add your little finger to 2:3 (string 2, fret 3) on the "and" of beat 4, slide it back to 2:2 on beat 1, then move it back to 2:3 on beat 3. This riff makes your playing sound super authentic. :)

🧐 Fingering Options: You can replicate the fingering we use for Em in the bridge. Fingers 1 and 2 play the basic Em shape (022000), and you use fingers 3 and 4 for 2:2 and 2:3. There's no "right" way. Do what feels most comfortable to you. :)

The second chorus is a little different. Play the progression from the first chorus; then, there's an added section with the lyrics "arms of hell." From the B7, we go to C/G for a bar (332010), followed by D/A (554030) for a bar.

Into Temptation by Crowded House: Bridge

For the bridge, we go Em7/B (X22030), Asus4 (X02230), C/G (332010), then D/A (554030). For Em7, use finger 1 on 5:2, 2 on 4:2, and 4 on 2:3. This makes it easy to switch to Asus4: keep finger 4 in place and move fingers 1 and 2 up one string.

Then it's Em7/B, Asus4, G, D for half a bar, then B7* for half a bar. Now play the intro progression twice to transition to the next verse.

Into Temptation by Crowded House: Verse 3, Chorus 3 + Outro

These verse and chorus sections have a couple of quirks. For verse 3, we only play the intro progression three times. And the first four bars of chorus 3 are instrumental: the vocal begins on the second G.

This chorus leads into the outro from C/G to D/A for eight bars. When I play this solo, I go to a D* (XX7070) for two bars before finishing on an open Em.

Into Temptation by Crowded House: Strumming + Dynamics

Knowing the chords and structure, you must prioritize the song's dynamics. It's a long song, so playing the same strumming pattern at the same volume will quickly get boring for the listener.

For the verses, playing eight down strums to the bar works great. On beats 2 and 4, strum a little louder and target the whole chord. Aim to strum only the bass strings on the other beats.

🚨 Transform Your Guitar Playing! No clickbait here - this is a serious thing. Mastering the dynamics of music will massively improve your performances. :)

Keep the volume nice and low for the verses, particularly in the first few bars after chorus 1. Play the choruses louder and change up the strumming pattern. I usually go to 16th-note strumming. Try 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a, adding extra strums when it feels right.

The key to playing great rhythm guitar is keeping the hand moving consistently and adding extra strums when it sounds good. And remember: the more you think, the more you stink. Rhythm is about feeling, not thinking! :)

And that's all! Try putting your stamp on this tune if you're playing it solo – there's plenty of room for experimentation. Let me know in the comments which Crowded House song you want to learn next. :) And I'll see you for loads more guitar real soon. Take care!

🎵 Get chords, tabs, and lyrics to accompany my song tutorials with JustinGuitar Tabs!