Learn how to play "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus on guitar!

Teenage Dirtbag has a distinctive vibe, and it's perfect for learning how to integrate riffs with power chords and vary your strumming dynamics. All the sections are the same, so it's pretty easy to turn out even after a beer or two - get it into your party repertoire! :)

🔥 Fun times! This 90's pop-rock classic is an awesome song that brings back great memories of playing in cover bands in my early twenties.

Let's start by learning how to play the main chord part for Teenage Dirtbag.

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus: Intro & Verse Chords

The chords for the main progression are simple, but to sound like Wheatus, you need to nail the strumming pattern. If you get it right, people will recognize the song right away. :) Each chord lasts half a bar, and the progression is:

E, Bsus4, E, Asus2 (x3) 

C#m7, Asus2, Bsus4, Bsus4 (x2)

See the video for a full demo of this chord progression with the lyrics. The chord names sound horrible, but they're pretty easy and should be no problem if you've done Grade 2 of my Beginner Course. :)

Asus2 is an easy open chord, and Bsus4 and C#m7 are power-chord grips with open strings. And there's more good news - the exact strumming pattern is pretty simple: "U D D hit" on each chord. Practice it with one chord until it's automated, then try the full progression. :)

🚨 We create the percussive hit with the strumming hand, not the fretting hand. Check out this lesson on percussive hits to master them. ;)

We need 16th notes to count this rhythm accurately, but it's best you feel the groove and try to mimic it. As always, it helps loads if you're familiar with the song!

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus: Chorus Chords & Guitar Riffs

The chorus progression is four reps of |E A | |B C#5 G#5|. At the end, we add a short bar of 2:2 - more on that to come.

The verse strumming pattern works well here, but make sure you up the volume by strumming (and singing!) louder. :) To help with this, I go for a full A open chord.

You might notice we switch to B Major, a barre chord. I play it with the A Major Shape but with unusual fingering. You should go for the standard grip with fingers 1 and 3. If that's too tricky, swap it for the Bsus4 cheat chord. ;)

💡 Need Help With Power Chords? Check out my free Ultimate Power Chords Guide for Beginners to get these ultra-useful grips under your fingers.

As for the power chords, I pick out the notes individually to change the vibe and copy Wheatus. Check out the video tutorial for the details!

The fourth time round, we add a bar of 2:2, picking A5 and B5 after the C#5 and G#5. Let's call this the extended riff - we'll need it in the bridge too.

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus: Bridge

This section comes twice: after chorus 2 and after the final chorus. The bridge goes E, Asus2, E, Asus2; then we add the extended Power Chord riff. Play this sequence twice to get the full section. :)

We change the strumming pattern to vary things. There are some subtleties here: we add a little hit with the strumming hand on beat 2, and the Asus2 is pushed.

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus: Final Verse, Final Chorus & Outro

The original track is stripped back to the guitar and vocal for the final verse, so bring the volume down to highlight the shift in dynamics.

🔥 Varying the dynamics keeps the listener engaged. Check out my Strumming Dynamics courses to transform your rhythm guitar skills!

The final chorus is sparse too - even quieter than the final verse. You might like to try the Wheatus falsetto vocal. ;) I like to change to power chords with heavy palm muting to give plenty of space to up the volume in the final bridge, which is the loudest section.

For the outro, we go back to the verse chords. The second time around, I like playing a "rall", meaning I gradually slow down. I add a bass note riff in the final two bars and finish on a big open E chord!

That's all there is to it. If you're in a band, you might like to arrange this for acoustic and electric guitar, but it works great on acoustic guitar. :) I know you'll dig it. Laters!

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