The ULTIMATE Listen To The Music Guitar Lesson (Doobie Brothers)

If you’re looking to “lock in” that fun and funky guitar groove for “Listen To The Music” by the Doobie Brothers…then this guitar lesson can show you how. 

But heads up, this ain’t the easiest song to play.

Playing the “Listen To The Music” chords and guitar parts does require a few advanced guitar skills. For example, techniques like hammer-ons, pull-offs, and even some muted scratch strumming with 16th notes. 

But fear not, I’m going to explain the secrets behind this guitar style step-by-step in this post. 

So buckle up, and let’s dive into this “Listen To The Music” guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Listen To The Music?

"Listen to the Music" is a classic song by The Doobie Brothers, written by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist, Tom Johnston. It was released as a single in 1972 and featured on their album Toulouse Street.

Tom Johnston was inspired by the idea that music could bring people together and create a sense of community and joy. I think the song nailed it, and does just that. The chorus sings, "Oh, oh, listen to the music," it’s a call to action for everyone to enjoy and feel the music.

This mighty track was recorded at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood, California. The production featured the characteristic harmony vocals and guitar riffs that became signatures of The Doobie Brothers' sound. “Listen To The Music” reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It has been featured in various movies, TV shows, and commercials, etching its place in popular culture.

An interesting fact is that Tom Johnston has mentioned he wrote the song in a matter of minutes, feeling inspired by a desire to create something uplifting and joyful. This is common for a lot of great songs. Sometimes the artist has the song in their subconscious or is almost able to just pull it from the ether and bang it out.

"Listen to the Music" is a top favorite at Doobie Brothers concerts. The band often extends the song in live performances, incorporating solos and audience interaction, making it a highlight of their shows.

If you want to play this song on guitar you may be wondering…

What tuning is Listen To The Music in?

The tuning for "Listen To The Music" by The Doobie Brothers is standard tuning. Tom Johnston performs the song live in standard tuning as well as on the original recording.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings: 

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Let’s next take a look at the…

Listen To The Music Guitar Chords

If you want to play “Listen To The Music” on guitar you’ll only need to know 8 chords E, A/C#, C#m, B, A, A7, F#, and D/E. There are a few variations where you play a main shape and break it up into smaller shapes. But these are the core chords, and I’ll explain more as we go. 

Let’s take a look at a few ways these chords can be played.

E is played higher up the neck in a shape the great Jimi Hendrix was famous for using, like this: 

A/C# is an A chord but in first inversion (this means the 3rd of the chord is in the bass). This chord shape is used throughout the main riff and demonstrates a pretty sweet move going from E to A. Also known as a I to IV chord change:

C#m is played at the 4th position, and it is often thought of as a bar chord. However, you do not have to bar if you play it like this:

B is played as a bar chord in the 7th position. This chord can be tricky for beginners if they haven’t gone through my programs like Bar Chord Boot Camp, but here is where to put your fingers:

A is played the same way as B you just shift down two frets like this:

Throughout the song, you will often have an A chord, but then it shifts to an A7 which gets more of a bluesier kind of sound. To get there all you have to do is remove your pinkie finger from the A shape and keep barring like this:

If you are a fan of the blues in rock, grab my free blues scale pdf guide here to learn to unlock bluesy sounds anywhere on the neck:

F# is again another bar chord but this time shifted to the 2nd position. This is a moveable major shape and can be played all over the fretboard:

Finally, we have the D/E chord, which doesn’t come in until the bridge of the song. This is similar to the very first chord we learned E. However, it’s shifted down 2 frets while stil keeping the E in the bass. The D/E chord is a type of slash chord where the bass note (E) differs from the root note of the chord (D). This chord creates a suspended or unresolved sound, often used to add tension or a sense of movement in a progression. The D/E chord includes the notes D, F#, and A, with an E note as the bass.

Now that you know the chords, let’s talk about the…

Listen To The Music Strumming Pattern

The main underlying groove for “Listen To The Music” is a funky 16th-note rock feel. Strumming 16th notes on guitar means dividing each beat of a 4/4 time signature into 4 parts.

To properly strum 16th notes, you need to understand how to count them within each measure. In a 4/4 time signature, each measure has four beats. When subdividing each beat into 16th notes, each beat is divided into four equal parts, giving us a total of sixteen 16th notes per measure.

To count 16th notes, you typically use the following syllables:

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

Here's how it breaks down: 

1: The downbeat (first 16th note)

e: The second 16th note

&: The third 16th note

a: The fourth 16th note

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One e and a, Two e and a, Three e and a, Four e and a"

When strumming 16th notes, your hand should move in a consistent up-and-down motion. Here’s a basic pattern to get you started:

• Downstroke on the count of “1”
• Upstroke on the count of “e”
• Downstroke on the count of “&”
• Upstroke on the count of “a”
  

This continuous motion helps keep the timing steady and even.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should strum all of the 16th notes. This is just the “feel” of the song. An example of a strum and riff in this style might go something like this: 

What key is Listen To The Music in?

“Listen To The Music” as recorded by The Doobie Brothers is in the key of E major. All the chords have specific relationships to each other based on the E major scale. The E major scale consists of the notes E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#. Here’s how each chord relates to this scale:

E Major

E Major (I): The tonic or root chord in the key of E major. It is built on the first scale degree (E), with the notes E, G#, and B.

A Major

A Major (IV): The subdominant chord in the key of E, built on the fourth scale degree (A). It includes the notes A, C#, and E. The A major chord often precedes the dominant chord (B major) or returns to the tonic (E major), providing a strong harmonic foundation. This chord is made dominant throughout the song which does leave the key of E major. However, it creates a bluesy or jazzy flavor.

C#m

C# Minor (vi): The vi chord in the key of E major. It's a minor chord built on the sixth scale degree (C#), containing the notes C#, E, and G#. This chord is often used to add a melancholy or reflective mood.

B Major

B Major (V): The dominant chord in the key of E, built on the fifth scale degree (B). It consists of the notes B, D#, and F#. The B major chord creates tension that typically resolves back to the tonic (E major), making it an essential chord in creating a sense of closure.

F# Major

F# Major (II): In the key of E major, F# major is a major chord built on the second scale degree (F#), with the notes F#, A#, and C#. Although the diatonic ii chord in a major key is usually minor, F# major is used here. A common move in many great songs.

D/E

D/E (bVII/I): This chord is a D major chord with an E in the bass. This is a common sound you hear in rock. The D/E chord creates a suspended or unresolved tension that typically resolves to the tonic (E major).

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Listen To The Music” by The Doobie Brothers is a timeless classic. It shows how a powerful groove and a great melody can move the world. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan