andrewpayne
Verified buyer
11/06/25
Excellent song lesson
Song Lesson: The Old Apartment by Barenaked Ladies
Learn How to Play "The Old Apartment" by Barenaked Ladies on Guitar with Tab, Video Lessons, and More!
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DJ Phillips
Educator
—
Genres
About this course
Learn how to play “The Old Apartment” by Barenaked Ladies with this immersive TrueFire Song Lesson, taught by acclaimed guitarist and educator DJ Phillips. A standout track from the Canadian alt-rock icons, “The Old Apartment” blends punchy rhythms with heartfelt storytelling—and it’s just as rewarding to play as it is to sing along with. In this hands-on lesson, you’ll learn every guitar part of this nostalgic ’90s classic, from the driving chord progressions and arpeggiated textures to the dynamic strumming patterns that bring the song’s emotion to life.
Designed for guitarists of all levels, this Song Lesson breaks down each electric and acoustic guitar part, plus a simplified strum-along version for beginners. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to master the layered arrangements and rhythmic nuances, DJ guides you through the song with clarity and precision, helping you connect musically and emotionally with the material.
The lesson begins with a song overview and a full-band performance, giving you a strong sense of structure and energy. From there, you’ll work through multiple guitar parts, each taught in a three-phase format: a detailed video lesson, a guided practice session, and a full-band playalong to lock your part into context. You’ll also learn a simplified version that focuses on easy chords and steady rhythm—perfect for players who want to strum and sing the tune right away.
The professionally produced backing track includes bass, drums, vocals, and click track, providing a realistic band mix to practice with. With TrueFire’s powerful tools—synced tab and notation, slow motion, looping, and multi-angle video—you can learn each part at your own pace and revisit tricky spots until you’ve got them down.
As you progress, you’ll sharpen key skills like open-chord transitions, strumming dynamics, arpeggiated textures, and rhythm control. DJ also highlights how the guitar parts help build the song’s narrative and emotional arc—giving you the tools to not just play it, but perform it with authenticity.
Perfect for fans of Barenaked Ladies, alternative rock enthusiasts, or any guitarist looking to add a timeless, emotionally charged ’90s tune to their repertoire, this lesson delivers both technical instruction and artistic insight. With DJ Phillips’ expert guidance and TrueFire’s Song Lesson System, you’ll walk away with more than just the ability to play “The Old Apartment”—you’ll learn how to make it your own.
Start learning today and bring the nostalgic power of “The Old Apartment” to your setlist.
Designed for guitarists of all levels, this Song Lesson breaks down each electric and acoustic guitar part, plus a simplified strum-along version for beginners. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to master the layered arrangements and rhythmic nuances, DJ guides you through the song with clarity and precision, helping you connect musically and emotionally with the material.
The lesson begins with a song overview and a full-band performance, giving you a strong sense of structure and energy. From there, you’ll work through multiple guitar parts, each taught in a three-phase format: a detailed video lesson, a guided practice session, and a full-band playalong to lock your part into context. You’ll also learn a simplified version that focuses on easy chords and steady rhythm—perfect for players who want to strum and sing the tune right away.
The professionally produced backing track includes bass, drums, vocals, and click track, providing a realistic band mix to practice with. With TrueFire’s powerful tools—synced tab and notation, slow motion, looping, and multi-angle video—you can learn each part at your own pace and revisit tricky spots until you’ve got them down.
As you progress, you’ll sharpen key skills like open-chord transitions, strumming dynamics, arpeggiated textures, and rhythm control. DJ also highlights how the guitar parts help build the song’s narrative and emotional arc—giving you the tools to not just play it, but perform it with authenticity.
Perfect for fans of Barenaked Ladies, alternative rock enthusiasts, or any guitarist looking to add a timeless, emotionally charged ’90s tune to their repertoire, this lesson delivers both technical instruction and artistic insight. With DJ Phillips’ expert guidance and TrueFire’s Song Lesson System, you’ll walk away with more than just the ability to play “The Old Apartment”—you’ll learn how to make it your own.
Start learning today and bring the nostalgic power of “The Old Apartment” to your setlist.
What you'll learn
- Execute smooth chord transitions in a musical context
- Perform a complete song arrangement from start to finish
- Apply dynamics and phrasing to create emotional impact
- Maintain consistent tempo and rhythm throughout a full performance
- Understand how multiple guitar parts work together in a song arrangement
Release date: 10/01/2025 • 1h 01m runtime
Sample lessons
Full Song Performance
Reference Video of All Guitar Parts
What's included
14 lessons • 9 charts • 4 Jam Tracks
The Old Apartment by Barenaked Ladies
Hey everybody, we’re talking about The Old Apartment by Barenaked Ladies. It was written by band members Steven Page and Ed Robertson and became one of their first big hits, helping them break into the U.S. market from Canada. The song has simple alternative rock guitar parts, and this lesson is based on the radio mix.
There are a few different edits out there, so you might notice slight differences, but the structure is basically the same across versions. The arrangement includes three electric guitar parts and one slide part. Along the way, we’ll explore some new techniques: open chords, arpeggios, simple melodic lines, slide playing, and using a capo. Most of the parts use a capo on the third fret.
Grab your guitar, and let’s learn The Old Apartment, starting with the easy strum version.
There are a few different edits out there, so you might notice slight differences, but the structure is basically the same across versions. The arrangement includes three electric guitar parts and one slide part. Along the way, we’ll explore some new techniques: open chords, arpeggios, simple melodic lines, slide playing, and using a capo. Most of the parts use a capo on the third fret.
Grab your guitar, and let’s learn The Old Apartment, starting with the easy strum version.
Full Song Performance
In this lesson, you’ll hear a full-band performance of The Old Apartment, featuring all the guitar parts you’ll be learning throughout the course. This gives you a clear sense of how the easy strum, electric layers, and slide part fit together in the complete arrangement.
Easy Guitar | Lesson
In this lesson, we’ll cover the easy strum version of The Old Apartment. We’ll focus on open chords, simple rhythms, and getting the feel of the song before moving into more detailed parts.
Easy Guitar | Practice Session
Here we’ll practice the easy strum version together, reinforcing the chord changes and timing so you’re comfortable playing through the structure of the song.
Easy Guitar | Playalong
Now it’s time to play along with the band, locking in the rhythm and energy of the easy guitar part.
Guitar 1 | Lesson
In this lesson, we’ll dive into the first main guitar part. We’ll work through arpeggiated chords and melodic phrases, adding more texture to the song.
Guitar 1 | Practice Session
Here we’ll practice Guitar 1 step by step, tightening up the arpeggios and melodic lines to match the groove of the track.
+ 7 more lessons
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