Hindi Film Guitar: Chord Accompaniment

When to read this: Session 11 assigns this handout as optional “Go further” reading (15 minutes). Read it after the session: it is not part of the session’s 50 minutes. Read the strumming patterns under “Essential Patterns” and the two Session 11 charts under “Beginner Arrangements”: “Arrangement 1 — “Ye Shaam Mastani”: refrain chords (simplified)” and “Arrangement 2 — “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”: refrain chords (simplified), with a picked lead-in”. Leave “Arrangement 3 (From Session 17) — “Roop Tera Mastana”: refrain chords (simplified, in G)” until Session 17.

While the melodies handout (Hindi Film Melodies) explores Hindi film melodies as single-note guitar lines, this handout takes the other approach: strumming chords to accompany the songs. This is “campfire guitar” for Hindi cinema — you play the chord progression and sing (or hum) the melody over it. Chord accompaniment is how most guitarists play Hindi film songs in informal settings: at gatherings, with friends, or simply singing along at home. The arrangements here are simplified refrain charts that use the open chords from the course, and one uses the simplified F from Session 17.

Genre Introduction

The golden era of Hindi playback singing (roughly the 1950s through the 1970s) produced thousands of songs that remain beloved today. Singers like Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey recorded their voices in studios, and those recordings were played back (“playback”) while actors lip-synced on screen. The music directors — S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Laxmikant-Pyarelal — created orchestral arrangements with Indian and Western instruments working together.

Many of these songs can be accompanied with a handful of open chords, but the chords are a guitarist’s reduction of a song that was written as a melody. Published charts differ from one another, and the stanza (antara) often needs different chords from the refrain (mukhda). With the open chords you know you can play simplified accompaniments for the refrains of many of these songs.

Two words you will meet in every chart here: in a Hindi film song the mukhda is the opening refrain that keeps returning, like a chorus; an antara is a stanza between its returns, like a verse. Every chart in this handout covers the mukhda only.

The strumming style for Hindi film songs is generally gentler and more flowing than rock strumming. Where a Nirvana song calls for aggressive downstrokes, a Kishore Kumar ballad asks for a light, brushing touch. The pick barely grazes the strings. The emphasis is on warmth and support for the melody, not on rhythmic power.

Key Guitar Techniques

Light Strumming

Hindi film ballads need a softer touch than rock. Hold the pick loosely and let it brush across the strings rather than striking them. Your forearm swings a short way from the elbow and your wrist stays loose and follows. Your shoulder stays still. Nothing is locked. The goal is a warm, sustained chord that supports a voice, not a percussive hit.

Bass-Strum Pattern

A common accompaniment pattern on acoustic guitar: pick the bass note (lowest note of the chord, usually on string 5 or 6) with a single pick stroke, then strum the remaining strings. This creates a “boom-chick” feel.

Bass-Strum pattern on G chord, in 3/4:

e|----------3---3---|-------3---3---|
B|----------0---0---|-------0---0---|
G|----------0---0---|-------0---0---|
D|----------0---0---|-------0---0---|
A|------------------|---------------|
E|------3-----------|---3-----------|
Count:  1   2   3       1   2   3
Strum:  B   S   S       B   S   S

B = bass note (pick the single lowest string of the chord: string 6 for G)
S = strum (brush across strings 4 to 1)

This pattern works beautifully in 3/4 time (waltz) and can be adapted to 4/4 by adding one more strum.

Chord Melody Hybrid

For intro and instrumental sections, you can combine a brief melody phrase with chord strumming — picking single notes for the melody line, then switching to strumming for the verse. This technique is introduced in Session 11, where a picked lead-in comes before the “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” chords, and expanded in Session 19.

Essential Patterns

Pattern 1 — The Hindi Ballad Strum (4/4)

The standard gentle accompaniment pattern for Hindi ballads in 4/4 time.

Strum:  D     D  U     U  D  U
Count:  1     2  & (3) &  4  &

On beat 3 your hand still moves down, but it misses the strings: a silent downstroke. That keeps the hand swinging down on every number and up on every &.

Play gently — emphasis on beat 1 only. Downstrokes brush all strings; upstrokes brush strings 3 to 1 only.

Tempo: 60 to 70 BPM, D D U U D U pattern What makes it sound like Hindi film music: The gentle, even rhythm creates a cushion for the melody to float on. The slight emphasis on beat 1 gives the pattern a breathing, swaying quality.

Skills needed: D D U U D U pattern (Session 5), an accent on beat 1 (Session 7)

Pattern 2 — The Waltz Accompaniment (3/4)

Some Hindi film songs have a swaying three-beat or six-beat feel (one published notation gives “Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli” a six-beat cycle). The waltz strum from Session 7 is the nearest pattern you know.

Strum:  D   d   d
Count:  1   2   3
Accent: >

D = strong downstroke on beat 1, d = softer downstroke on beats 2 and 3, > = accent (play that strum louder).

Tempo: 65 to 70 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click. After the course: up to 75 BPM. What makes it sound like Hindi film music: The three-beat waltz creates an elegant, old-world feeling that suits the golden era’s romantic songs perfectly.

Skills needed: 3/4 waltz strumming (Session 7)

Pattern 3 — The Bass-Strum Ballad (4/4)

A more sophisticated accompaniment that alternates bass notes with chord strums.

Bass-Strum on Am:

e|--------------0---0-----------0---0---|
B|--------------1---1-----------1---1---|
G|--------------2---2-----------2---2---|
D|--------------2---2-----------2---2---|
A|------0---------------0---------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
Count:  1       2   &   3       4   &
Strum:  B       S   S   B       S   S

B = bass note (string 5 open for Am), picked with a downstroke
S = gentle strum (strings 4 to 1): down on a number, up on an ”&”

Tempo: 60 BPM (the click is the beat) Why practise it: The bass note establishes the harmony, and the gentle strums fill the space.

Skills needed: Am chord (Session 3), picking accuracy for the bass note (Session 4), gentle strumming (Session 7)

Beginner Arrangements

Arrangement 1 — “Ye Shaam Mastani”: refrain chords (simplified)

Credits: Song: “Ye Shaam Mastani” (also spelt “Yeh Shaam Mastani”). Film: Kati Patang (1970/71). Singer: Kishore Kumar. Music: R. D. Burman. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi. Arrangement type: Chord accompaniment (refrain only, simplified) Skills needed: G (Session 10), Em (Session 2), C (Session 11), D (Session 7), D/U strumming (Session 5)

This is the same refrain chart as in Session 11, where the song is introduced.

What this is: Simplified chord accompaniment for the refrain (mukhda) only. The chord order is the one given by three published chord charts. How long each chord lasts is this course’s simplification and has not been checked against the recording. Not yet play-tested.

Listen first: “Yeh Shaam Mastani” sung by Kishore Kumar, from the film Kati Patang. Listen to the opening refrain: the first two sung lines, which come back after every stanza. You will hear strings at the very start, and the refrain tune is also whistled. Tap a steady 1 2 3 4 along with the refrain before you pick up the guitar.

Key note: This chart is in G. Published sources put the recording in G or a semitone (one fret) lower (F sharp), at about 115 beats a minute. So this version is slower than the recording and may sound slightly higher. It is not written for playing along.

Tempo: Practice target 65 BPM (stretch 70). The recording is at about 115. Follow the tempo ladder below.

Chord Chart: refrain (mukhda), simplified

Key: G major        Time: 4/4 (four beats in a measure)

Refrain (mukhda), 8 measures:

| G    | Em   | G    | G    |
| C    | D    | G    | G    |

Play the eight measures twice.

Form: Refrain (mukhda), measures 1–8, twice through: 16 measures. The second time, play measure 8 as a single downstroke of G on beat 1 and let it ring. (The ending is written for this course.) This chart covers the refrain only; the stanzas use other chords and are not taught here.

Strumming pattern:

Strum:  D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

Down on every number, up on every ”&”, brushing the strings lightly. One pattern fills one measure.

Tempo ladder:

Metronome at 50. The click is the beat. Strum once, downwards, on beat 1 of each measure and let the chord ring for four clicks; use the other three clicks to reach the next chord. Eight measures, twice.
Metronome at 50. One downstroke on every click (four in a measure).
Metronome at 55, then 60. Down-up strumming: two strums to each click, counted 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.
Target: metronome at 65, down-up strumming, the eight measures twice through without stopping. Stretch: 70.

The recording is at about 115 beats a minute. That is not a target here.

Performance tips:

This is a dreamy, romantic song. Strum very gently — brush the strings.
The G to Em transition is smooth (finger 2 anchors on string 5 fret 2). Let this ease show in your playing.
The chord change from C to D is the hardest transition. Practise it in isolation before playing the full chart.
The original orchestration includes violins and flute. Your acoustic guitar plays the role of harmonic support — you provide the chords that the melody floats over.

Arrangement 2 — “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”: refrain chords (simplified), with a picked lead-in

Credits: Song: “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”. Film: Blackmail (1973). Singer: Kishore Kumar. Music: Kalyanji–Anandji. Lyrics: Rajendra Krishan. Arrangement type: Picked lead-in (written for this course) + refrain chords (simplified) Skills needed: Single-note picking (Session 4), G (Session 10), Em (Session 2), Am (Session 3), D (Session 7), D D U U D U strumming (Session 5)

This is the same lead-in and refrain chart as in Session 11, where the song is introduced.

What this is: Simplified chord accompaniment for the refrain (mukhda) only: one common harmonisation. The chords agree with one published chart once moved to G; published charts disagree, and measure lengths have not been checked against the recording. The picked lead-in was written for this course and is not on the recording. Not yet play-tested.

Listen first: “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” sung by Kishore Kumar, from the film Blackmail (1973). Listen to the first sung line and notice each time it returns: that returning line is the refrain (mukhda) this chart accompanies. The picked lead-in printed here is not on the recording.

Key note: This chart is in G. Published sources put the recording in G or a semitone (one fret) lower (F sharp). The practice tempo is this course’s choice; the recording’s tempo was not confirmed.

Tempo: Practice target 65 BPM. Follow the tempo ladder below.

Picked lead-in in G (written for this course; it is not on the recording):

e|------3---2---0-------|-------0---2---3---|
B|------------------3---|---1---------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------|
D|----------------------|-------------------|
A|----------------------|-------------------|
E|----------------------|-------------------|
Count:  1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4
Notes:  G   F#  E   D       C   E   F#  G

One note on each count. Pick every note with a downstroke. Start at 50 BPM.

Finger guide:

G = string 1, fret 3, finger 3 (ring).
F sharp = string 1, fret 2, finger 2 (middle).
E = string 1 open.
D = string 2, fret 3, finger 3 (ring).
C = string 2, fret 1, finger 1 (index).

Transition to chords: Start strumming on the next beat 1 after the last note of the lead-in. If the first strum is late, let the last note of the lead-in ring for one extra measure (count 1 2 3 4), then start strumming on the next beat 1.

Refrain chart:

Key: G major        Time: 4/4 (four beats in a measure)

Picked lead-in: 2 measures (TAB above)

Refrain (mukhda), 6 measures:

| G    | Em   | Am   | D    |
| G    | G    |

Form: Picked lead-in (2 measures), then the refrain chart (6 measures) twice through: 14 measures. The second time, play the last measure as a single downstroke of G on beat 1 and let it ring. (The ending is written for this course.) This chart covers the refrain only.

Strumming pattern:

Strum:  D     D  U     U  D  U
Count:  1     2  & (3) &  4  &

One pattern fills one measure. On beat 3 your hand still moves down but misses the strings.

Tempo ladder:

Lead-in alone. Metronome at 50; the click is the beat; one note on each click. Then 55, then 60.
Chords alone. Metronome at 50; one downstroke on beat 1 of each measure; six measures.
Metronome at 55, then 60. The D D U U D U pattern, one pattern in each measure.
Join them at 60: lead-in (2 measures), then the six-measure chart. If the first strum is late, let the last note of the lead-in ring for one extra measure (count 1 2 3 4), then start strumming on the next beat 1.
Target: metronome at 65, lead-in plus the six-measure chart twice, without stopping. The Session 12 medley later asks for the six-measure chart at 70.

Performance tips:

The lead-in is this course’s own. The song’s real hook is its first sung line: listen for it.
The transition from melody picking to chord strumming is a technique shift. Practise the moment where you play the last melody note and then position your hand for the first chord strum.
G to Em to Am to D is a natural progression.
This is a tender love song. The strumming should be gentle and unhurried. Imagine you are serenading someone — warmth over power.

Arrangement 3 (From Session 17) — “Roop Tera Mastana”: refrain chords (simplified, in G)

From Session 17. This chart uses the simplified F chord, which is taught in Session 17. Leave it until then.

Credits: Song: “Roop Tera Mastana”. Film: Aradhana (1969). Singer: Kishore Kumar. Music: S. D. Burman. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi. Arrangement type: Chord accompaniment (refrain only, simplified) Skills needed: G (Session 10), D (Session 7), F simplified (Session 17), D/U strumming (Session 5)

This is the same chart as in Session 17.

What this is: Simplified chord accompaniment for the refrain (mukhda) only: one common harmonisation. The chord order comes from two independent published charts, moved to the key of G. The lengths of the last two measures are this course’s reading. Not yet play-tested.

Listen first: “Roop Tera Mastana” sung by Kishore Kumar, from the film Aradhana (1969). Listen to the opening refrain, the first two sung lines. Under the voice the harmony rocks back and forth between two chords one step apart. In this chart those two chords are G and F.

Key note: This chart is in G. On the recording the home note is about C sharp, so this version will not match the recording’s pitch. The recording is also much quicker than the practice tempo: published tempo readings are about 83 or about 160 beats a minute, depending on which pulse is counted.

Tempo: Practice target 60 BPM. The recording is far quicker. Follow the tempo ladder below.

Chord Chart: refrain (mukhda), simplified

Key: G (home chord G major). Time: 4/4 (four beats in a measure).

Refrain (mukhda), 8 measures
| G    | F    | G    | F    |
| G    | F    | D    | D    |

F = the simplified F from Session 17. Each chord lasts one measure.

Form: Eight measures. Play them twice (16 measures), then strum G once and let it ring. This chart covers the refrain only.

Strumming pattern:

Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
Strum:  D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U

Down on every number, up on every ”&”, gently. One pattern fills one measure. On F, strum strings 4 to 1 only.

Finger guide:

G: as in Session 10.
F (simplified, Session 17): finger 1 lies flat across strings 2 and 1 at fret 1; finger 2 on string 3, fret 2; finger 3 on string 4, fret 3; strum strings 4 to 1 only.
D: as in Session 7.
G to F and F to G: every finger moves (this is Session 17’s F and G drill).
F to D and D to G: every finger moves.

Barre work: no more than 5 minutes a day in total. Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

The song also uses the simplified F, for three measures in every eight. It is not counted in the 5 minutes of barre work a day, because the finger rests during the other five measures. If your hand, wrist or thumb aches during the song, stop the song for today: the pain rule comes before the plan.

Tempo ladder:

Metronome at 50. The click is the beat. Strum once, downwards, on beat 1 of each measure; use the other three clicks to reach the next chord. Eight measures, twice.
Metronome at 50. One downstroke on every click. If F arrives late, strum beats 1, 2 and 3 and use beat 4 to move.
Metronome at 50, then 55. Down-up strumming: two strums to each click, counted 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.
Target: metronome at 60, down-up strumming, the eight measures twice without stopping. After the course: up to 65 BPM.

The recording is far quicker than this. It is not a target here.

Performance tips:

This chart uses the F chord (simplified, from Session 17). If F is not ready, stay on step 1 of the tempo ladder: one strum per measure.
F to G: every finger moves. Drill it as in Session 17.
The original recording has a sensuous, slow-burning quality. Do not rush.
This is one of the best-known romantic solos in Hindi cinema. Kishore Kumar is the only singer; an actor mimes to his voice on screen, and the whole song sequence was filmed in a single take. Playing it on acoustic guitar captures the intimate, personal quality of the performance.

Listening List

Five Hindi film songs to listen to with a guitarist’s ear. Focus on the chord progressions and how the rhythm section supports the vocal melody.

“Yeh Jeevan Hai” — Kishore Kumar (Piya Ka Ghar, 1972) — A philosophical song with a simple, beautiful chord progression. Listen for what the accompaniment does under the voice.
“Tere Bina Zindagi Se” — Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar (Aandhi, 1975) — A duet with rich harmonic movement. Listen for the chord changes under the vocal melody — they mirror the emotional shifts in the lyrics.
“Musafir Hoon Yaaron” — Kishore Kumar (Parichay, 1972) — Listen for the guitar in the accompaniment, and for how the rhythm creates the song’s wandering, travelling feel.
“Chala Jaata Hoon” — Kishore Kumar (Mere Jeevan Saathi, 1972) — The rhythmic accompaniment pattern is clear and singable. This is a great model for campfire-style playing.
“Yaadon Ki Baaraat” (title song) — Kishore Kumar & Mohammed Rafi (Yaadon Ki Baaraat, 1973; music R. D. Burman; lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri) — A sentimental song of loss, not a rock number. Listen for how the accompaniment supports the two voices.

Practice Tips

Learn the melody first, then the chords. You cannot accompany a song well unless you know the melody by heart. Listen to the recording first (each chart has a “Listen first” line), then sing or hum the melody until it is second nature. Then the chord changes will feel natural because you hear the melody guiding them.
Match your strumming to the mood. Not every Hindi film song needs the same strumming pattern. In this handout “Roop Tera Mastana” is charted with gentle D/U eighth notes and “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” with the D D U U D U pattern. Let the song tell you how to strum.
Practice chord changes in the song context. Rather than drilling isolated transitions, play through the song and note where you stumble. Then drill just that specific chord change (e.g., C to D, or F to G) for 2 minutes before returning to the full song.
Sing while you play. Even if you are not a singer, humming the melody while strumming chords trains your brain to coordinate two musical tasks simultaneously. This is an essential skill for campfire-style playing and makes you a more musical guitarist.
Use the bass-strum pattern for variety. If straight strumming feels monotonous, switch to the bass-strum pattern for a verse or two. Picking the bass note before strumming adds depth and sophistication to your accompaniment.
Explore your own arrangements. Once you know the chord progressions for these songs, try applying different strumming patterns. What does “Ye Shaam Mastani” sound like in 3/4 waltz time? What about fingerpicking “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” using the alternating-thumb pattern from Session 15? Hindi film music is flexible — experiment with different accompaniment styles to find what sounds best to you.