Pashmina Easy Version Guitar Lessson - Song Arrangement Part 1

Pashmina – Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on one of the most delicately composed love songs in Hindi cinema — Pashmina by Amit Trivedi, from the 2016 film Fitoor. The song is a soft, poetic track that floats between romance and melancholy, wrapped in layers of orchestration and Amit Trivedi's unique singing style. The film itself was an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, and Pashmina works as a musical expression of the complex emotions in the story.

The word Pashmina refers to an extremely fine wool from Kashmir, and in the song, it becomes a metaphor for love — soft, rich, intricate, and fragile. The lyrics, written by Swanand Kirkire, are as layered as the melody, bringing out that sense of a love that can’t be held too tightly, or it will slip away. The song has been compared by some to western tracks like California by Phantom Planet, but Pashmina stands on its own because of the way it mixes classical Indian textures with modern songwriting.

Pashmina – Guitar Lesson

This is an easy acoustic version of Pashmina, taught by Mike Walker, with the goal of helping beginner players fall in love with the guitar just as much as they love the song. The version is played with a capo on the 5th fret, which raises the pitch to match the original recording, while keeping the chord shapes extremely simple and familiar.

The chords used are Am, D, Em, F, C, and G — all open chords, which means if you know your basics, you’ll be able to play this version comfortably. Mike goes over every chord change and voicing with clear instructions, making this lesson feel very hands-on.

The progression flows in a way that lets the emotional content of the song shine through. The use of Am and Em, both minor chords, gives the song a slightly wistful tone, while G and C open up the resolution at the right moments.

The chord changes follow the original mood of the track, but are simplified to make it more accessible. Even the F chord, which can be tricky for beginners, is demonstrated with alternate fingerings and techniques so that anyone can play it with enough practice.

The strumming pattern is relaxed and meant to match the fluid movement of the melody. There’s no pressure to play it fast — in fact, slowing it down helps bring out the beauty of the song. Mike also talks about how to let your fingers move smoothly between chords and how to make the transitions sound clean without breaking the rhythm. You’ll also learn how to use dynamics — like playing softer or louder — to really bring out the emotion in different sections of the song.

FAQs

Q. Is this lesson suitable for absolute beginners?

Yes, this version is made especially for beginners. If you know your basic open chords and can change between them slowly, you’ll be able to follow along easily.

Q. What tuning is used in this version of Pashmina?

This song is played in standard tuning with a capo on the 5th fret to match the original key.