#TAB011 - Magnetic
Free Tabs + Pro Tips
Magnetic
Difficulty Level: ⭐️⭐️
Song: Magnetic
Artist: ILLIT
Genre: Korean/R&B/Dance Pop
Tuning: Standard (EADGBe)
Capo: -
BPM: 131
*arranged by MeloLe
Personal Take
“u u u u like it’s magne-tic.” Familiar right? That’s right! We are diving into K-pop today! This song went viral, blowing up on TikTok and other platforms where users couldn’t resist adding it to their short videos and dance routines, making it one of the most shared songs across social media.
The song “Magnetic” by ILLIT gained viral attention not only for its catchy melody but also for its perfect fit with the short-form video trend.
“Magnetic” was topping all major music charts in South Korea and securing a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 91. This success is significant as “Magnetic” became the first debut song by a K-pop act to make the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it also ranked No. 1 on the music charts in several regions, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Since “Magnetic” is so catchy, why not start learning it on the guitar? Beyond its viral appeal, there are another two reasons why I recommend learning this song:
Grooving Rhythm
The rhythm has an off-beat feel, creating that groovy pattern, making it challenging to master.
Changing Hand Positions
This song requires multiple left-hand positions (in my arrangement), with frets ranging from the 1st to the 13th, keeping your fretting hand moving across the fretboard.
Vocal Melody
Let’s talk about the two important elements here:
Groovy Rhythm
Offbeat Feel
This song has a strong offbeat groove, especially during the chorus. If you check out the tab, you’ll notice lots of rests lying around, particularly on the main beats, like bar 5, 13, 21 etc.
This offbeat rhythm gives the song its irresistible groove, but it can take some practice to get used to.
Suggestions
Before picking up your guitar, get the counting down first. Take a look at the first bar of the chorus (bar 21). The rests are all on the main beats. So, if you’re counting, “1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +”, the rests fall on the numbers, while the notes land on the “+/ands”.
Triplets/Tresillos
A tresillo (pronounced tres-EE-yoh) is a rhythmic pattern that divides a measure into three unequal parts, often creating a syncopated feel by emphasizing offbeat notes commonly found in Afro-Cuban and Latin music.
Pay attention to the tresillo patterns in bars 29-31 and 33-35.
Suggestions
Instead of counting “1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +”, you would count “1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2”.
Practice this without your guitar—clapping or tapping the rhythm will help reinforce the timing in your muscle memory, making it easier when you play it on your guitar later.
Changing Hand Positions
This song isn’t just about rhythm; it’s also a great exercise for hand mobility. If you glance at the score, you’ll see that there are no open-string notes. The intro and first verse mainly focus on the 6th to 9th frets, while the chorus shifts down to the 1st to 4th frets. This means your left hand will be constantly moving across the fretboard, giving you a full workout on positioning.
Before diving into practice, I recommend planning out your finger positions. Fix your fingering early on to avoid developing uncomfortable muscle memory. Once your fingers get used to a pattern, it can be tough to retrain them later. Taking the time to lock in good finger placement from the start will make the entire learning process smoother and more enjoyable.
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Vocal Melody
