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Free Bird
(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
As made famous by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Year 1973
Appears in Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero: Smash Hits
Guitar Hero 5
(DLC)'
Tier/DLC GH2: 8
GH:SH: 8
GH5: DLC
★★★★ (Expert) 243,652 (expert)
★★★★★ (Expert) 341,113 (expert)
220px-Lynyrd-Skynyrd-Free-Bird

Single cover art

"Free Bird" is a song by the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, off of their (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) album. It is the final encore of Guitar Hero II, and is noted for being over nine minutes long, and is one of the hardest songs in the game (behind Misirlou, Hangar 18, and Trogdor).

Appears In[]

Guitar Hero II (Tier 8)

This song appears as a Cover.

Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (Tier 8)

This song appears as a Master Track.

Guitar Hero 5 (downloadable content)

This song appears as a Master Track.

Walkthrough[]

Before you play the song in Guitar Hero II, the game tells you that it's the ultimate skill of a guitar hero, and tries to talk you out of playing it.

"Free Bird" is the longest song in Guitar Hero II (and one of the longest in the entire series, second only to "Stranglehold", and technically From the Blue/Point of No Return/TTRTS, which is a compilation of three songs by An Endless Sporadic), which means a lot of stamina will be required to pass it. The first few minutes of the song are slow and have very spaced out hammer-ons which can be tricky if a player is used to Guitar Hero III hammer-ons. The song gets much more difficult at the midway point. A long blue sustain note signals the beginning of the solos. At this point, you should have star power ready. A long chain of extremely fast RYBYR zigs are next. After that, another set of the same zigs are ahead, but these are slower and more manageable. Two of the most difficult solos are solos I and J, which mainly consists of descending quads and triplets. Star Power will almost definitely be needed for a sightreader on this part. The outro contains a set of triplets that could end the song prematurely.

The Guitar Hero: Smash Hits version is considered by many to be even harder than its Guitar Hero II counterpart. The reason for this is because the Smash Hits version features the new mechanics introduced in Guitar Hero World Tour, namely extended sustains. However, the sections before the solos are generally easier, since they consist almost entirely of slider notes (except for the extended sustained notes at the very beginning).

A good general rule is to save any star power you get until you absolutely need it.

Song Stats[]

Difficulty Total Notes Base Score 4-Star 5-Star
Easy 957 61,912 123,824 173,354
Medium 1,242 86,498 172,996 242,195
Hard 1,684 Approx. 116,000 232,582

317,542 (GH II)

Approx. 323,000 (Smash Hits)

Expert 1,982 121,826 243,652 341,113

Trivia[]

  • This song is referenced in the first Guitar Hero game in one of the loading screens; "They don't really want you to play Free Bird, they're just heckling you!"
  • Despite saying it's the hardest song in Guitar Hero II, when it appears as Downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5  and Guitar Hero Smash Hits, it has an 80% while Hangar 18 (which also appears in both Guitar Hero II and Guitar Hero 5 DLC) has a 90%.
  • This song is probably the third hardest song when using a DualShock controller.
  • In the Career Mode, if Free Bird is played several times, one of three special loading screens for the song will show:
"Man, you must really like Free Bird."
"FINE. They AREN'T just heckling you this time. SIGH."
"You're looking for 'gtr solo i' in the practice mode."
  • This is a rare time in Guitar Hero where almost every letter of the alphabet is used (or gtr solo (input letter here)). This can be seen on practice mode and the song stats at the end of the song with the stats showing a long list of gtr solos ending with "S".
  • This is the longest song to play in Guitar Hero II, clocking at a whopping 9 minutes and 18 seconds, and was surpassed by the "Mercyful Fate" medley arranged by Metallica in Guitar Hero: Metallica at 11 minutes 13 seconds, and "Do You Feel Like We Do?" performed live by Peter Frampton in Guitar Hero 5 at 15 minutes 5 seconds.

Video[]

v · t · eSongs of Guitar Hero II
Opening Licks
PlayStation 2: Shout at the Devil · Mother · Surrender · Woman · Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
Xbox 360: Surrender · Possum Kingdom* · Heart-Shaped Box · Salvation* · Strutter · Shout at the Devil
Amp-Warmers
PlayStation 2: Strutter · Heart-Shaped Box · Message in a Bottle · You Really Got Me · Carry On Wayward Son
Xbox 360: Mother · Life Wasted* · Cherry Pie · Woman · You Really Got Me · Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
String-Snappers
PlayStation 2: Monkey Wrench · Them Bones · Search and Destroy · Tattooed Love Boys · The Pretenders · War Pigs
Xbox 360: Carry On Wayward Son · Search and Destroy · Message in a Bottle · Billion Dollar Babies* · Them Bones · War Pigs
Thrash and Burn
PlayStation 2: Cherry Pie · Who Was in My Room Last Night? · Girlfriend · Can't You Hear Me Knockin' · Sweet Child o' Mine
Xbox 360: Monkey Wrench · Hush* · Girlfriend · Who Was in My Room Last Night · Can't You Hear Me Knockin' · Sweet Child o' Mine
Return of the Shred
PlayStation 2: Killing in the Name · John the Fisherman · Freya · Bad Reputation · Last Child
Xbox 360: Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo* · Tattooed Love Boys · John the Fisherman · Jessica · Bad Reputation · Last Child
Relentless Riffs
PlayStation 2: Crazy on You · Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart · Rock This Town · Jessica · Stop
Xbox 360: Crazy on You · Trippin' On a Hole in a Paper Heart · Dead!* · Killing in the Name · Freya · Stop
Furious Fretwork
PlayStation 2: Madhouse · Carry Me Home · Laid to Rest · Psychobilly Freakout · YYZ
Xbox 360: Madhouse · The Trooper* · Rock This Town · Laid to Rest · Psychobilly Freakout · YYZ
Face-Melters
PlayStation 2: Beast and the Harlot · Institutionalized · Misirlou · Hangar 18 · Free Bird
Xbox 360: Beast and the Harlot · Carry Me Home · Institutionalized · Misirlou · Hangar 18 · Free Bird
Bonus tracks
Raw Dog · Arterial Black · Collide · Drink Up · Elephant Bones · Fall of Pangea · FTK · Gemini · Kicked to the Curb · Push Push (Lady Lightning) · Laughtrack · Less Talk More Rokk · Jordan · Mr. Fix It · The New Black · One for the Road · Parasite · Radium Eyes · Red Lottery · Six · Soy Bomb · The Light That Blinds · Thunderhorse · Trogdor · X-Stream · Yes We Can
Downloaded tracks (Xbox 360)
Ace Of Spades · Bark At The Moon · Hey You · Frankenstein · Killer Queen · Take It Off · Higher Ground · Infected · Stellar · I Wanna Be Sedated · Smoke On The Water · You've Got Another Thing Comin' · Famous Last Words · Teenagers · This Is How I Disappear · Bury The Hatchet · Detonation · Ex's And Oh's · Sin Documentos · Sept · Exile · The State of Massachusetts · You Should Be Ashamed of Myself · Memories of the Grove
*These songs are exclusive to the Xbox 360 version
v · t · eSongs of Guitar Hero: Smash/Greatest Hits
Amazon Rain Forest
I Love Rock 'N Roll · Heart-Shaped Box · Hit Me with Your Best Shot · Rock and Roll All Nite · Take Me Out · More Than a Feeling · Stellar
Grand Canyon
I Wanna Rock · Woman · Them Bones · Godzilla · Lay Down · Take It Off · Killing in the Name
Polar Ice Cap
Round and Round · Cherry Pie · Shout at the Devil · Hey You · Unsung (Live in Chicago) · Miss Murder · Nothin' but a Good Time
London Sewerage System
Carry On Wayward Son · Back in the Saddle · Monkey Wrench · Mother · Message in a Bottle · Smoke on the Water · Killer Queen
The Sphinx
Electric Eye · Thunder Kiss '65 · Freya · Barracuda · Stop! · No One Knows · Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart
The Great Wall of China
Psychobilly Freakout · Cult of Personality · Cowboys from Hell (Live) · Bark at the Moon · YYZ · Laid to Rest · Free Bird
The Lost City of Atlantis
The Trooper · Play with Me · Caught in a Mosh · Raining Blood · Beast and the Harlot
Quebec City
Through the Fire and Flames
GHTunes example songs
Paradise Inferno · TANK'S CHOPPER · Hand of Thunder · Shred Diver · Brimstone '72 · Bar Room Blowout · Down to Dust · Walking in Glass · Luminous Giant · Pillowdrop Laser · Tower of Crimmion · Switchblade Lover · Northbound Rain · Purple Sun · SixGun Starship · King Gonzo · Miracle's Bane · Twang Terror · Funkfectious
*Setlist ordered by Band career
v · t · eSongs of Guitar Hero 5
The 13th Rail
Song 2 · They Say · Gamma Ray · In My Place · Feel Good Inc. · All Along the Watchtower · Sympathy for the Devil
Club Boson
Steady, As She Goes · Blue Day · Gratitude · Sowing Season (Yeah) · Only Happy When It Rains · Blue Orchid · Hurts So Good
Sideshow
Play That Funky Music · Fame · Ex-Girlfriend · Cigarettes, Wedding Bands · Woman From Tokyo ('99 Remix) · Under Pressure · Sex on Fire
Angel's Crypt
Kryptonite · Send a Little Love Token · Mirror People · Comedown · Never Miss a Beat · Dancing with Myself · Shout It Out Loud
O'Connell's Corner
You Give Love a Bad Name · In the Meantime · You and Me · L.A. · Make It wit Chu · Plug In Baby · Superstition · Sultans of Swing
The Aqueduct
Why Bother? · Jailbreak · The Rock Show · Bleed American · Hungry Like the Wolf · Looks That Kill
Guitarhenge
Lonely Is the Night · Wannabe in L.A. · Nearly Lost You · Smells Like Teen Spirit · Lithium (Live) · All the Pretty Faces
Neon Oasis
20th Century Boy · What I Got · A-Punk · Seven · Bring the Noise 20XX · Du Hast
Electric Honky Tonk
Ring of Fire · Disconnected · Bullet with Butterfly Wings · One Big Holiday · We're an American Band
Calavera Square
Incinerate · Maiden, Mother & Crone · Wolf Like Me · So Lonely · No One to Depend On (Live) · Runnin' Down a Dream
Cairo Bazaar
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting · Younk Funk · Sneak Out · Streamline Woman · Back Round · Medicate
The Golden Gate
Six Days a Week · American Girl · Judith · Deadbolt · Brianstorm · 2 Minutes to Midnight
Fjord of Swords
Lust for Life (Live) · Sweating Bullets · Do You Feel Like We Do? (Live) · Demon(s) · Scatterbrain (Live) · Done with Everything, Die for Nothing · The Spirit of Radio (Live)
Hypersphere
21st Century Schizoid Man
GHTunes example songs
Deluge of Fire · Hairspray Sunset · Mohawk Miracle · Quatrain 11 · Sting of the B · Tachophobia · Twisted Bach Medley
Downloadable tracks
Prodigal Son (Live) · You Gotta Move (Live) · Under My Thumb (Live) · I'm Free (Live) · (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Live) · 100 Little Curses · Fight! Smash! Win! · Somewhere in the World It's Midnight · Beautiful Thieves · Girl's Not Grey · The Missing Frame · Munich · The Geeks Were Right · Dull Life · Mexicola · Avon · How to Handle a Rope · The Stroke · Everybody Wants You · When She Comes to Me · Pilgrim · California Queen · Cosmic Egg · Freeze Frame · Show Me the Way (Live) · Lay It on the Line · Gor-Gor · The Beautiful People · Astro Zombies · Fly Away · Lady · Let Love Rule · I Was Made for Lovin' You · Lick It Up · Modern Day Delilah · Lemon Frosting · RockNRola · From the Blue/Point of No Return/T.T.R.T.S. · Love Holds It Down · You Really Like Me · Guilty Pleasures · Panic Attack! · A Classic Case of Transference · Single · All the Right Moves · Everybody Loves Me · Mercy · Hi-Speed Soul · Cut Your Hair · Sister Jack · Hark! The Herald Angels Sing · Our Song · Harder to Breathe · New · Lonesome Road Blues · Who I Am · Broken Man · Holiday · The Kids Don't Stand a Chance · Cousins · Laser Cannon Deth Sentence · Still I Rise · Twilight of the Thunder God · Travelin' Band · Bad Moon Rising · Proud Mary · Attack · From Yesterday · Kings and Queens · Sooner or Later · Until the End · Give Me a Sign · Can You Take Me · Losing a Whole Year · Never Let You Go · First Date · All the Small Things · Adam's Song · Here It Goes Again · Do What You Want · Get Over It · Requiem for a Dying Song · (No More) Paddy's Lament · The Seven Deadly Sins · Girls, Girls, Girls · We Got the Beat · Sister Christian · Free Bird · Simple Man · Gimme Three Steps · Thnks fr th Mmrs · This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race · The Take Over, the Break's Over · Gives You Hell · There's No Other Way · Addicted · Everything Is Everything · 1901 · Lisztomania · After Forever · Into the Void · Sweet Leaf · Juke Box Hero · Sweet Home Alabama (Live) · Take the Money and Run · Face Down · Low Day · You're All I Have · Livin' on the Edge · Love in an Elevator · Rag Doll · 7 Things · Here We Go Again · Falling Down · Between the Lines · Plush · Sex Type Thing · God Save the Queen (GH Version) · Il Canto degli Italiani (GH Version) · La Marseillaise (GH Version) · Lied der Deutschen (GH Version) · Marcha Real (GH Version) · The Star-Spangled Banner (GH Version) · I'm Eighteen · School's Out · Welcome to My Nightmare · Dear Maria, Count Me In · Weightless · Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't) (Live) · Fireflies · Just Dance · This Love · Crazy Little Thing Called Love · Killer Queen · Somebody To Love · Afterlife · Almost Easy · Scream · Down With The Sickness · Indestructible · Stricken · Devour · Second Chance · Sound Of Madness · The Taste of Ink · The Bird and the Worm · Pretty Handsome Awkward · Fat Lip · In Too Deep · Still Waiting · Beverly Hills · Pork and Beans · Island in the Sun · Symphony of Destruction · Hangar 18 · Peace Sells · Southtown · Youth of the Nation · Boom · I Stand Alone · Last Resort · The Dope Show · Blue Monday · Nookie · Epic
Hidden tracks
Addicted · Black Dog (Live) · Beautiful Morning · Believe · Ted Nugent Guitar Duel · Zakk Wylde Guitar Duel · Bug Eyes · B.Y.O.B. · Dammit · Hot for Teacher · Hot for Teacher · I Alone · La Bamba · Lazy Eye · Love Spreads · March of the Pigs · GHWT Medley · Obstacle 1 · One Armed Scissor · On the Road Again · (Oh) Pretty Woman · Pull Me Under · Take a Picture · The Beautiful People · The Joker
*Setlist ordered by Xbox 360/PlayStation 3/Wii's static career order (PlayStation 2's careers are ordered differently per instrument), downloadable content ordered by release date, and hidden tracks ordered by file name
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