If you’re learning a new song, focus on mastering its chord progression first before moving onto the melody. Doing this will allow you to establish an effective strumming pattern and melody will come much more naturally once these basic skills have been mastered.
The Lumineers have shown great skill at finding ways to stretch four chord songs, and this song provides ample opportunity to vary the fingering on your F and G chords.
1. Right Here Waiting by Bob Marley
Weezer’s 1990 hit is an ideal song to learn on for beginners. With its uptempo tune and minor key (F sharp), this track serves as an easy introduction to sus2/sus4 chords.
From Bob Marley’s classic album of Talkin’ Blues, this three-chord tune with a hippy/jazzy feel makes a fantastic choice for beginner guitarists and female singers starting soloist careers alike.
This song’s chord progression is more complex than those in the previous two, but still accessible for beginners to learn acoustic guitar. This track can help beginners practice different strumming patterns as well as moving from chord to chord using your ring finger.
2. No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley
This classic song from Bob Marley is both engaging to play and provides an excellent opportunity for beginning guitarists to learn basic chord formation techniques with their fingertips. G, C and A chords make up this tune’s simple chord structure and provide beginners with an accessible start in learning guitar chords.
Blues Traveler’s hit song utilizes basic open chords in an exciting, uptempo and enjoyable arrangement that anyone can enjoy playing.
From their album Skid Row, this three-chord song from Slash is easy for beginner guitar players to master. While its chords appear arpeggiated on record, you could try strumming them for a more relaxed sound at your karaoke party! Don’t miss this classic tune – make it part of your repertoire today.
3. Wild Thing by The Troggs
No matter your taste in music, this song will be straightforward to learn. Utilizing only four chords: E, A, G and D with down-picking style to match vocals perfectly, it should only take you about 15 minutes or less to learn!
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s three-chord masterpiece will keep you playing for some time if played with a capo placed on the 3rd fret, especially if accompanied by singing along at parties and get-togethers.
Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl is another uptempo classic for easy guitar. Requiring only three chords to play, its strumming pattern will help develop rhythm while it makes an excellent accompaniment piece at karaoke events.
4. Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones
Though written during the summer of love, this psychedelic rock song by The Rolling Stones did not celebrate flower power or seek to celebrate flower power in any way. Jagger wrote this track with Satan-focused lyrics to explore humanity’s darker sides – providing a striking contrast from other bands at that time!
Beginner guitarists may find this tune a quick and straightforward way to learn, with only four open chords (G, C and D). Similar to Tom Petty’s song, this tune provides beginners an ideal way to practice simple strum patterns as well as switch between chords as the song progresses. Once you’ve acquired some songs under your belt, jam with friends or play at parties and events; perhaps even booking gigs!
5. One by U2
No list of easy guitar songs would be complete without including some classic rock hits. U2’s Uptempo Tune features four chords for an upbeat tune!
Beginners might benefit from expanding their song selection. Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” is an ideal slow love song without too many chords needed for playback.
Blues Traveler’s “Run Around” is another fantastic uptempo tune. Requiring only four chords to play, this song makes an ideal introduction for beginning guitarists.