If you’re just beginning with electric guitar, there are plenty of beginner-friendly songs that you can learn. These tunes will help practice chords, fingerpicking techniques and ear training.
Many of these songs feature a single riff, making them ideal for beginners. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity to practice the fretboard without constantly moving your hands around.
Easy Rock Songs for Beginners
Rock songs are an excellent way to learn guitar, as many of the best contain straightforward chord structures that even beginners can master. Plus, many come complete with iconic riffs and solos you’ll recognize even if you have never played before.
Many guitarists begin by learning Eric Clapton’s iconic rock anthem, “Cocaine.” No fancy fingerstyle techniques are needed; just a consistent rhythm and some practice time will have you up-and-running on this timeless classic rock classic in no time!
One classic rock tune ideal for beginner guitarists is Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.” Its straightforward chord progression and iconic riff are ideal for learners to learn without becoming bored or losing their skills.
The chorus is packed with intriguing guitar riffs and the strumming pattern is an excellent opportunity to hone your rhythm guitar skills as you practice this song. To stay consistent with it, develop your ear and get comfortable with its tempo; once you have those basics down pat, take on this classic rock hit!
Lynyrd Skynrd’s iconic Southern blues song, “Sweet Home Alabama,” is an iconic Southern blues staple that features a straightforward riff with intricate details and flourishes. Its fast tempo makes it ideal for learning and improvising over, plus the licks are easy enough to master that you can practice them with an instructor before hitting the stage!
Although this song is great for beginners, mastering the solo can be challenging. While playing the main riff is relatively straightforward, developing your improvisation skills takes time and practice.
If you’re searching for an easier option, Bad Company’s “Feel Like Making Love” might be suitable. This song features a straightforward chord structure with two chords in the verse and one in the chorus; making it ideal even for beginner guitar players.
Finally, AC/DC’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train” and “Highway to Hell” offer similar chord progressions but both involve power chords which may be difficult to master. But with some patience and practice, you’ll have these classic rock hits down pat!
Easy Fingerstyle Songs for Beginners
If you’re a beginner fingerstyle musician or simply want to stretch out your fingers, there are plenty of options available. From pop to metal, there’s something for everyone when it comes to finding an easy fingerstyle song.
Start practicing this technique with Jack White’s “We Are Going to Be Friends.” It features an interesting fingerpicking pattern that’s ideal for practicing. Since all you need to do is pick strings with your thumb and first finger, it should be relatively straightforward to practice this skill.
Have you not yet heard this song? Give it a listen! It’s an easy-to-play, repetitive tune that sounds fantastic with some reverb.
Ed Sheeran offers a vast selection of fingerpicking songs worth learning, and this one is no exception. The melody is sweet and catchy, while the riff utilizes only three chords – an ideal option for beginner guitarists!
Another guitar-friendly classic is The Animals’ “Every Breath You Take.” This song is perfect for any audience and you can learn it fingerstyle in no time.
This song’s acoustic arrangement and straightforward chords make it suitable for strummed playing as well, so feel free to experiment as you progress. Though slow at the start, its iconic riffs will surely get you up-and-running!
To learn this song, begin by focusing on the chords. You can use your first and third fingers for chord shapes in the first bar; alternatively, index and middle fingers may work too if that feels more comfortable for you.
After a few bars, you’ll have the hang of this song and can add more riffs. Additionally, experiment with different picking patterns and tempos to find how best to play this particular piece.
If you’re new to guitar playing, try placing a capo on the 7th fret. This will provide more room for your fingers and help develop better coordination between both hands.
Though there are countless great fingerpicking songs to choose from, these five are the best options if you’re just starting out. They’re all simple enough for even beginners to learn and will provide the foundation needed to master various guitar styles.
Easy Blues Songs for Beginners
The blues is an enjoyable and challenging genre to learn on the guitar. It contains many riffs, bends, slides, 12-bar progressions and chromatic chord shifts that can be intimidating for beginners.
If you are just beginning with electric guitar playing, here are some simple blues songs to get you started. These pieces will provide an invaluable introduction to the basic blues scale and give great practice playing blues solos.
Ice Cream Man by BB King is an ideal beginner-friendly blues song. It has an R&B-influenced bass and rhythm line as well as some iconic solo licks from BB. The melody is slow and comfortable for fretting hand positions, while the riffs are straightforward yet repetitive.
Folsom Prison Blues is an ideal song to start your blues journey with. It features a classic acoustic riff and some straightforward lead fills on the lower strings that will give you an introduction to blues acoustic guitar playing.
Stevie Ray Vaughan may surprise you, but he is one of the greatest blues guitarists ever. While his finger speed may seem intimidating to new guitarists, his version of Life By the Drop makes an excellent starting point.
This blues song’s main riff is based on the first position of the pentatonic scale, making it an ideal starting point for new players to learn. Furthermore, it boasts plenty of great blues licks and techniques that will help you sharpen your playing quickly.
This piece has some pleasant walking bass and lead parts that aren’t too fast, making them accessible to play. The only part that might be considered difficult is the introduction, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards will be immense!
Starting to learn the blues scale can be an excellent learning tool, and advanced guitarists may find it useful as well. You’ll have plenty of chances to practice chromatic chord shifts that many blues songs feature as well as T-Bone chord moves.
Easy Hard Rock Songs for Beginners
The guitar is an amazing instrument that can help you express yourself and play music that is powerful, intense, and epic. However, learning to play your favorite songs on the guitar can be a challenge for newcomers.
Fortunately, there are many iconic songs in the history of rock that have simple riffs and progressions that are perfect for beginner guitar players. These songs are not only fun to learn, but they will also help you build your skill and confidence as a guitarist.
A few examples of this type of music include Creep from the band Nirvana, Do I Wanna Know from the Arctic Monkeys, and Wild Thing by the Troggs. These classic songs are easy to learn, but they have the same power that a more challenging song might have.
There are few things that define a classic hard rock song better than an epic guitar riff. In fact, this is the main reason why many of these songs have made their way into pop culture and are still popular today.
Another great example of this is the famous riff from Lynyrd Skynrd’s Sweet Home Alabama, which has become so familiar to American guitar players that they can strum it with ease. This riff can be difficult at first, but it’s actually quite easy to get down with, especially since you can palm mute the root note and follow the lead-in patterns in between the chords – just remember to pay close attention to the rhythmic aspects of this song!
Some other classics that are great for beginners include Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing and Chuck Berry’s Johny B. Goode.
Message In A Bottle from Sting’s former band The Police is another epic song to add to your repertoire. This tune has beautiful guitar partitions that are easy to learn, and once you have the hang of it, you’ll love playing it.
Another heavy metal iconic tune that’s great for beginner guitarists is Breaking The Law from the American rock band Judas Priest. This song has a great riff that’s not too difficult to play, and it’s even a good idea to put some distortion on it. This is a great song for beginners to practice, and you can play it with power chords or simple strums.