Mastering music requires feeling and rhythm. When practicing a song, make sure the notes and chords become part of your muscle memory to prevent fatigue from playing the notes cleanly and ensure no finger fatigue develops during rehearsal.
Learning guitar chords is made simpler if you understand how chord extensions work; some chords have multiple names such as C major and its b9 extension, for instance.
What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes
Here’s an acoustic guitar version of “What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes.” This song uses three chords with an easy strumming pattern to help new guitarists learn. These include G, Am and C chords as well as using a capo on the second fret to play this tune.
There are plenty of fantastic songs for beginners to practice their chords and rhythm with, such as those by Bob Dylan (“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, R.E.M’s “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?”, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Lynyrd Skynyrd). All have accessible lyrics with simple chord progressions that are simple enough for beginning players. Or download and try playing along with JustinGuitar Lessons & Songs App which has over 1000 play-along tracks tailored specifically for beginning guitarists; plus tuner, chord library and strumming assistant functions all in one convenient package – why wait when you can download now? Download now for FREE!
What’s Up? by Maroon 5
Are You Strumming Skills are Needed Now by Maroon 5! “What’s Up” offers simple chords with an upbeat melody that beginners may find challenging at first; with practice though it will become much simpler! The strumming pattern may present challenges at first; but with perseverance will become much less of an obstacle.
Adam Levine’s signature vocals and lively instrumentation make this catchy pop-synth song an instantaneous fan favorite in their extensive catalog of work. Lyrically, its lyrics address all the emotions associated with an end of relationship; making it one of their fan-favorites among their numerous catalogue entries.
Maroon 5’s music video for their song, ‘Love This Way,” highlights their relationships between one another and their fans. Director David Dobkin shows clips that feature them writing and performing together at home studio sessions while Levine’s wife Behati Prinsloo interacts with Dusty and Gio from within the group.
What’s Up? by Blondie
This song is an ideal acoustic guitar tune to add to your repertoire if you’re new to the genre, featuring a two chord progression with an easy strumming pattern and simple finger placement exercises as well as practice CAGED chord shapes.
This classic rock song became an international success and has often been misinterpreted to represent criticism against homophobia and sexism in American society, though the meaning behind its lyrics remains obscure. Although the band deny these interpretations as the intended ones, their sentiment remains clear nonetheless.
This song is a straightforward two chord tune with A and D chords, easily played using only an open D string. However, playing D chord requires your ring finger to move across to B string above. However, its easy strumming pattern of 4 downstrokes on each beat makes learning this tune easy and accessible for anyone.
What’s Up? by The Beatles
After years of touring and performing to packed arenas and stadiums, George, John and Ringo convinced Paul that it was time for some rest and relaxation; George suggested they spend some time writing songs at home for future albums rather than performing live.
At first, The Beatles seemed to work effortlessly during the Get Back sessions, producing great works that would eventually appear on Abbey Road and Let It Be albums. By project’s end however, their lives had reached an inflection point, leaving personal as well as professional relationships at crossroads.
This easy guitar song offers a soothing chord progression and strumming pattern, making it suitable for beginners. Open G and C chords can be easily played, while an acoustic version includes a capo at fret two to facilitate singing over. For an added boost of sound, try using this classic rock classic with a distortion pedal!