13 Easy Basic-Strum Songs With G, C and D
Have you started to mix down strums with up strums? Awesome! That probably means that you have learned the “basic-strum,” also descriptively referred to as the “down, down-up” strum or the “boom chuck-a” strum. And it means you will benefit from playing your basic strum with real songs!
But as a beginner, it can be tricky to find songs that match your level. That’s why I wrote this blog EXPRESSLY and EXACTLY for students who have just learned the basic strum and want to practice it with easy chord changes. These songs all sound great with a basic strum, and can all be played with G, C and D (with occasional guest starring roles from Am and Em). And I’m even giving you links to the audio and music charts, and sometimes even links to video tutorials. This is guitar ambergris–it’s that valuable!
The basic strum is one of the most common strum patterns in guitar! In a song in a 4/4 time signature, you just play down on the “one”, down-up on the “two-and”, and then you do it again for the “three” and the “four-and”. Not only does it sound terrific, but it is the foundation for learning all sorts of other, even trickier, combination strums.
If you DON’T yet know the basic strum, FEAR NOT! Immediately either click this link for easy online tutorials on beginning guitar or sign up for a lesson or class right away at NYC Guitar School.
And if you DO know the basic strum, then grab your guitar and get ready to start playing along!
Keep in mind:
- Sometimes I transposed the song in order to avoid chords like F, Bb, Qrelative, and Zsharp minor 7th! Let’s stick with our great beginner chords for now!
- If that means that you need to transpose a chart, the notes on the song will tell you how many half-steps to transpose the song–sounds tricky, but it is easy, just hit the “transpose +” or the “transpose -” button on the song until you know all the chords.
- If that means you need to use a capo, the notes on the song will tell you what fret to put the capo on.
- And yes, sometimes the transposed chords or the basic strum are a little simpler than the “real” song. Don’t worry! You can always go back and learn the “real” chords later. Check out a baby…crawl…walk…run…get bitten by a radioactive spider. I promise, the best way to do something super cool later is to get started with something pretty cool now!!!!
Here’s the list of songs, along with where to place your capo (if applicable) plus links to the song, tutorials and charts. For super convenient playing along, grab your guitar, then check out our YouTube Beginners 6 playlist or our Spotify playlist. How convenient is that?
(Do you want to play more guitar or better guitar? Or both? We invite you to join our friendly guitar community at NYCGuitarSchool.com. If you’re not in NYC you can still get the step by step goodness at guitarlessons.nyc.)
***Every once in a while links break…please let us know if you notice a broken one!
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ugeJWAMz6w
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jason_mraz/im_yours_chords_373896
G – D – Em – C (capo 4)
Acoustic Pop (2008)
Easy
Somebody that I Used to Know – Gotye
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
TUTORIAL: (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/gotye/somebody_that_i_used_to_know_chords_1094597
Transpose Down 5
Em – D ; Em – D – C (tune song up 1 step)
Pop/Indie (2011)
Difficult
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR_k8knLero
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/john_denver/take_me_home_country_roads_chords_57606
G – Em – D – C – G (capo 2)
Folk (1971)
Easy
Anyone Else But You – Moldy Peaches
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N3BjVMWziE
TUTORIAL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N3BjVMWziE
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_moldy_peaches/anyone_else_but_you_chords_630353
G – C (no capo)
Indie (2001)
Easy
Ho Hey – Lumineers
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCBSSwgtg4
TUTORIAL: *No Tutorial in Our Key BUT we have an NYC Guitar School in the Original Key*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl1Askl9ef8
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_lumineers/ho_hey_chords_1047662
Transpose Down 5
G – C; Em – D – G (capo 5)
Pop (2012)
Difficult
Thinkin Bout You – Frank Ocean
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLWJSFJ7D1Y
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbpwsWkoDVE *The chords and fingerings don’t exactly match, but you can still play along with it.
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/frank_ocean/thinking_about_you_chords_1115436
C – G – D – Em (capo 5)
R&B (2011)
Medium
Ripple – The Grateful Dead
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=671AgW9xSiA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4chk7EuNyOY
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/grateful_dead/ripple_chords_462863
G – C ; G – D – C – G ; Am – D – G – C – A7 – D (no capo)
Classic Rock (1970)
Difficult
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPL_SV3n7IU
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxMeQgtyYE
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/pink_floyd/wish_you_were_here_chords_1088963
G – C – D – Am (no capo)
Classic Rock (1975)
Easy
Leaving On A Jet Plane – Peter, Paul, & Mary
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-7SnMnX78
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KK9pUsqn_Q *Not The same key, but correct chords*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/peter_paul_and_mary/leaving_on_a_jet_plane_chords_1048668
G – C – D (capo 2)
Folk (1969)
Medium
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BmEGm-mraE
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfQIqnEfyqU **These tutorial is in the original key (D A7 G)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/creedence_clearwater_revival/bad_moon_rising_chords_15892
Transpose Up 5
G – D – C (capo 7)
Classic Rock (1969)
Difficult
Skinny Love – Bon Iver
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssdgFoHLwnk
TUTORIAL: (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bon_iver/skinny_love_chords_1050843 *Hard to find a good chart, but this one kinda mirrors a version I saw one of our Absolute Beginners Classes doing on Youtube*
Em – C – G (capo 4)
Indie Folk (2008)
Medium
Someone Like You – Adele
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQl3WQQoQ0
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts2W_Q1Q9o0
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/adele/someone_like_you_chords_1006751
G – D – Em – C (capo 2)
Pop (2011)
Difficult
Turn the Page – Bob Seger
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GONmFCkCGCc
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJKAJMN0fYo
Em – D – A7 – Em
Classic Rock (1976)
Easy
(And don’t forget–if you want to play more and better guitar, we invite you to join our friendly guitar community at NYCGuitarSchool.com. If you’re not in NYC, you can still get the step-by-step goodness at guitarlessons.nyc.)
