14 Easy Best Strum Songs With G, C and D
Do you know the “best strum”? If you do, you love it! It is the most used strum in guitar, because it sounds amazing–it is syncopated and driving and beautiful. At NYC Guitar School we started calling it “the best strum” in 2006. Over a decade later…it’s still the best!
The best strum is a 4/4 strum pattern that combines half of a basic strum pattern, with a down strum on the “one” and a down-up on the “two-and”) with a syncopated up-down-up on the “and-four-and” at the end of each measure.
Time! To! Practice!
In this blog post, I’ve listed songs that sound great with the best strum, based on easy G, C and D changes that let you focus on the strumming without worrying about weird random chord changes. I’m even giving you links to the audio and music charts, and sometimes even links to video tutorials. These songs are guitar rubies, sapphires and diamonds–they are precious and pretty!
If you DON’T yet know the best 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 best 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 best strum are a little simpler than the “real” song. Don’t worry! You can always go back and learn the “real” chords later. Do it like an Eagle…live in an egg…crawl…fall out of a nest…fly…pick up goats from clifftops! As always, the best way to do something super cool later is to get started now!
Here’s the list of songs, along with where to place your capo (if applicable) plus links to the song, tutorials and charts.
(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!
Zombie – The Cranberries
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wdYqdV6WLg
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_cranberries/zombie_chords_844902
Em – C – G – D (no capo)
Alt. Rock (1994)
Easy
Little Talks – Of Monsters & Men
YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/ghb6eDopW8I
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/of_monsters_and_men/little_talks_chords_1426859
Transpose Down 5
Em – C – G – D (capo 6)
Pop (2011)
Difficult
Boys of Summer – Don Henley
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWT90HzLF3U
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdFxxvCJpgo
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/don_henley/the_boys_of_summer_chords_1173455
Em – C – D – C
Classic Rock (1984)
Easy, but FAST
Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JULmUlGDA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rmvmNH_KDw
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/chuck_berry/johnny_b_goode_chords_61918
Transpose Down 2
G – C – D (capo 3)
Rock n’ Roll (1958)
Medium
The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo
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/the_tokens/the_lion_sleeps_tonight_chords_1074694
Transpose up 5
G – C – G – D (tune song up 1 step)
Doo-wop (1961)
Easy
Who Will Save Your Soul – Jewel
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wBDDAZkNtk
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-du1TSMSNOU
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jewel/who_will_save_your_soul_chords_10950
Am – C – G – D; Em x 4 (no capo)
Acoustic Alt. Rock/Pop (1996)
Easy
Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIRE6iw-ws4
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/peter_bjorn_and_john/young_folks_chords_1125241
Transpose Down 5
C – Am – G – Em (capo 5)
Indie Rock (2006)
Medium
Hard Sun – Eddie Vedder
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx13gLCQxmM
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNqH672ax4
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/eddie_vedder/hard_sun_chords_566461
D – C – G (capo 1)
Acoustic Rock (2007)
Easy but fast
Brown-Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmkgQRmmeE
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlJNPj9CJBQ
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/van_morrison/brown_eyed_girl_chords_76882
G – C – G – D
Classic Rock (1967)
Medium
I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDHY1D0tKRA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOWAJCQSe0 *Doesn’t totally match, but it should be helpful.*
Transpose Down 5
Em – G – C – G – D (tune song up a whole step)
Alt. Rock (2006)
Medium
Home – Phillip Phillips
YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/HoRkntoHkIE
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/phillip_phillips/home_chords_1156310
Transpose Down 5
G – C; Em – C- G – C (capo 5)
Indie Folk Rock (2012)
Difficult
Babylon – David Grey
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI_SBAkdKzc
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnJIYukQ1SQ
CHART: https://www.heartwoodguitar.com/chords/david-gray-babylon/
D – G – D – G – Em ; D – A7 – Em – A7 – D- A7 – Em – A7 (capo 1)
Folk Rock (1999)
Medium
All of Me – John Legend
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450p7goxZqg
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY1b4nhvhoQ
CHART: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/john-legend/all-of-me
Em – C – G – D (capo 1)
R&B (2013)
Medium
Fight Song – Rachel Platten
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJiC7HaPlO0
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/rachel_platten/fight_song_chords_1725296
G – D – Em – C
Pop (2015)
Medium
(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.)
