Home CLASS PRACTICE AUDIO – INTERMEDIATE BEGINNER
What is a GUITAR RIFF?
A riff is a memorable sequence of notes or chords. ?A good test if something qualifies as a riff is this: ?if you hear it one time, do you know what the song is? If you do, you?re probably listening to a riff. ?Think of the opening notes to ?Sweet Child O? Mine? by Guns ?n? Roses, or ?Seven Nation Army? by The White Stripes.
What is a CHORD RIFF?
A chord riff is a riff that is made up of chords instead of single notes. ?And that is what this blog post is about. Here are eight awesome, memorable riffs that can be played with simple open chords.
This blog post ISN?T about how to play the entire song–just the juicy, beautiful, crunchy, iconic RIFF that makes you want to crank your amp up to 11.
If you DON?T yet know basic chords or strums, FEAR NOT! Immediately either click this link for the best beginners guitar lessons on the world wide internet or sign up for a lesson or class right away at?NYC Guitar School.
If you DO know some basic chords, then you are ready to crush souls and crash parties–and get A LOT better at changing chords! Grab your axe and get ready to start playing along.
Keep in mind:
Now, RIFF AWAY. Here?s the list of songs, along with where to place your capo (if applicable) plus links to the song, tutorials and charts.??
(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.)
***Every once in a while links break…please let us know if you notice a broken one!
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Wild Thing – The Troggs
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qHX493bB3U
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3QuLdm1vhw
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_troggs/wild_thing_chords_1056155
A – D – E – D
Garage Rock (1966)
Medium
?
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
TUTORIAL: *No Suitable Tutorial Exists*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/nirvana/smells_like_teen_spirit_chords_807883
E ?- A ?- G – C ?( Capo 1)
Grunge (1991)
Difficult
?
Highway To Hell – AC/DC
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l482T0yNkeo
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YN9lbo4nYQ
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/acdc/highway_to_hell_chords_139966
A – D – G – D – G – D – G – D – A
Hard Rock (1979)
Difficult
Rock You Like a Hurricane – Scorpions
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TucBvNrrGY
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcUv-5yIhO8 *Tutorial is OK, but was the best I could find*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/scorpions/rock_you_like_a_hurricane_chords_1930388
Em – G – Am – C – D
Heavy Metal (1984)
Medium
Louie Louie – The Kingsman
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZJ4ESU52U
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjseTHngpg0
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/kingsmen/louie_louie_chords_1049261
A – D – Em – D
Garage Rock (1963)
Easy
Jessie?s Girl – Rick Springfield
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYkbTyHXwbs
TUTORIAL: *No Suitable Tutorial Exists*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/rick_springfield/jessies_girl_chords_1725297
Transpose Up 5
G – D – Em – C – D – G (Capo 7)
Power Pop (1981)
Medium
Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvuL5jyCHOw
TUTORIAL: *No Suitable Tutorial*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/lenny_kravitz/fly_away_chords_51423
A – C – G – D
Rock (1998)
Easy
Never Let You Go – Third Eye Blind
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl-JGJp-_CM
TUTORIAL: *No Suitable Tutorial*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/third_eye_blind/never_let_you_go_chords_1980241
D – A – G ?(Capo 2)
Alt. Rock (2000)
Easy/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.)
Guitar may take a lifetime to master–but unlike the harpsichord and trombone, beginning guitar players can start making beautiful and awesome music RIGHT AWAY.
Of course, as a beginner, it can be hard to find songs that match your level. This blog post is written EXPRESSLY for students who know D, G, A7 and/or G, Em, C and D7, and who are getting into simple alternate strumming. I’m giving you a list of 17 songs which can be played with only those chords, and which sound great with a steady down-up-down-up strumming pattern–aka “alternate strums” or “alternate eighth notes strums.” And I’m even giving you links to the audio and music charts, and sometimes even links to video tutorials. This is guitar platinum!
If you DON’T yet know these chords or alternate strums, FEAR NOT! Immediately either click this link for FREE and easy online tutorials on how to play those chords or sign up for a lesson or class right away at NYC Guitar School.
If you DO know D, G and A7, and/or G, Em, C and D7, and are ready to get into alternate strumming then I SALUTE YOU. You, guitar player, are ON YOUR WAY! Grab your guitar and get ready to start playing along.
Keep in mind:
One more quick tip: it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing! In music, rhythm rules. Keep your alternate strum going even when you are changing chords–if you are strumming during a transition, that is not only cool, it even sounds cool. But if you stop strumming to change chords, it sounds super clunky and weird. So keep that hand strumming down-up-down-up!
OK, take it away! 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 4 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!
Pumped up Kicks – Foster the People
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aOYXJcG77A
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/foster_the_people/pumped_up_kicks_chords_1098165
Em – G – D – A7 (capo 1)
Indie Rock (2011)
Medium
Try – Pink
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCDVfMz15M
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/pnk/try_chords_1181779 (transpose -5) Em – C – G – D; C – G – D – Em (capo 7)
Pop (2012)
Medium
Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jke7e8C2XfA
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_rolling_stones/sympathy_for_the_devil_chords_1720348
D – C – G – D ; D – A7 (capo 2)
Classic Rock (1973)
Easy
Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtgI2UOG_Fc
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/green_day/boulevard_of_broken_dreams_chords_146744
Em G – D – A7 (capo 1)
Rock/Pop (2004)
Difficult
Say – John Mayer
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQtGqmi2O2U
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ7qgJ0dLS0
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/john_mayer/say_what_you_need_to_say_chords_1181539
G – C – Em – D (capo 3)
Pop (2007)
Difficult
Diamonds – Rhianna
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWA2pjMjpBs
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/rihanna/diamonds_chords_1185082 (transpose +5) C – Em – D (capo 7)
Pop (2012)
Easy
Perfect – Pink
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BIye98Ryic
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_q8YgoEPBQ
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/pnk/fuckin_perfect_chords_1023109
G – D – Em – C (no capo)
Pop/Rock
Easy
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPVnyWNIhs (part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krcYnjbRjsY (part 2)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_black_eyed_peas/i_gotta_feeling_chords_832775
G – C – Em – C (no capo)
Pop
Easy
First Cut is the Deepest – Cat Stevens
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBccr-aLu4I
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3gJgQgNxLo (part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzc_jqUwqGI (part 2)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/sheryl_crow/the_first_cut_is_the_deepest_chords_97085
D – A7 – G – A7 (no capo)
Folk
Difficult
Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE
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/fleet_foxes/white_winter_hymnal_chords_932697 (transpose -2)
Dx4 – Gx2 – Dx2 – Dx4 – Emx4 – Gx2 – A7x2 (capo 2)
Indie Rock
Easy
I Can Tell That We Are Gonna Be Friends – White Stripes
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKfD8d3XJok
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeuuLjkVqbg
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the_white_stripes/were_going_to_be_friends_chords_22094
G – G – C – G – D – C – G – D – C – G (no capo)
Folk/Rock (2005)
Easy
Zombie – the Cranberries
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G29A4ijuzU
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)
Rock (1994)
Medium
My Name Is Jonas – Weezer
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZj3QQOdRIo
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/weezer/my_name_is_jonas_chords_1698583 (transpose -5)
G – D – Em – C
Rock (2014)
Difficult
Friday – Rebecca Black
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6MagDsYYsY
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/rebecca-black/friday-chords-1038099
G – Emin – C – D (transpose +8)
Pop (2011)
Medium
Joey – Concrete Blonde
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPs92NXLzg
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/concrete-blonde/joey-chords-63783
G – Emin – C – D
Pop/Rock (1990)
Easy
We Are Young – Fun
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6dMFF_yts
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/fun_/we_are_young_chords_1108578 (transpose +2)
G – Emin – C – D (capo 12)
Pop (2011)
Medium
Try – Pink
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6dMFF_yts
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/pnk/try-chords-1181779 (transpose +7)
G – Emin – C – D
Pop (2012)
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.)
When beginning guitar players learn the C chord, it’s a HUGE moment. For some reason, maybe because it is a little more stretched out, many beginners find the C chord challenging–but once you learn it, you have unlocked exponential guitar growth.
That is why I refer the the C chord as the “Rubicon” of guitar. When Julius Cesar crossed the Rubicon River, he was committed to war with Rome and ultimately to becoming the first Emperor of Rome. Maybe that was a bad thing, but once you get past the C chord, you have crossed the first big barrier to guitar playing; and once you are able to change directly from another chord to C with relative confidence, you are on your way to becoming the Emperor of Guitar!
I always advise “sneaking up” on tricky chords. So if you DON’T YET KNOW the C chord, don’t start here; instead, to be extra safe and sure of learning correctly, immediately either click this link for easy online tutorials on how to play those chords or sign up for a lesson or class right away at NYC Guitar School.
But if you do know the C chord, you are in luck, because this blog post is written EXPRESSLY for students who know the C chord and are ready to start mixing and matching it with other chords. I’m giving you a list of 13 songs which highlight the C chord, without getting too crazy with other chords. And I’m even giving you links to the audio and music charts, and sometimes even links to video tutorials. This is guitar vibranium!
Grab your guitar and get ready to start playing along.
Keep in mind:
One more quick tip: A minor and C are very close relatives! In fact, in music theory, A minor is officially the “relative minor” of C. We’ll leave the theory behind it for another day, but the practical good news is that there is only a one finger difference between A minor and C! Yes! You can leave your first and second fingers down and only move your third finger!
OK, take it away! 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 5 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!
Jolene – Dolly Parton
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixrje2rXLMA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lldW9_j7BSI
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/dolly_parton/jolene_chords_183019
Am – C – G – Am – G – Am
Country (1974)
Medium
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIOVMHMNfJ4
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9UaYfxKtkM
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/taylor _swift/shake_it_off_chords_1512429
Amin – C – G – G (no capo)
Pop/Rock 2014
Easy
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drmz74zpy1U
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMnla7_Ipr4
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bob_dylan/knockin_on_heavens_door_chords_66559
G – D – Am – Am – G – D – C – C (no capo)
Folk (1973)
Difficult
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)
Easy
No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83KR_UBWdPI
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/arcade_fire/no_cars_go_chords_460460
C – Em – G – G (capo 1)
Indie Rock (2007)
Easy
Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWOyfLBYtuU
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AHSUbgCzUk
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/florence_the_machine/dog_days_are_over_chords_908502
G – Am – Em (no capo)
Indie Rock (2008)
Medium
The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLexgOxsZu0
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjTCFnIRkZM
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bruno_mars/the_lazy_song_chords_1761018
G – D7- C (capo 4) *All tutorials and charts have the D7 as a D*
Pop (2011)
Difficult
Forget You – Cee Lo Green
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKxodgpyGec
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/cee_lo_green/forget_you_chords_1031317
Transpose Down 5
G – A7 – C (capo 5)
Pop (2010)
Medium
You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw
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/taylor_swift/you_belong_with_me_chords_752550
Transpose Up 5
G – D – Am – C
Pop (2009)
Medium
Firework – Katy Perry
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGxx3ZjUCZ8
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/katy_perry/firework_chords_993007
G – Am – Em – C (capo 1)
Pop (2010)
Easy
My Girl – The Temptations
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEztui18cA8
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_temptations/my_girl_chords_86366
Transpose Down 5
G – C ; G – Am – C – D7
Motown/Soul (1964)
Difficult
Bebe Rexha – I’m Gonna Show You Crazy *Warning: Explicit Language*
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSduuelVh8
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/bebe_rexha/im_gonna_show_you_crazy_chords_1699925
Am – D – G – Em
Pop (2015)
Easy
The Only Exception – Paramore
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChXcD6Z4uvQ
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/paramore/the_only_exception_chords_1203741
Transpose Up 5
D – Am – G (capo 9)
Rock (2009)
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.)
If you’ve just learned an A chord, you are in the right spot to begin mastering it with fun and easy songs! In this blog post, I’ve listed a DOZEN beginner friendly songs which feature an A chord–and not too many other chords–so that you can concentrate on your A chord chops! I’m even including links to the audio and music charts, and even some links to video tutorials. This material is guitar uranium! It’s rare, and it contains lots of power, which you can now tap into.
The A chord is a super common open chord–but it is usually learned weeks or even longer after the even more commonly used G, D, and C chords. And once you learn the A chord, you’ve unlocked the door to a new realm of songs.
The A chord has a good friend–the E chord. They are often found together; there is a super slick and clever way of using a finger slide to change from A to E and vice versa–you can see a video about it HERE. <<<<link>>>>
If you DON’T yet know the A chord (or the E chord), DON’T FREAK OUT! Immediately either click this link for easy online guitar tutorials for beginners or sign up for a lesson or class at NYC Guitar School.
And if you DO know an A, then pick up your axe and sit down on your amplifier, and get ready to play!
Keep in mind:
Here’s the list of songs, along with where to place your capo (if applicable) plus links to the song, tutorials and charts.
(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.)
***Every once in a while links break…please let us know if you notice a broken one!
Sweet Child of Mine – Guns N’ Roses
YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/1w7OgIMMRc4
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/guns_n_roses/sweet_child_o_mine_chords_176076
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHlPHOprV2A ***Note this uses Cadd9 and Gadd5 instead of regular G and C***
D – C – G – D ; A – C – D – D
Rock (1988)
Easy
Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bruce_springsteen/born_in_the_usa_chords_148158 TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpmAAmxqBX0
transpose down 2
A – D (no capo)
Rock (1984)
Easy
One – U2
YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/ftjEcrrf7r0
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/u2/one_chords_1398916
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
Em – A – C – D; G – Em – C – G (capo 5)
Rock (1992)
Medium
Man of Constant Sorrow – Soggy Bottom Boys
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH8AqsiF_rs
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/soggy_bottom_boys/man_of_constant_sorrow_chords_1113648 – Transpose up 5
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
A – D – E (capo 8)
Country/Bluegrass (Trad.)
Medium
All I Want is You – U2
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gwahh04Y1Y
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/u2/all_i_want_is_you_chords_477621
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSXqFKB6DWM
A – D (tune song up 1/2 step)
Rock (1989)
Easy
Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6hQ9HSKlIE
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/tracy_chapman/give_me_one_reason_chords_702441 – transpose up 3
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
A – D – E – A (capo 9)
Acoustic Blues (1995)
Medium
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/foster_the_people/pumped_up_kicks_chords_1032143 transpose down 1
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpYkvr5h69E
Em – G – D – A (capo 1)
Indie Rock
Easy
Hard Sun – Eddie Vedder
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx13gLCQxmM
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/eddie_vedder/hard_sun_chords_566461 (transpose +2 or until you see As, Ds and Es!)
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TzvxvwdzEo
A – D – E (capo 4)
Acoustic Rock (2007)
Easy
Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqoNKCCt7A
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/simple_minds/dont_you_forget_about_me_chords_1448722
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbDaSfCk_w
D – Em – D – Em – C ; E – A – D- A ; C – G – D – A (no capo)
Pop (1985)
Medium
Mad World – Tears for Fears
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZvPSpLxCg
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/tears_for_fears/mad_world_chords_47761
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iebLDKCE8Xs
Em – G – D – A ; Em – A (capo 2)
Pop (1983)
Easy
No Rain – Blind Melon
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qVPNONdF58
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/blind_melon/no_rain_chords_57624
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1HPls9NkOk
E – D; E – D – A – G – E (no capo)
Acoustic Rock (1992)
Medium
Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXwMrBb2x1Q
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNkRT-ojg-s
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jimi_hendrix/hey_joe_chords_1419169
C – G – D – A – E – E – E – E (no capo)
Classic Rock (1966)
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.)
Take A Lesson!? ? ? ? ? Take A Class!
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:
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.)
10 Awesome Split Measure Songs For Guitar Beginners
Are you right on the edge between being a very much beginner guitar player, and a not so much of a beginner guitar player?
If so, you’re probably ready to play songs where the chord changes come faster than every measure–and in this blog post I’ve picked out eight easy beginners songs for you to practice chord changes on which feature “split-measure” chord changes.
A “split-measure” is a measure which has two (or more) chords in it. They can be played with lots of different strum patterns, but most typically are played using a “basic strum.” Usually, one chord is played for two beats and the other is played for…two beats! The measure is split in half!
And a default strum pattern which sounds great on almost any rock, pop or folk song is to play a “best strum” on any measures in a song which only have one chord and the aforementioned “basic strum” pattern on any measures which have two chords.
So pick up your guitar and get ready to rock. Below I’ve listed some great split measure songs and I’ve even included audio links, music charts links, and sometimes even links to video tutorials. These songs are guitar titanium–they will make your playing harder than steel, and twice as shiny.
If you DON’T yet feel ready for split measures FEAR NOT! Immediately either click this link for easy online tutorials on beginning guitar at guitarlessons.nyc or sign up for a lesson or class right away at NYC Guitar School.
Keep in mind:
Here’s the list of songs, along with where to place your capo (if applicable) plus links to the song, tutorials and charts.
(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.)
***Every once in a while links break…please let us know if you notice a broken one!
Man on the Moon – REM
YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/1hKSYgOGtos
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/r_e_m_/man_on_the_moon_chords_697336
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA8yPCT923M
C – D – C – C ; Am – G – Am – G – Am G – D – D (no capo)
Alt. Rock (1992)
Difficult
Imagine – John Lennon
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkgkThdzX-8
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/john_lennon/imagine_chords_117730
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
G – C ; Em – Am – D – D7 ; C – D – G (capo 5)
Folk Rock (1971)
Medium
Umqombothi-Ivonne Chaka Chaka
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS8MhJig-hM
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmcCJdvDVmo
D; G – A (Capo 1)
Easy
South African Pop
Take it Easy – The Eagles
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v8KEbQA8kw
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/eagles/take_it_easy_chords_14322
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjRk75bqJOY
G – C – D – Em etc. (no capo)
Classic Rock (1972)
Medium
Look at Miss Ohio – Gillian Welsh
YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/9NPEj63d0jY
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/gillian_welch/look_at_miss_ohio_chords_1089277 transpose down 5
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
C – G- D – D (capo 7)
Country/Folk (2003)
Medium
Redemption Song – Bob Marley
YOUTUBE http://youtu.be/QrY9eHkXTa4
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bob_marley/redemption_song_chords_670722
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHFMobs6BW0 **Note they use G/B between C and Am**
G – Em – C -Am ; G – Em – C – D ; G – C – D ; Em – C – D
Acoustic Reggae (1980)
Difficult
Despacito – Luis Fonsi
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQP7kiw5Fk
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/luis_fonsi/despacito_chords_1963983
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eftAUy1HsKo **Note they use a different Em shape***
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH-SXs8QM60 ***Note this is in Spanish***
Em – C – G – D (capo 7)
Latin Pop (2017)
Easy
Let It Go – James Bay
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsPq9mzFNGY
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/james_bay/let_it_go_chords_1680532
TUTORIAL (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
G – C – Em – D ; Em – D – C (capo 6)
Pop (2015)
Medium
Guantanamera – Traditional Cuban Song
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=craeb9A7MQ8
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4oZHqOlUpQ
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/celia-cruz/guantanamera-chords-65411
G – C ; D – C (no capo)
Medium
Come As You Are – Nirvana
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o
CHART https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/nirvana/come_as_you_are_chords_1202432 transpose down 2
TUTORIAL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJZuY6Ee-DQ
Em – D ; Em – C ; A – C (no capo)
Grunge Rock (1991)
Easy
Take A Lesson!? ? ? ? ? Take A Class!
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:
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.)
Guitar may take a lifetime to master–but unlike the harpsichord and trombone, beginning guitar players can start making beautiful and awesome music RIGHT AWAY.
These chords are huge. A guitar student who learns to pivot from G to Em to C to D7 has taken an exponential leap in guitar capabilities, because that combination of chords allows you to play all the major chords in the key of G, PLUS the relative minor. Now, that might not make sense if you haven’t yet learned music theory, but trust me–it means you can play A LOT of songs! In fact, in this blog post, I’m giving you 17 songs that you can start playing right away with these magic chords. And I’m even giving you links to the audio, tutorials, and music charts. These are guitar gems!
Learning these chords also helps to get you physically ready for more advanced moves. In fact, pivoting to the C from the Em chord allows a nice, safe, baby step way to practice the C chord–which for many beginners is a big-deal chord.
Q: “Dan, what is a pivot?”
A: “A ‘pivot’ is when you leave a finger tip down on a string while changing chords. For example, in these songs, when you change from G to Em, you can leave your 1st finger down; when you change from Em to C you can leave your 2nd finger down; when you change from C to D7 you can leave your first finger down; and even when you change from D7 back to G to start the whole series of chords over again, you can still leave your third finger down. Pivoting is a great guitar habit which makes changing chords more easy and efficient.”
By the way, there is one more shortcut worth talking about–the “third finger hover.” Here’s how it works: prepare for your Em to C change by keeping your third finger just above the fifth string, ready to drop down on the third fret when you change to C. I call this The Third Finger Hover, and it makes moving into a C chord SO EASY. Do NOT let your third finger be floating in some weird random place when you play an Em chord–no, no, no, instead keep it hovering in position to change chords.
Here’s a quick flow chart for what to do next.
Keep in mind:
(And don’t forget: for broken-down step-by-step guitar skills, 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! And sometimes we can’t find a good tutorial to share–let us know if you find one you like!
Despacito – Luis Fonsi
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbBsUe1pA_g
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfolGuhSwqo
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/luis-fonsi/despacito-chords-2062935
Em – C- G – D (capo 7)
Latin/Pop (2019)
Easy
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwrHwZyFN7M
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ-i5hK0vc0
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/tracy-chapman/fast-car-chords-1044807
C – G – Em – D (capo 2)
Pop/Singer Songwriter
Easy
What A Wonderful World – Sam Cooke
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4GLAKEjU4w
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAGRM1si8pw
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/sam-cooke/wonderful-world-chords-258832
G – Em – C – D (capo 4)
R&B/Soul (1960)
Easy
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDDMYw_IZnE
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDNkfHmhBZA
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/ed_sheeran/perfect_chords_1956589
G – Em – C – D (capo 1)
Pop/Soul (2017)
Easy
Friday – Rebecca Black
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3JX8v2Mz0Q
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/rebecca_black/friday_chords_1038099
Transpose Down 4
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 4)
Pop (2011)
Easy
Joey – Concrete Blonde
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW5RPujkzQo
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/concrete_blonde/joey_chords_63783
G – Em – C – D7
Rock (1990)
Easy
Last Kiss – Pearl Jam
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0B-hJ_gotc
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaxB0TY3fmQ&t=59s (part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW2w1ruuSmg (part 2)
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/pearl_jam/last_kiss_chords_38269
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 1)
Folk Rock (1999)
Difficult
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg7YoXiKn0
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu3AJetyITs
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/ben_e_king/stand_by_me_chords_1724608
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 2)
Soul/R&B (1960)
Medium
Macy’s Day Parade – Green Day
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EL4njT8g98
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/green_day/macys_day_parade_chords_20407
G – G – Em – Em – C – D7 – G – G ; C – C – D – D ; C – G – Em – G – C – D (capo 4)
Rock/Pop (2005)
Easy
Viva la Vida – Coldplay
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p51MD17X448
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/coldplay/viva_la_vida_chords_675427
C – D7 – G – Em (capo 1)
Pop/Rock (2008)
Difficult
Complicated – Avril Lavigne
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE
TUTORIAL: (Oh no, we don’t have a good tutorial to share! Let us know if you find one.)
CHART: https://www.guitartabsexplorer.com/lavigne-avril-Tabs/complicated-(Ver3)-crd.php
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 10)
Pop
Medium
Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvKyBcCDOB4
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx3Tv5uBAaE
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/darius_rucker/wagon_wheel_chords_1215756
G – E – G – D – Em – C (capo 2)
Country/Bluegrass (2013)
Difficult
You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift
YOUTUBE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSaR1ROosCA
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/taylor_swift/you_belong_with_me_chords_752550
D – A7 – Em – G (capo 4)
Pop (2009)
Easy
With or Without You – U2
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFqVLhoxuVo
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/u2/with_or_without_you_chords_835 (chart has wrong capo)
G – D – Em – C (capo 7)
Rock (1987)
Medium
Dance With Me Tonight – Olly Murs
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3EG4olrFjY
TUTORIAL: *No Suitable Tutorial Exists*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/olly_murs/dance_with_me_tonight_chords_1103228
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 7)
Transpose Down 5
Pop (2011)
Medium
Twistin the NIght Away – Sam Cooke
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTArYTvpLZA
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8CxiQP6ZXI *Tutorial Doesn’t have Capo, but used correct chords sans D7*
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/sam_cooke/twistin_the_night_away_chords_258829
G – Em – C – D7 (capo 2)
Transpose Down 2
R&B (1962)
Medium
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6_QXwKesU
TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwDf5OnTqCE
CHART: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/neutral_milk_hotel/in_the_aeroplane_over_the_sea_chords_35827
G – Em – C – D7
Indie (1998)
Medium
(And don’t forget: for broken-down step-by-step guitar skills, 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.)
Jam to The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” guided by star teacher Shane! Good luck and keep shredding!
For more tutorials, click here.
To take a lesson with Shane, click here!
“You are the music while the music lasts.” -T.S. Eliot
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