Wondering what the easiest songs to learn on guitar are? Whether you’ve just started learning your first couple of chords- or you’re a guitar ninja with many open chords under your belt, this short post will help you choose the next song to learn for you- or even your first!
It can be very intimidating to try to learn a song if you’re not the musical type. If you want to perform at an open-mic or a campfire, you need to have a repertoire of songs you know inside-out. The fastest way to do that is to learn songs, of course!
I’ve found that the songs you learn, especially as a beginner- not only need to be nice and easy, but also need to be something you enjoy. The process matters as much as the actual song you are going to be learning, and though it may be slightly difficult and repetitive, you need to find something that keeps pushing you through.
And after you’ve learnt your first song, it just keeps getting easier- I promise! I know not everyone knows open chords- and with that assumption in mind, I am also providing the chord diagrams so you can follow along without any problems. There are also tabs linked up, so you can pull them up and see how everything is played.
Before we tackle the list of the easiest songs to learn on guitar, I just want to make sure that we’re all on the same page, so I will show you the basic chords just to refresh your memory. If you’ve yet to learn these, take it slow and practice changing between them till you’re good at it, then follow along. Let’s get on with it, shall we?
Table of Contents
Some Chords You Will Want To Know
As a guitarist, learning and practicing new chords is going to be a life-long activity. You don’t need to know all of the chords, but it’s highly recommended that you master the open chords so you can play most songs with ease.
These chords are super basic and you just need to spend a few minutes to drill them in your memory. If it makes the process any easier, feel free to change between the chords while looking at the diagrams. The chords I want you take a look at are:
C major
C major is super easy to learn- and it’s used in many songs, so you absolutely need to learn this. If the fingering is tricky for you, you can also try the easier Cadd9 version.
D major
Great for playing country and cowboy songs. Just make sure to avoid the thickest two strings while playing.
D minor
Like the D major, you are not supposed to be playing the thickest two strings.
E major
Probably one of the easiest chords you will learn. Take note of the shape- you can also play A minor chord with the same shape.
E minor
Play all the strings loud and clear, and note that there are two Es being played- these are the roots for the chord.
F major
F major is probably going to be tricky for you, but if you keep at it, you’ll get it. I also recommend playing the easier Fmaj7 chord if the fingering with four fingers is tricky for you.
If you already know the open chord version, try the F-barre. It’s a small challenge and can come in very handy later.
G major
Comes up quite often in country songs. Try switching between G major, E minor and C add9 chords- there are many songs that use this change- Bob Marley’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door included!
A major
Probably the first chord you learnt. If the open chord is hard, you can also try barring the second fret starting at the fourth string.
If you’re feeling confident, you can also try the A-barre at the fifth fret. It’s just the F-barre chord shape slid to the fifth fret.
B major
Try playing the open position B major chord or place your index on the fourth to play a barre based on the single-finger A-barre shape.
Reading Tablature
Now that we’ve covered the basic open chords that you will need to know to learn these songs, you also need to know how to read chord diagrams. These are just diagrams that show how to finger a chord.
There are numbers written on the diagram that show which finger is supposed to go on what fret, and which particular string. The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 correspond to the index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers respectively.
If you see a mark ‘O’ above a string, it just means that the string is meant to be played open (without fretting), and the mark ‘X’ means that you’re not supposed to play the string. When looking at the chord diagram for the D major chord, you will realize that the thickest two strings are marked X meaning that you are supposed to mute them, and the fourth string is marked with an O- meaning that it should be played open.
To the left of the chord diagram. You will also find the fret number you are supposed to play on. Reading chord diagrams is very easy but it can refresh your memory of chords- and help learn new chord shapes that you don’t already know.
The Easiest Songs To Learn On Guitar
Kindly note that these songs are supposed to be easy, but since everyone learns at a different pace and you may not have practiced switching between chords before, you might find it a bit tricky. But don’t worry, just practise as slowly as you can, and try to keep a steady tempo, and you will get the hang of it pretty quick.
Knocking On Heaven’s Door- Bob Marley
On top of the list, we’ve got the rock classic Knocking on Heaven’s Door, which is a fantastic song for a beginner to learn not only because of the easy parts but also because the song is very popular.
That makes it a good choice to be played on campfires or parties.
Talking of the chords, there are just four of those – G, D and C. These are super easy and you can even substitute the regular C with Cadd9 to make it even easier.
Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
If you would like an easy song that sounds good, Hallelujah is hard to beat. This classic by Leonard Cohen is a five chord-song and just has the chords Aminor, Cmajor and Fmajor which are pretty easy.
The strumming is also really easy to get used to- and makes for a great song to play at campfires.
Hey Joe- Jimi Hendrix
Every guitarist knows that trying to emulate guitar greats is a good way to improve your guitar skills. Talking about greats, I cannot think any guitarist is as iconic as Jimi Hendrix- making Hey Joe a fantastic song to learn for the guitar novice and intermediate players alike.
The song even has a solo- which can be intimidating at first, but trust me, it gets easier with practice.
For many lead guitarists, Hey Joe was the first solo they learned, so if that’s the footsteps you want to follow in, it’s a great choice.
Nutshell – Alice In Chains
If you’re looking for an easy acoustic song by a metal/rock band, you don’t need to look any further. Their EP Jar of Flies has a lot of bangers, but Nutshell, I think, is one of their best songs for a beginner to get his hands on.
The song is based around just four chords- E minor, C major, G major and D major which just means that it’s super easy. You can just use the ring finger as a pivot- and substitute the regular C major chord with an even easier C add9.
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
If you’re a beginner and want to have a solid grasp of acoustic guitar playing, knowing strumming patterns is a must.
Brown Eyed Girl has got just four chords- G major, E minor, C major and D major which are the I – vi – IV – V in the key of G if you know a bit of theory. All of these chords are super easy and you can nail down the changes with just a few tries.
There are many songs that use the same old G, C and D chords and switch up the strumming a little, so if you get used to this pattern on Brown Eyed Girl, the songs you learn after this will just get easier.
I would suggest that you drill the strumming pattern slow and not rush thinking that learning the song will make you better. You’re much better off if you take it slow and learn the sections thoroughly before moving on to next parts of the song.
This song will cement your understanding of strumming patterns and will help you become an campfire guitar ninja in no time.
Good Riddance – Green Day
Good Riddance is one of the picks from Green Day’s Nimrod album which is a beautiful song that can cause nostalgia. It was apparently written by Billie Joe Armstrong about an ex but the song is nice to listen to. Despite sounding very different from the rest of the tracks on the album and what the band usually sounds like, the song has been received very well in the US bagging millions of sales.
It’s got just five chords- G, C, D, Eminor and Cadd9 which is good for any beginners trying to tackle the song.
After you get used to the chords used, you can try playing the arpeggiated version. Any way you play it is fine as long as you enjoy playing it!
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
If you’ve ever listened to rock classics, you have probably already heard of three little birds. It’s an upbeat song with wonderful lyrics and an easy arrangement. The chords used in the song are A, D and E which are pretty easy to get used to.
You may be a bit confused by the reggae feel of this song but it’s not too hard to get down- it just takes a bit of practice. If you keep at it, every little thing is definitely going to be alright!
I think the hardest part of learning song is going to be the strumming- just make sure that your strumming is pretty close with how it’s being played, then it will be a piece of cake.
Mother – Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is a rock band that I’m very fond of- and if you learn some more songs by the band, the band might just become your next favorite.
The song Mother from the album The Wall just consists of the chords- G, C, D and F which are nice and easy- and if you’ve been playing along to rest of the songs on this list, you’ve probably already mastered the changes.
The chords themselves are pretty easy but the strumming pattern can trip you up if you’re not careful.
Summer of 69 – Bryan Adams
Summer of 69 is another easy song that will have you pining to pick up your electric. The song has been covered plenty of times by numerous artists but you can still find it pretty interesting.
The chords in the song are D major, A major, G major, B minor, F major, Bb major and D minor. You may be tripped up by the variety of chords but you can just keep a note with the changes so you don’t miss out on a chord change.
After you’re done learning the basic version, you’re all set to make the song your own. You can try coming up with your solos/ sections and see if you like them.
Tangerine – Led Zeppelin
Tangerine is definitely on the more difficult side of things, but considering that it’s one of the easier songs by Led Zeppelin, we’ve included it on this list.
The chords used on the song are pretty easy- A minor, G major, C major, D major, D sus2, D sus4, A sus2 and Asus4. If you haven’t seen sus chords before, these are just regular chords with one different.
A regular C major chord has the notes C, E and G, but a C maj sus2 chord includes the second note from the C major scale- D instead of the third- E. So, the C major sus2 would be C – D – G, and similarly, the C sus4 chord would be C – F – G.
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
The song Wish You Were Here is a simple chord with easy-to-play chords like Em7, A7sus4, G major, D major, C major and A minor.
The chord name might sound a bit odd, but it’s pretty easy to play. You can also play this song at parties and campfires, so you’re on your way to building your rock repertoire.
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
If you’re looking for an old school rock song that every 90s kid has heard of, try Sweet Home Alabama!
The song can be played with just C, D and G chords which are super easy. You can also try substituting the C and D with the easier C-add9 and Dsus2 chords if you feel like it.
You may have realized that C, D and G chords make up many songs including Bob Dylan’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Sweet Home Alabama and many more. You can actually try transposing songs to the key of G- and use these three chords for pretty much any song.
Wonderwall – Oasis
Wonderwall is one of the more overplayed songs on this list, but you will find that it’s super easy. The chords in this song are Em, Gmajor, D major, A major and C major which are quite easy by any standards. You can switch the regular C chord out with Cadd9 if it feels easier.
You can have fun experimenting with the strumming patterns on this.
Free Fallin – Tom Petty
Free Fallin is a fantastic song by Tom Petty that you will fall in love with. The chords are D major, A major, Dsus4 and E major which are really easy to get around.
It’s a simple song with easy changes- if you’re not looking for a challenge, and just want to get a song down, this one’s for you.
You do need a capo on the third fret- but that’s all the tricky part involved in the song.
Dead Flowers – The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones used to be huge back in the day, and if you want to learn one of their classics that’s easy to follow-along with, Dead Flowers is a great choice.
The song is in the key of D- and the D, A and G chords are super fun and easy to play around with. I think learning full songs is better than learning just songs for many reasons. The most obvious reason is because you will encounter how song sections encompass a much larger whole- and Dead Flowers does have distinct sections of verse, pre-chorus and chorus.
Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
I think so far, we have taken a look at some very easy songs and this song- Have You Ever Seen The Rain will introduce you to the concept of slash chords and have you playing them in no time at all.
Usually, chords are made out of notes stacked on top of a root note. For example, the C major chord has got C, E and G on top of the low C note which sort of forms a foundation for the rest of the notes. You can also have other notes lower than this C note. If you play a C major chord with a B in the base, you get a C/B slash chord- similarly, an Am/G is just an Aminor chord with a G in the base.
This song by Creedence Clearwater features C, Am, F and G chords which are pretty easy to play. You can play the Fmaj7 in place of the tricky F major chord. There are also two slash chords in the song- C/B and Am/G which are also quite easy to play.
Tips And Tricks To Improve Faster
I think the key to improving at anything, really- is consistency. You can be pretty dumb and average at learning, but if you put aside a certain amount of time to learning, and keep at it for many months, you will no doubt improve at light speeds!
I’ve put together a couple of tips that will help you make the most of your time while learning the guitar.
The Metronome is your Friend
It needs to be said more often- it’s not just drummers who need to embrace the magical qualities of a metronome. All the members in the band need to be in good time as well.
A metronome is just a device that makes a ticking sound. There are plenty of options for you these days- you can get a digital one and customize how each beat sounds, but the one thing that’s common to all kinds of metronomes is the fact that regardless of your skill level, having and using a metronome will help you become adept at listening to and playing in sub-divisions. When you move on to sixteenths and rhythms that are quite tricky, a handy metronome can help you break apart the tricky bits.
You can also improve your speed and work on parts where you play sloppily. Every guitarist knows that a metronome is a valuable tool that’s quintessential for any musician. The one I would recommend is the DB-30C Dr Beat Metronome by Boss.
Tuning Your Way
If there’s one thing that you absolutely don’t want to mess up when playing for an audience, it’s the tuning of your instrument.
On budget instruments, the tuning doesn’t seem to last very long- and if you do have a whammy bar on your instrument, you’re bound to tune your instrument every couple of minutes or so. An untuned guitar sounds like crap, and the unholy sound will irk your neighbors as well as your family which is never a good thing.
It also messes up your ear which is a bad thing. TC Electronic PolyTune Clip is a clip-on electronic tuner that I would recommend. It fits nicely on the neck of your instrument and it’s fairly accurate, so considering taking a look at it if you’re looking for a chromatic tuner.
Ear Training
Many players focus on ear training exercises in their second or third year of playing but what I would recommend is to get familiar with the basic intervals from the start.
Intervals are the building blocks of music and regardless of how advanced you get on the guitar, if you cannot play by ear, it will always be a huge setback. There’s also the fact that many tabs on the internet are fallible, so if you can discern what they’re doing wrong, you will be in a much better position.
Learning to hear harmonies also helps when you need to make chord choices for reharmonization or need to write original material for your band’s next project. Even if all you want to do is make covers of popular songs, having a decent ear can make the learning process faster and painless.
Jamming
I know what you might be thinking- jamming must be for somebody who is at least familiar with all the basic chords and knows what to play over what chord. That’s somewhat true but if you want to improve at phenomenal rates, I would suggest that you get as much experience as you can in improvising and jamming even if all you can contribute is two notes.
If your friend is playing a major chord, you can play the same chord in another position or play in one of the pentatonic positions for that key.
You will always learn the most by taking the initiative and struggling- so if you are clueless about how to come up with your own solos and how to play with others, that’s all the more reason for you to get started doing these things. Here’s a resource that might help you get started with jamming.
You need to be aware of the fact that sometimes, players will show you new chord shapes and introduce you to new concepts. It can be intimidating- and I know you may want to go for easier explanations that don’t go all over your head, but if you really want to learn faster, just note down all the concepts that you don’t understand and search them on the internet.
For instance, you may hear the terms dominant chords- and arpeggios being thrown around a lot. Instead of ignoring them as jargon, you can instead, try searching for them. A C major dominant chord means that it’s a major chord with a b7 thrown into the mix. You can easily find the chord diagrams if you do a quick google search- and that will lead you to learn more. An arpeggio is just a bunch of note that you would play- C E G B is a simple arpeggio in the C major scale that sounds good when you play over chords that fit the C major scale.
Where To Next?
The songs listed so far have been pretty easy, and I’m sure you have learnt those with little to no difficulty. If you found some part of a song hard, just keep at it- devote some time to it, and you will be on your way to mastering that song.
After you’re done learning the songs with the easy chords, I would recommend trying them out with different chords. You can try playing the songs with barre chords as well as seventh chords if you are familiar with them. This can be a great experience and it can open a world of new experience to you.
If you’ve never used a capo before, you should try using one. It costs a couple of dollars- and for what it’s worth, you can freely change the sound of your songs. It’s also a great tool in any song-writer’s arsenal. Experimenting with fingerstyle, different strumming patterns and reharmonizing song sections can also be a great idea.
Becoming a guitarist is more about playing songs than learning new chords and getting familiar with complex theory you won’t really use- so don’t worry too much about learning hard chords. After you’ve tackled songs on this list, you should be on your way to learn more songs that you like. Elvis Presley, Cold Play, Green Day and Johnny Cash are some of the players I think have got great songs for beginners and intermediate players alike.
Do remember that playing a song is easy- but adding your personal touch to it can be very difficult. It takes years of experience and a lot of thought to make a cover your own- so if you feel like you’re butchering your favorite songs, don’t worry about it. The important thing is to enjoy the process- the growth part happens naturally.
The fastest way to improve is to keep playing, and even if you feel like you’re not improving, just keep at it, and you will find your skills growing with time and practice. I like to play along to old records and songs on repeat so my time is spot-on. Practicing with a metronome is also a good idea- and it can improve your sense of time and make you more comfortable with time subdivisions.
Final Thoughts
Learning full songs is a huge part of improving in any player’s journey. If you are just a beginner and know the basic chords but are intimidated by what songs you should learn- and what should be your first song, pick one that feels the closest to you.
You don’t necessarily need to start out with a hard song but being consistent with practice and learning the song in its entirety can be extremely helpful when trying to improve musically. Of course, play with a metronome as much as you can, tune up your instruments before playing and record yourself in the process. Listening to your own playing can help you figure out any shortcomings in your playing and make suitable changes in the future.
So far, we’ve looked at 16 of the easiest guitar songs that you should absolutely consider learning if you are serious about learning the guitar and being a pro later on. I hope this post has been helpful for you, and you have a fun time learning these songs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the easiest songs to learn for beginners on the guitar?
There are fantastic songs for beginners on this list – I think Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is a great choice as the strumming pattern is super easy to get down and you won’t be confused by the timing as well. Wonderwall by Oasis is also a good choice but it tends to be one of the more overplayed songs on the list.
Should beginners try easy songs or hard songs?
I think it depends on each individual player. If you feel very attached to a song and don’t mind the difficulty, going for an intermediate-level song is fine. But if you would like to feel motivated during the process and find yourself lacking internal drive, I would suggest sticking to easy songs.
Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix is a great choice if you are looking for something that poses bit of a challenge. It’s not too hard but it should keep you occupied for quite some time. It sounds good – and if you stick with this song, you will learn many things in the process.