Easiest songs to learn on guitar

Short answer: the easiest songs to learn on guitar use three or four open chords and a steady strumming pattern. Start with a song you actually like, because that is the one you will practice.

Six easy songs to start with

All six use only open chords you can learn in your first few weeks. The shapes below are the common simplified versions. The original recordings may be in a different key, so a capo is sometimes used to match them.

All six are on my song list, so I play them live too.

What makes a song easy

• Few chords. Three or four is plenty. Many hit songs use no more.
• Open chords only. No barre chords, which take longer to build up to.
• A steady strum. A simple down-down-up-up-down pattern carries a surprising number of songs.
• Slow chord changes. You get a full bar to move your fingers, not half a beat.

How to learn your first song

1. Learn the chord shapes on their own until each one rings clean.
2. Practice switching between just two chords, slowly, until it does not feel like a puzzle.
3. Add the strumming pattern with one chord, then the whole progression.
4. Play it along with the recording once it feels comfortable.

Pick the song you love

The most useful rule I can give you: a slightly harder song you love beats an easier song you do not care about. Motivation wins every time. If the song you really want is not on this list, that is exactly what lessons are for. I build the plan around the music you want to learn, so the first thing we do is get you playing it, simplified if needed, and then build up from there. See the lessons page for how it works.

Quick answers