Learn how to play guitar with the following easy guitar chord songs. These are great for a beginner student’s first lesson.
What songs can you play with your easy guitar chords?
You’d be surprised that with your basic chords, you can now play your favorite songs from your favorite artists. Most of the wonderful songs of different genres are easy guitar chord songs made in simple chord progressions.
Easy Guitar Chord Songs
Here are six easy guitar chord songs that are perfect for beginners. Learn how to play your first song in minutes. Best of all, they’re fun and you can play them with a friend!
This song was a hit back in 1961 and then in 1986 but has become a timeless song. It was able to stay alive from one generation to another. Playing this song will inspire both the guitarist and the person listening with its comforting melody and message. As a beginner, you can surely play this song well with only four chords: G – Em – C – D – G, the first chord progression you learned with us.
The chords is the same in all parts of the song: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Instrumental and Outro.
G — Em — C D G (Capo 2)
- G – 2 bars of 4 counts (8 counts)
- Em – 2 bars of 4 counts (8 counts)
- C – 4 counts
- D – 4 counts
- G – 2 bars of 4 counts (8 counts)
You can strum it in counts 1, 3 and 4 (down strum), rest on count 2. Later on, you can explore other strum patterns.
The pop rock band, Maroon 5, released a pop ballad song in 2012 describing a romance that ended shortly. It is played in capo 4, placing your capo on the 4th fret. You can still play it without a capo if you’re comfortable with the lower pitch.
Just like the first song, it has the same chords with a different chord pattern. The best part is you also get to play the same chord pattern from intro, verse, chorus and the rap section until the end of the song: C G Em D. Each chord gets four (4) counts before you change chords.
This song is a gem, you’ll surely feel good playing a classic song, in 1962, from the legendary The Beatles. Who would’ve thought you only need three chords to play this song: G, C, and D? Don’t get pressured with the tempo, 148 bpm, because you can still play it with a down strum pattern on counts 1, 2, 3 , and 4 as a beginner.
Each chord gets four counts except for the last word of the verse: “please – – ” playing it with 8 counts, plus 1 count then a sudden break. The chord D major (D) in the bridge and instrumental part also gets 8 counts.
- Intro/Verse G C
- Bridge/Instrumental D C G
You can play the song by strumming on all four counts giving accent on counts 2 and 4.
Another bullet in your easy guitar chord songs is Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. This song was written for a movie soundtrack and became a worldwide hit, reaching Top 10 in several countries with different versions from other famous artists in the industry. If you haven’t played an A minor (Am) chord yet, it looks exactly the same in form with E major (E), getting all fingers down with one string.
1-G 2 3-D 4, 1-Am 2 3 4
1-G 2 3-D 4, 1-C 2 3 4
Still counting one to four, strum G major (G) on count 1 and D major (D) on count 3, then A minor (Am) on count 1 of the 2nd cycle. Play the chords in this sequence all throughout the song.
You can also play it strumming on all four counts with G and D receiving 2 counts while Am and C get 4 counts each. The slow beat will allow you to adjust comfortably in playing the song.
Let’s go reggae with the famous Bob Marley! Indeed, don’t worry about a thing as the song would say because you only need three chords to play this song with a tempo of 76 bpm. This feel good music brings a good vibe to those who are listening, “singing don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing is gonna be alright”.
These are the chord patterns used in the song:
Chorus
A — D A (A – 8 counts; D – 4 counts; A – 4 counts)
A — D A (A – 8 counts; D – 4 counts; A – 4 counts)
Verse /Solo
A E A D
A E D A
This song ideally counts 1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n, strumming on every “n” to give you a reggae groove but as a beginner, you can still simply count one to four and strum on all four counts. All chords receive 4 counts each except for the 1st A major (A) chord on the chorus’ chord progression, it receives 8 counts or 2 bars of 4 counts. Therefore, don’t worry, you’ll find it very easy to play as you play along with the music during your practice.
To complete your list of easy guitar chord songs, how about this song from the 90s? It was written by Don Von Tress with him “just fooling around on the guitar and a drum machine“. The song is in the key of A Major (A) and has only two chords: A and E. You will surely enjoy playing this easy 2 chords song.
Your chord pattern is,
A — E —- A –
A – 3 bars of 4 counts or 12 counts; E – 4 bars of 4 counts or 16 counts ; A – 1 bar of 4 counts
This chord pattern applies to both verses and chorus.
If you can easily form your chords and change chords faster, then you can also explore other strum patterns or practice the exact strumming pattern of the song.
How to effectively practice these simple chord songs?
Once you’ve learned how to play the chords and songs, it is essential that you practice regularly to achieve muscle memory. This means that your fingers will automatically form the shapes of the chords without having to think about it too much.
Here are some effective tips on how you can practice these easy guitar chord songs:
- Find a quiet place where you can focus on your playing – This is important so that you can hear each note and chord clearly. It also allows you to focus on your finger placement and strumming pattern.
- Practice one song at a time – Don’t try to learn all the songs at once, focus on one song and get comfortable with it before moving on.
- Listen to the song a few times and get familiar with the tune – This is the first step in learning any new song. By listening to the song and getting familiar with the melody, you’ll be able to better understand the chords and how they fit into the overall song.
- Start by practicing the chords first – Get a feel of how the song flows by playing the chords in sequence.
- Start slow – Don’t try to play the songs at full speed right away. Start slow and gradually increase the tempo as you get comfortable with the song.
- Practice with a metronome – This will also help you help keep time and develop a sense of timing and rhythm.
- Break the song down into small sections and practice each section slowly – Practice each section slowly and accurately. You can start with the chorus or verse that you find easiest and then move on to the more difficult parts.
- Once you’re comfortable with the chords, start adding in the lyrics – This is where you’ll really start to feel like you’re playing the song. Focus on nailing down the timing of the chords and lyrics so that it sounds natural.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat – Play each song several times so that you can really get comfortable with the chord changes and strumming pattern.
- Record yourself playing the song and then listen back to see how you can improve – This will help you to identify any mistakes that you might be making.
- Build up speed gradually – Once you can play the entire song from memory, speed up the tempo and add your own personal flair to the performance.
- Get a friend or family member to sing along with you as you play – This will make the practice more fun and help you to keep to the correct tempo.
- Perform the song for others – This will help to boost your confidence and also give you a chance to show off your new skills!
Easy guitar chord songs are a great way to learn how to play the guitar. By starting with simple songs, you can build up your skills and confidence level. So choose a song that you love and get started today!
Play More Easy Guitar Chord Songs!
Those six (6) songs are just a few of a hundred easy guitar chord songs. You will enjoy guitar playing even as a beginner. You will make mistakes but you will surely play better if you build on the right foundation as you practice playing your basic guitar chords.
Remember, don’t learn everything so fast, take it slow! One song at a time and don’t forget to always go back to the basics of stretching, finger exercises and of course, cleaning your guitar before and after playing.
Nothing beats doing and learning the right way!