Songs for beginners
Easy Guitar Songs for Beginners (with Chords)
From children’s songs with one chord to campfire singalongs, pop and rock: how to choose a song that fits your level and learn it step by step.
Short answer: Easy guitar songs for beginners are songs with two to four open chords and a relaxed tempo. Think of Three Little Birds (A, D, E), Ring of Fire (G, C, D) and Let It Be (C, G, Am, F). Start with children’s songs or campfire classics, practice the chord changes first and only sing along once the playing comes naturally.
At a glance
How to choose an easy song
Few chords
A song is easy when it has few chords, those chords are open and the changes don’t come too fast.
Three chords, lots of songs
With G, C and D, or A, D and E, you can already play many well-known songs.
Start with children’s songs
Children’s songs with one or two chords are the fastest way to play your first song.
Singing and fingerpicking later
Only add fingerpicking and singing once the chord changes go smoothly. A capo puts the song in your key.
Choosing
What makes a guitar song easy?
Easy guitar songs have few different chords, those chords are open shapes and you change no more than once per bar. Look at these six points when you choose.
Number of chords
Start with two or three chords, and only move on to four once the changes go smoothly.
Open chords
Choose shapes like G, C, D, Em, Am, A and E. Leave barre chords like F and Bm for a while, or use an easier version.
Relaxed tempo
Slow and mid-tempo songs give you time to change chords.
Lots of repetition
Songs where the verse and chorus use the same chords are the quickest to learn.
Familiar melody
If you already know the melody, you hear right away whether you’re on track.
The right key
If a song is too high or too low for your voice, move it with a capo without learning new shapes.
The basics
Which chords do you need for easy songs?
With G, C, D and Em you can play most easy pop and campfire songs. Learn these four first and, above all, practice switching between them.
Read the diagrams from the low E string (left) to the high e (right): don’t play a string with an x, a circle is an open string and a dot is a finger on that fret. Then add A (x02220), E (022100) and Am (x02210) for the songs in A and D. Why certain chords keep showing up together is explained in which guitar chords go together.
F still too hard?
F is a barre chord you can leave for a while. At first, replace it with Fmaj7 (xx3210). If your changes are still clumsy, the tips for changing chords faster will help.
By number of chords
Easy guitar songs with chords
The easiest guitar songs use two or three chords from one key, usually the first, fourth and fifth chord: G, C and D, or A, D and E. Once you know one of these groups, you can play a whole range of songs right away.
| Chords | Song | Chords used | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 chord | Frère Jacques (children’s song) | G | A round: just practice the rhythm |
| 2 chords | Mary Had a Little Lamb (children’s song) | G, D | Relaxed tempo |
| 2 chords | Clementine (traditional) | G, D7 | D7 leads back to G |
| 3 chords | Three Little Birds (Bob Marley) | A, D, E | Accent on the offbeat |
| 3 chords | Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) | G, C, D | Country rhythm with an alternating bass |
| 3 chords | Love Me Do (The Beatles) | G, C, D | Relaxed tempo, lots of G |
| 3 chords | Twist and Shout (The Beatles) | D, G, A | The same progression throughout |
| 3 chords | Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival) | D, A, G | Upbeat: practice slowly first |
| 3 chords | Happy Birthday | G, C, D7 | Start on G |
| 3 chords | La Bamba (Ritchie Valens) | C, F, G | Play F as Fmaj7 (xx3210) |
| 4 chords | Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan) | G, D, Am, C | Four chords that keep coming back |
| 4 chords | Stand By Me (Ben E. King) | G, Em, C, D | Works around the campfire too |
| 4 chords | Zombie (The Cranberries) | Em, C, G, D | Rock with open chords |
| 4 chords | Let It Be (The Beatles) | C, G, Am, F | Play F as Fmaj7 |
You’ll find more songs and tips for rhythm and variety in easy guitar songs with 3 chords. If you like country, see ten easy country songs for beginners.
By theme
Easy guitar songs by theme
Looking for a song for a party, the campfire or just for yourself? Choose a theme. Each theme has an article with more songs, chord shapes and strumming patterns.
Children’s songs
The fastest route to your first song. Frère Jacques takes one chord; Mary Had a Little Lamb and London Bridge Is Falling Down take G and D.
Campfire songs and singalongs
A chorus everyone knows and chords you can find even in the dark. With G, C, D, Em and Am you get a long way.
Pop and rock
Many hits run on the same four chords. If you know G, D, Em and C, you can play along with a large share of them using a capo.
Birthdays and Christmas
Songs everyone knows, so the group sings along naturally. Three chords, like G, C and D, are usually enough.
Romantic
Calm songs with pop chords, plus minor and maj7 chords. You play Perfect (Ed Sheeran) with G, Em, C and D and a capo on fret 1.
More children’s songs
- Two chords: Skip to My Lou and Clementine use G and D7.
- Three chords: Old MacDonald Had a Farm, in C (C, F, G) or in G (G, C, D).
Starting from zero? Begin with the first children’s songs with 2 chords or read learning children’s songs without sheet music.
More party songs and romantic songs
- Birthday: Happy Birthday.
- Christmas: Silent Night in G (G, C, D7) or in C (C, F, G7). More in easy Christmas songs for beginners.
- Romantic: play Wonderful Tonight and Thinking Out Loud with simple strums first. See romantic songs on guitar and easy Ed Sheeran songs.
Singalongs and hits
Campfire songs, pop and rock for beginners
Many pop songs are built on the same four chords, often in the order I-V-vi-IV: in G that’s G, D, Em and C, in C it’s C, G, Am and F. Once you know those four, you can play along with lots of hits and singalongs, even when the recording is in another key and you use a capo.
Campfire songs and singalongs
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan): G, D, Am and C.
- Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver): the chorus runs mainly on G, D, Em and C.
- Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan): calm, with open chords.
- A Horse with No Name (America): runs on two chords.
- Kumbaya and Sweet Caroline: the whole group sings along.
How to play and sing without losing the group is covered in playing campfire songs and singing along, and tuning outdoors in tips for playing guitar at a campfire.
Pop songs
- Let It Be (The Beatles): C, G, Am and F, with Fmaj7 instead of F.
- Stand By Me (Ben E. King): in G with G, Em, C and D.
- Wonderwall (Oasis): capo on fret 2; two fingers stay in place throughout.
Rock songs
Rock for beginners is all about open chords or power chords and a solid rhythm, like Zombie (The Cranberries) with Em, C, G and D. More in learning well-known pop songs, Beatles songs on guitar and rock classics for beginners.
Approach
How to learn guitar songs the easy way
You learn a new song fastest in small steps, from individual chords to the whole song.
1
Listen and count
Listen to the song a few times and count the beat along with it.
2
Practice the chords on their own
Find a chord chart and practice each chord until it rings clearly.
3
Tackle the hardest change
Practice that change separately, back and forth.
4
Four strums per chord
Play the whole song with four downstrokes per chord, at a relaxed tempo.
5
Strumming pattern and recording
Add a strumming pattern and play along with the recording.
6
Only then sing along
Sing along once you can play the chords without thinking.
A detailed approach, from the right guitar to practicing playing styles, is in learning to play guitar songs: tips and tricks.
Singing and playing at the same time
First hum the melody while you play, then sing only the chorus and mark on your sheet where the changes fall. If it goes wrong, play one strum per beat. You’ll find songs in easy songs to sing and play on guitar, the technique in combining singing and guitar and the right key in accompanying yourself on guitar.
Fingerpicking
Fingerpicking songs on guitar
Fingerpicking a song means you pluck the strings of a chord one by one with your fingers instead of strumming them all at once with a pick. You keep the same chord shapes; only your picking hand does something different.
1
Fret a chord
Start with Am (x02210), for example.
2
Thumb on the bass note
Play the lowest note of the chord with your thumb; for Am that’s the A string.
3
Three fingers
Then play the G string with your index finger, the B string with your middle finger and the high e with your ring finger.
4
Repeat for each chord
Only move on to the next chord once the pattern runs well at a relaxed tempo.
Good songs to fingerpick are House of the Rising Sun (The Animals) with Am, C, D, F and E, and Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) with C, Am, F, G and E7. Play the F as Fmaj7 (xx3210) until barre chords work for you. You’ll find patterns in learning fingerpicking on acoustic guitar and a daily fingerpicking exercise.
Go deeper
Further reading about songs
How soon can you play your first song? →
What to expect in the first weeks.
Playing along with the radio →
How to recognize chords and keys by ear.
Short pieces everyone recognizes right away.
Simple riffs to go with your chords.
Chords for well-known Coldplay songs.
Lighthearted songs for a party.
Recognizable tunes from well-known shows.
Singalongs from the stadium.
Timing when singing with guitar →
Keeping your vocals and rhythm tight.
Singing and fingerpicking together →
The next step once fingerpicking goes well.
Games to practice chords and rhythm.
Why simple songs work so well.
Read more
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about easy guitar songs
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What are easy guitar songs for beginners?
Easy guitar songs have two to four open chords, a relaxed tempo and few changes per bar. Examples are Three Little Birds (A, D, E), Ring of Fire (G, C, D) and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (G, D, Am, C). Children’s songs like Frère Jacques and Mary Had a Little Lamb are even simpler.
What song should you learn first on guitar?
For your first song, choose one with one or two chords that you know well, like Frère Jacques (G) or Mary Had a Little Lamb (G and D). After that, a song with three chords, like Love Me Do or Ring of Fire, is a logical next step.
Which chords do you need for easy songs?
With G, C, D and Em you can play most easy pop and campfire songs. Add A, E and Am and you also have the songs in A and D. At first, you can replace F with Fmaj7.
What songs can you play with just 3 chords?
With G, C and D you can play Ring of Fire and Love Me Do, among others, and with A, D and E you play Three Little Birds. Twist and Shout and Bad Moon Rising use D, G and A. Many children’s songs, birthday songs and Christmas songs also use three chords.
How do you fingerpick a song on guitar?
Hold the chord shape and pluck the strings one by one with your fingers: your thumb plays the lowest note and your index, middle and ring fingers play the G, B and high e strings. Repeat that pattern for each chord. House of the Rising Sun and Hallelujah are good songs to practice with.
How do you learn to sing and play guitar at the same time?
First practice the song without singing until the chords come naturally. Then hum the melody along, next sing only the chorus, and build up to the whole song that way. A simpler strumming pattern helps if it still goes wrong.
Choose your first song today
Grab G, C and D, pick a song from the table and play it at a relaxed tempo with four strums per chord. Add singing and fingerpicking once the changes go smoothly.