Ten Easy Rock Songs For Guitar Beginners

When I started playing guitar, nobody taught me how to do it. It wasn't easy at first. My fretting hand's fingertips were so painful that I couldn't touch anything for days! But once I got the hang of it, I discovered it was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. Over the years I would look back at those times and smile thinking how my life was changed the moment I picked up the guitar. It was actually my big sister's guitar. However it turned out that I was more inclined to it that she was. She eventually turned over all the guitar playing duties to me.

I thought of making a random list of easy guitar songs that beginners might want to try playing, just to get things started. It will cover different genres but the objective is to improve playing, one song at a time. These are the criteria I've used for the selection of the songs:

a) Minimal number of chords -the less chords in a song, the easier it is to remember how to play it.

Ten Easy Rock Songs For Guitar Beginners

b) Minimal barre chords - barre chords require us to use our fretting hand's index finger to press all 6 strings in a particular fret. Less barre chords is better for beginners.

c) Familiarity of the song - the songs are some of the most popular during their times.

And since we're talking about beginner songs here, the primary goal of this list is to give novice players some songs to STRUM the guitar along with. No point in doing any complicated stuff yet. We have to first establish the rhythm within the player. So here it goes, in no particular order:

1. "Horse With No Name" - America

Chords: Em, F#m7sus

2. "Leaving On A Jet Plane" - John Denver

Chords: G, C, D

3. "No Rain" - Blind Melon

Chords: E, D, A, G

4. "Every Rose Has It's Thorns" - Poison

Chords: G, C, D, Em

5. "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan/Guns N' Roses

Chords: G, C, D, Am

6. "One" - U2

Chords: Am, D7, FM7, G

7. "Four Strong Winds" - Neil Young

Chords: C, Dm, G, F

8. "I Remember You" - Skid Row

Chords: G, C, D, Am, Em

9. "Come As You Are" - Nirvana

Chords: Em, D, G, Am, C

10. "Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton

Chords: G, D, C, Em, Am

Finger placement:

C (x-3-2-0-1-0)

D (x-x-0-2-3-2)

D7 (x-x-0-2-1-2)

E (0-2-2-1-0-0)

Em (0-2-2-0-0-0)

A (x-0-2-2-2-0)

Am (x-0-2-2-1-0)

F (x-x-3-2-1-1)

FM7 (x-x-3-2-1-0)

F#m7sus (2-0-0-2-0-0) G (3-2-0-0-0-3)

Legend:

D (x-x-0-2-3-2)

D - the chord name

x - E string will not be struck

x - A string will not be struck

0 - D string open

2 - Press G string on 2nd fret

3 - Press B string on 3rd fret

2 - Press e string on 2nd fret

There you go! Most of the songs have similar chords. That way, if we can recall chords from another some and incorporate that chord into another song then you get to practice applied knowledge. Ain't that grand!

Happy practicing!

Ten Easy Rock Songs For Guitar Beginners
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Enrico Monsanto is a freelance writer, avid guitar player and teacher. Read about famous guitar players and their legendary guitars at his website, Legendary Guitars.