Easy tunes for a beginner

[KINGPAUL]

Hey gang just a quick question, one of the fellas at work just started learning to play, he has started with the A, D, and E chords and wants a song to work on, sadly I am not a strummer, nor do I listen to much popular radio music anymore, so I am on the hunt for easy beginner tunes he can strum, I know he likes classic rock, but I am sure anything popular is ok,, any suggestions would be great, thank you very much

[Scootch]

My Girlfriend is beginning learning guitar, and I just got her this book:
http://www.melbay.com/Products/NGB30...ss-guitar.aspx

I was impressed at the detailed but casual approach.

[TBman]

Classic as in.... Beatles or later, like Led Zepplin, Neil Young?

There has to be tons of easy chord books for all of the above. Maybe even google "classic rock guitar songs for beginners"

[Jusca]

Justinguitar's level 1 of the beginner songs, I believe, uses songs in the key of A.

[Mandobart]

Just about any blues song, if he doesn't mind singing in A. Otherwise show him first position B7 and he has blues in E.

[SunnyDee]

This guy, Andy Crowley, is great for beginners and he gives 10 good songs right away with E and A in Level 1, then he adds D and songs with D in Level 2. His free courses go on for few levels. The free strumming course is also excellent for beginners.

https://www.andyguitar.co.uk/online-...inner-level-1/

[HodgdonExtreme]

If he's already got E, A and D, all he's gotta do is add a G (which anybody should learn ASAP anyway), and he can play Heart of Gold by Neil Young.

It's a great beginner choice, because it sounds good with regular Em and D chords, but can be a segue into learning some different chord voicings when played "properly" with Em/B and Dsus2.

Additionally, there is some really basic hammer-on stuff to learn with that song. Easy to sing/play at the same time, too.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by HodgdonExtreme

If he's already got E, A and D, all he's gotta do is add a G (which anybody should learn ASAP anyway), and he can play Heart of Gold by Neil Young.

Well, he needs Em, not E. But of course if he knows E, then Em is even easier.

I agree any beginner should also learn G, and C, along with E A and D (and Em, Am and Dm, and B7). Then they're equipped to play countless rock, folk and pop songs.

Neil Young is a great source of easy strumming songs: Helpless (D, A, G) and Unknown Legend (G, C), as well as Heart of Gold.

Dylan too, of course: dozens of songs with just 3 easy chords.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by KINGPAUL

Hey gang just a quick question, one of the fellas at work just started learning to play, he has started with the A, D, and E chords and wants a song to work on

As mentioned, justinguitar has a series of beginner lessons on songs using those 3 chords.

This site - https://www.andyguitar.co.uk/online-...ginner-course/ - also has some easy songs using just E and A (level 1), and E A and D (level 2). (He uses a capo to put the E and A songs into their original keys.) The songs are not all complete, but make good intros and exercises.

[Gmountain]

Leaving on a Jet Plane is easy.

A Horse With No Name is only two chords.

[beninma]

The Justinguitar ones are often frustrating though.. he's simplified the songs so much they often don't have the right chords, and he's not telling you the correct strum patterns for a lot of the stage 1 (A/D/E) songs. It's also hard to figure out sometimes how many measures you need to play in between the chord changes.

I'm not real happy I bought his songbook, it's basically so simplified it's not rewarding cause you think you're playing it wrong even when you're actually playing it the way he wants you to. And it's also so simplified it doesn't reward listening to the song and trying to play along.

[rbriggs82]

Originally Posted by beninma

The Justinguitar ones are often frustrating though.. he's simplified the songs so much they often don't have the right chords, and he's not telling you the correct strum patterns for a lot of the stage 1 (A/D/E) songs. It's also hard to figure out sometimes how many measures you need to play in between the chord changes.

I'm not real happy I bought his songbook, it's basically so simplified it's not rewarding cause you think you're playing it wrong even when you're actually playing it the way he wants you to. And it's also so simplified it doesn't reward listening to the song and trying to play along.

That's just for the first couple stages. As you get going the songs become more complicated and authentic which makes sense. I like his intermediate stuff in the acoustic and vintage songbooks.

[beninma]

Originally Posted by rbriggs82

That's just for the first couple stages. As you get going the songs become more complicated and authentic which makes sense. I like his intermediate stuff in the acoustic and vintage songbooks.

I'll have to take a look again.. I started taking lessons with a teacher and he's got me on a very different path. I will go back to the justinguitar stuff once in a while and it still seems like a frustrating path. I can do most of the A/D/E stuff just fine, but when I look at the book there is a lot missing.. partly cause I don't want to have to sit through a video to find out the rest of it. I don't think I'm really a video learner. And when I do look at videos.. I find some of the other stuff on youtube better than Justin.

[rbriggs82]

Originally Posted by beninma

I'll have to take a look again.. I started taking lessons with a teacher and he's got me on a very different path. I will go back to the justinguitar stuff once in a while and it still seems like a frustrating path. I can do most of the A/D/E stuff just fine, but when I look at the book there is a lot missing.. partly cause I don't want to have to sit through a video to find out the rest of it. I don't think I'm really a video learner. And when I do look at videos.. I find some of the other stuff on youtube better than Justin.

Yeah different strokes for different folks. When I started I did his entire beginner course not just the songs. The lessons in each stage have a series of songs that allow you to put into practice what you've learned during that stage. I enjoyed it and for me it was a good place to start.

Afterwards I signed up for guitar tricks.com and did their complete beginners course one and two. A lot of the lessons overlapped but I learned things there I didn't get from Justin and vice versa.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Gmountain

Leaving on a Jet Plane is easy

Well, you've got to buy a ticket, get to the airport and everything...