Question About Song Difficulty for a Beginner

[EasyEdOG]

I'm interested in trying (again) to learn to play the guitar. I started self-training/online lessons during Covid but lost interest way too soon. I recently read some advice that said to focus on learning a song that interests you while you're learning the basics to help stay motivated. That makes sense to me (probably something all of you would have recommended as well, lol).

So with that in mind, here are some songs I'd really like to learn to play and I'd like advice on which ones might be easiest to start with. Better yet, even rank order all of them or suggest something similar.

In no particular order:

- Broken - Seether
- Take Me Back (Deja Vu) - Van Halen
- Don't Follow - Alice in Chains
- She talks to Angels - Black Crows
- River of Deceit - Mad Season
- Save Today - Seether

- Say Hello to Heaven - Temple of the Dog (not sure this qualifies as acoustic)

I appreciate any and all advice!

Ed

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by EasyEdOG

I'm interested in trying (again) to learn to play the guitar. I started self-training/online lessons during Covid but lost interest way too soon. I recently read some advice that said to focus on learning a song that interests you while you're learning the basics to help stay motivated. That makes sense to me (probably something all of you would have recommended as well, lol).

So with that in mind, here are some songs I'd really like to learn to play and I'd like advice on which ones might be easiest to start with. Better yet, even rank order all of them or suggest something similar.

In no particular order:

- Broken - Seether
- Take Me Back (Deja Vu) - Van Halen
- Don't Follow - Alice in Chains
- She talks to Angels - Black Crows
- River of Deceit - Mad Season
- Save Today - Seether

- Say Hello to Heaven - Temple of the Dog (not sure this qualifies as acoustic)

I appreciate any and all advice!

Ed

I'd say you need to pick WAY simpler songs if you're a beginner. She Talks To Angels and Save Today are both in alternate tunings, and Broken isn't hard but that D figure up front can be tricky for a beginner. I don't know the others.

Given the stuff you're listening to, "Runaway Train" might be a good place to start: straightforward open chords throughout.

[pickinray]

Here is a link to a lesson by Marty Schwartz on how to play "She Talks to Angels":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2_0GAX-JhM

It's in open E tuning. It might be a little too advanced for a beginner, but it's not terribly difficult, either. The suggestion of "Runaway Train" above is a good one. A lot of Tom Petty's songs are pretty straightforward, too. "Free Fallin" is a good beginner-level song.

[lowrider]

You've got to learn some basics before you can play anything. Justin Guitar has a very good system of lessons online. Look him up and follow his lesson plan. Along the way he'll give you some songs that you can play with what you know.

It's not a lot of fun at first, but you've got to get some basics under you. It's like learning to be a carpenter. The first day you don't build the Empire State Building, you're lucky if you can nail together a dog house.

Good luck and be patient.

[Jamolay]

I agree. Best to start with some structured lesson program. If you jump right in to trying to play dream songs, you will end up frustrated.

Justin Guitar is a very good suggestion. Plus you can do a lot of it free, donating what you feel appropriate when you figure out how valuable it was.

If you buy something, he has a great beginners play along app that lets you start playing songs very early. At least strum along versions of them.

There are plenty of ways to learn, and many have succeeded without guidance just trying to figure it all out. But so many fail. Set yourself up for success.

[airborne1]

Are you able to play the basic open chords?

Can you transition from chord to chord cleanly and in tempo?

I believe some level of chord competency is required to play even “beginner” songs in my humble opinion.

Good luck in your journey!

[RP]

Originally Posted by EasyEdOG

In no particular order:

- Broken - Seether
- Take Me Back (Deja Vu) - Van Halen
- Don't Follow - Alice in Chains
- She talks to Angels - Black Crows
- River of Deceit - Mad Season
- Save Today - Seether

- Say Hello to Heaven - Temple of the Dog (not sure this qualifies as acoustic)


Ed

This list makes me feel old and disconnected. Good luck with your instruction...

[Mycroft]

You might try doing a google search for "easy90s acoustic songs" and see what comes up. You want simple (or songs that can be played simply) 3-chord songs to get started on. That is why many folks of my age cohort started out with songs like "A Horse with No Name" (2 chords) or "Knockin' on Heavens Door."

You want something with a strong Rhythm guitar part, like the Cranberies "Zombie."

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

I'd say you need to pick WAY simpler songs if you're a beginner. She Talks To Angels and Save Today are both in alternate tunings, and Broken isn't hard but that D figure up front can be tricky for a beginner. I don't know the others.

Given the stuff you're listening to, "Runaway Train" might be a good place to start: straightforward open chords throughout.

Extra comment: I completely agree that jumping in and learning the minimum necessary to play simple songs you like is a good approach, at least for some people. I was one of those, still am. I'm just saying pick simple stuff to start with and go from there. You don't need to jump right into some double-drop-D masterpiece, but you also don't really need to spend weeks studying right-hand rhythm patterns that you'll pick up in minutes by just playing along with something you like. Lots of right answers, just pick the one that seems like it'll work for you.

[mawmow]

Unfortunately, I do not know any of the songs you mention
(My mother tongue is French and I live outside USA)

But since you want to begin to play the guitar by yourself with minimal help,
I suggest you look at online fakebooks sites and choose songs and arrangements that allow to use easy open chords.
Those sites give the original chords but they allow to transpose in other keys with easier chords to play. Many song use only three simple chords.
Never give up !

[Juiced06GTO]

I've never had a formal lesson, the first song I learned to play when I was about 12, was Wild Thing, three simple power chords, and I annoyed the entire house playing it over and over again.

Once I got that down though the fuse was lit and I went from there, mostly electric guitar stuff, Metallica, Pantera, Slayer type stuff. Then around 14-15 my buddy introduced me to Stevie Ray Vaughn and down another rabbit hole I went, and then a few years after that a friends father introduced me to great acoustic music by Brooks Williams and on and on from there....

Get one tune down and it will build from there!

[pickinray]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Extra comment: I completely agree that jumping in and learning the minimum necessary to play simple songs you like is a good approach, at least for some people. I was one of those, still am. I'm just saying pick simple stuff to start with and go from there. You don't need to jump right into some double-drop-D masterpiece, but you also don't really need to spend weeks studying right-hand rhythm patterns that you'll pick up in minutes by just playing along with something you like. Lots of right answers, just pick the one that seems like it'll work for you.

I agree with this approach. By learning how to play some simple 3 chord I-IV-V songs, you will learn a lot about tempo, how to change chords smoothly, strumming patterns, etc. Once you master a few simple songs, you can start to take on some more challenging ones.