Looking for some recent 3-chord songs

[deranged_coder]

So I'm trying to help my niece learn guitar. She's about 12 years old now and I'd like to get her started on some easy 3-chord songs. Preferably songs that she would have heard over the radio the past few years. I saw a few Hal Leonard "3 chord songs" songbooks but the songs inside were of a much older vintage, shall we say. Not that there's anything wrong with those songs but I have a feeling I will have better luck if I start her off with songs that she is familiar with and then introduce her to some older songs later.

One song that comes to mind now is "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys which, if I recall correctly, was essentially just G / Am with a couple of other chord tossed in for the bridge. I am looking for others.

Thanks!

[Cheetotoe]

Who does she like? You can get those EZ-Guitar books that simplify pop songs for beginers. I know they make a Taylor Swift EZ-Guitar book for her "Fearless" album.

[banjar]

Originally Posted by deranged_coder

So I'm trying to help my niece learn guitar. She's about 12 years old now and I'd like to get her started on some easy 3-chord songs. Preferably songs that she would have heard over the radio the past few years. I saw a few Hal Leonard "3 chord songs" songbooks but the songs inside were of a much older vintage, shall we say. Not that there's anything wrong with those songs but I have a feeling I will have better luck if I start her off with songs that she is familiar with and then introduce her to some older songs later.

One song that comes to mind now is "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys which, if I recall correctly, was essentially just G / Am with a couple of other chord tossed in for the bridge. I am looking for others.

Thanks!

Snake Farm by Ray Wylie Hubbard only has one chord. But it may not be what you want for a 12 year old girl. You decide.


I'd like to see more one chord songs.

[deranged_coder]

Originally Posted by Cheetotoe

Who does she like? You can get those EZ-Guitar books that simplify pop songs for beginers. I know they make a Taylor Swift EZ-Guitar book for her "Fearless" album.

Will have to keep an eye out for that book then. She's into the usual suspects, I suppose. Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, Avril Lavigne among others. I think she likes listening to Michelle Branch, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber as well.

[Cheetotoe]

Originally Posted by deranged_coder

Will have to keep an eye out for that book then. She's into the usual suspects, I suppose. Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, Avril Lavigne among others. I think she likes listening to Michelle Branch, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber as well.

Not sure she will be ready to play Jason Mraz just yet, but the Taylor Swift tunes can be pretty simple. There are a few good musicians in the current sea of garbage that teens listen to, so stear her in the right direction musically without forcing the older greats down her throat...she will discover them soon enough!

[deranged_coder]

Originally Posted by Cheetotoe

Not sure she will be ready to play Jason Mraz just yet, but the Taylor Swift tunes can be pretty simple. There are a few good musicians in the current sea of garbage that teens listen to, so stear her in the right direction musically without forcing the older greats down her throat...she will discover them soon enough!

Yeah, Jason Mraz's stuff can get fairly complicated. She likes listening to John Mayer too but I find John Mayer's stuff can get fairly complex, even for me.

I agree, there are a lot of older greats but for now I want to work with the musicians that she already likes to listen to so she is more likely to stay motivated. Once she's hooked I hope to expand her horizons.

Thanks for the mention of the Taylor Swift EZ Guitar songbooks. That looks like a good place to start.

[jarfly]

There's a guitar transcribed version of Coldplay's Trouble which is pretty easy. G, Em, Bm
then F, Am, G

The chorus is A and Em

There's a great version of NIN's Hurt similar to the way Johhny Cash played it that was one fo the first songs I learned. Pretty simple once you get the arpeggio down. Same with The Vervepipe's Freshmen. Not very complicated at all!

Bob Marley's Redemtion Song is another great one. She might not be quite old enough to appreciate that one but soon enough she probably will.

Jewel's You Were Meant For Me
none of these are 3 chord songs but all are beginner and songs I started with. Fairly easy and first chord positions! Let us know how it goes and which songs she likes!

ah. here's a 3 chord strummy song or you can add the 3rd frets on the 1st and 2nd strings in their appropriate places.
Modest Mouse: Float On
C, Em, F, C

[gfa]

Green Day and White Stripes both have some simple stuff, some of which works ok on acoustic. If memory serves, We Are Going to be Friends by White Stripes is a 3 chord song.

[Cheetotoe]

I forgot to mention, some Dave Matthews songs are pretty simple as well. His chord shapes and voicings can be a little odd, but they are VERY easy to simplify for a beginer. Then again, some of his tunes are very complex and won't do much in the way of building a beginer's fundamentals (because of his odd style). Almost like, "you can learn to play guitar, or you can learn to play Dave Matthews songs!"

[rcadian]

Colbie's song Bubbly is only three chords...and can be capoed to make the chords easier....

Fearless and You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift have 4 easy open chords...

Miley Cyrus's The Climb can be played with three, but not as well as with four...

Tabs for all the above can be found at ultimateguitar.com

Hope that helps.

Rc

[jayelcee]

More Taylor Swift tabs and chords here.