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10 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar Songs

Friday September 23, 2022. 05:00 PM , from Sweetwater inSync
“You play guitar, right? Play us something!”

For many new guitarists, it’s the moment at the gathering they’ve dreaded — since a 6-string got within eyesight. But there’s no need to fear! Regardless of your chops, plenty of dependable songs serve as both crowd-pleasers and excellent exercises for your improvement.

No doubt, maintaining the musical momentum for progressing guitarists can get a little difficult at times. All of us here at Sweetwater certainly understand the feelings and frustrations! But as valuable as working through traditional music theory and step-by-step scales is to mastering the craft, learning through song is equally important, if not more. You’ll find many musical complexities are easier to understand within the context of a song you enjoy! Internal checkpoints like nailing down rhythm, timely chord transitions, and building stage confidence are all benefactors of having a handful of songs to practice and perform under your belt. This approach will help you make improvements in both obvious and minute ways as your talents progress further.

To that end, we’ve compiled 10 awesome acoustic guitar songs for progressing guitarists that are a blast to play and are sure to make bedroom practice sessions, family music nights, campfire jams, or coffeehouse shows much more enjoyable. Let’s discuss what to expect when learning them, break down some key moments, and understand why they’re helpful. Then, try your hand at a few. Disclaimer: this is not a list of TABS!

We’ve also included some stellar acoustic guitars currently available at Sweetwater, just like the artists in each song used! If you want to see a selection of great lower and mid-tier options, check out our Best Acoustic Guitars for Beginners video and The Best Acoustic Guitars of 2022 – with Sound Samples! article, too.

“Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles

There are few better bands to start with when embarking upon your acoustic journey than the Beatles, and “Here Comes the Sun” is one of our favorite picks for various reasons! This happy, hopeful, fluttery track off 1969’s Abbey Road is a prime example of George Harrison’s enviable playing style. It is loaded with easy-to-tackle intricacies to help improve your playing. And on top of that, this pleasant little tune is one of the group’s most famous and easy to sing along to, making it a stellar choice that everyone will love to hear!

To begin with, “Here Comes the Sun” is played with a capo positioned up at the seventh fret, giving it that trebly, fluttery, and lightweight atmosphere complementary to the lyrics. The song is in the key of A but, due to the capo, you play an open position D chord. As a result of these factors, you’ll find this track to be quite helpful for gaining confidence with capo usage in general and with open chording within narrower fret spaces (higher up on the fretboard). Pro tip: if this is too big of a leap, try practicing without the capo until you’re comfortable enough to try the real thing! There are a variety of chords in this song as well, implementing an A7 in the verse and an E7 in the chorus that beg to resolve back to the D Major root. It’s no wonder it’s such a fan favorite — George knew what he was doing!

“Here Comes the Sun” is also a great track to whip your fretting hand into shape in terms of hammer-ons and finger movement within open chord positions. This song is one where the guitar part follows the vocals, so nailing down those melodic string lifts will make a lot more sense as you work your way through the piece. Want that same acoustic feel that George had? He played his beautiful Gibson J-200 on the original track, and you can snag one right now through Sweetwater!

WilleeM, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman

In 1988, Tracy Chapman’s earworm folk single “Fast Car” from her debut album Tracy Chapman hit the airwaves and delighted listeners with her quick and honest lyrics and mellowly plucked acoustic guitar to counteract. Somewhat ahead of its time sonically, this song possesses a vibe that modern-day indie and alternative guitarists will absolutely adore. The track earned Chapman a trio of Grammy Awards in its first year, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Female Pop Performance. And when you break it down, it isn’t hard to see why!

Instrumentally speaking, the main riff to “Fast Car” is an excellent part to boost your fingerpicking confidence. This hypnotic guitar line integrates alternate fingerpicking and simultaneous fingerpicking into the song, building stripped-back chords and some mental trust for landing those spread-out triads correctly. The part glides easily, giving you a nice variety of location changes along the fretboard to help you establish a repetitive rhythm as you play. These factors will definitely push your fingerstyle comfort zone but won’t take so large of a leap that the song leaves you treading water — once you get the motion down, it’s smooth sailing! The choruses move into gentle chords, giving you a nice change of pace from the constant finger-work of the verses, too.  

Additionally, the original version of “Fast Car” is played with a capo on the second fret, moving all of your chords a whole step up but still affording you that relative familiarity near the nut of the fretboard. So, if you’re used to singing along in standard tuning, this tune shouldn’t be too much of a vocal stretch! Look at a gorgeous Martin D-35 Dreadnought if you’re looking to chase the complete vibe of Tracy Chapman herself!

© Hans Hillewaert

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“I Will Follow You into the Dark” – Death Cab for Cutie

Much like the lo-fi quality of its monaural recording — tracked completely through a vocal microphone — “I Will Follow You into the Dark” is a simplistic, heartfelt tune that Death Cab for Cutie dropped into the indie pool on their 2005 album, Plans. Perfect for solo players, this standalone track bounces along with just guitar and vocals and will be a great addition to your stressless set! If you’re into expanding your folk, pop, and indie playability, then “I Will Follow You into the Dark” is a great place to begin.

Unless you decide to adjust for your vocal range, the capo for this one will be on the fifth fret. The chords are relatively simple, and if you’re planning on just sticking to strumming, the song will be pretty easy to tackle. DCFC’s guitarist, Ben Gibbard, plays the song with a combination of rooted picking and strumming, so following in his footsteps and venturing outside conventional chordal boxes without getting too complex is a great route to take here — trust us! While the chord changes are consistent, you’ll find that “I Will Follow You into the Dark” doesn’t meander from the first three frets above the capo. This makes it an excellent song for singing guitarists because, once you nail down the finger positions for each chord, you can effortlessly shift your focus to the words without referring back to the neck. A favorite spot in the song among guitarists here at Sweetwater is the F to F minor change when the song’s title is sung at the end of the chorus. This uniqueness beautifully reinstates the constantly fluctuating major-to-minor mood of the tune, ingeniously reflecting the lovingly somber lyricism and acting as a subliminal attention grabber for your audience.

Ben Gibbard is known to play a variety of guitars, including his signature Fender Mustang electric. But given our acoustic guitar focus, we’re particularly fond of his stunning Gibson J-45 acoustic. And we’ve got plenty of J-45 models for fans and tasteful guitarists chasing a similar acoustic tone!

deep ghosh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“Closer to Fine” – Indigo Girls

The Indigo Girls’ 1989 hit “Closer to Fine” from their self-titled second album is an absolute classic, exploring a reflection of finding internal peace while sprightly bounding along to a classic folk strumming style. This factor really makes the song! “Closer to Fine” is characteristic of that folk rock and borderline country sound that the Indigo Girls became well known for, showcasing the beautiful harmonies of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray while sprinkling in traditional folk instruments like the tin whistle and mandolin. While the Indigo Girls have the unfair advantage of two acoustic guitars, this song is just as playable by a solo guitarist. But, as they say, the more, the merrier!

Don’t put away that capo just yet — throw it on the second fret and get ready to start nailing down some sustained chords and additions. Have no fear, though! These varying chords take after the positions of traditional G, D, and C major chords, resulting in a chiming drone of the B and high E strings for most of the song. A notable diversion from this in the song comes in the form of the D major 11, which is essentially a C major chord slid up the neck a whole step (two frets) and represents the only real movement away from the lower three frets throughout the entire song. As a result, the lingering dissonant notes present a melodic pause that directs the attention back to the philosophically pondering lyrics.

The folk strumming styles within “Closer to Fine” are arguably more critical in defining the song. We see two types: the verse, where the root of each chord is struck first with the impact point of the pattern landing on the second strum — similar to Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” — and the pre-chorus/chorus, which is definitively more evenly strummed. Also, little rhythmic nuggets like the syncopated 5-beat walk-downs and climbs at the end of each phrase in the verses are addictingly fun to play, too! Experimenting with these patterns will help navigate faster strumming and rhythmic complexity further down the line.

Both Indigo Girls are known to sport Martin dreadnoughts, including Emily Saliers’s luxurious Martin D-45. And since “Closer to Fine” was written by Saliers, we’d be fools not to give her axe the spotlight!

David W. Baker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“The A Team” – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s catalog of endlessly playable and critically acclaimed acoustic tunes makes choosing just one no easy task. Still, we think that “The A Team” is a fantastic effort for developing guitarists to make. This 2011 track comes from Sheeran’s debut album and is a prime example of the powerful effects of a well-executed “less is more” songwriting mentality. It was a combination of this gentler approach and his encapsulating storytelling in “The A Team” and tunes similar to it that helped not only put him on the map but guided him toward insurmountable feats and success later on — something to always bear in mind as an aspiring guitarist!

Are you tired of the capo yet? We didn’t think so. Keep it steadfast on the second fret for now! The fingerstyle lead guitar lines of “The A Team” sing a beautiful trickling song throughout the piece, while the rhythm guitar part delivers the driving pulse of the tune. There’s a healthy dose of major and minor chords, but nothing too out of the ordinary. You’ll find that Sheeran’s more profound lyrics follow the beautiful melodic chord progressions quite naturally. Rhythmically speaking, much of the verse follows a back-and-forth progression between G major and E minor, resolving back to G. It’s strummed in a classic root-chord-root-chord pattern, giving the effect of a double-time composition that’s held in check by the prominent fingerstyle chimes of the lead guitar and by Sheeran’s steady singing. Whether sticking with the chords or stepping up to the challenge of lead guitar, folk-pop fanatics and blossoming fingerstyle players alike will be delighted by how easy it is to stay motivated while practicing “The A Team.”

Sheeran has played his fair share of acoustic and electric guitars over the years, but perhaps none are more frequented or famous than his Martin LX1E Little Martin. Due to its compact size, the LX1E Little Martin makes a great guitar choice when space limitations are a factor, like in dorm rooms, while traveling, or when performing in smaller spaces. The short scale length is great for beginners, too!

Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“Don’t Speak” – No Doubt

We move into an alternative direction with the 1995 song “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt from their album Tragic Kingdom. The vibe of this tune is characteristic of the time, making it a surprisingly good candidate for a beginner acoustic guitar cover despite the song being recorded on an electric guitar. Sung brilliantly by a young Gwen Stefani, the song’s tone changes from slow, sad, and hopeless to upbeat and longing for control of a dying relationship. This rollercoaster ride is reflected masterfully in its instrumentation.

Okay, okay, time to give that capo a rest! This song is played in C minor, an unusual choice, but perhaps one of the reasons it caught the ears of so many. As a result, the corresponding chorus is in F minor, a perfect fourth up, which continues to complement the minor theme while still offering a leaping change of scenery. And this song is loaded with extraordinary oddities of the like! For instance, the sequence of the chorus’s four chords sounds as if there are more being played, due to the sporadic nature of its A-B-C-D-B-C-A chord scheme. The magnificent atmosphere this creates is a powerhouse for helping beginner guitarists stay on their toes regarding quick changes in chord progressions.

About the verses, “Don’t Speak” is an excellent opportunity to work on more fingerstyle triads and alternate picking. The desperate atmosphere of this relentless lead line is a style evocative of guitar parts in songs like Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” aching to be relieved by the strumming exhalation of the chorus. We think you’ll find the balance of both fingerstyle playing and picked strumming to be a head turner onstage and a gem of a practicing exercise! You can even rock out with the swagger of No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont with a Takamine P3FCN Nylon String acoustic-electric guitar from Sweetwater!

Jim Trottier, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“Iris” – Goo Goo Dolls

1998 brought us the Goo Goo Dolls album Dizzy Up the Girl, featuring the band’s world-famous single, “Iris.” The alternative-rock song gained tremendous popularity in the following years, becoming a go-to soundtrack piece for movies and TV shows and ultimately receiving septuple platinum certifications. This is a great song to have on hand when the room wants to hear you play. It’s easy to sing along to, and you can take a couple of approaches to playing it.

This song is in the key of D, and in the studio version, all strings are tuned to D except for the low E, which is tuned to B. As a result, you’ll achieve the widely recognized treble drone that stays true throughout the song. Beneath those top droning strings, your finger positions won’t differ much at all and instead calmly walk along the fretboard with the song. This is especially true for the verses, while the chorus sticks to an easy 3-chord pattern that’ll let you engage with your audience — should you choose to have one! If you’re feeling less adventurous, you can also use standard tuning, where you’ll find this song sticks pretty much exclusively to basic major and minor chords, walking up and back down for the track’s duration. The choice is yours!

Fans of this tune will also appreciate the interestingly syncopated strumming pattern changes. While remaining in the ubiquitous time signature of 4/4, the intro and first bridge of the song follow a 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2 strumming scheme before settling into a standard 6/8 pattern for the verses. The second bridge and dramatic pauses in the pre-chorus will test your timing even further! These changes can be tricky to remember but serve as excellent practice points for building confidence in your internal metronome and entrances, both instrumentally and vocally.

Goo Goo Dolls guitarist John Rzeznik is a big fan of Taylor guitars, and this Taylor 312ce V-Class is a dead-ringer to his sound and aesthetic!

CC BY-SA 3.0 Sixhundredsix

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“Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley

While Brad Paisley’s dark and tragic 2003 track “Whiskey Lullaby” from his third album Mud on the Tires is likely not the song to dive into during a good-spirited get-together, it’s a solid option for boosting your fingerstyle/pick-style playing! The studio version of this award-winning blue country tune features the beautiful vocals of singer Alison Krauss who duets with Paisley, giving this song a hauntingly graceful atmosphere that’s perfect for a quiet evening of laid-back picking practice. Here’s what to expect from Paisley’s most popular song!

For “Whiskey Lullaby,” tune the low E of your guitar down a whole step to drop D tuning. If this is your first experience with drop D, it likely won’t be your last! It fits the serious moods of tracks like this one very well and will help you visualize the new note relations between the E and A strings and internalize the standard ones as you adjust to the whole step difference. But despite the song’s terribly dark theme, it may surprise you that there’s only one minor chord throughout the whole piece: the B minor. The chord is particularly evident in the intro and as the final resolving chord in the chorus — there’s something to be said for the emotional strength of these lyrics! And if fingerstyle isn’t quite your speed yet, then the exclusively standard major and minor chords throughout the progression of this classic song will be easy to master!

Most of us recognize Brad Paisley’s love for the Fender Telecaster, as he sports quite a few intricately customized models in various patterns and color schemes. However, if we’re talking strictly acoustic guitars, there’s no hiding his appreciation for Santa Cruz guitars and his absolutely stunning Gibson Acoustic J-45!

Crisco 1492, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” – Green Day

Known as one of the best and earliest examples of Green Day straying from their iconic pop-punk genre, the 1997 track “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” is a fantastic starter song for acoustic guitarists. Initially released as a lo-fi B-side for “Brain Stew/Jaded” in a much more antagonistically to-the-point manner, and fittingly titled, “Good Riddance,” the tune’s lyrics afford listeners mental freedom of looking back in both anger and reluctant contentment. Whatever your mood, pick up the 6-string and get playing!

That’s just as easily done as said in this case, since “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” only includes five chords throughout the entire song and is relatively easy to learn. Regardless of the song’s simplicity, some elements should be addressed to do justice to its legacy. Some of these points include the Cadd9 chord, requiring your pinky to land on the fourth fret of the B instead of the first fret like an open C chord. Much like the treble drone we discussed in “Iris,” this note extends through most of the chords played in the song, again creating a droning effect. Another element is the classic strum pattern that leads off and ultimately closes the song. Though the pattern tends to vary in the middle of the piece, especially as it grows in intensity during the orchestrally backed instrumental, it’s a critical feature that anybody can pick out.

Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day’s guitarist/lead singer, is notorious for accumulating quite a hefty number of guitars in his collection. But to stay true to the original “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” music video, the perfect complement to this tune is Billie Joe’s Gibson Acoustic J-45 Studio. A popular choice among guitarists on our list, we know, but it’s only fallen into the hands of so many for good reason!

Daniel D’Auria, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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“You’re So Vain” – Carly Simon

Closing out our list of songs is Carly Simon’s 1972 single “You’re So Vain,” a track well known by music fans and guitarists of all ages! This track comes with a natural attitude and is a great spirit booster for practicing on your own or performing for a small audience. And the best part? It’s easy to play on guitar!

Right off the bat, the song’s intro and verses are established on a sassy A minor that ultimately resolves to a C Major in the chorus, a perfect match for Simon’s mockingly accusatory lyrics. The A minor repeatedly lifts and engages, emphasizing the naturally open strings of the guitar and providing a bit of bounciness and swagger, particularly when the drums enter in the second verse. Adding to the sassiness, fun chords like the D minor 7 are notably and fittingly added on the line “you probably think this song is about you.” And, aside from one heck of a groovy solo, “You’re So Vain” is entirely a chord-driven song! So, once you master the chord changes, the structure becomes second nature as you shift your focus toward the lyrics. There aren’t a ton of formal specifics to take away from this track, but that’s okay! Learning the craft is great, but remembering to enjoy yourself along the way is a big piece of the equation.

Though Simon sang and played piano on the piece, along with arranging the strings section, her long-time studio and touring partner Jimmy Ryan recorded the guitar. Ryan, at the time, was known to play a Martin D-28, so it’s safe to assume that was what he used to lay down those tasty acoustic tracks in the studio. Check it out!

Elektra/Pam Frank, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Ready to Give These a Go?

It’s safe to say that each song in our article is a blast to play, and knowing a little bit more about the lessons each one brings to the table makes practicing and performing all the more enjoyable. And how about those gorgeous acoustics? Phew! If one in particular caught your eye and you’re thinking about pulling the trigger, be sure to call one of our Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700 to be sure you’re getting the right acoustic for your needs, performance-wise and beyond. Thanks for reading, and keep strumming, everybody!
The post 10 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar Songs appeared first on inSync.
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