Who doesn’t love music? When people think of learning to play music on guitar, they often think you need to know something complex. Learning songs on guitar is one of the best things you can do to improve your playing.
If you’ve ever tried learning to play the guitar, you know that it can be a time-consuming process. Learning the notes on a guitar fretboard, holding the instrument properly, learning how to tune the instrument: all of these things take time.
Fortunately, anyone can learn how to play the guitar, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, have small fingers, or don’t know how to read music. It doesn’t matter if you’re right-handed or left-handed or which age group you belong to. All you need is a guitar and some practice!
If you’re just learning to play the guitar, here are seven fun guitar songs that will challenge your skills and entertain you as you learn.
7 Fun Guitar Songs Even a Beginner Can Master
1. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by Green Day
The beat of Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” is a classic song with a lot of movement; great for showing off your guitar skills. It also has catchy lyrics and a rhythm that beginners can quickly learn. The song starts with power chords and then kicks into the verse. The verse can be played using two different strumming patterns: down-strumming, which is when you strum down on every beat, or alternating, which is when you play two down-strums followed by one up-strum.
It’s ideal for the kind of music they’re known for, which usually relies on catchy guitar riffs, strong drum beats, and vocals that are simple enough to follow along.
2. Wonderwall by Oasis
Wonderwall by Oasis is one of the most iconic songs of the 90s, and for a good reason. It’s full of memorable riffs and rhythms, and if you’re a guitarist, you can play the song quickly. The basic intro consists of just three chords repeatedly played as the song progresses. It has a classic rock feel and would sound great if you played it loud for your friends.
The song has a specific beat and can be a little tricky at first because three parts are going simultaneously and all have their particular movements and tones, but it’s so fun once you get the hang of it.
3. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Mr. Brightside by The Killers is a classic rock song recorded in 2004, and it’s famous for its distinctive guitar parts and upbeat tempo, perfect for learning on guitar. It stays at the same tempo throughout the song, and it’s a real challenge to play. When played on a guitar, the beat is described as slow and relaxing.
You can play Mr. Brightside on electric, acoustic, or bass guitar. It sounds perfect on an electric guitar because it has a lot of exciting chords.
4. Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
Sweet Child O’ Mine is a rock classic that has been a go-to song for beginner guitarists since it was released in 1988. This song is a lot of fun to play on guitar, and as long as you remember the chord progression and strumming pattern, you’ll be able to play this one with relative ease. It’s also important to remember that strumming is key in this song, so don’t be afraid to use your wrist!
It starts with a simple version of the riff that repeats for the first minute. Then it becomes more complex and interesting. After that, there are a few more minutes of the same variation, but a little faster, adding a lot more movement and changing chords.
5. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody is a song by the British rock band Queen for their 1975 album A Night at the Opera. This song is one of the most popular and well-known rock songs in history. It’s famous for being over six minutes long and for its unusual chord progression and rhythm section, featuring a complex piano part and a vast range of vocals spanning from a bass range to a soprano range. The song is known for its famous closing riff played on electric guitar.
Bohemian Rhapsody is remarkable for its extensive, epic build and an unforgettable refrain. The chords are easy to learn, and the intro is pretty easy to play with just one finger (though once the song starts getting into that first verse, you’ll need at least two fingers and maybe a capo).
6. Blackbird by The Beatles
Playing Blackbird by The Beatles is an easy song to learn on guitar. It’s a great beginner song that uses the open E string, which means you only have to use the top five strings of your guitar. This song is based on a simple blues progression, and it has a fun, funky rhythm that will get you grooving in no time! It has a distinct rhythm, kind of like a slow, legato tapping pattern, but the timing is 6/8.
If you want to learn the rhythm, close your eyes and tap your foot along with the song. If it feels like you’re stressing out about tapping your foot in time with the music, open your eyes and make sure that you’re in time with the music.
7. Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
Three Little Birds by Bob Marley is a popular song that lots of people love to play on the guitar. It has a reggae-influenced beat with a melody that mainly uses eighth and quarter notes, with some dotted quarter notes thrown in for good measure. It’s a dance type of song, so it doesn’t have a lot of rests or long stretches without any notes. It’s fun to play and easy to learn!
The song starts with a quick downstroke strumming pattern that repeats throughout the song. The first two beats have the same chord, followed by a quick upstroke strum on the third beat of each measure. The fourth beat is where the chord changes and stays for four beats before changing again on the fifth beat.
Takeaway
Learning to play guitar is fun, rewarding, and something anyone can do with practice. There are hundreds of free guitar tutorials online, from video or text instructions that break down the learning process into small steps. Plus, you can listen to all types of music covers and tutorials on playing each song using Youtube.
If you want to learn new songs, be sure to check out the list of recommended songs above. Give them a try – you may be surprised at how quickly you learn to play! Good luck, and happy playing!