simple acoustic songs

[chica_baja]

Does anyone know any fairly simple songs that sound good on an acoustic? My knowlegde is minimal, as I've only been playing for a few days, and I only know a couple chords, but I could really use some "Instant Gratification" and would love to play an actual song. Any suggestions?

[Mike_E_McGee]

Norwegian Wood may be a good place to start. I've seen pretty accurate transcriptions all over the net, and it's just a few chords. All the same, if you've only played for a few days, it will be a project. Music is not picked up in a few days. If you know a few chords, and are dying to play a song, I'd start with some simple strummy I IV V's like Wild Thing, or Louie Louie. It still won't be instant gratification, but they'll come a lot quicker than Norwegian Wood, which will come much quicker than, say...Medditerranian Sundance (SP?).

Good luck,

McGee

Ps: a I, IV, V, if you don't know, would be a progression like EE AA BB AA (E is I in this example, so A is IV, and B is V). You'll notice that the progression is actually I, I, IV, IV, V, V, IV, IV (Wild Thing). This would actually be written I, IV, V, IV, and since it only uses the I, IV, and V chords it is often called a I, IV, V even though there is an extra IV on the end.

PPs: I, IV, V is pronounced: one, four, five because in the key of E the chord built on the first note of the scale (or tonic) is E, and the chord built on the fourth note of the scale (or subdominant) is A, and the chord built on the fifth note (or dominant) is B

[Mike6158]

Most of the older Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes are pretty easy. Am I Losing is D, C, G with some "extra" right hand picking but not much. Sweet Home Alabama is something that is easy to play. I can't think of anything else right now.... Sorry.

[chica_baja]

Shamuspizzbutt & Mike6158 -- thanks! I know that it will be a little difficult, but I would like to be able to play someting other than Have Yourself a Merry Christmas or whatever it's called.

[NuttyGambler]

Hey don't discount the Christmas songs.

 

The nice thing about a Christmas song is you know what it should sound like and you don't sound like an idiot playing a old folk song, like There's a Hole in my Bucket or something like that.

 

Personally the Christmas songs are wonderful for me this time of year. Most I have seen have F in them, which is were I am at in trying to improve on.

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

[Billystrat]

go for some Tom Petty. It's pretty basic stuff, but it's alotta fun to play.

[babybatter]

Dead Flowers by the 'Stones. D A and G

[G.A.S._is_good!]

"Singing the Blues" is only three chords, and is a lot of fun as they get changed around a bit throughout the song. I do it in G, so the chords are G, C and D. (McCartney's "Unplugged" version is essentially how I do it)

 

Also - Hank Sr's "Jambalaya" is only two chords. C and G.

 

Another two chord song is "Horse with No Name" - Em and D(add9). The D(add9) sounds scarier than it is - just play an open D chord but lift your finger off the high E string and play it open - so it becomes a real simple two-finger chord.....your normal open D fingering but with only the second and third strings being fretted.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Mark

[Mike6158]

Hey,

 

Christmas songs aren't so bad. I picked out the Little Drummer Boy and usually resurrect it every year. Sometimes for fun I'll fire up the effects processor and play it with a little whammy bar thrown in there. Kind of a rockin Little Drummer Boy

 

Skynyrd tunes, especially the pre-Steve Gaines Skynyrd, are very easy. There's a lot of tab out there but I found it just as easy to play along with the CD rather than muddle through tab (not a big fan of tab if you can't tell).

 

Good luck and always have fun with it. If it ain't fun then it's work. If it's work and you aren't getting paid, then it's time to move along.

 

 

Originally posted by chica_baja Shamuspizzbutt & Mike6158 -- thanks! I know that it will be a little difficult, but I would like to be able to play someting other than Have Yourself a Merry Christmas or whatever it's called.

[Mike6158]

Here's a link to a nice little midi. I play it mostly with a D chord. Strum the D with the words. When you get to the word "they" (second strum) in "Come, they told me" reach up with your pinky and hit the B string at the 5th fret The pa rump a pum pum can be sounded by alternating the pinky off and on the little E string, 3rd Fret. Everything else is just a progression from D to A. There's probably another chord in there somewhere but my strong suit isn't guitar or music and I don't know what it is if it's there. This is a nice alternative to strummming chords and it's just an all around pleasant tune.

 

 

The Little Drummer Boy

 

Happy strumming / Merry Christmas

[Mike6158]

Counting Crows? Their stuff is easy and fun to play. Try Mr. Jones. It's got a great beat and an easy chord progression.

 

Another one that is easy is Live's Lightning Crashes. Great Chord Progressions and nothing fancy about it.

[bek]

No Expectations, by the Rolling Stones, E, A and D. Easiest song I know, and one of the best. Slow, too, so it's easy to learn.

[tree]

Anything by CCW

[chica_baja]

thanks everyone!

[Superman]

First song I ever learned to play:

 

SRV - Life By The Drop

[Keentwist]

"Virtual World" By The Verve= Em, G for verse A, C for the chorus.

 

"See You in The Next One" by, you guessed it The Verve= F, C for verse G, Dm, Em, G, F for Chorus. Bridge is C, F.

 

These songs are so simple but so powerful. Both songs allow for improv which make em extra cool.

 

Plenty more here:

 

http://users.tinyworld.co.uk/baz.dofe/TheVerveGuitarTabs/

[Flanger]

I dunno, some of the christmas songs in the books I have some chord changes that are a lttile more challenging than "simple strummers". I guess it just depends on the arrangement.

 

I have one book of christmas songs that must have been arranged for vocals or something because they could have been written in easier keys for acoustic guitar (unless you use a capo).

[fingerpicker]

Yeah I have a book of Christmas tunes arranged for fingerstyle guitar and they are far from easy, but sound beautiful. One can scour the web for easy christmas arrangements....