Easy Acoustic Guitar Songs
If you have managed to learn the basic open chords and can play them relatively comfortably, then its time you tried some easy acoustic guitar songs. I’ve added a few so that you can try some out and once you get a feel for it you can try a few more. If you find it difficult don’t lose heart, while i call these easy songs, you might not pick up how to play it immediately, just listen to original song and play along, then once you have a feel for the rythym and the tempo then try it out on your own. Trust me, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked.
Matchbox Twenty – Hang
Here’s another easy acoustic guitar song to play, its by one of my alltime favorite bands, Matchbox Twenty. Its an absolutely awesome song and is not that hard to play once you get the melody.
#———————————-PLEASE NOTE———————————#
#This file is the author’s own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#——————————————————————————#
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 97 14:00:40 Romance Standard Time
From: Don Kurelich
Subject: Corrections: Hang by Matchbox 20
Band : Matchbox 20
Song : Hang
Album : Yourself or Someone like you
Tuning : Normal – No Capo
Transcribed by: Steven Batchelder
Corrected by : Don Kurelich
I’m improving on the basic transcription that SB did. It was basicaly
there, but some of the chords were wrong and I’m showing a few
enhancements. These are subtle changes in the basic chords and a
change in strum. The chord differences are noted below and change
only the tone of what’s being played. The strum in the intro and first
verse is using your fingers (i.e. no pick, either your thumb or first
finger). At the second verse he switches to a flat pick.
Chords:
G* G* C* CaddG Em* Em D
E:|–3– –3– –3– —– –3– —– –2–
B:|–3– —– –3– –1– –3– —– –3–
G:|—– —– —– —– —– —– –2–
D:|—– —– –2– –2– –2– –2– —–
A:|–2– –2– –3– –3– –2– –2– —–
E:|–3– –3– —– –3– —– —– —–
(*With finger strum*)
Intro: G* C* (play 2 times)
G* C*
She grabs her magazines, she packs her things and she goes.
Em* D G* C*
She leaves the pictures hangin’ on the wall. She burns all her notes
G* D CaddG
And she knows, she’s been here too few years, to feel this old.
(Switch to flat pick)
G* C*
He smokes his cigarette, he stays outside ’til it’s gone.
Em* D G* C*
If anybody ever had a heart, well, he wouldn’t be alone.
G D CaddG
He knows, she’s been here too few years, to be gone.
D G Am CaddG G Am CaddG
And we always say, it would be good to go away, someday,
Em D
But if there’s nothin’ there to make things change,
CaddG CaddG (hammer-on E)
if it’s the same for you I’ll just hang.
Solo fill: G, CaddG (notice switch to G)
G CaddG
The trouble understand, is she’s got reasons he don’t.
Em D G CaddG
Funny how I couldn’t see it all, ’til she grabbed up her coat,
G D G CaddG
And she goes. She’s been here too few years, to take it all in stride.
G D CaddG
Yeah, but still it’s much too long, to let hurt go (you let her go).
Am G Am CaddG G Am CaddG
And we always say, it would be good to go away, someday,
Em D
Yeah but if there’s nothin’ there to make things change,
CaddG D
if it’s the same for you I’ll just hang, same to you I’ll always hang.
G Am CaddG G Am CaddG
Well I always say, it would be good to go away,
Em D
But if things don’t work out like we think and
Em D
There’s nothing there to ease this achin’, but if
Em D
There’s nothing there to make things change,
CaddG CaddG
If it’s the same for you I’ll just hang.
Guns n Roses – Patience
One of the easiest and nicest songs to play is patience by guns n roses, perfect song to practice once you get the hang of the basic chords.
PATIENCE (by Guns n Roses)
===========================
Intro:
C G A D C G A D
C G C Em C G D D
C
Shed a tear ...
G
I'm still ...
A D
Girl I think about ...
C
Was a time ...
G
But you set my ...
A D
There is no doubt, ...
C G
Said woman ...
C Em
It will work itself ...
C G D
All we need is just ...
C G
Sad sugar ...
C Em
It comes ....
C G D
All we need is...
Sit here on the...
D
We don't ...
D
Ahh and never ....
D
Cause I ...
Solo
G C
A little p...
G C
Mhh Yeah
G
I've been walking ...
C
Just trying to ...
G
It's hard to see with ...
C
you know I don't like ...
G
And the streets don't change ...
C
I ain't got time for ...
G
Cause I ...
C
Yeah Yeah ...
G
Uh I ...
D
Woh I ...
G C G
Uhh ...
Did anyone figure out the Intro and Solo ?
Your posting would be appreciated!
Have fun playing it!!!!!
Chord correction
After the solo, instead of playing G you play D and
instead of C you play G
Then,when you hear
"woh I need you"
you must play C,and the last line is D G D
I'd like also to suggest a figure that I worked out
for D at the end of
verses and choruses
e|----2--2--0--2--4--2--0--2--
B|----3--3--0--3--3--3--0--3--
G|----2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--
D|----------------------------
A|----------------------------
E|----------------------------
Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind
Here are the chords for an absolute classic by Def Leppard way back in the day:
Two Steps Behind - Def Leppard
Intro: [A] [D] [G] [D] (x2)
Verse:
[A] [D] [G] [D]
Walk away, if you want to.
[A] [D] [G] [D]
It's okay if you need to.
[A] [D] [E] [D]
You can run, but you can never hide
[A] [D] [E] [D]
From the shadow that's creepin up beside you.
Chorus:
[F#m] [D]
There's a magic runnin' through your soul
[G] [E]
But you can't have it all. (What ever you do)
[A] [D] [E] [D]
I'll be two steps behind you (Where ever you go)
[A] [D] [E] [D]
And I'll be there to remind you
[A] [D] [E] [G]
That it only takes a minute of your precious time
[D]
To turn around, I'll be two steps behind.
[A] [D] [G] [D] (x2)
Verse:
[A] [D] [G] [D]
Take the time to think about it.
[A] [D] [G] [D]
Just walk the line, you know you just can't fight it.
[A] [D] [E] [D]
Take a look around, you'll see what you can find
[A] [D] [E] [D]
Like the fire that's burnin' up inside me.
Chorus
Solo over verse
Chorus
Green Day – Time of Your Life
Another easy song to play, Time of your life by Green Day, some of the chords are not basic open chords, but I put this in anyway since its really quite easy:
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 18:13:55 -0400
From: Tim Krisher
Subject: g/green_day/time_of_your_life.crd
Time of your Life – Green Day
Okay, I saw the other file, made a few changes so it’d be perfect. The way the
other guy had it was a little off, but sounded fine if you played it on your own.
But played along with the video it was wrong. So, here’s the fix. I just fixed all
his little oopses. But, thanks go out to David Hill, the author of the original tab.
I couldn’t have figured this out without his tab first. E-mail me if you have any
questions, comments, or wads of money for me.
Shaun Timothy Krisher
krisher@mindspring.com
Chords:
Gmodal :320033
C9 :032033
Dsus4 :000233
Em7 :022033
Tab 1 & Intro
Verse: (play each line twice, then go to chorus)
G C9 Dsus4
|——-3————–3————–3————3——| then it repeats, so it almost
|———-3————-3————–3————3—-| sounds like it goes C9, Dsus4,
|————-0————0————–0—–2——2–| Gmodal. So, after the end of the
|—0————–0————–2———–0———–| Dsus4 bit, go straight to the G
|——————————3————————–| bass note.
|-3————–3—————————————-|
Em Dsus4 C9 G
|——3————3————-3————3———-| The above line gets played
|——–3————3————-3————3——–| twice, then this twice, and that’s
|———-0—–2——2————-0————0——| the verse. Then the line after
|—2———-0—————2————0————-| that is the chorus. Not that
|—————————-3—————————-| complex, but this IS Green Day,
|-0—————————————3—————| after all.
Em G Em G
|——3————3————3———–3————|
|——–3————3————3———–3———-|
|———-0————0————0———–0——–|
|—2————0————2———–0—————|
|———————————————————|
|-0————3————0———–3—————–|
Em Dsus4
|——3———3——| Okay, now, it’s important that you go straight back into the
|——–3———3—-| opening G of the verse, because the Dsus4 sort of leaves you
|———-0———2–| hanging there. Then play the first half of the verse once
|—2———-0——–| through, then start it all over again.
|———————–|
|-0———————|
Lyrics
Verse 1:
G C9 Dsus4 G
Another turning point a ….
G C9 Dsus4 G
Time grabs you by the wrist …
Em Dsus4 C9 G
So make the best of these …
Em Dsus4 C9 G
It’s not a question but a …
Chorus
Em G Em G
It’s something unpredictable …
Em Dsus4 G (where verse riff cuts back in)
I hope you have the time …. (Start struming G C Dsus4)
Verse 2:
G C9 Dsus4 G
So take the photographs and ….
G C9 Dsus4 G
Hang it on a shelf; it …(couldn’t get this line, fix it if you know it)
Em Dsus4 C9 G
Tatoos and memories and …
Em Dsus4 C9 G
For what it’s worth it was …
Chorus
Instrumental(Strum over Violins)
Chorus
End with Tab 1 and then |———|
|———|
|–2——|
|—-0—-|
|——0–| and end on a G
|———|