One cool thing to note extra here is that this is the only song in a 12/8 timing, which has a very different feel to the usual 4/4/ timing. If you want to learn more about that, check out our Blues Essentials Level 2 course!
5 great songs with 5 simple chords
9 Oct 2024
–Dan Holton
If you're a beginner, and you've just spent the last however many months trying to get those open chords learnt and sounding good, then you're probably in a position where you'd like to actually start making some sweet sweet music!
Well the good news is that with just 5 open chord shapes, you can play a whole world of classic songs. In this blog post and video I will walk you through 5 songs that I've selected using these exact chords. The only things you'll need are a guitar, capo and a pick! So, let's get started!
The video
Below you can find the video for this lesson where I walk you through each song in detail, taking the time to work through the chord shapes, capo placement and the strumming patterns. I recommend watching that first, choosing the song you want to learn first, and then reading onwards to see more information on that song!
The chords
Our first step is to outline all of the chords that we are using in the songs. I'm sure you will be aware of the chords, but as there are a few ways to fret some of them, I wanted to show you how we do it in this lesson. The chords are G, C, D, Em, Am. If you didn't know already, the "m" stands for minor, and if there is no "m" then it's a major chord. So the long form for each chord is G major, C major, D major, E minor and A minor. These are those chords:
Don't know these chords?
If any of these chords are new to you, then I would highly recommend taking our Beginner Courses before jumping into this blog post head on! We'll guide you through each chord and make sure you have some experience applying them before tackling these songs.
So, with the chords written out, it's now time to tackle the songs. At this point I want to mention that the songs are talked about in detail in the video. The write up here will focus on the strumming pattern and one fundamental part of the progression, rather than the whole thing. It's enough to get you started with the tracks for sure!
Hallelujah
This fantastic song by Jeff Buckley (originally written by Leonard Cohen) is well worth a shot! The basic chord progression here is based around the capo being on the 5th fret. We're then focusing it around the G major chord. Of course, with the capo on 5th it looks like a G major chord shape, but the actual sound is C major… Just something to think about! The basic chord progression and strumming pattern I'm using, you can find it here:
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Dan Holton
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Say Something
This song is by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton, two of my absolute favourite singers. First up, the capo is on the 3rd fret. The song is really upbeat, and loops the same progression all the way through. It also uses a 16th note strumming pattern to give it the vibe it has! The basic chord progression and strumming pattern I'm using, you can find it here:
Never done 16th notes?
If you've never done a strumming pattern this fast, then it's likely you've never played a 16th note strumming pattern. Fear not, we have the exact course you need to work on to upgrade your strumming skills!
Save Tonight
This track is by Eagle Eye Cherry, and is a bit of a one hit wonder… But what a hit! (Apologies to those of you who are die hard Eagle Eye Cherry fans). First up, the capo needs to be on the 5th fret. Once again we are working with a simple 4 chord loop that is played with a more intense 16th note strumming pattern. The basic chord progression and strumming pattern I'm using, you can find it here:
Knockin' On Heavens Door
This Bob Dylan classic is one of the greatest of all time, and it's perfection lies in it's simplicity. We don't need a capo at all for this track, and it's a loop that works through the entire song. We're yet again using a 16th note strumming pattern, but unlike the previous songs, this pattern has a feeling of space and calm. The basic chord progression and strumming pattern I'm using, you can find it here:
Let It Be
Finally we have the classic Beatles song that is, in my opinion at least, the greatest song of all time. First up, we're using the capo on the 5th fret again, and I've written out the basic loop for the song. You have a few options for strumming, as the track is a piano song originally, so I've gone for something that fits really nicely. The basic chord progression and strumming pattern I'm using, you can find it here:
Learn properly!
If you're loving these songs, and want to learn truly how to master the basics of this wonderful instrument, you need to start taking or courses and our pathways. I would recommend signing up for a free trial today, grabbing your pathway, and getting started! See you on the other side.