Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner

Subject: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: GUEST,Jennifer Burdoo
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 11:01 PM

I'm finally, slowly, learning the guitar and am interested to know some folksongs that can be played with just two or three chords, preferably closely related chords that can be easily switched. Something with C and C7 would work, for example.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: jeddy
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 11:11 PM

sorry if it was mandolin i could help you. good luck with the pracising

jade x x x

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: Leadfingers
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 11:16 PM

There are literally THOUSANDS of three chord trick songs - Do you want Traditional ? and if so , WHAT tradition ?
I suggest that you join , them Personal Messages are easy and dont clog up the Forum with long lists of stuff you've no interest in !
Failing that , what sort of songs grab you ?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 11:44 PM

Here's a sampling of songs you can play with two or three chords. Have fun!

Two chord songs (could play with C and G or F and C):

Jambalaya
Little Birdie
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
Skip To My Lou
Shortnin' Bread
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
Down In The Valley
I Love You a Thousand Ways
Waltz Across Texas
Buffalo Gals


Three Chord songs (C, F and G or G, C and D):

Pack Up Your Sorrows
Michael Row the Boat Ashore
I'm On My Way
This Land is Your Land
Old Dan Tucker
If I Had a Hammer
Oh Mary
Lonesome Valley
Midnight Special
Frankie and Johnny
Sloop John B.
Worried Man Blues
Careless Love
Old Time Religion
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Down By the Riverside
Red River Valley
My Grandfather's Clock
Mama Don't 'Low
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Wildwood Flower
Long Black Veil
Jesse James
Nine Pound Hammer
John Hardy
Sitting On Top of the World
Wabash Cannonball
Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky
Man of Constant Sorrow
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Union Maid
Hobo's Lullabye
Happy Birthday
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Gentle On My Mind
Johnny B. Goode
Bye Bye Love
All Together Now
Get Back
Blue Suede Shoes
La Bamba
Love Me Do
Save the Last Dance for Me
Twist and Shout
When Will I Be Loved
Me and Bobbie McGhee
Surfin' USA
Woolly Boolly
Louie Louie
Wild Thing
I Fought The Law
Not Fade Away
Feelin' Groovy

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 11:51 PM

OK ...

Lots and Lots of songs...

But...C and C7 ... ouch!

You will NEED to learn THREE Cords (there are two chord songs but...)

C

and

F

and

G

have the potential to carry you into Nervana...then...add your already mastered C7 and your world is bliss!!!

Some "pros" are rumored to have gone no further than this...(until years later when they got the bucks years for a lesson or two.)

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

(come on - you must know a two-fingured G-String?)...

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 12:29 AM

D-G-A or
G-C-D

are probably the two easiest three chord tricks.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 05:27 PM

Thanks for the tips. I did join a looooong time ago, have long since forgotten my passwords. My interest is in Celtic folksong, and related American genres (such as Civil War era music).

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Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 05:41 PM

There are songs where you can get away with just one chord.

For example "Froggie went a courting" you could do with a C chord (or any other major chord)

High Germany you could do with an A minor (or any minor chord.)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Easy songs for a beginner
From: Tangledwood
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 05:59 PM

Probably with the majority of folk songs it's possible to get away with just three chords, adding relative minors as you get more fluent improves the sound. I think it's more satisfying to find songs that you like or that mean something to you and aim to play them, in a simplified form if need be, rather than look for general lists of songs to use for the learning process.

If you are intending to sing along with your guitar I would suggest learning groups of chords that best suit your vocal range. There's not much point in learning everything in C if you sing best in F. Don't discard songs because they aren't in the "right" key, but learn how simple it is to transpose them to your needs. Much Celtic music is in minor keys - don't let that put you off. There are some easy minor chords and they can sound great.

I find that letting a song dictate the direction that the learning is taking changes my attitude. It is no longer sitting down to formally study music but simply exploring what has to be done to make a specific part of a song sound good and absorbing new information in the process.