Song Lessons

Here's a list of the 293 song lessons I've made on my YouTube channel. I typically add one song lesson per week. Want to request a song lesson? Email me and let me know!

Recently Added Most Popular Beginner-Friendly by Artist by Song Title by Song Year

Key of G

Most songs here use some combination of G, C, D, and E-minor. Check out this G-major finger position guide for suggestions on how to position your fingers while playing these chords.

7 Years by Lukas Graham

A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffett

Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis

Angel From Montgomery by John Prine

Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison

City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie

Clay Pigeons by John Prine

Follow You to Virgie by Tyler Childers

Heart of Gold by Neil Young

I've Just Seen a Face by The Beatles

King of the Road by Roger Miller

Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan

LA Freeway by Guy Clark

Last Kiss by Pearl Jam

Let It Go by Frozen

Maybe It's Time by A Star is Born

Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin

Millionaire by Chris Stapleton

Redemption Song by Bob Marley

Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash

Rivers of Babylon by Sublime

Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash

Sweet Virginia by The Rolling Stones

Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver

Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

Key of C

Most songs here use some combination of C, F, G, and A-minor. Don't be scared away by the F chord! You can totally get by using the 3-string version I teach in my F Chord Cheat Sheet (which shows many non-barred options). I also made this Key of C cheat sheet to give an overview of this entire key. And once more, the G-major finger position guide will come in handy with this chord family as well.

Dead Flowers by Townes Van Zandt

Feeling Whitney by Post Malone

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

In Spite of Ourselves by John Prine

Last Christmas by Wham!

Lean On Me by Bill Withers

Learnin' To Fly by Tom Petty

Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

My Church by Maren Morris

Saskatchewan in 1881 by Colter Wall

Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Stand By Me by Ben E. King

Surrender (acoustic) by Cheap Trick

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

True Colors by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick

You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman

Key of D

Most songs here use some combination of D, G, and A... with one or two of these songs using B-minor. For B-minor, the easiest way to play it is by sliding the A-minor shape up two frets (and only playing strings 2-3-4).

Badlands by Bruce Springsteen

Dublin Blues by Guy Clark

I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash

Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan

Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys by Waylon Jennings

Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett

Pancho and Lefty by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard

Surrender (acoustic) by Cheap Trick

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Whitehouse Road by Tyler Childers

Key of E

Most songs here use some combination of E, A, and B7. If you need help with these chords, I suggest my video showing walk-ups and walk-downs between E-A-B7, which is a super common technique used in this specific key.

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain by Willie Nelson

Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin

Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash

I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash

I've Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash

Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys by Waylon Jennings

Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Key of A

Most songs here use some combination of A, D, and E.

Give My Love To Rose by Johnny Cash

Guantanamera by Pete Seeger

I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash

Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin

Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond

You Are My Sunshine by Johnny Cash

What makes these beginner-friendly?

Of all the song lessons I've made, these are the ones I would consider beginner-friendly, or at least relatively approachable by beginner guitarists. Most of these songs need just 3-4 chord shapes, and can be played even if you simplify the strumming or skip certain riffs/fills.

While many of the lessons linked below may include intermediate & advanced content, please note that I typically begin each tutorial with the simplest possible instruction per that song – and then layer on additional concepts later in the lesson.

Please let me know what specific beginner content you'd like to see! I plan on continuing to add to this section of my website, and would love any requests or feedback. Thanks!