Song Lessons

Here's a list of the 365 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!

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
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
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
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
Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
You Are My Sunshine by Johnny Cash

Beginner Song List Video Tour

What Makes a Song "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.

Each Lesson Starts Simple

While many of the lessons on this page may include intermediate & advanced content, please note that I typically begin each tutorial with the simplest possible instruction per that song. From there, I layer on more advanced techniques — but these are never required if you just want the basics.

Find a Song you Already Love!

My biggest advice to anyone looking for a suggestion: pick a song you already like! This familiarity will absolutely make the song easier to learn, as you already have some idea of what it's supposed to sound like.