Songs to start learning with?

Elphaba · #1 May 19th, 2007

HI, i'm new to this place, but this has probably been done before.

I've learnt a few basic chords (C,D,G,A, Am, E) and im having trouble finding songs to learn. I know most songs have these and it shouldnt be too hard finding anything, but nothing I play seems to sound like the songs They're meant to be.

Anyone have any suggestions of where to start, and which songs are easiest to start with?

Much appreciated,

X B X

allthumbs · #2 May 19th, 2007

try this one
True beginner? Here's a lesson for you!
There are a couple of other ones in Kirks' true beginners lessons.

Elphaba · #3 May 19th, 2007

Yeah, I found that after i'd posted. :-) its really helpful!

starsailor · #4 May 19th, 2007

What kind of music are you into Elphaba

Elphaba · #5 May 19th, 2007

Anything really, mostly Indie or britpop, nothing too heavy or extreme. older stuff that my dad raised me on such as kinks, stones, beatles, pink floyd etc, are faves too.

a few of my favourite bands off the top of my head are:

Fratellis, nine black alps, foo fighters, skunk anansie, oasis, libertines, coldplay, strokes, snow patrol, travis, stereophonics, weezer, jimmy eat world, david grey, athlete, embrace, hard fi, jet, feeder, KT Tunstall, fall out boy, the automatic, franz ferdinand, the kooks, razorlight (not so keen on them now though, but first album was good.) starsailor, jeff wayne (war of the worlds), the bravery, kaiser chiefs.. many many more, but you get the gist.

starsailor · #6 May 19th, 2007

Hi Elphaba, you like a lot of the bands I like, I grew up with all the rock bands from the 70s so I like groups like free, Bad Company, Santana, pink Floyd, Yes, Rush etc. but I've got a wide taste in music. Here are some songs that you should be alright with.

Feel like Making Love - Bad Company
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something
Norwegian Wood -Beatles
Mull of Kintyre - Paul McCartney
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day - This also has EM, B but good one to learn.
America - Razorlight - Bit trickier but another good one to practice
Bad Moon Rising - Creedance Clearwater Revival
Is There Anybody out there - Pink Floyd - This is a good fingerpicking exercise.

Pink Floyd have their own Tab site, www.pinkfloydonline.com.

If you're not sure about reading tab check out the lessons on here.

If you want the chords for these songs check out chordie.com

When I'm learning a new song I usually put it on my MP3 and listen to it a few times until I get the melody in my head don't know if this will help you but it helps me.

Requests for songs come up quite a lot here so you should get a lot more suggestions.
Hope all the above helps and good luck with your playing. Work on your strumming it is all about timing, getting the rythmn and getting the chord changes, it will come to you, everyone struggles when starting out but stick at it and you should get the hang of it.
But you do need to practice on a regular basis.

Cheers

Chris

GotDeeBlues · #7 May 20th, 2007

A lot of Woody Guthrie's music fits in with you chord list, adding a D7 is simple enough for some of the things I found from him. Check out this site for some easy ones:
http://www.geocities.com/bettyloucountry/

Elphaba · #8 May 20th, 2007

Cheers, Chasing cars was the first one i started learning. its really simple! My boyfriend has also recommended wish you were here, sweet home alabama and yellow submarine :-) I covered B and F yesterday, but F is really hard to get used to!

starsailor · #9 May 21st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by GotDeeBlues

A lot of Woody Guthrie's music fits in with you chord list, adding a D7 is simple enough for some of the things I found from him. Check out this site for some easy ones:
http://www.geocities.com/bettyloucountry/

With you on Woody Guthrie GotDeeBlues, This Land Is Your Land was the first song I played all the way through

starsailor · #10 May 21st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elphaba

Cheers, Chasing cars was the first one i started learning. its really simple! My boyfriend has also recommended wish you were here, sweet home alabama and yellow submarine :-) I covered B and F yesterday, but F is really hard to get used to!

Glad to see you making progress Elphaba, It's great to play a song from a band you like and get the sound you want really boosts your confidence, if you're having a go at Sweet Home Alabama and your learning F have a go at the first part of Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, don't know if your into Bob Dylan but Hard Rain is also a good one to learn as well, well done and keep on strumming.

Cheers

Chris

scrappydidnt · #11 June 7th, 2007

Alot of The Eagles songs are good too like Take it Easy , Take it to the limit, and my personal lying eyes. they pretty much stay long the lines of the chords you named

Stratrat · #12 July 2nd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elphaba

...My boyfriend has also recommended wish you were here, sweet home alabama and yellow submarine :-) ...

Wish You Were Here is a fun one to play that's not too tough. Sweet Home Alabama is a bit tougher than a lot of those other songs....more power to you if you can play it, but you may want to work your way up to it.