Songs for Beginners

I've finished Guitar Fundamentals 1 and 2. I'm currently working on the Rock 1 course, palm muting, etc. I find myself spending ALOT of time getting guitar tabs for songs that are a bit (or alot) higher than my skill level.
Two that I have found is 'My Girl' by the Temptations and 'Homebound' by Ted Nugent. Both are fairly easy riffs that repeat freqently and you can kind of move the pattern around the fret board. I have a cable to hook up my laptop to my amp so I play the music file right thru the amp and play along with it.

Can anyone suggest some other songs that would be around the same complexity? (or maybe slightly tougher, but still not too many bends, hammer-ons etc?)

GG

Originally Posted by: GuitardedGeezerI've finished Guitar Fundamentals 1 and 2. I'm currently working on the Rock 1 course, palm muting, etc. I find myself spending ALOT of time getting guitar tabs for songs that are a bit (or alot) higher than my skill level.
Two that I have found is 'My Girl' by the Temptations and 'Homebound' by Ted Nugent. Both are fairly easy riffs that repeat freqently and you can kind of move the pattern around the fret board. I have a cable to hook up my laptop to my amp so I play the music file right thru the amp and play along with it.

Can anyone suggest some other songs that would be around the same complexity? (or maybe slightly tougher, but still not too many bends, hammer-ons etc?)

GG

Joan Jett - I Love Rock -n- Roll
AC/DC - For Those About To Rock
BTO - Taken Care of Business (a quintessential 1-4-5 song)
Kiss - Rock -n- Roll All Night
Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Angels/Angel City/Great White - Face the Day (love that song!)

Just a few...When I started, not knowing any better, my first two songs were Fly By Night (Rush) and Black Dog (Zep). Seems I was ignorantly fearless. ;)

Fantastic ideas, Jeff. And songs I love too....THANKS

GG

I'm pretty sure that "Taking care of business" by BTO is a 1, 7b, 4 progression in the key of B. It is fairly simple though, and I always loved that riff. Bob Seger had some really cool stuff too, "Old time rock and roll" is a 1, 4, 5 progression. "Sunspot baby" was another 1, 4, 5, but it mixes them up a little more. It's a great practice exercise though, and also an interesting progression.

Keep on practicing, and Have a great 4th of July weekend.

How about I'd love to change the world by 10 Years After....Em-G-Am-C-B7-Em for the verses. The opening is; strum Em- then play the F-F#-G notes on the 6th string and make a G. Follow that with an open A (5th string)strum Am and then play the A#-B-C notes on the 5th string (A)make a C chord and play it arpeggio - (A chord broken into individual notes played one at a time (taken from the forum thread)) then a B7 arpeggio and back to Em

Another good one -

ZZ Top - Just Got Paid ....great cycling riff. Maybe the slide stuff is not within reach but a good song to learn from structure perspective and the single string riffage is sooo cool.

As to the BTO...good point, I guess I was thinking in generalities without really thinking it through....my bad.

Jesse's Girl great easy little riff

Rock Me Like a Hurricane riff

Iron Man

One- Metallica

The other guy is right. Try and learn "I'd Love to Change the world" it has some picking and arppeggios. That was one of the most satisfying songs i learned how to play. It takes a little time but if I can get it just about anyone can. Good Luck.

As to the BTO...good point, I guess I was thinking in generalities without really thinking it through....my bad.

No problem Jeff, I just wanted to let everyone know, it's still a simple progression that's easy to learn. Don't sweat it man, 25 years ago I thought Sweet home Alabama was in the key of D, but it's a 5, 4, to the 1 in the key of G. A rhythm player told me once that I had it marked in the wrong key on a set list, and he thought the song was in D. Playing only rhythm he couldn't understand how I came to that conclusion. The solo is played out of G, so that's how I figured it out. If I'm wrong on this, and it's going to the 7b from the 1, I hope someone will let me know.

Classic rock tunes really had some cool progressions, and a lot of it fairly simple. I'm about half way finished with a tutorial covering many of these progressions, and some other stuff too.

The Star Spangled Banner and House of the Rising Sun are good also.

Star Spangled Banner is a Must. I heard Slash play it once. I'll go find the sheet music for it now. Thanks.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65
Just a few...When I started, not knowing any better, my first two songs were Fly By Night (Rush) and Black Dog (Zep). Seems I was ignorantly fearless. ;)

Good lord man!

Okay...........I downloaded The Star Spangled Banner.........and when I turned to page two I choked and spewed coffee out of my nose.....then I checked the 'author' and along with Francis Scott Key was J. Hendrix............

After much searching it is very easy to find The Star Spangled Banner in sheet music........just not for electric guitars, it all seems to be the Hendrix version, or the Lee Greenwood which I'm sure sounds great on an accustic but I'm sceptical about adding lotsa distortion etc .

Anyone have a good locations/website whatever that has a slightly less challenging version with both the regular score and tab?

GG

Originally Posted by: GuitardedGeezerAnyone have a good locations/website whatever that has a slightly less challenging version with both the regular score and tab?

GG

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5581/starskk.jpg

Sorry, it doesn't have tab. I would really really really advise against tab, especially if you're just learning. Being able to sight read is invaluable!

If you must use tab, tabbing it yourself will help learn the notes and their relation to the fretboard and staff.

On the first, third, and sixth line the last note got cut off, sorry, it was a hasty scan job. I filled in the last eight note.

Good luck.

Wow! Thank you! This will work perfectly. I really appreciate you taking the time to scan it and post it.

GG