You can play these 10 songs with only three chords!
The guitar is actually one of the easiest instruments to start with. With only three chords you can play thousands of songs. This also makes learning how to play the guitar a lot more fun than most other instruments, as you can play your favourite songs throughout the entire development of your skills. This list contains 10 easy and fun songs that only contain three different chords!
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival has many incredibly fun and easy songs. Bad Moon Rising is one of their most popular songs and only has three chords. The chords are D, A, and G, of which the order changes in the chorus. Furthermore, the strumming pattern is also quite easy, although the transition between some chords is quite fast. However, it remains a jolly and easy song that’s suitable for every guitarist. Although it isn’t clear which guitar was used during the recording of Bad Moon Rising, John Fogerty is known for his Les Pauls. Great alternatives are the Michael Kelly Patriot Instinct Bold, the Stagg SEL-STD, or the Eastman SB59.
What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes
This fun song from 1992 is relatively easy to play. Like every song in this list, it only has three chords. Officially the chords are A, B-minor, and D. However, it’s possible to play the song with a capo on the second fret with the chords G, A-minor, and C. These chords are considered to be easier, as the B-minor chord is a barre chord. However, this song is a great exercise to practice barre chords with. The strumming pattern is a little more complicated, but with a bit of patience and motivation it can definitely be mastered! It’s not known which guitar Linda Perry uses in What’s up, although it’s a very unique guitar considering its shape. This shape will affect the sound quite a lot, considering the resonance. The closest alternative is a parlor guitar, such as the Lâg T90PE or the Art & Lutherie Roadhouse Q-Discrete.
505 – Arctic Monkeys
This song doesn’t actually fit within the list, because it has only two chords instead of three. The chords are D-minor and E-minor. These are also relatively easy chords meaning this song is suitable for every guitarist. The strumming pattern is also relatively easy, although it does speed up about halfway through the song. This tempo change isn’t extreme and doesn’t make the song significantly harder to play. Alex Turner uses Jazzmasters or Les Pauls, like the Squier Classic Vibe ‘60s or the Lâg I100-HOS.
Blue Suede Shoes – Elvis Presley
The King of Rock ’n Roll also has many fun and easy songs. Blue Suede Shoes originally belongs to Carl Perkins who wrote and recorded the song in 1955, and was covered by Presley in 1956. The song contains three of the easiest chords: A, D, and E. As such, this song is also great for the guitarist who has just started playing. However, timing is very important with this song, but it’s definitely still at novice level and is actually a great exercise. Blue Suede Shoes has been played by many musicians. As such, you have a wide variety of guitars to choose from, such as the Fender Vintera '50s Stratocaster or the Yamaha CPX700II.
Midnight Special – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Another song with these same chords is Midnight Special by Creedence Clearwater Revival. As discussed earlier, CCR is known for their jolly and easy songs. Midnight Special might not be among their most popular songs, but it’s definitely just as fun to play as the others! The song is relatively calm and has an easy strumming pattern. There also aren’t any quick transitions. The song can be played with A, D and E, but also with G, D and C.
Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan
The most popular song from this Nobel prize winner is actually quite easy to play. The song contains three of the easiest chords: G, C, and D. Furthermore, the strumming patterns is also very easy, although the transitions between some of the chords can be quite fast, but these transitions are easy to get used to. This is a beautiful song with which you can learn new chords in a fun way! Bob Dylan uses Dreadnought guitars, such as the James Neligan BES-ACE-TBB or the Eastman E1D.
Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
This beautiful song from John Denver might not be easy to sing, but it’s definitely easy to play! The song does not contain any barre chords and only had D, G, and C chords, just like the two prior songs on this list. The strumming pattern is also relatively simple, although it is possible to fingerpick the songs as opposed to strumming them. This song is also great practice for those who want to start fingerpicking as the tempo is quite low and it doesn’t contain many transitions. It's unknown which guitar Denver used whilst recording Leaving on a Jet Plane, but he was known to regularly use twelve-string guitars, such as the Martin D-X2E or the Lâg T177J12CE.
No Surrender – Bruce Springsteen
Although this song only has three chords, it’s one of the hardest in this list. This is because two of the three chords are barre chords. The three chords are an F, C, and Bb. However, it is possible to play it only with one barre chord by placing a capo on the first fret, transposing the F to an E, the Bb to an A, and the C to a B. This means the C, or in this case B, will be the only barre chord. Furthermore, the strumming pattern is very easy and it’s a fun song to play along to. Springsteen's go-to guitar is his legendary Telecaster. Great alternatives are the Godin Stadium HT or the Fender Player Plus.
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
We’ll return to songs with easier chords, in this case, Ring of Fire. This song contains three relatively easy chords: G, C, and D. The strumming pattern is relatively fast though and there are many quick transitions between chords. Consequently, it’s important to already known these chords quite well in order to keep up with the tempo. However, it’s a fun song to practice tempo with and it’s a great song to sing along to. It would of course be incredibly cool to play Cash with the Martin DX-CASH!
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Don’t worry, about learning hard chords… Three Little Birds by Bob Marley is an insanely fun and easy song to play. The strumming pattern is also relatively easy and the tempo is quite calm. The chords that are used are A, D, and E, of which the chorus only contains A and D. The song is not only suitable for every level guitarist, but it’s also a great song to close your exercises with! This is because the lyrics tell you that everything will be alright, but also because it’s a great reminder that making music should be fun! Marley mostly played Dreadnoughts, such as the Yamaha FGX800C or the Crafter D600 N.
Have you already learned all these songs? If not, you know what your next challenge is! If you have learned them all, it would be fun to make your own lists of which songs you've found hardest or most fun to play. Consequently, you can begin to challenge yourself with our ten songs with four chords list!
assortment
Eastman AC122-1CE
Eastman AC122-1CE
Bold Luxury
Adopting exciting, forward-thinking design improvements, the new AC Series acoustics stand out like never before. Further refinements to the already future-forward line have taken comfort, functionality, and elegance to the next level.
A New Horizon
Newly available finishes add depth to the AC Series, including a lush Goldburst and a brand new Dakota Fade. Inlay upgrades are featured on models throughout, including beautifully ornate maple leaf found on headstocks and fingerboards. Welcome to a beautiful future.
Fender Player Stratocaster - Buttercream
Fender
Fender was founded in 1946 by Clarence Leonidas ‘Leo’ Fender. Their first guitar, the Telecaster, became a huge success, and they started producing other similarly popular models, like the Stratocaster and the Precision Bass. Nowadays Fender has a huge assortment of different basses and guitars, with different sounds, colours, and prices, so that they have something for everyone. Consequently, they remain one of the most popular guitar brands today!
The Player Series
Fender developed the Player series specifically for beginning musicians and musicians with a relatively low budget. The Fender Player guitars and basses are made in Mexico and measure up to Fender’s American-made guitars quite well. The instruments are also very versatile and are even suited for recording and gigs. The Player guitars are thus more affordable versions of the popular Fender models. Consequently, they also feel and sound like a Fender guitar. However, the Player models are relatively standard, Fender did not add any unique modifications or special additions to the guitar. All models have Alnico pickups and are available in different colours.
The Player Stratocaster
The Player Stratocaster has the same aspects as a regular Fender Stratocaster but is more affordable. It is a great guitar for the beginning guitarist or musician with a limited budget. The body is made of alder, which makes the sound a bit clearer. The body has a high-gloss finish, which emphasises the beautiful buttercream colour of the guitar. The guitar has a maple neck with a satin finish. This makes the neck very comfortable to play and is ideal for guitarists who get sweaty hands. The fretboard is made of pau ferro. Pau ferro is a sustainable tone wood and a great alternative for rosewood. The guitar has three Alnico single-coil pickups who can be adjusted with the five-way switch, the volume knob, and the two tone knobs. The Player Stratocaster is thus a great guitar for a decent price!
Fender Player Mustang 90 - Natural
Fender
Fender was founded in 1946 by Clarence Leonidas ‘Leo’ Fender. They started with the production of their first guitar: the Telecaster. This became a huge success, and they started producing other similarly popular models, like the Stratocaster and the Precision Bass. Nowadays Fender has a huge assortment of different basses and guitars, with different sounds, colours, and prices. Consequently, they remain one of the most popular guitar brands today!
The Player Series
Fender developed the Player series specifically for beginning musicians and musicians with a relatively low budget. The Fender Player guitars and basses are made in Mexico and measure up to Fender’s American-made guitars. The instruments are also very versatile and are even suited for recording and gigs. The Player guitars are thus more affordable versions of the popular Fender models. Consequently, they also feel and sound like a Fender guitar. However, the Player models are relatively standard, Fender did not add any unique modifications or special additions to the guitar. All models have Alnico pickups and are available in different colours.
The Player Mustang ‘90
Fender developed the Mustang in 1964. The guitar initially wasn’t very popular and was taken off the market. In the 1990s the guitar became very popular in the grunge scene, and Fender rereleased the Mustang. The Player Mustang is inspired by this ‘90s Mustang. Consequently, the guitar has two P90 single-coil pickups, which can create this typical grunge sound. Nevertheless, P90s also have an amazing clean sound. The pickups can be adjusted with the three-way switch, the volume knob, and the master tone knob. The guitar also has a six-saddle bridge, which goes through the body. The body is made of alder. Alder is a proper tonewood which makes the sound a little brighter. The neck is made of maple and has a pau ferro fretboard. This is a sustainable combination which is very comfortable to play. The Player Mustang ’90 is thus a great guitar for a low price!
Godin Stadium HT Havana Brown MN
Godin
Godin is a Canadian company who make professional and innovative guitars. Their guitars are relatively sustainable, as well. Almost all their wood comes from North-America, which means they don’t participate in the deforestation in South-America. Their guitars are made by hand by the best luthiers in Canada, which means they can guarantee high quality guitars.
Sound possibilities
The Stadium HT Havana Brown is a solid body guitar by Godin. The shape is based on the legendary Telecaster, although the Stadium is a little rounder. The guitar has two single-coil pickups, of which one is located in the metal of the bridge. The metal gives a different resonance which adds a lot of twang to the pickup. The neck pickup articulates quite well and has a vintage tone. The hardware is also of high quality. The saddles are even made of brass, which gives the guitar a warmer sound.
Materials
The body of the guitar is made of basswood. Basswood is a softwood with a great sustain. The neck and the fretboard are made of maple, which articulates well and has a neutral appearance. The colour of the body is inspired by acoustic guitars, which is why it has a dark wooden colour, but with a semi-gloss finish. What is also quite noticeable, is that the guitar doesn’t have a pickguard. Godin managed to hide all the wiring underneath the bridge and the control plate, which gives the guitar a professional and luxurious appearance. The Stadium HT Havana Brown is an amazing and unique guitar!
Eastman AC922CE - Auditorium Guitar
Eastman AC922CE
This Eastman AC922CE comes with the acoustic guitar service package worth € 75.00 consisting of:
- Tuning before delivery/shipping
- A guitar tuning voucher
- Pick holder
- Official Joh.deHeer warranty certificate
Bold Luxury
Adopting exciting, forward-thinking design improvements, the new AC Series acoustics stand out like never before. Further refinements to the already future-forward line have taken comfort, functionality, and elegance to the next level.
A New Horizon
Newly available finishes add depth to the AC Series, including a lush Goldburst and a brand new Dakota Fade. Inlay upgrades are featured on models throughout, including beautifully ornate maple leaf found on headstocks and fingerboards. Welcome to a beautiful future.
The AC922CE
The AC922CE is a high quality auditorium guitar. Auditorium guitars are quite versatile; they are a bit smaller than a dreadnought and a little bigger than a grand concert. Dreadnoughts are known to be perfect rhythm guitars, whereas grand concerts are the ideal fingerpicking guitars. The auditorium is known to be great at both. The body is deep enough for the individual tones to be rich and dynamic, but the multiple tones are also quite balanced. This is why auditorium guitars are very versatile and popular. The AC922CE also has a cut out, which means it is easy for the player to reach the high frets. The top of the body is made of spruce. Spruce is an amazing tone wood for acoustic guitars, because it produces a bright and warm sound. The back and sides are made of solid rosewood, which has a great resonance and produces a balanced sound. The guitar has a mahogany neck and an ebony fretboard. This is a great combination and ensures a comfortable experience. The different tone woods are not only what makes this guitar so beautiful; Eastman also added intricate binding, a detailed rosette, and beautiful fretboard inlays. This gives the guitar a unique and luxurious appearance. The guitar is delivered with a hardshell case. The AC922CE is thus a very professional and unique guitar!
Lag HyVibe 30 - Dreadnought Cutaway
Smart Guitar
Lâg, the innovative French guitar producer, was one of the first who produced a Smart Guitar. Their Smart Guitars are part of their HyVibe series, of which this guitar is the HyVibe 30 Dreadnought. This means it’s a classical Smart Guitar. The guitar looks relatively normal, like a regular dreadnought, but it is a semi-acoustic and independent guitar. This means that the guitar can be connected to an amp or a PA system, but it also contains its own amp. Consequently, the guitar and its built-in effects can be used without any external sources. This makes it possible to use effects such as reverb, chorus, delay, octaver, and tremelo with your acoustic sound. Furthermore, the guitar can be used as an independent speaker as you can connect the guitar to your devices via Bluetooth. You can use the guitar solely as a speaker, but you can also play along to your favourite music! The built-in battery that will last a while. However, the guitar shows the battery percentage so you know when to charge the guitar with the included adapter.
Materials
The HyVibe 30 Dreadnought is also made of the best materials. The guitar has a ‘Bearclaw’ spruce top. This type of spruce sounds similar to sitka spruce, but is stronger and louder. The back and sides are made of bocote, which looks beautiful and has a warm and powerful sound. The guitar also has a khaya neck and an ebony fretboard. The HyVibe 30 Dreadnought will be delivered in a special HyVibe hardcase!
