My 15 Favorite Beginner Fingerstyle Guitar Songs

Do you want to get started in fingerstyle guitar? Then I am sure you are here because you want to learn how to play classical guitar. You want to enjoy playing this beautiful instrument for a long time. Have you ever asked yourself how it is possible to develop your fingerstyle guitar pieces?

The good news is that it is possible and enjoyable! Let’s be clear, though – not all fingerstyle songs are easy to play for a beginner. They may be a little complicated, or they may sound very complex. The key is to keep your interest high, as well as learn carefully. Otherwise, you will find it more challenging to become a great guitarist.

Easy Guitar Fingerstyle Songs for Beginners

Dust in The Wind – Kansas

It is an easy enough song for beginners to start with but still fun and challenging enough to keep their interest high. This song will quickly develop the guitarist’s fingerstyle technique with lots of arpeggios to dive into. It explores a whole new range of sounds that guitar players can play. While it does sound as complicated as it will get, it’s not hard to learn. Figuring out this fingerpicking technique is quite fun.

Shape of My Heart – Sting

A song known for its complex jazz chord changes is easy enough for beginners to learn. It has a relatively simple opening verse and a more exciting chorus part. Beginning guitarists can still learn to play this song with only a little effort.

You Are My Sunshine – Johnny Cash

A soft and romantic song, You Are My Sunshine, offers the perfect opportunity to start with a fingerstyle guitar. It has a bouncing rhythm that is easy to pick up and play. Learning this song is an excellent way to start because you get to pair it with the fun of singing.

Landslide – Fleetwood Mac

Although this song can be very complex and challenging to play, it’s still an excellent fingerpicking song for beginners to learn. It has a great rhythm, which you can pick out simply by watching the tab a few times. The song starts with a simple chord sequence, easy to practice. Both the guitar and the-picking are easy to pick up in the verse.

Right Here Waiting – Richard Marx

Right Here Waiting has a steady, easy-to-follow rhythm. However, new players might note that this song features some unusual arrangements. It has multiple parts, starting with a chorus, followed by verses, then another chorus, and so on.

Fast Car- Tracy Chapman

Fast Car is a relatively simple song to play, but some of the chord changes can be hard to see at first. The A chord in the intro can be tricky for many players, but you’ll get used to it. – New players will see the challenge in starting the song with fast notes that slowly get faster throughout the song.

Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s

The melody of Hey There Delilah is an easy pattern to pick up. The verses are relatively easy to play, and the picking starts at a slower speed, allowing you to get comfortable with the rhythm without making mistakes. – While picking, start slowly and gradually speed up, increasing your speed only after mastering the rhythm at the slower speed. Learn the song several times, paying close attention to how the picking pattern changes.

Don’t Cry – Guns N’ Roses

Don’t Cry features a few different riffs, as well as a few fast chord changes. You’ll need a good ear to recognize that the riff changes on the fly, and you’ll want to play the song several times to get the hang of it. Even though all the songs are relatively easy to play, you should still take the time to learn the chords and finger-picking patterns thoroughly.

Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton

Wonderful Tonight features several quick chord changes, but the picking pattern is relatively easy. You’ll probably want to try the song through several times before you get it completely straight, but once you do, you’ll be ready for anything! Only play the song when you’ve got an excellent ear and are comfortable with all the chord changes.

Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

Stairway to Heaven is easy to learn, but there are a few tricky chords. It would be best to learn the song several times, paying close attention to how the picking pattern changes. Start comfortable with the basic riff, play through the song at a relaxed pace, and make sure you’re picking the chords accurately. Remember, you can always slow down the tempo, play the song multiple times, and get to know the picking patterns well once you have some experience.

Blackbird – The Beatles

Blackbird is tricky, as it’s written all over the neck position. It’s mostly an alternating bass pattern, so remember to keep the notes short. Remember to keep every note of the strong bass pattern clear, as it’s an essential part of the song. If you’ve mastered Blackbird, you’ll find the rest of the songs in this list a piece of cake.

We’re Going To Be Friends – The White Stripes

We’re Going To Be Friends has a distinct pattern, with the strong bass accent changing every two beats. Watch out for the emphasis on each eight-note chord, as it’ll be included as part of the bass pattern. Keep picking with rhythm as the song builds in intensity.

Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran

This is one of the best fingerstyle songs for beginners. The chords are simple, and the core pattern is on the bass. The overall structure is an A-shape. Because of this, most of the notes will be on the fretboard. You’ll need to loosen your grip a bit while playing so that you can better move your fingers across the fretboard.

Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers

This song’s most popular, making it easy to jam along to. Get the melody, pick, and strum with the right hand. The left hand will act as rhythm. Play it with your left hand when the strumming pattern calls for an extra note. Thanks to the funky bass pattern and challenging fingerpicking, this song is very catchy.

Nothing Else Matters – Metallica

This Metallica song is very repetitive, so fret patterns are quickly learned. The repetition of the notes allows for a strong core. A strumming pattern is used to add movement to the guitar. Don’t worry if you can’t hold your song notes perfectly—jam along! Don’t overthink it—that’s what music is all about. If you’re having trouble, stick to the right hand and move your fingers up and down the fretboard.

Final Words

The secret to learning any song is to practice it at the right speed. Start slow, then gradually increase the speed as you become more familiar with the notes. Playing fingerstyle guitar is fun and allows you to create any music you want. Practice playing simple songs like these first to gain experience. Pay attention to different parts of the guitar neck, such as where the fingers go, how the pick is held and strummed, and the picking technique.

I would also recommend learning these beginner country guitar songs as well.