Flatpicking guitar songs for beginners impress everyone. Since they’re super easy to learn, they’re ideal for newbies looking forward to getting into music. Many songs for beginners contain simple hooks and repetitive patterns. That makes them easy to learn, and it’s a bonus that lots of Flatpicking songs are fun to sing, which boosts your playing.
Flatpicking guitar songs for beginners are naturally simple. This means you don’t have to worry about memorizing lots of crazy fingerings or complicated chord shapes. Take a look at these songs to learn for beginner guitar players too.
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Beginner Flatpicking Guitar Songs
Old Joe Clark
Old Joe Clark is a folk song first popularized by old-time fiddlers, then popularized by bluegrass guitarists who interpreted the lyrics to make it into a Flatpicking song. Joe Clark was a famous politician and general in the American Revolutionary War. He enjoyed legendary status among American soldiers, and his name inspired the song, which details his military career. Although this song uses open tunings, it sounds great in any standard tunings.
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek is one of America’s most famous folk songs, and it’s perfect for Flatpicking. It has a very upbeat tempo, making it an excellent choice for practicing. In the song, the narrator tells of a young buck trying to catch a falling star, a popular pastime in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Eventually, he catches the star, which causes him to fall and break his arm. He decides to sell the star to the circus, where he gains a lot of money.
Nine Pound Hammer
This famous English folk song has an effortless chord progression, making it perfect for Flatpicking. The chorus consists of just a couple of chords: F, C, and F. When you play this song make the chord changes sound like one note. It will make your performance more lively and engaging.
Man of Constant Sorrow
The song starts with a clear but straightforward chord progression, which gets more complex and passionate as the rest of the song progresses. This is one of the more difficult beginner songs, but it’s well worth the challenge. Once you learn it, you’ll be surprised at how many more songs you’ll be able to pick off of your guitar.
Blackberry Blossom
The first 30 seconds of Blackberry Blossom is all you need to get started. Once you learn how to play this part, the rest of the song will seem easy. The melody is easy to learn, but the thick, complex chords make it a challenge. The hardest part of the song is the D chord, which you need to do only twice.
Final Notes
Flatpicking guitar songs for beginners may seem daunting at first, but fortunately, plenty of options are available. The first thing you have to do is build your confidence. When it comes to guitar, learning what works and doesn’t work in your rhythm and timing can help you accomplish your goals sooner than you expect. Try picking each of these easy songs for yourself and see how far you get. They will get you on the right track and on your way to becoming a master flatpicker in no time.
Be sure to learn these Neil Young beginner guitar songs too.