Very Easy Electric Guitar Songs For Beginners | Smoke On The Water
This is known as the first song a guitar player should play. We’re playing a single note, 1-string version of the classic Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple. It’s a super easy electric guitar song for beginners.
Before you move on to the other lessons, you’ll want to make sure you know how to read guitar tabs for beginners with this video – it’s a great first guitar lesson. The other riffs are going to be great for you too. Enjoy!
Very Easy Guitar Tablature For Beginners – Your First Riff Ever
Reading Tab
Very Easy Guitar Tabs For Beginner | White Stripes Seven Nation Army Guitar Tutorial
Here’s a guitar lesson on Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes with a guitar tab (guitar tablature).
Seven Nation Army
The White Stripes had a chart topping hit with “Seven Nation Army” back in 2003. After weeks at #1 it went on to win the Grammy Award for best rock song of that year. Jack White’s guitar sound was fundamental to the band as they performed only as a 2 piece (drums/guitar/vocals).
For the famous riff, Jack used a vintage Kay guitar through a pedal called a “DigiTech Whammy”. This pedal was used to move the pitch down exactly one octave while the hollow-body of the guitar produced a more rounded tone. The result is a unique ‘bass like’ guitar riff. This song as been the protest song for Egypt in 2011 and the anthem of Italy’s World Cup win in 2006 as well as countless other sporting events, movies, tv shows and video games… and it’s just 5 notes!
When I teach this song to my students, I transpose the key to “A”. The original version is in E. If you don’t have the DigiTech Whammy pedal, it sounds a bit better like this.
Getting ready
- Look up “Seven Nation Army – White Stripes” on the internet and have a listen.
- Become familiar enough with the riff so you can hum along in real time.
- Read the tab, play the notes and see how close you can come to nailing the riff!
Start by playing the 5th fret of the E string with your 3rd finger. This will get your hand into the perfect position to play that 3rd fret of your A string with your 1st finger.
To complete the riff continue to move your hand down, playing the third and first frets with your first finger.
* Sit up straight & remember proper technique.
* Find the rhythm with your body. Tap your toe, dance a little bit in your chair etc. This will help you stay on beat and play with more feel.
Super Easy Elecrtic Guitar Songs For Beginners | I Love Rock N Roll Joan Jett
Super Easy guitar lesson for beginners – single note riff version of I love rock n roll by Joan Jett. I also have the full version in another lesson <CLICK HERE>
I Love Rock & Roll
Originally written and released as a B-side in 1975 by a band called “The Arrows”, “I Love Rock & Roll” didn’t reach its peak in popularity until it was covered by Joan Jett and her band “The Blackhearts” in 1982. It spent seven weeks at #1 on the US billboard, ranked #89 on Rolling Stones “100 Greatest Guitar Songs” and was inducted into the Grammy’s Hall of Fame in 2006. Not bad for a cover!
Getting ready –
- Look up “I love Rock & Roll” on the internet and have a listen.
- Get familiar with the riff so you can hum along in real time.
It’s just as simple as listening to the song, reading the tab and nailing it. However, you might notice that it sounds a bit different than the original recording. That’s because we’re playing it as a bassline/single-note riff. We’ll progress you to the next level very soon! Remember that for now, these riffs are essentially disguised because they’re really great finger exercises.
Introducing: A New Rhythmic Technique
We’re going to use a special technique that is used to emulate the sound of a snare drum. Holding your pick in the correct position, curl the remaining fingers into a very loose fist.
Looking at the tab, you’ll see we’re starting with the low E string and playing it in the open position. After playing the 2 open notes, swing that loose fist down onto the strings. It will stop the note from ringing and give you a ‘clap’ sound. This is the strings clanging into the frets, giving us an essential rhythmic guitar technique that you’ll use for years to come.
Use the X’s on this tab to show you exactly where the snare hits lay throughout the course of the riff
*Always keep your pick above the string you’re going to play next – This will help you do the quick move to play the third fret with your first finger after the clap/snare hit.
* Sit up straight & remember proper left and right hand technique.
Super Easy Electric Guitar Songs For Beginners | Come As You Are By Nirvana
Here’s a super easy guitar riff for beginners – Come As You Are by Nirvana. This is chapter 7 from “5 Minute Guitar”
Come As You Are
“Come As You Are” was Nirvana’s second single off their album Nevermind, released in 1991. This was a notable time in music history when the Seattle grunge scene overthrew a pop dance style and “hair metal” that dominated the charts through the 80’s. Kurt Cobain used an Electro Harmonix “Small Clone” guitar effects pedal on this riff which provides what is called a “chorus” effect. Also, Kurt’s guitar was tuned down 1 full step lower than standard tuning.
Although “Come As You Are” didn’t get as much recognition as “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, it’s recognizable sound and simple fingering make it the perfect step up where I can introduce to you a good song with some new techniques.
Caption: To honour Cobain, his hometown in Washington put up a sign that says “Welcome to Aberdeen – Come As You Are”
Getting ready
- Look up “Come as you are – Nirvana” on the internet and have a listen.
- Become familiar enough with the riff so you can hum along in real time.
Tips For This Riff & New Techniques:
To form a more complex tone, allow the notes to sound together.
- Every time you play the second fret, keep your finger down so that note sustains
- Every time you play an open string, let it ring/sustain
We’re also going to incorporate alternate picking to this same area.
- Every note you play on the E string is a downstroke
- Every note you play on the A string is an up stroke.
And don’t forget – use your stability points so you can play more accurately, leaving the ringing notes untouched.
Super Easy Electric Guitar Songs For Beginners | Albert King Born Under A Bad Sign
A super easy Blues guitar song lesson for beginners – a blues riff by Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign
Born Under A Bad Sign
Albert king is a blues guitarist that became popular in the 60’s. Everyone could feel a hit when he played this riff, it became the first release and title track off the album, released in 1967. King recorded this song on his distinctive left handed guitar “the Gibson Flying-V”, which was strung upside down.
His sound remains legendary and was the influence of guitarists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Although King fronts the song in the recording, the words and music were actually written by the record labels rhythm and blues singer, William Bell and bandleader, Booker T.Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.’s). For the blues, nothing beats a great guitar plugged straight into a loud and dirty tube amplifier. We’re going to have fun with this one.
This riff uses 3 strings now using only your 1st and 3rd fingers.
Getting ready
- Look-up “Born Under A Bad Sign” and have a listen.
- Become familiar enough with the riff so you can hum along in real time.
“Born Under A Bad Sign” – has a very cool call and response sound. Your fingering is based completely on the 2nd and 4th fret. It lines up well with using only your 1st and 3rd fingers. This is the first riff so far that is across 3 strings!
* Sit up straight & remember proper technique
* Try to feel the rhythm through your body and it will transfer through the guitar.
Super Easy Guitar Riffs For Beginners | Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
Here’s a Super Easy Guitar Riffs For Beginners – a “chromatic guitar riff” Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix.
Hey Joe Guitar Riff Lesson With Tab
Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of “Hey Joe” is so good, it’s hard to think of any other version. Despite its initial copyright in 1962 by Billy Roberts (a California folk singer) the original songwriter seems to be up for debate. Hendrix, with his signature style, used “Hey Joe” to introduce his band “The Jimi Hendrix Experience” to the world.
Hendrix was a left handed player (Hey! Like Albert King & Kurt Cobain!). He played a right handed Fender Stratocaster but strung it upside down. Apparently, it was difficult to find left handed guitars in those days…
Before he was famous, he was “Jimmy James” – a working session guitarist that played behind many other very recognized musicians. Hendrix’s mainstream career lasted only 4 years up to his death at the age of 27. He is known as one of the greatest guitar players that ever lived.
This heavy, ascending style riff happens a few times throughout the song and shares a lot of similarities with your “warm-up scale”. We’re going to apply this “one-fret-at-a-time” movement to an actual, cool song. This will still act as a great warm-up scale too!
If you have been practicing these riffs and your warm up scale, consider this your first official warm-up scale graduation!
*By the way, we’re using what in musical terms we would refer to as “chromatic techniques”. Chromatic movements on the guitar are best described as one-fret-at-a-time movements.
Tips To Play This Riff
- Start on your third finger for that first note – the 3rd fret of the A string.
- Incorporate the alternate picking technique right from the beginning – When you switch strings it will always start on an upstroke for this riff.
- Make sure you’re using all 4 fingers!
Thanks for checking out the video and article of Super Easy Electric Guitar Songs For Beginners – Module 2: Super Simple, Fun Riffs 5 min gtr chapters 5-9
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Thanks and keep on rippin it! – Will Ripley & Mike B