In our first segment of “Easy-To-Play” Songs I presented seven songs across several genres to get you on the fast track to campfire and family gathering greatness. You may have even been able to learn a few new tricks to use at your first open mic night, or followed some of the video links to an even longer list of songs to learn. Without further adieu, here is the “Part 2” of our feature.

1. “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin

This is actually the second Led Zeppelin song I learned how to play. The first was “Stairway To Heaven”, but since that will get you kicked out of every music store on the planet, I’m going with “Thank You”. This song taught me the effective use of the sus2 and sus4 chord family, and with a Dsus4, D, Dsus2 intro, followed by the C, G, D verse and B minor, E, A chorus, the simplicity of this song reveals it’s beauty. It sounds absolutely glorious on a 12-string as well, and it’s the perfect song to use a little bit of chorus or a Vapor Trail Delay to experiment with. The Shapeshifter tremolo pedal may give you some inspiration too, especially for the latter section of the song which has some very “big” sounds on it and a stereo effect to boot. If you want to get those “bell” like tones at the end, put your pick down and pluck the open chords with your fingers.

2. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan

Any “easy” guitar list has to have a Bob Dylan song. Folk guitar is by no means an “easy” genre, but Dylan’s iconic strummers are a must-have for those moments when someone says “just play something!” The intro sees you go from a G, D, C progression four times, before the verse begins and continues with a G, D, and an A minor. That’s it. Want to kick it up a notch? You can always use the same chords and do what Guns’n’Roses did to the song for their Use Your Illusion album – proof that a great song is a great song no matter whether you’re plugged in or not.

3. “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses

Speaking of Guns N’ Roses, Seymour Duncan artists Slash and Duff McKagan unplugged for the Lies EP, and “Patience” is one of the gems that resulted from those recording sessions. McKagan plays rhythm guitar for this track instead of his usual bass. A simple strumming pattern helps make this one ideal for campfires and serenades. Justin Sandercoe has a three-part video lesson on this song, the first of which you can find here:

4. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison

Don’t lie! We have all sung along to this one – in secret or in the car on the way home from a horrible break up, the chorus just hits the spot. The song is relatively simple to play, with a verse consisting of G, Cadd9, and a D, and a chorus that sees you playing essentially the same chords. The bridge goes through an Em, D, C, and G. You’ll notice that the original recording is tuned done a half step to Eb. CC Deville shows us his soloing chops when he plays the very cool pedal steel-like lick in the solo to this song. That lick sounds especially tasty with a little bit of overdrive from the 805 pedal added. Justin Sandercoe has an entire lesson dedicated to learning this one, and you can find the video below. Once you’ve mastered the strumming pattern, try your hand at CC’s solo. There is also a great video by Neil Santos that shows you exactly what to do just for the solo if you’ve already got the rest of the song under your belt.

5.”Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash

This country classic from the man in black is a great one to keep in your repertoire. Bobby Crispy does a great job of showing you the chord progression that goes from a G, C, G, and the chorus that resolves with a D, C, G, played twice, before going to a G, C, D, G progression to end it off. Bobby’s tutorial can be found in the video below.

6. “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty

Tom Petty’s guitar sound is distinctive and has always had that “jangle” that is unmistakably…well, Tom Petty! There have been a million tutorials done on this song, each a little different from the other. The reason being many of these tutorials use a capo, and in doing so, you can change the key from the original recording. Many videos of Tom Petty playing it live show him with a capo at the first fret, but many tutorials have the capo at the second or third fret. In any case, you can choose to capo wherever you like if you’re singing along, but for the original recording you may have to adjust. The basic progression is a combination of D and Dsus/Asus chords for the verse, and the continues for the chorus. The toughest part here will be getting the right strumming pattern and the correct voicings at the right time. Listen along with the original and you’ll get the hang of it in no time. You may want to experiment with the Shapeshifter pedal here as well, to get some neat sounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8-7X7KhEH8

7. “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars

I wasn’t going to leave the pop/r’n’rb lovers out of the mix! Here is a great upbeat song that has a neat rhythm guitar part that you can impress your friends with. You’ll want to dial in a tone that is ideal for a funky, Strat-like Nile Rodgers sound for this song, and then you can attack the C, Dm, C, Bb, F, and Gm barre chords in the intro, then continue that pattern five more times before ending the verse with an F and A chord, leading you into the chorus which sees you strike a Bb, Gm, F, and a C. That’s it. Keep it bright, and on the right offbeat, and you’ll be golden.

8. “Springsteen” by Eric Church

Eric Church has given us some great country rock songs in the last few years and perhaps this is the most popular because it provides the listener with some nostalgia as well as an instantly singable chorus. Once again, a simple open D, G, Bm, A, and an Em will get you through this country radio anthem. This free tutorial from Six String Country will help you match what is going on in the original recording.

What “easy” songs have you added to your repertoire since part 1 of our series? Comment below and share your knowledge with our community!