Hey, how you doing? :)

If you've been following my free Beginner Guitar Course - Grade 3, you're having loads of fun transcribing Power Chords and easy riffs too! We’ll be revisiting those again soon, but now it's time to transcribe some very easy songs that use open chords! We'll use the same 4-step transcribing system we've learned, and if you get really stuck, you can get a hint on where to get going.

Limitations

We'll only draw on songs that use the basic open chords for these exercises. We'll perhaps encounter small embellishments, but importantly no barre chords. As your ear develops, you can tackle those things without fear. For now, we’ll keep it simple and give your ear time to get stronger!

💡My Interval Ear Training app is an extra resource for developing your ears. All musicians should work on ear training. :)

What to Write

To begin with, just see if you can write down the chords for the suggested songs. Writing out rhythms has further complications and isn’t needed to start transcribing. That said - if you know how to count beats and bars, feel free to add that information when or if you write it down!

Seek The Simple

At this point, you must ignore chord embellishments and other layers of guitar. What you are after here is just listening to the chords and seeing if you can figure them out! Don't forget - we're still in a beginner course! You shouldn't be overwhelmed by small details, so start simple.

💡 I still start simple! I work out the basic chords and then worry about embellishments or linking bass notes or fill. :)

For now, just ignore the extras.

10 Open Chords Songs You Can Transcribe Today

Here are 10 easy songs you can transcribe that use open chords only!

Song #1 - Me & Charlie by Lee Hazlewood

This song is not super popular, so it might be a good one to explore! It only contains 3 easy open chords.

Song #2 - Knocking On Heavens Door by Bob Dylan

You might already know how to play this song, but if you don't: give it a try! It has 4 open chords, and you're definitely familiar with them.

Song #3 - Lucky Man by The Verve

This song also has only 3 chords, but here's a hint: one of them isn't Major or Minor chords. :)

Song #4 - Working Class Hero by John Lennon

This John Lesson classic song is a fun one to transcribe! It only has 3 chords, but the bass note changes sometimes. Keep your ears aware of that!

Song #5 - For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield

Another super easy song to transcribe, with 3 open chords you know pretty well. Some chord changes happen faster, but that shouldn't be a problem!

Song #6 - Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison

This song contains 4 open chords, but there are a lot of other instrument layers going on at the same time. It might be a bit trickier, but it's an awesome exercise. Go for it!

Song #7 - Glory Day by Bruce Springsteen

Another fun song to transcribe, using only 3 open chords. This one wasn't in my Beginner Course, so if you're not familiar with it, give it a good listen!

Song #8 - Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something

This classic soundtrack only contains 3 open chords, and it's loads of fun to transcribe. Give it a try!

Song #9 - Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry

You'll only need 4 open chords here, but don’t fuss about the rhythm, or you might get in trouble.

Song #10 - Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison

This song is in Eb tuning, which should be a problem. :) Also, it only uses Stuck 3&4 Chords.

💬 Have more suggestions? Drop them in the Discussion section!

What Next?

Don't forget your goal here: transcribe only the open chords! Don't worry about getting into rhythm and embellishments; concentrate on your chords only. You can revisit these songs once you're more confident.

You shouldn't try to transcribe songs that use chords you're unfamiliar with, or you might end up in a very frustrating situation. If you have questions or suggestions, reach out to the Community. We're here for you!

Ready for More? Explore my Grade 3 Course. It's free and your ultimate pathway to the Intermediate stages!