Learn how to play "WALTZ #2 (XO)" by Elliott Smith on the acoustic guitar.

Let's check out Waltz #2 (XO) by Elliott Smith on guitar. What an incredible song! It truly resonates with me in a way that's not immediately obvious from the lyrics, and I suspect I'm not alone.

Waltz #2 is one of Elliott Smith's most popular songs, but it's not one of his easiest! There's plenty going on in Waltz #2 (XO), though it’s not as hard as Angeles or Between The Bars.

💡 The original recording has a strong strummy part with an electric guitar picking out the melody notes. But when Eliott Smith played it live, he seemed to bring it down and play the melody within the strumming. This guitar lesson will show you how to do exactly that, but without going too crazy with the details, so it doesn't get confusing for you. :)

We'll look at the chords and bass notes, a general strumming pattern, and how to pull out some of those individual melody parts. If you've done my lessons before on picking individual notes while strumming, you know that your rhythm hand keeps moving, and you should try to target strings while you're strumming. It's not super easy, but it's a great skill to develop!

Before we get started, let me mention a couple of things.

Waltz #2 (XO) by Elliott Smith - Tuning

Waltz #2 (XO) is in D Tuning, so every string of your guitar is one tone lower than standard tuning (DGCFAD). That's an Eliott Smith thing, and if you're a fan, I'm sure you've encountered this tuning before. He plays it in Concert Tuning in some live versions, but I can't sing it like that, so I went for the D tuning for this guitar lesson!

💡Don't be afraid of altered tunings! You'll find that you can tune down most acoustic guitars without hassle. :)

If you're permanently leaving your guitar in D tuning, you probably need thicker strings - that's what I've done on the guitar I used for this demo! I'm using strings one gauge up from normal.

Waltz #2 (XO) by Elliott Smith - Time Signature

This Elliott Smith song is called Waltz #2 (XO), but for me, it's more like a 6/8 rhythm than a waltz. Obviously, if he called it Waltz #2, he was feeling it as a waltz. But when I'm talking about the strumming pattern in this song tutorial, we'll be thinking of it as a 6/8 song.

So now it's your turn to get stuck in to the video tutorial and learn more about the chord progressions, best fingerings, and alternating bass notes. We'll explore the rhythm and strumming patterns, and you'll better understand how to target the melodies. If you'd like to get the verified tab, chords, and lyrics for Waltz #2 (XO) and hundreds of other songs, check out JustinGuitarTABS. :)

Your Cover

You'll notice that your approach to Waltz #2 (XO) will depend on how much you rely on the original recording versus Elliott Smith's live version. Personally, I like a combination of both! If you're covering this (or any!) song, remember that you don't have to do anything strict! Pick and choose the bits you like and make your own version of this song. :)

💙 I'm a massive Elliott Smith fan - I love his music so much! His songs are usually challenging, especially if you're learning them as a cover and planning to play and sing. Still, practicing hard things to make them comfortable is always a good plan, and it'll take your musicianship to new levels. Start really slow, then gradually work it up to full speed. :)

If you're a more experienced player, which you may be if you're attempting a song like Waltz #2 (XO), you're likely to find simpler alternatives to these chords - and that's great! As you advance in your guitar journey, you're aiming to become a detective, meaning you should observe and explore the possibilities in front of you!

One final thing - tabbing Elliott Smith’s music often gives a false sense of what it’s about. The key thing is to keep the hand moving. Even when you pick out the bass notes in this song, it still feels like a downstrum.

Get verified tab, chords, and lyrics for Waltz #2 (XO) and hundreds of other songs with JustinGuitarTABS.