Looking for your first song on guitar? Check this out!

The Waylon Jennings classic Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way is perfect for beginner guitar players. It only uses two simple chords - and the rhythm is straightforward. You can use this song as a sort of strumming exercise. :)

If you're following my Beginner's Course, you’ll have learned the open A and D chords in Grade 1. Now you have to practice them, and playing real songs is the best way to do that.

Jamming Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way with other instruments is way more fun than playing alone! To experience it, head to the JustinGuitar App.

Let's get into this Waylon Jennings hit!

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings: Guitar Chords

First things first, if you want to play along with the Waylon Jennings original, you’ll need to put your capo on the second fret. Place it as close as possible to the nut! You can also forget the capo, or if you’re at the level where you can sing, find the fret that suits your voice.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way only uses the open A and D chords. The best trick for switching between them is to use an anchor finger. It’ll make your changes way faster, giving you time to get ready for the next chord. ;)

🚨 Grade 1: in Grade 1 of my Beginner’s Course, you go from zero guitar knowledge to playing a song with A and D chords and simple strumming.

Chord changes are the first step to playing Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way. If you nail them, you're well on your way to playing the song! Once you have them down, it’s time to start strumming.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings: Strumming

Start by strumming on beat 1 of the bar. Make sure that you’re ready for the next chord by beat 1 - no pauses! You can strum along with me in the Strumming Pattern 1 chapter.

Your chord changes will probably be slow when you start out. No worries - this means you need to move your fingers earlier to be ready for beat 1.

In fact, I suggest you strum on beat 1 then immediately start moving your fingers to the next chord. It sounds good, and it means you’ll play in time.

💡 Guitar Milestones: changing chords is the first big hurdle for most people. They can play the chords fine, but switching between them seems impossible! It’s all about practice and persistence - and playing easy songs like this is a big help, as is my One-Minute Changes exercise. :)

Authentic Guitar Strumming

When you’re comfortable with one strum per bar, you’re ready for four downstrums per bar. This is the pattern from the Waylon Jennings original!

Make sure you keep your strumming hand moving consistently, like a pendulum. It’s not a flicky motion - it’s smooth and controlled.

Blend the Patterns

It’ll get a bit samey if you strum four downstrums to the bar for the whole song. So it’s a wicked idea to use both the strumming patterns we've learned. You might play one for one verse then switch in the next verse. Or you might play one strum per bar in the verses then bring in the authentic pattern in the choruses.

Switching between patterns is a great way of changing the dynamics, a skill that's crucial for your musical journey and that you should start developing ASAP.

💣 Master Your Dynamics: Dynamics are so important that I made a whole course on 'em. ;) Take your rhythm guitar to the next level with my Strumming Dynamics course.

If you’re playing Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way with a backing track or the Waylon Jennings version, it’ll sound pretty cool! You’ll get the feeling of playing a real song, and that’s crucial for beginners. It helps with timing and gives you a taste of playing with other musicians.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings: Final Tips

Let’s round up all the elements you need to play Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings. :)

Put your capo on fret 2.
The chords are A and D. Work on changing between them so that you’re prepared for the song.
Try to get your strum on beat 1.
Avoid pausing between chords! You need to keep the song moving and the groove strong. Seriously - listen to me losing my time at 9:21. It just sounds wrong! Always strum on beat 1 and keep the rhythm strong, even if the chords fail you. :)

Having the JustinGuitar Lessons & Songs App is super useful in the Beginner stages. It’s got backing tracks for beginner songs, meaning you can strum along with the music. I don’t want to sound salesy, but it really works!

Getting the rhythm sorted at the beginning of your guitar journey is an enormous advantage. You’ll avoid the terrible habit of stopping as you change chords. :)

👉 Want chords, guitar tabs, and lyrics to follow along with my song tutorials? Check out JustinGuitar Tabs!