Woody Guthrie was one of the finest folk singers of all time!

He wrote many great songs. Today's lesson will teach us how to play the classic This Land is Your Land, one of the greatest American Folk songs ever. We'll learn a simplified version - the original recording is a bit more complicated. Still, this more friendly version sounds excellent, and you'll be able to sing along with it in no time!

If you're following my Beginner Guitar Course, you'll be fit to play this song right in Grade 1. You can keep the strumming pattern simple, and you'll only need the open chords A, D, and E. You'll also need your guitar capo on the fifth fret of your guitar neck.

The original recording is a bit more complicated. The bass notes of the chords work with the melody and using the capo on the second fret. Then, we play the shapes of a C, a G, and an F Chord.

This Land is Your Land - Rhythm

Woody Guthrie was playing in an era where the strict adherence to bars and the number of strums in each bar wasn't kind of the norm. So, very often, he'll put an extra strum in or leave one out. Mathematically, that's not correct, but it sounds great! It connects with the audience, and that's the important stuff in music!

If you've got the skills to add and remove a beat here and there, great! But if you're totally new to guitar, I'd recommend you learn how to play This Land is My Land in a more straightforward version and not miss or add incorrect strums. Later on, in our guitar journey, you'll learn that if it sounds good, it's good. For now - just practice the foundations, so you don't fell into bad habits. :)

🤐 Why Is Strumming So Hard? Well, you may be doing it the wrong way. Check out my 11 Tips for Guitarists Struggling With Strumming Patterns!

But the golden rule for a beginner guitarist is: keep your hands moving consistently, like a pendulum, even when you don't need to strum. ;)

Now let's explore a bit more how to play the chords on This Land is Your Land.

This Land is Your Land - Guitar Chords

So, place your capo on the 5th fret. Then, you'll play the following chords D, A, E, A, D, A, E, and then back to the A Chord. Usually, this last time you'll play that A for two bars. Check out the video tutorial to learn more. If you want chords, tabs, and lyrics to follow along with my song lessons, check out JustinGuitar Tabs.

💡 You can explore the capo position to suit your voice better! With the capo on the 5th fret, you'll be able to play along with most of the original recording. Still, don't hesitate to explore the capo position to fit your voice better.

When you start learning a new song, remember that your first goal is to change between chords and strum on the first beat of each bar without stopping the rhythm. You can use some anchor finger tricks to make the chord transition easier. ;) When you're comfortable, explore other strumming patterns! Here's an easy one to try:

1 2+ 3 4+

D Du D Du

Make sure your strumming hand's not pausing anywhere. That's really important to make your playing sound good. Don't worry if some open strings are sounding between the changes - that's how it is in the real world. Hope you enjoy it!

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