Fingerstyle guitar is one of the most impressive and beautiful ways to play the guitar. With just your fingers, you can create intricate melodies, harmonies, and rhythms that captivate listeners. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced guitarist, learning easy fingerstyle guitar songs can be a delightful and rewarding experience. In this article, we present to you the 7 best easy fingerstyle guitar songs that will not only enhance your skills but also bring joy to your playing.
Before diving into the world of fingerstyle guitar, it’s essential to understand its advantages and disadvantages. Like any style of playing, fingerstyle guitar has its pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look.
Advantages of Fingerstyle Guitar:
🎸 Enhances Finger Dexterity: Fingerstyle guitar playing strengthens your fingers, making it easier for you to execute complex chords and patterns.
🎸 Expands Musical Expression: Fingerstyle guitar allows you to explore new tonal possibilities, giving you the freedom to express yourself in unique and creative ways.
🎸 Creates Full Sound: Unlike strumming or using a pick, fingerstyle guitar produces a fuller and more resonant sound, thanks to the ability to play multiple strings simultaneously.
🎸 Versatility: With fingerstyle guitar, you can play various genres such as folk, classical, blues, and pop. It opens up a diverse range of musical opportunities.
🎸 Independence: Fingerstyle guitar allows you to play both the melody and accompanying chords simultaneously, giving you a self-sufficient and dynamic sound.
🎸 Musicality: Fingerstyle guitar playing emphasizes dynamics, phrasing, and subtleties, enhancing your overall musicianship.
🎸 Unique Style: Fingerstyle guitarists develop their own unique style and interpretation of songs, making each performance personal and captivating.
Disadvantages of Fingerstyle Guitar:
🎸 Initial Difficulty: Fingerstyle guitar can be challenging for beginners, as it requires finger coordination and independence. However, with practice, it becomes more natural and enjoyable.
🎸 Nail Maintenance: Fingerstyle guitarists often need to maintain their nails at a specific length and shape to achieve the desired tone and technique.
🎸 Learning Curve: Fingerstyle guitar requires learning specific techniques such as fingerpicking patterns, thumb slaps, and harmonics. It may take time and effort to master these skills.
🎸 Limited Percussive Elements: Compared to other techniques like percussive guitar or strumming, fingerstyle guitar has limited percussive elements, requiring creative solutions for rhythmic effects.
🎸 Chord Complexity: Some fingerstyle songs involve intricate chord voicings and stretches, which can be challenging for players with smaller hands or less finger flexibility.
🎸 Repertoire Limitations: While fingerstyle guitar offers a vast repertoire, some popular songs may not have suitable fingerstyle arrangements readily available.
🎸 Individual Preference: Ultimately, fingerstyle guitar may not be everyone’s preferred playing style, as personal taste and musical genres differ.
The 7 Best Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Songs:
| Song Title | Artist | Level | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Dust in the Wind | Kansas | Beginner | Rock |
| 2. Canon in D | Johann Pachelbel | Intermediate | Classical |
| 3. Blackbird | The Beatles | Intermediate | Pop |
| 4. Greensleeves | Traditional | Beginner | Folk |
| 5. Nothing Else Matters | Metallica | Intermediate | Metal |
| 6. Hallelujah | Leonard Cohen | Beginner | Folk |
| 7. Tears in Heaven | Eric Clapton | Intermediate | Blues |
Now that we have explored the advantages and disadvantages of fingerstyle guitar and introduced the top 7 easy fingerstyle guitar songs, let’s delve into each song’s unique characteristics and why they are worth learning.
1. Dust in the Wind 🌬️
Kansas’s “Dust in the Wind” is an iconic fingerstyle guitar song that features a simple yet beautiful picking pattern. It is suitable for beginners as it focuses on a repetitive pattern played over basic chords. By learning this song, beginners can develop a solid foundation in fingerstyle technique and gain confidence in their playing.
Advantages of Learning “Dust in the Wind”:
✅ Builds Finger Strength: The fingerpicking pattern in “Dust in the Wind” incorporates precise finger movements, improving finger strength and dexterity.
✅ Enhances Rhythmic Accuracy: The song’s consistent tempo and repetitive pattern help beginners develop a sense of timing and rhythm.
✅ Iconic Melody: “Dust in the Wind” has a timeless melody that instantly captures the listener’s attention. Learning this song allows you to play a recognizable and beloved tune.
✅ Fundamental Technique: The song’s picking pattern is a fundamental technique used in numerous fingerstyle arrangements, making it a valuable skill to master.
✅ Inspires Personalization: Once you have mastered the core of the song, you can add your own embellishments and variations, showcasing your unique style and interpretation.
✅ Songwriting Inspiration: The melancholic atmosphere of “Dust in the Wind” can serve as a source of inspiration for your own songwriting, allowing you to explore similar emotions in your compositions.
✅ Versatility: The picking pattern in “Dust in the Wind” can be applied to various songs and genres, expanding your repertoire and versatility as a guitarist.
Disadvantages of Learning “Dust in the Wind”:
❌ Initial Finger Coordination: Beginners may find it challenging to coordinate their fingers to execute the picking pattern smoothly. However, with practice and patience, it becomes more comfortable.
❌ Limited Chord Progression: “Dust in the Wind” features a repetitive chord progression, which may not satisfy those seeking complex harmonic variations.
❌ Nail Maintenance: To achieve the desired tone and technique, fingerstyle guitarists often need to maintain their nails at an optimal length and shape.
❌ Learning Curve: While considered an easy fingerstyle song, beginners may still need time to familiarize themselves with fingerpicking patterns and develop the required finger independence.
❌ Tempo Control: Maintaining a consistent tempo throughout the song can be challenging for beginners, but it can be overcome with practice and metronome use.
❌ Musical Interpretation: As with any song, conveying the desired emotions and dynamics in “Dust in the Wind” requires attention to detail and musical expression, which may be a challenge for some beginners.
❌ Repetitiveness: The repetitive nature of the picking pattern may become monotonous for some players. However, the song’s beauty lies in its simplicity and the opportunity for personal embellishments.
2. Canon in D 🎶
Versatile and timeless, Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” is a fingerstyle masterpiece that appeals to both classical music enthusiasts and modern guitarists. This intermediate-level piece showcases the beauty of fingerstyle guitar through interweaving melodies and harmonies, making it an excellent choice for expanding your repertoire and technical skills.
Advantages of Learning “Canon in D”:
✅ Musical Complexity: “Canon in D” introduces players to more intricate fingerstyle techniques, including arpeggios and melodic lines, enhancing your musical vocabulary.
✅ Polyphonic Mastery: This song’s various melodic lines and harmonies challenge your ability to play multiple voices simultaneously, improving both your technique and musicality.
✅ Classical Training: Learning “Canon in D” exposes you to the rich heritage of classical music, offering insights into music theory and composition techniques.
✅ Recital Piece: Mastering “Canon in D” allows you to impress audiences with a sophisticated and well-known classical piece, making it a potential addition to recitals or performances.
✅ Transcription Opportunities: “Canon in D” can be transcribed or adapted for other instruments or ensembles, enabling collaborations with fellow musicians and expanding your musical horizons.
✅ Finger Independence: The intricate finger movements required to perform “Canon in D” promote finger independence, enhancing your overall dexterity and control.
✅ Dynamic Expression: The song’s varying sections and dynamics encourage you to explore different tonal qualities, adding depth and expression to your playing.
Disadvantages of Learning “Canon in D”:
❌ Intermediate Difficulty: “Canon in D” poses challenges for beginners due to its intricate finger movements, complex harmonies, and the need for precise articulation.
❌ Time Commitment: Becoming proficient in “Canon in D” requires consistent practice and dedication to master the technical demands and bring out its musical nuances.
❌ Finger Fatigue: The song’s longer duration and intricate finger movements may cause fatigue, especially for players who haven’t built sufficient finger strength and endurance.
❌ Musical Interpretation: To do justice to the elegance and grace of “Canon in D,” developing a deep understanding of musical interpretation and expression becomes crucial.
❌ Tempo Accuracy: Maintaining a steady tempo while transitioning through different sections can be challenging. Regular practice with a metronome is recommended.
❌ Limited Genre Scope: “Canon in D” primarily falls within the classical genre, which may not suit all guitarists’ preferences or musical interests.
❌ Chord Complexity: Some chord voicings and transitions in “Canon in D” may present challenges to players with smaller hands or less finger flexibility.
3. Blackbird 🐦
As one of The Beatles’ most beloved songs, “Blackbird” showcases the beauty of fingerstyle guitar within a pop music context. It is an intermediate-level fingerstyle song that combines arpeggios, melodic lines, and percussive elements to create a captivating and melodic piece.
Advantages of Learning “Blackbird”:
✅ Iconic Melody: “Blackbird” features a memorable and iconic melody that captivates listeners and showcases the versatility of fingerstyle guitar within a pop music framework.
✅ Percussive Elements: The percussive techniques employed in “Blackbird” add a rhythmic and dynamic aspect to your playing, making it an exciting song to learn and perform.
✅ Finger Independence: The combination of arpeggios, melodic lines, and percussive elements in “Blackbird” enhances your finger independence and coordination.
✅ Songwriting Inspiration: Studying “Blackbird” can inspire your songwriting, as you explore Paul McCartney’s unique approach to melody and fingerstyle guitar within a pop music context.
✅ Vocal Accompaniment: The fingerstyle arrangement of “Blackbird” complements vocal performances, making it an excellent choice for singer-songwriters or solo performers.
✅ Dynamic Expression: “Blackbird” presents various opportunities to emphasize dynamics and phrasing, allowing you to express emotions and add personal touches to the song.
✅ Performance Showcase: Whether you are playing for friends or performing on a stage, “Blackbird” is a crowd-pleaser that demonstrates your fingerstyle skills and musicality.
Disadvantages of Learning “Blackbird”:
❌ Intermediate Difficulty: “Blackbird” requires intermediate fingerstyle techniques and coordination, which may pose a challenge for beginners or those new to fingerstyle guitar.
❌ Percussive Elements: Mastering the percussive elements of “Blackbird” may require additional practice and coordination to achieve the desired rhythmic effects.
❌ Time Commitment: To accurately perform “Blackbird” and capture its nuances, dedicating sufficient time to practice and refine your skills is essential.
❌ Tempo Control: Maintaining a consistent tempo throughout the song can be challenging, especially during arpeggios and percussive sections. Practice with a metronome is recommended.
❌ Chord Voicings: Some chord voicings and transitions in “Blackbird” may require finger stretching and flexibility, which can be challenging for players with smaller hands.
❌ Nail Maintenance: Fingerstyle guitarists often need to maintain their nails at an optimal length and shape to achieve the desired tone and technique.
❌ Vocal Accompaniment Dependency: While “Blackbird” is a beautiful standalone instrumental piece, it is often associated with vocal accompaniment. Performing it solely as an instrumental may alter the listener’s perception.
4. Greensleeves 🌿
Originating from traditional English folklore, “Greensleeves” has stood the test of time as a beloved fingerstyle guitar song. Its beautiful melody and simple chord progression make it an excellent choice for beginners looking to explore fingerstyle arrangements in a folk context.
Advantages of Learning “Greensleeves”:
✅ Timeless Melody: “Greensleeves” features a hauntingly beautiful melody that has enchanted listeners for centuries. Learning this song allows you to play a piece of musical history.
✅ Folk Tradition: By learning “Greensleeves,” you immerse yourself in the rich tradition of folk music, gaining insights into historical musical styles and cultural contexts.
✅ Chord Progression: The song’s straightforward chord progression provides beginners with an excellent foundation for understanding harmony and chord voicings.
✅ Fingerstyle Technique: “Greensleeves” introduces beginners to the fundamentals of fingerstyle technique, including plucking individual strings and playing melodic lines simultaneously.
✅ Versatility: The melody and chords of “Greensleeves” can be adapted to various musical styles and arrangements, allowing you to explore different interpretations and genres.
✅ Arrangement Flexibility: As a well-known folk tune, “Greensleeves” offers countless arrangement possibilities, giving you the freedom to personalize and expand upon the song.
✅ Historical Significance: “Greensleeves” possesses a rich historical background and has been covered by countless artists, making it a valuable addition to your repertoire.
Disadvantages of Learning “Greensleeves”:
❌ Limited Complexity: While “Greensleeves” is a beautiful song, its simplicity may not satisfy players seeking more challenging fingerstyle arrangements or intricate harmonies.
❌ Repetitiveness: The repetitive nature of the song’s melody and chord progression may become monotonous for those desiring more dynamic and evolving compositions.
❌ Beginner Finger Coordination: Beginners may find it challenging to coordinate their fingers to execute the melody and plucked notes simultaneously. Regular practice is necessary to develop finger independence.
❌ Learning Curve: While considered an easy fingerstyle song, beginners may need time to familiarize themselves