By: David Jones
Guitar tutor David Jones provides some useful information on choosing songs for early guitar learners.
It has been mentioned by some guitar tutors that I have spoken to, that although they are very impressed with the content of the RGT electric guitar syllabus, they feel that some guidance about suitable songs for students to learn at each grade level would be helpful for teaching.
Flexible Syllabus
Of course, in classical examinations set pieces form the core of the syllabus and I am not suggesting that such a system should be introduced into the RGT electric exams as in doing so much of the flexibility of the syllabus would be lost.
Nevertheless when a student begins to study the guitar, it is imperative that they are taught songs.
After all, that is why they have chosen this instrument in the first place. Fortunately, the design of the RGT electric guitar syllabus enables students to learn in a progressive and structured way, with more difficult chords, scales and techniques being introduced at each new level.
The flexibility of the syllabus means that it deliberately does not lean towards a particular genre or musical style, therefore appealing and being useful to all students whatever their musical background.
It is helpful for students to play along to recordings of songs: this motivates them, helps timing and enhances chord changes – the band won’t wait for them as it doesn’t know that they are playing along!
Once students attain Grade 3 standard they can play along with many songs in the original key (sometimes with slight simplifications) due to the introduction of barre chords.
They can also improvise some lead guitar over their songs due to the extent of the scales required at this grade.
Earlier Guitar Learner Grades
The earlier grades can, however, be a problem as the keys to choose from have to be limited.
Bearing this in mind, I have compiled a list of songs, all in the original key, for each of the three early grades.
The songs contain the chords required for each grade and can be improvised over using the scales required at each grade.
They cover a wide range of styles and some useful progressive techniques.
They are by no means the only songs available but, hopefully, will be useful to other tutors.
I have also found that using songs that contain the scales and chords required for particular RGT grades can help when teaching in a group situation.
This works particularly well when some students wish to enter examinations whilst others may not.
It enables the tutor to keep the whole class attentive and engaged whilst fulfilling all of their particular requirements.
I would like to stress that although learning songs is both useful and motivational for students, introducing creativity in their rhythm and lead playing is also very important.
One of the best ways I have found is to use the rhythm playing and improvising lead guitar books available from the RGT.
Grading Early Guitar Learner Songs
See the table below for my list of recommended songs in which the basic chords happen to coincide with those set for the grade.
Do remember that the grade level of any song is decided primarily by the musicality of the performance, and not purely by the technical requirements.
The grade I have given to each song relates solely to the appearance of the basic chords in the relevant grade and not of course to the grade level of the original recording.
Do you have a favorite song to teach early guitar learners? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Early Guitar Learners Tune Chart
Song | Artist | Grade | Chords | Features / Improv. Scale |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brand New Start | Paul Weller | Pre / 1 | Em, G, D | E natural minor |
Be Bob A Lula | Gene Vincent | Pre / 1 | E, A, B7 | E Blues scale |
Knocking On Heaven Door | Eric Clapton | Pre / 1 | G, D, C | G major pentatonic |
Sweet Home Chicago | Blues Brothers | Pre / 1 | E, E7, A7, B7 | Nice Intro riff, E blues scale |
Dancing In The Moonlight | Thin Lizzy | Pre / 1 | Em, C, D, G, Simplified | Nice Intro riff, E natural minor |
Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison | Pre / 1 | G, C, D, Em | Nice Intro riff, G major pentatonic |
Everybody Hurts | REM | Pre / 1 | D, G, Em, A7 | Single string chord picking |
Sweet Home Alabama | Lynard Skynard | Pre / 1 | G, C, D | Nice Riff (Hammer-on) G major pentatonic |
Wonderful Tonight | Eric Clapton | Pre / 1 | G, C, D, Em | Intro Riff. G major pentatonic |
Whiskey In The Jar | Thin Lizzy | Pre / 1 | G, Em, C, D | Intro & Riff (simplified) G major pentatonic |
Ain’t No sunshine | Various | Pre / 1 | Am, Dm, Em, G7 | A natural minor / A minor pentatonic |
Words Of Love | Buddy Holly | 1 | A, D, E | Simple Solo (Pull-off) A major scale |
Hey Joe | Jimi Hendrix | 1 | C, G, D, A, E7 (simple) | Riff ( Hammer-on, pull-off). E blues |
Blue Suede Shoes | Elvis Presley | 1 | A, D, E | A minor pentatonic |
C’mon Everybody | Eddie Cochran | 1 | E, A, B7 | Chord Riff E blues |
Summertime Blues | Eddie Cochran | 1 | E, A, B7 | Chord Riff E blues |
Everybody’s Talking | Nilsson | 1 | Dmaj7, D, D7, Em, A7 (Cape at 2nd) | Aural awareness (Maj7, Dom7, major) |
D’You Know What I Mean? | Oasis | 1 | Em, Amaj7, Cape at 7th | E natural minor |
Born In The USA | Bruce Springsteen | 1 | E, Amaj7, Capo at 7th | Uses Ama7 shape |
Beat It | Michael Jackson | 1 | Em, C, D | Riff from E natural minor scale |
American Pie | Don McLean | 1 | G, C, D, Em, Am, A | Good chord workout. G major pentatonic |
There She Goes | The Las | 1 | G, D, C, Am, Em | Single string riff G major pentatonic |
Sweet Child O’ Mine | Guns ‘N’ Roses | 1 / 2 | D, C, G, A5, C5 | Nice riff (Simplified) Introduces power chords |
Let It Be | The Beatles | 2 | C, Em, F, G | C major scale |
Imagine | John Lennon | 2 | C, Cmaj7, F, Dm7, G, G7 | C major scale |
Where Do You Go, My Lovely | Peter Starstead | 2 | C, Em, Em7, F, G, G7 | Introduces 3/4 Time C major scale |
Lucille | Kennny Rogers | 2 | C, G7, Dm, C7, F | Introduces 3/4 Time C major scale |
Californication | Chilli Peppers | 2 | Am, Fmaj7, C, D, D7, G | Arpeggio intro rif A minor pentatonic |
Take It Easy | The Eagles | 2 | G, D, C, Em, Em7, Am | Good chord wokout G major scale |
Lying Eyes | The Eagles | 2 | G, Gmaj7, C, Am, Am7, D7, Em, Bm, A | Good chord wokout G major scale |
With Or Without You | U2 | 2 | D, A, Bm, G | Introduces right hand damping. D major pentatonic |
I Wanna Hold Your Hand | The Beatles | 2 | C, D, D7, G, Em, Bm, Dm, Am, B7 | Good chord workout |
Losing My Religion | REM | 2 | F, G, Am, EM, C, Dm | A natural minor |
Rebel Rebel | David Bowie | 2 | E, D, A, Bm | Single string riff with pull-offs |
I Feel Fine | The Beatles | 2 | G7, C7, D7, G, C, Bm, Am | Nice riff |
Light my Fire | The Doors | 2 | Am7, F#m7, G, D, A, E, E7 | Introduces Sliding half-barres |
Johnny B Goode | Chuck Berry | 2 | A, D, E | Slides, hammer-ons, pul-offs, bends, a Blue scale |
Reconsider Baby | Eric Clapton | 2 | G7, C7, D7 | Specialist techniques, G blues scale. |
Blue Gene Bop | Gene Vincent | 2 | G, C, D, D7 | Specialist techniques, G blues scale. |