If you’re new to fingerstyle guitar and are looking for some great easy songs to learn then you have come to the right place! Here is my list of 10 beginner level fingerpicking songs that are all perfect for you if you’re just getting into fingerstyle.
I’ve put these in order so that they very gradually increase in difficulty. If you’re brand new to this style then start at the very top of the list and work your way through one song at a time. If you’ve been playing a little while, then feel free to jump in later on down the list.
Click on each song title to take you through to the full page for that song where you’ll also find an in-depth lesson with video instruction and the free guitar TABs too.
Enjoy, and happy fingerpicking!
1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
A great song for you to learn when you’re new to fingerpicking is the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It has nice straightforward chords and a simple melody that we all know.
2. Kumbaya
The ultimate campfire song. When you next dust off your tent and sleeping bag and head out for a night under the stars, why not play a gentle fingerpicked arrangement of Kumbaya?
Brahms Lullaby by Johannes Brahms is a beautiful song that has soothed people for over 150 years.
This arrangement is perfect for you learn if you’re new to fingerstyle because the chords are nice and easy (all basic open position ones) and the melody is of course familiar.
One thing to note is that the song is in 3/4 time, so if you’re not used to playing in this time signature it can be a little tricky at first so just go slow. Be sure to count the beats and bring out the metronome to keep you in time.
4. Greensleeves
This song is over 400 years old and is known as Henry VIII’s song. Whether he actually wrote it or not is unknown but either way it’s a great song that makes for a perfect beginner level fingerstyle arrangement.
If, like me, you can’t sing but enjoy wishing people happy birthday then what better way to do it than by playing it to them as a beautiful fingerstyle arrangement!? Knowing how to play Happy Birthday will definitely come in handy a few times a year for you!
This lesson actually includes three different versions so you can play increasingly advanced renditions of this celebratory song as you get more competent.
6. When the Saints Go Marching In
This song is one that everyone knows and loves, and you’re going to love playing it too. This is a relatively straightforward and short arrangement. If you’ve got the basics of fingerpicking down and are beginning to work towards the intermediate level then this is one for you! Enjoy!
This song dates right the way back to the 17th century and is an old English folk song. It’s hauntingly beautiful which makes it such a joy to play as a fingerstyle arrangement.
You can also learn how to play Simon & Garfunkel’s brilliant arrangement of it too, which is only slightly more challenging so worth a go if it’s one you enjoy.
This song is often referred to as the unofficial Australian national anthem. It’s an upbeat and joyful piece that’s great fun to play and works great for fingerstyle.
There’s a beginner-level arrangement of it ready for you to learn or a more advanced one if you want something to really get your teeth stuck into!
This truly beautiful song was originally published all the way back in 1779 and the lyrics go back to 1772. This arrangement is a little harder to play than some of the others on this list but it really is worth taking the time to learn. I’m sure that once you have it down, you’ll be playing it for many years to come!
10. Spanish Romance
Spanish Romance, or Romance d’Amor, is one of the most beautiful solo guitar pieces of music ever written and, thankfully, it’s not crazy hard to play. If you’ve been fingerpicking for a while and have the basics down then you should be just fine learning this one. So pull out a nylon string classical guitar and get it under your fingers! (Actually any guitar will do!)
So there you go, 10 easy fingerstyle songs for you to learn and have some fun with.
If you’re hungry to learn more songs then at Six String Fingerpicking we have hundreds more for you to get under your fingers. You can filter by difficulty with levels 1 – 8 roughly corresponding to the guitar grading system in the UK.
I really believe that the more songs you learn, the better! They all teach you something new and get the skills you’re developing everyday properly embedded in your playing.
You can also try any of the fingerstyle guitar courses completely for free first when you join our newsletter.
Thanks so much and keep on fingerpicking!
Author: Chris Murrin
Chris Murrin is a British guitar teacher who has dedicated his adult life to helping students master the guitar. A few years ago, in 2018, he founded Six String Fingerpicking so that he could help experienced and budding guitarists the world over to realise their fingerpicking goals.