(Posted this in “Super Easy 2 Chord Songs”, but felt it deserved it’s own topic)
My experience as a raw beginner…
There is no such thing as a “super easy song”.
If you are just learning to strum and fret chords for
the very first time, it will often be a struggle. And
being told that something is “super easy!!!” when you
are struggling can be extremely demotivating.
One of the things that drew me to Justin’s program is
that he doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that learning guitar
can be difficult, and may require a lot of work. It was
such a relief when he said in his videos - over and
over - “this is hard!”
But if you can find a way to accept the struggle, and
push on regardless……so rewarding!
That’s very true. If you write a song around a Dadd11/F# and A#min7b5 change, that will also have only 2 chords but playing it won’t be so straightforward.
Yes, that’s one of the first things I’ve learnt when I started this guitar journey of mine. Even two-chord songs like “Born in the USA” are in the “hard league” until you learn to effectively change between the chords. But once you learn more, those two-chord songs become not so difficult, however, you find other songs that are difficult, and the circle doesn’t close…
You pushed one of my hot buttons. It bugs me no end when somebody who happens to be at a particular play-grade refers to things learned earlier as easy. Somebody once told me that when I was struggling with something. It was the last time I ever spoke about guitar and my learning with her.
I have no problem with something being described as simple, in the sense of not complex or complicated theoretically. Sure songs using simple 1/8 note strumming and 2 chords are simple, but when you are getting going simple is not the same as easy.
Yes, Justin should change the title of the lesson. “Super EASY 2 chord songs” is not what you want to hear when you’re struggling with your first songs/chords. Simple and straightforward are the words he should be using.
I agree even two chord songs like Dance the Night Away are a challenge, for a beginner, chords D and A alternating every bar and a fast tempo. Add in singing then that is another level, but if things were easy where would the fun be.
Learning 2 chords with changes and a bit of strumming is the second step up out of about 800,000,000 steps.
The first steps are hard, your fingers get sore and those chords absolutely cannot be played without some kind of sorcery and what’s with using both hands at the same time etc?
There may be no super easy songs but there are certainly degrees of difficulty. I encourage beginners to start with easier songs first. A friend of mine recently started learning and I asked him if there was a particular song he was learning. He responded with yeah: Tears in heaven by Eric clapton. OMG, that song is anything but easy. One song sheet I looked at showed it had 18 different chords. The first song I learned was a 3 chord easy song.
For me, even though it took some effort to learn it, it was much quicker to have a song under my belt as compared to learning Tears in Heaven.
Yet, for my friend learning Tears in Heaven, after chatting to him about it, I’m not about to try to dissuade him from learning that song as he explained it’s been a dream / passion of his to know that song. Finding a specific passion that keeps you practicing in those early days is fantastic. I did suggest he should also have an easier song to work on at the same time.
I think everything guitar is harder than it looks. It’s just that those that are talented make it look so easy.
I agree with @tony, there are definitely degrees of difficulty. Starting out it can be so hard to find simple songs to learn and build from. Makes learning more achievable.
I still find it a challenge to work out what will be TOO hard for me and what is within reach with a little bit of work.
Those that have put in many thousands of hours of practice…
The visual difference between many skilled guitarists and a beginner is almost none existent, its a skill built entirely around small(ish) movements and details
Yeah you’re right Rob, that’s what I meant - talent/skill is built, not born. Nobody gets there without thousands of hours of practice.
I didn’t mean to imply some people just pick up a guitar and can do that - in truth I don’t believe that about anything, every (or almost every?) major skill is built through incredible hours of practice.
I certainly think some people have more innate (be it coordination, a good ear, the physicality of their hands etc) ability but that only really comes out with a lot of practice
I almost wet myself… 
