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Jakis

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I have been playing accoustic guitar for about 6 months now. I was wondering what are some good easy songs to learn that will advance me. So far i can play heart of gold, bad moon arising, burn one down, dave matthews christmas song, wish you were here and day tripper.

Thanks,

Jake

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Depending on if you want to play lead or not, try learning blues scales and 12-bar blues patterns.

If you want to learn some easy killer tunes, Neil Young is the place to start. Cortez The Killer, Down By The River and Powderfinger are easy tunes to learn. The solos stay in basic blues box-scales, but always sound good.

Who tunes like Won't Get Fooled Again and Behind Blue Eyes should help your strumming and power/bar chording.

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I play alot of acoustic myself.

Tunes that I started with aside from what you mentioned.

-Don't let go (JGB)

-Harder They come

-Working Class Hero

-Girl From the north country

-Lookin out my back door

-Reason to believe (Tim Hardin)

-Sitting on the dock of a bay

-And it stoned me

-Please don't bury me

-Lovin' cup

-Hey pocky way

-Amie (Pure Prairie League)

-Southern Cross

-One more cup of coffee

-If I were a carpenter (Tim Hardin)

-Thrasher

Thats a few anyway...I do have a shitload of music somewhere around here.

These are bit more trickier but awesome...(only beacsue of the crazy chord changes)

My favourite to play:

-Doin that rag

-Black Muddy water

-Rueben & Cherise

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Learn to play and sing. Even if you don't like your singing. It is important to be able to concentrate on rhythm and a melody at the same time.

Play with people. Learn how to lock rhythm and play with dynamics.

Concentrate on always doing alternating upstrokes and downstrokes when you strum. Don't fall into personal patterns of rhythm.

Play as much as you can with a metronome.

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I learned to play by sorting my way through the Dylan and Neil Young catalogues. Then, when I got into the Dead I jammed along with tapes to get my "lead" style happening.

For me, the biggest leap forward in playing guitar was getting a Bruce Cockburn songbook ("Rumours of Glory") that had tablature in it, and forcing myself to work through that stuff. By the end of it, I couldn't necessarily play it well but I had come a long way in terms of dexterity and finger-picking (which I'm no longer so good at - gotta practice!).

The point is, take it naturally and learn songs you really want to play. Think about things, about how things fit together, and you'll eventually be able to figure things out by ear. Make a tape of yourself tomorrow playing the most difficult thing you know, keep practicing and refer to that tape in 6 months - you'll be amazed how far you've come!

But I'd say, Dylan, Neil Young, G Dead (and some related covers, JGB), Bob Marley - things you know well, that people know (and therefore can come over and jam with you!) and you're off and running.

Good luck!

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