Guitar With Rene
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Songs by chord set

Easy guitar songs with C, D, Em, G

You know C, D, Em, G. Here are 7 songs that use nothing else, so every minute goes into playing music instead of learning new shapes.

CDEmG
See the 7 songs Start the free course
Taught by Rene Free Beginner first

Quick answer

C, D, Em and G unlock a useful group of beginner songs. Start with one song, isolate its hardest chord change, then add rhythm after the changes stay moving.

  • Choose one of the three easiest songs first
  • Loop only the chord pair that pauses
  • Use one downstroke per chord before the real rhythm

Songs using C, D, Em, G

Pick the one you would actually enjoy hearing yourself play. Each lesson has the progression, strum and a slow starting tempo.

4 chords

Wagon Wheel

Old Crow Medicine Show GDEmC Down, down-up 148 BPM song

The same four open chords repeat, so it is useful for steady beginner strumming.

Open lesson 4 chords

Stand By Me

Ben E. King GEmCD Down, down-up 118 BPM song

A classic four-chord loop that builds confidence with common beginner shapes.

Open lesson 4 chords

Zombie

The Cranberries EmCGD Down, down-up 84 BPM song

One recognizable four-chord loop makes it a strong first song for dynamics.

Open lesson 4 chords

Take Me Home, Country Roads

John Denver GEmDC Down, down-up 82 BPM song

A familiar singalong built from four open chords taught early in the course.

Open lesson 4 chords

I'm Yours

Jason Mraz GDEmC Down, down-up with a bounce 76 BPM song

A relaxed four-chord loop for practicing smooth, even strumming.

Open lesson 4 chords

Perfect

Ed Sheeran GEmCD Slow down-up 64 BPM song

A slow modern song using familiar open chord shapes with capo-friendly practice.

Open lesson 4 chords

Good Riddance

Green Day GCDEm Picked or slow down-up 95 BPM song

A familiar beginner song for moving between G, C, D, and Em cleanly.

Open lesson

The chords can come in a different order in each song. The useful part is that the same small chord family unlocks all of them.

Hear and see the C, D, Em, G chords

A chord is several strings pressed and strummed together. Tap Play to hear how each shape should sound when every string rings, then compare your hand with the photo.

C
×321 A left hand holding a C chord on a guitar neck, seen from the player's viewpoint
D
××132 A left hand holding a D chord on a guitar neck, seen from the player's viewpoint
Em
23 A left hand holding a Em chord on a guitar neck, seen from the player's viewpoint
G
213 A left hand holding a G chord on a guitar neck, seen from the player's viewpoint

Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. × means do not play that string, ○ means play it open.

How the loop moves in Wagon Wheel

Most songs here repeat a short chord loop. Learn the loop once and you have learned most of the song.

  1. G
  2. D
  3. Em
  4. C

then back to the start and loop

Your 10 minute plan for these chords

  1. 1

    2 minutes: clean shapes

    Build C, D, Em, G once each. Pick the strings one at a time and fix only the note that does not ring.

  2. 2

    3 minutes: the hardest change

    Find the pair of chords that makes you pause. Loop just that switch without strumming, keeping your fingertips close to the strings.

  3. 3

    5 minutes: one song

    Start with Wagon Wheel. Play one downstroke per chord. Add the real strum only after the changes keep moving.

Know different chords?

Songs grouped by the exact chords they use.

Songs with C, D, G CDG 3 songs See the songs Songs with A, D, E ADE 2 songs See the songs Songs with Am, C, G AmCG 2 songs See the songs Songs with Am, C, F, G AmCFG 3 songs See the songs
Free 7 day course

Want a plan instead of a list?

The free 7 day course takes you from tuning to your first song, one short practice a day, and teaches chords like C, D, Em, G in the order that makes them easiest. Playable chord diagrams and a metronome are built in.

Start the free course Time your C, D, Em, G changes
  • Free
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  • 10 minutes a day