“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, penned by the iconic Stevie Nicks, is a timeless classic that resonates with guitarists of all levels. Like many, I was immediately captivated by its beauty and wanted to learn it on guitar. Armed with my Guild guitar and a Fleetwood Mac songbook, I eagerly attempted to decipher the chords. However, the initial chord diagrams presented in standard notation, filled with daunting symbols like Eb, Bb, and Cm, felt like an insurmountable barrier. As someone more versed in piano at the time, these chords seemed overwhelmingly complex, and “Landslide” became a song I tucked away in the back of my mind.
Years later, as I began taking formal guitar lessons, “Landslide” was one of the first songs I requested to learn. To my surprise, my teacher revealed the secret to making this song incredibly accessible: the capo. For those unfamiliar, a capo is a fantastic tool that effectively changes the key of your guitar without requiring you to learn new chord shapes (explore more about this in “The Underappreciated Art Of Using A Capo”). With a capo in place, the chords for “Landslide” become remarkably simple.
Landslide Guitar Chords – Initial Challenging Chords Diagram
The Beauty of Simple Chords for Landslide Guitar
The verse sections of “Landslide” primarily revolve around a repeating chord progression: C, G/B, Am, G/B. This sequence is repeated throughout the verses, creating the song’s signature gentle and flowing feel. Then comes the bridge, where Stevie Nicks sings the poignant lines, “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing.” Thankfully, this bridge section is relatively short and maintains the simplicity established by the capo. The bridge chords are G, D/F#, Em, before smoothly transitioning back into the familiar C, G/B, Am, G/B pattern.
To visualize the song structure and lyrics, here’s a reference:
Landslide Guitar Lyrics Part 1
Landslide Guitar Lyrics Part 2
Landslide Guitar Lyrics Part 3
Landslide Guitar Lyrics Part 4
Developing a Fingerpicking Pattern for Landslide Guitar
Beyond mastering the chords, learning “Landslide” on guitar also involves developing a suitable right-hand fingerpicking pattern. Initially, I was taught a pattern that closely mirrored the original album recording. Over time, however, my pattern has evolved into something more comfortable and personalized, yet still captures the essence of the song. The beauty of “Landslide” lies in its adaptability; even with slight variations in the picking pattern, the song retains its recognizable charm.
To align with the original Fleetwood Mac recording, you’ll typically place the capo on the third fret. However, I personally prefer placing the capo on the 4th fret. This adjustment transposes the song to the key of E (instead of Eb), which better suits my vocal range. The initial fingerpicking pattern my guitar teacher provided looked like this:
Landslide Guitar Teacher's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 1
Landslide Guitar Teacher's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 2
Landslide Guitar Teacher's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 3
Landslide Guitar Teacher's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 4
Landslide Guitar Teacher's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 5
However, I adapted this pattern to something that felt more natural and allowed me to sing simultaneously without difficulty. I simplified it further, often omitting the repeated lower notes, especially since my vocal range tends to be lower. My personal fingerpicking pattern for “Landslide Guitar” evolved to:
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 1
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 2
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 3
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 4
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 5
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 6
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 7
Landslide Guitar – Laura's Fingerpicking Pattern Part 8
During the bridge section, specifically on the Em chord, I often opt to play the B note (second string, second fret) instead of the lower octave Em. This variation simply sounds more pleasing to my ear in that context. Remember, personalizing a song is about discovering the melodies and harmonies that resonate with you and adapting them to your playing style. There’s no single “correct” way to play the pattern within the given chords. The joy of learning “Landslide” on guitar is that numerous fingerstyle patterns can effectively capture the song’s essence. Experimentation is key to finding what feels and sounds best to you. My own rendition of “Landslide” has continually evolved over the years. Occasionally, I incorporate the high E string (1st string) to introduce higher harmonic nuances into the picking pattern. While striving for consistency, I often subtly adjust the pattern to complement my vocal delivery in the moment.
The Magic of a Landslide Guitar Duet
For years, “Landslide” remained a staple in my solo guitar repertoire. One of my primary motivations for learning guitar was to have an alternative instrument to accompany my vocals, beyond the piano. The song’s enduring appeal is undeniable; I never tire of playing or singing it. Then, an unexpected opportunity arose to play “Landslide” as a duet with fellow guitarist David Hodge. Since David lives a considerable distance away, such collaborations are rare and cherished. As I began playing my familiar solo arrangement of “Landslide,” David surprised me by weaving in a beautiful counterpoint to my standard picking pattern. The result was breathtaking; the song blossomed with the addition of a second guitar.
David explains his approach:
My guitar philosophy often revolves around simplicity and adding a unique voice. Given “Landslide”‘s straightforward nature, my aim was to enhance Laura’s pattern without overshadowing it or her vocals. The most effective way to achieve this was to mirror her pattern rhythmically but introduce higher voicings. Since her pattern stayed clear of the first (high E) string, I placed the “melody” of my part there, allowing it to ascend as the vocal melody descended.
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 1
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 2
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 3
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 4
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 5
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 6
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 7
Landslide Guitar Duet – Laura and David's Pattern Part 8
You can hear how my part emphasizes different notes compared to Laura’s pattern, yet maintains the same rhythmic foundation. Essentially, it creates the illusion of a single guitar playing an intricate, almost impossible chord pattern. I use my thumb and middle finger to pluck the initial notes, while my index finger plays the B string on the offbeat, and my thumb handles the G string on the second and fourth beats.
While Laura’s bass note falls only on the first beat, I added another (again with the thumb and the middle finger playing the higher note) on the third beat. On the first G chord, I utilize the open D string as the bass note on the first beat (whereas Laura plays the B note on the A string) and then the G note on the low E for the third beat. The Am chord transforms into a half-barre chord at the fifth fret (typically using my ring finger). I also incorporated an alternating bass line in this measure, playing the open low E on the third beat.
Since the last measure largely lacks vocals, I included a small fill to inject some movement. It’s a simple descending scale from B to F, leading into the open high E that initiates the pattern. The open G string serves as a pedal point, reinforcing the impression of a single guitar arrangement. Occasionally, depending on my mood, I might slightly alter this final measure by varying the rhythm of the descending notes, like this:
Landslide Guitar Duet – David's Variation Pattern
In this variation of the last measure, the initial stretch might seem challenging, but being higher up the neck (with the capo at the fourth fret, it’s actually played around the seventh and eleventh frets), it’s less demanding than it appears.
Back to you, Laura…
Thank you to one of our dedicated readers for suggesting “Landslide” as a topic. I sincerely hope you derive as much enjoyment from playing this song as David and I have, both individually and in duet form. Have fun exploring “landslide guitar”!
n.b. This column is part of a series dedicated to celebrating female musicians. As always, your suggestions for future topics are welcome. If you have a song you’d like to see featured in a lesson, please reach out to me at [email protected] or David Hodge at [email protected].
By Laura Lasley and David Hodge
Liner Notes on Landslide
“Landslide” marked one of Stevie Nicks’ earliest songwriting contributions to Fleetwood Mac, debuting on their eponymous 1975 album. Nicks revealed that she penned the song in Aspen, Colorado, during a period of contemplation about whether to return to school or continue her musical journey with Fleetwood Mac. The lyrics skillfully employ metaphors from the natural world to powerfully convey feelings of personal upheaval and change.
While many listeners are familiar with the popular cover version by The Dixie Chicks from 2002, “Landslide” has also been interpreted by The Smashing Pumpkins, who recorded it as the B-side to their hit single “Disarm” in 1994, showcasing the song’s enduring appeal across genres.
