Looking for Beginner Guitar Tabs that are both easy to play and sound amazing? In this free guitar lesson, we’ll dive into 20 iconic riffs and licks that are perfect for beginner guitarists. Get ready to crank up the volume and learn some seriously cool guitar parts!
What You’ll Learn in This Free Guitar Lesson:
- 20 Iconic Guitar Riffs: Carefully selected for their ease of play and incredible sound.
- Beginner-Friendly Guitar Tabs: Easy-to-read tabs that make learning simple and fun.
- 20 Video Tutorials: Step-by-step video lessons to guide you through each riff.
- Diverse Genres: Explore riffs from rock, blues, and more, expanding your musical horizons.
- Develop Lead Guitar Skills: Build a solid foundation in lead guitar techniques while learning these classic riffs.
Ready to start playing? Let’s get to it! 🙂
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The Key to Great Beginner Guitar Tabs
Beginner guitar tabs need to strike a perfect balance. They must be accessible for new players, but also musically rewarding and enjoyable to play. It’s all about finding riffs that are easy to learn without sacrificing that awesome guitar sound we all love.
Finding tabs that meet these criteria can be challenging, so we’ve curated this list of 20 fantastic riffs to make your learning journey easier and more fun. Let’s get started!
1. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Beat It’ by Michael Jackson
This is a top choice for beginner guitar tabs! The riff from ‘Beat It’ is instantly recognizable, incredibly cool, and surprisingly beginner-friendly. It utilizes the Minor Pentatonic scale, a fundamental scale for guitarists, and delivers a fantastic sound.
First, let’s listen to the original track to get the riff in your ear:
Now, let’s check out the guitar tab for the main riff:
[Insert Tab Image of Beat It Riff Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Here’s a video lesson to help you learn how to play this riff:
[Insert Video Embed of Beat It Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Tips for Mastering This Guitar Tab
- Practice Slowly: Start at a slow tempo and focus on accuracy. Speed comes with time and repetition. Practicing slowly and correctly is the most effective way to build muscle memory and ensure you learn the riff properly from the start.
- String Skipping: The jump from the A string to the G string requires skipping the D string, which can be tricky at first. Keep an eye on your picking hand and the strings as you make this transition to ensure accuracy.
- Isolate the Jump: Practice moving specifically between the A and G strings to get comfortable with the string skip. This targeted practice will make the full riff easier to learn.
- Picking Direction: Pay attention to your picking direction (upstrokes and downstrokes). For instance, when moving from the G string to the D string, an upstroke might feel more natural as it aligns with the direction you need to move your pick. Efficient picking technique will improve your speed and fluidity.
Want to take your lead guitar skills to the next level? Check out our comprehensive guide:
How To Play Lead Guitar: The Ultimate Guide
2. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ by Cream
‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ is another exceptional choice for beginner guitar tabs. This riff is massive, iconic, and surprisingly easy to learn. Turn up your amp, channel your inner Eric Clapton from ’67, and let’s rock!
Let’s listen to the riff to get inspired:
The intro riff is what we’ll focus on:
[Insert Video Embed of Sunshine Of Your Love Riff Audio Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Here’s the beginner guitar tab for the intro riff:
Guitar tab for beginners – Sunshine of Your Love intro riff
Watch this video to see Jack demonstrate how to play this classic riff:
[Insert Video Embed of Sunshine Of Your Love Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Tab Notes for ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’
- Slow and Steady Wins: Just like with ‘Beat It’, start slowly and prioritize accuracy. Gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable. Remember, practicing slowly and correctly is crucial for building solid muscle memory! (It’s worth repeating because it’s so important!)
- String Crossing Focus: Pay close attention to the sections where you need to cross strings. Smooth string crossing is key to playing this riff cleanly.
- Break it Down: Practice each part of the riff slowly and in isolation before putting it all together. This will help you master each section and make learning the entire riff much easier.
Get Your FREE Lead Guitar Cheat Sheet
Struggling to know which scales work with different keys?
We’ve got you covered! Download our free cheat sheet – a key and scale finder that you can use again and again to unlock the secrets of lead guitar.
[Button/Link to Lead Guitar Cheat Sheet Download – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
3. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes
Here’s another killer riff from the incredible White Stripes! (They made a huge sound for just a duo!)
‘Seven Nation Army’ is a personal favorite for beginner guitar tabs because it sounds fantastic and is played entirely on just one string! Simplicity and impact – that’s what makes this riff so great.
We’ll learn the main riff that starts the song. Here’s the beginner guitar tab:
Easy guitar tabs for beginners – Seven Nation Army main riff
In this video, I break down each part of the riff in more detail:
[Insert Video Embed of Seven Nation Army Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Playing Notes for This Guitar Tab
The main challenge with this riff is figuring out the best fingering. I usually start with my index finger (1st finger) on the 7th fret, then stretch up to the 10th fret with my pinky finger. After that, I mostly use my index finger for the rest of the riff.
However, if you’re completely new to guitar, you can definitely play it using just one finger! Experiment with both methods and see which feels most comfortable for you.
Get That Iconic Tone
Jack White famously used a Big Muff Pi fuzz pedal (among other effects) to create the signature sound of ‘Seven Nation Army’. If you want to replicate that iconic fuzz, we’ve linked to a similar pedal below:
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4. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Come As You Are’ by Nirvana
Beginner guitar tabs don’t get much moodier or more iconic than ‘Come As You Are’ by Nirvana. The main riff in this song is undeniably cool and perfect for beginners.
Here’s the guitar tab for this unforgettable riff:
Best guitar tabs for beginners – Come As You Are main riff
Watch Jack explain how to play it in this video:
[Insert Video Embed of Come As You Are Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Notes on Playing This Guitar Tab
- Master the 2nd Fret to Open A String Transition: The trickiest part of this riff is moving smoothly between the 2nd fret and the open A string. Practice this transition specifically to improve your fluidity and make the riff sound seamless.
Remember, with any riff, focusing on practicing the parts you find challenging is key to improvement. Even if it feels difficult initially, consistent practice will build the necessary muscle memory.
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5. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Day Tripper’ by The Beatles
Another fantastic choice for beginner guitar tabs, ‘Day Tripper’ boasts a truly awesome and instantly recognizable riff. Crank up the gain on your amp and hear how wild and cool this riff sounds!
This riff has some similarities to ‘Beat It’ by Michael Jackson, using the same scale and incorporating open strings for a full sound.
Watch this video to see Jack explain how to play the ‘Day Tripper’ riff:
[Insert Video Embed of Day Tripper Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Guitar Tab Playing Notes for ‘Day Tripper’
As always, the golden rule: Practice it SLOWLY. Get it right. Gradually increase the speed. Practicing slowly and correctly is the foundation for building solid muscle memory.
There are two main elements of this riff that beginners might find tricky:
- String Accuracy: The first part involves moving between strings, requiring precise picking accuracy. When you first learn this riff, focus on playing it very SLOWLY to ensure each note rings out clearly.
- Finger Stretch: The transition from the 2nd fret on the A string to the 4th fret on the D string can be a bit of a stretch for beginner fingers. Take your time, relax your hand, and gradually work on this stretch.
You might need to adjust your wrist position slightly, moving it forwards or backwards to make this riff comfortable to play. Ensure your forearm is relaxed and free to move. (Remember, playing chords and riffs involves your whole arm, not just your fingers!)
For inspiration, check out this NME article featuring ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ in the Top 50 Greatest Guitar Riffs of all time! It’s a great read for any guitar enthusiast: 50 Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time
6. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Wonderful Tonight’ by Eric Clapton
This is a truly beautiful riff that evokes a sense of nostalgia for many guitarists, especially those who learned guitar in previous decades.
‘Wonderful Tonight’ utilizes a few different lead guitar techniques, making it excellent for developing skills as a beginner guitarist.
While it’s slightly more challenging than some of the other beginner guitar tabs on this list due to the string bends requiring more control, it’s a fantastic learning exercise that’s worth sticking with:
Guitar tabs for beginners – Wonderful Tonight intro riff
Here’s a video walkthrough to guide you:
[Insert Video Embed of Wonderful Tonight Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
The key to mastering this riff is getting the string bends right. Focus on TARGETING the correct pitch when you bend the strings upwards. Concentrate and LISTEN carefully to ensure the bent notes are in tune and match the original recording.
You can delve deeper into lead guitar techniques in our comprehensive guide: How To Play Lead Guitar: The Ultimate Guide
7. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Iron Man’ by Black Sabbath
This next riff is a cornerstone of heavy metal and helped define the genre. If you’re ready to rock and unleash some power chords, ‘Iron Man’ is the perfect riff for you!
We’ll focus on the main intro riff (after the initial “robot” effect). It kicks in around 0:28 in the song. Here’s the beginner guitar tab:
[Insert Tab Image of Iron Man Riff Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Jack breaks down the ‘Iron Man’ riff in more detail in this video:
[Insert Video Embed of Iron Man Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Playing Notes for ‘Iron Man’
This riff can become quite challenging once you reach the 10th and 9th frets. The changes between these higher frets are fast! This makes ‘Iron Man’ excellent practice for developing your picking speed and dexterity.
Get That Iconic Sabbath Tone
If you’re a die-hard Black Sabbath fan like us, you’re probably wondering how to achieve that legendary “Sabbath Fuzz” sound heard on their recordings.
The Sabbra Cadabra pedal by Catalinbread is designed to perfectly emulate Tony Iommi’s classic tone, and we highly recommend it for achieving that authentic Sabbath sound.
Check out how cool this pedal looks:
Catalinbread Sabbra Cadabra pedal emulates Tony Iommi's fuzz tone
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8. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd
‘Sweet Home Alabama’ is a classic rock anthem, and the original recording features multiple guitar parts. This video is worth watching just for the incredibly enthusiastic bass player at 0:46 – pure entertainment!
For beginner guitar tabs, we’re going to focus on the easiest part of the intro riff:
[Insert Tab Image of Sweet Home Alabama Riff Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Here’s some further guidance from Jack on learning this riff:
[Insert Video Embed of Sweet Home Alabama Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Playing Notes for This Tab
‘Sweet Home Alabama’ is slightly trickier for beginner guitar tabs because it’s helpful to know the basic chords of the song before tackling the lead riff. Make sure you can play the chords smoothly and in time first, and then start adding in the lead guitar fills.
If you’re not familiar with chord diagrams, check out this lesson: How To Read Guitar Chordboxes
Dsus2 Chord
Guitar chord diagram for Dsus2 for beginner guitarists
Learn more easy ways to play the D chord in this lesson: 3 Easy Ways to Play the D Chord on Guitar
Cadd9 Chord
Explore different easy ways to play the C chord in this article: Easy Ways To Play The C Guitar Chord
G Major Chord
Guitar chord diagram for G Major for beginner guitarists
The G Major chord is arguably the most essential guitar chord of all! We’ve created a dedicated article exploring easy ways to play it: 4 Easy Ways To Play The G Chord On Guitar
Mastering these chords is essential as they form the foundation of the entire song.
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9. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Smoke On The Water’ by Deep Purple
This riff is pure rock and roll energy and wonderfully EASY to play, making it one of the absolute best beginner guitar tabs ever created! Let’s listen to the legendary ‘Smoke On The Water’ riff:
[Insert Video Embed of Smoke On The Water Riff Audio Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
This riff is incredibly simple and is played entirely on just one string!
[Insert Tab Image of Smoke On The Water Riff Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
While it’s already very easy, Jack provides further explanation and tips in this video:
[Insert Video Embed of Smoke On The Water Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
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10. Beginner Guitar Tabs – ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica
Metal riffs are often fantastic choices for beginner guitar tabs, and ‘Enter Sandman’ is a true classic. (Many guitarists, including myself, have spent countless hours rocking out to this riff in their bedrooms!)
We’ll focus on the iconic intro riff:
[Insert Tab Image of Enter Sandman Riff Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
Tab Notes for ‘Enter Sandman’
Pay attention to the string changes in this riff, and as always, make sure to practice SLOWLY at first. Jack provides a detailed explanation of the riff in this video:
[Insert Video Embed of Enter Sandman Riff Lesson Here – Not provided in original, assuming user will provide this]
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