“Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars is a timeless hit, loved for its heartfelt lyrics and catchy melody. It’s also a fantastic song for beginner guitarists to learn. If you’re looking to strum along to this beautiful tune, you’ve come to the right place! This easy-to-follow guide will provide you with the guitar chords for “Just The Way You Are”, simple strumming patterns, and everything you need to start playing this popular song today. Get ready to impress your friends and sing your heart out with these Chords Guitar Just The Way You Are!
To get started with playing “Just The Way You Are” on guitar, you’ll only need to learn a few basic chords. The song primarily uses four chords which are common for beginners and create a lovely, harmonious sound. These chords are essential building blocks for many popular songs, so learning them here will be beneficial for your guitar journey beyond just this song.
Essential Guitar Chords for “Just The Way You Are”
The chords you will need to play “Just The Way You Are” are:
- C Major (C)
- A minor (Am)
- F Major (F)
These are all fundamental chords that are often among the first chords taught to guitar students. Let’s take a quick look at how to play each of these.
Alt text: C Major guitar chord diagram, showing finger placement for beginner guitarists learning to play Just The Way You Are.
The C Major chord is bright and cheerful, often used as a foundational chord in many songs.
Alt text: Am guitar chord diagram, illustrating the A minor chord shape for playing Just The Way You Are song on guitar.
The A minor chord has a more melancholic or sad sound, providing a nice contrast to the C Major.
Strumming Pattern for “Just The Way You Are” Guitar
Once you are comfortable with the chords, the next step is to learn the strumming pattern. For “Just The Way You Are”, a few strumming patterns are used throughout the song. Here are some options to get you started, from simple to slightly more complex:
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Simple Down Strums: For beginners, you can start by simply strumming down once for each chord. This is represented as ‘D’ (Down). So for each chord in the song, you would strum down once.
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Basic Strumming Pattern: A slightly more involved pattern to add rhythm is: Down, Down, Down (D D D). You can repeat this pattern six times for the intro section.
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Intermediate Strumming Pattern: To get closer to the original song’s feel, you can use: Down, Down-Up, Down-Down-Up, Down-Up, Down-Down-Up, Down-Up (D DUDUD DUDUD DU x2). This pattern adds syncopation and a more dynamic rhythm.
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Full Strumming Pattern: For a richer sound, you can use: Down, Down-Down-Down, Down-Up, Down-Down-Up, Down-Up, Down-Up (DDD DUDUD DU x2). This is another variation that captures the song’s rhythm effectively.
Alt text: Strumming pattern examples for guitar chords Just The Way You Are, including simple and intermediate rhythmic patterns for beginner guitarists.
Start with the simpler strumming patterns and gradually work your way up to the more complex ones as you become comfortable. Practice changing between the C, Am, and F chords smoothly while maintaining the strumming rhythm.
Song Structure and Chord Progression
“Just The Way You Are” follows a verse-chorus structure which is very common in pop music, making it easy to learn and memorize. Here’s the chord progression for the different sections of the song:
Intro: C Am F C (Use the “Ddd x6” strumming or a simple down strum for each chord six times)
Verse: C Am F C (Use the “D DUDUD DUDUD DU x2” strumming pattern)
Oh her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they’re not shining
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her trying
She’s so beautiful, and I tell her every day
Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her she wont believe me
And its so, its so sad to think she don’t see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay I say
Chorus: C Am F C (Use the “DDD DUDUD DU x2” strumming pattern)
When I see your face, there’s not a thing that I would change
Cause you’re amazing, just the way you are
And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you’re amazing, just the way you are
The song repeats these verse and chorus sections. The bridge and outro also primarily use these same four chords, making the entire song very accessible to learn on guitar.
Tips for Playing “Just The Way You Are” on Guitar
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Capo: The original song is often played with a capo on the 5th fret. While not strictly necessary to learn the chords, using a capo at the 5th fret will bring the guitar chords in line with the original key of the song if you want to play along with Bruno Mars’ recording.
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Practice Chord Transitions: Focus on smoothly transitioning between the C, Am, and F chords. This will make your playing sound much cleaner and more musical.
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Start Slow: Begin practicing slowly to get the chord changes and strumming patterns down. Gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
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Listen to the Song: Listen to “Just The Way You Are” frequently to internalize the rhythm and timing of the song. This will help you play along more naturally.
Conclusion
Learning to play “Just The Way You Are” on guitar is a rewarding experience. With just a few basic chords and strumming patterns, you can play this beautiful song. Practice regularly, be patient with yourself, and soon you’ll be strumming and singing along to this Bruno Mars classic. Grab your guitar, learn these chords guitar just the way you are, and start playing today!
