# Easy to play go to instrumentals



## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

I've been playing guitar for more than 20 years as an at home hobby. It's a creative outlet from the craziness of life. Sometimes I'll jam along to music but most times I just play to/for myself with what most would call noodling. I play by ear and have learned a few songs through tab. No formal music education to speak of.

Recently I bought a Taylor 814ce and get asked by my wife to bring it along to family outings. I shrink in fear.....what on earth could I play that would entertain people??? My singing voice is best left at home and strumming the same chords over and over again gets stale pretty quick.

So I'm looking to put together a set list of instrumental songs that would allow me to step outside the box of my home without trepidation. 

Your suggestions are most appreciated and thank you in advance.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Easy to play chord progression songs/tunes are good...Hotel California, House Of The Rising Sun, Hit The Road Jack, and 12 bar blues, etc. Lots of guitar instrumentals from early rock are popular, Pipeline, Walk Don't Run, Sleepwalk, Telstar, etc. Some TV and movie themes are also popular. Surprisingly, some tunes never seem to get old with audiences...Greensleeves even...but Paint It Black, Angie, etc. Learn some old fiddle tunes, Irish Washerwoman, Kesh Jig, Drowsy Maggie, Star Of The County Down, Wind That Shakes The Barley, etc.

www.songsterr.com

www.musicnotes.com

www.thesession.org

Peace, Mooh.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

You may find something here you like.

www.threechordguitar.com/vids.htm


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## Gearhead88 (Nov 7, 2013)

Ever thought about exploring some open tunings ? , like D , E or G

Some great blues songs can be played without a lot of effort and it is the easiest way to learn how to play slide guitar.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Most of what I would suggest has already been covered by Mooh, but if you can fingerpick, there are some great tunes that are reasonably accessible and very recognizable; Dust in the Wind, Landslide, Blackbird, and Spanish Romance come to mind (though Spanish Romance has barre chords and some significant stretches).


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

I think instrumentals is the wrong way to go...kinda hard work to keep an audience happy while strumming a few chords...

here is my suggestion ......
pick out a bunch of easy to play/easy to sing cause eveybody knows the song...
learn the chords to these songs and then print out a bunch of copies of the words...
when your ready....hand out the words and ask folks to sing the songs ....solo if they dare or in a group...
that sounds like a lot of fun for all to me...

G.


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## skilsaw (Nov 4, 2014)

GTmaker said:


> ....hand out the words and ask folks to sing the songs ....solo if they dare or in a group...
> that sounds like a lot of fun for all to me...
> 
> G.


This family sing along goes way back before history.
Tribes would sit around the campfire, eating roasted wild boar and drinking home made liquor.
If they didn't like the music they would burn the guitar.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

skilsaw said:


> Tribes would sit around the campfire, eating roasted wild boar and drinking home made liquor.
> If they didn't like the music they would burn the guitar.



That's pretty much how we still do it in the Maritimes.


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2014)

[video=youtube;l7226RHt0fI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7226RHt0fI[/video]


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Currently working on the singing approach with Wild Horses (Stones), Sail Away With Me (D.Gray), Kathy's Song (Simon & Garfunkel), Fields of Barley (Sting), Solsbury Hill (P.Gabriel), 5 Days in May (Blue Rodeo), and Harvest Moon (Neil Young).

As for instrumentals, working on Dust in the Wind...


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## TeleToons (Aug 13, 2014)

Just a few more ideas.
If you are already comfortable with playing, try out Kirby's site. He's a Canadian player who has transposed a gazillion songs into solo guitar. http://www.learn-classic-rock-songs.com/

And there is Alan Robinson, the "Guitar Tutor Man". I find him a bit easier with my level of ability. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEGsUxJtGEJhDfKSwYDNaXw

I stepped on the path to singing and playing with old songs like, Sloop John B, Bobby McGee, House of Rising Sun (everybody joins in on that one) 

Good luck and have fun !


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## ThatGingerMojo (Jul 30, 2014)

Reminds me of a story I heard in the 90's. BTO would come to town and ask everyone in the crowds to bring a guitar. After the show, in the encore, everybody would go on stage and play Takin Care of Business. In Vancouver, apparently they had over 300 players all playing along. So naturally, the great minds thought if we can get 300 in Vancouver, how about Toronto. 10 people showed with their guitars. I think Randy Bachman scoffed and said, "Great now we can play Hotel California in its entirety."


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