50 Acoustic Sad Guitar Songs Easy To Play
Music is the most perfect and accurate description of emotions, it can make you feel happy, happy but at the same time make you feel the sadness of the music player. The guitar is one of the most versatile and popular musical instruments in the world. The sound of the guitar often gives listeners genuine emotions. At times when you feel difficult, stuck, sad guitar songs can touch your emotions and help you find a way out of the darkness.
However, not every sad song goes well with the melody of the guitar. The list of 50 saddest guitar songs that we share in this article will give you the best choices. Not only are they sad songs for the guitar, but they are also very easy to play. Search for the song titles below to express your feelings through the notes.
When the Party’s Over by Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish not only impresses fans with her exceptional voice, she is also a successful music producer. When the Party’s Over is a song on her self-produced debut album – ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’. The song is about Billie’s brother’s experience ending an ambiguous relationship. The emotions of the song are quite complex but are subtly expressed through the music.
At first, this song is mainly about vocals combined with delicate piano performance. However, when you switch tunes with the guitar you will realize how appealing it is. It is quite easy for you to develop chords on the guitar. You should put the capo on the 4th fret when the song is on the A key, you will have the perfect melody.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles
While My Guitar Gently Weeps is an extremely sad song with a complex inner turmoil. George Harrison composed it when the band members were having difficulty contributing to the song. This song, therefore, features Eric Clapton’s help in recording some additional instrumental classes. The song is also considered the cause of the disbandment of the cult band.
The song reflects the disconnection, apathy and lack of harmony of the band members at this stage through chords and segments perfectly. The song is played in two different versions. A rock-heavy version with an electric guitar arrangement by Eric Clapton. Another original remix was performed by George himself.
Wind of Change by The Scorpions
Wind of Change is one of the most popular rock songs of all time with the number of singles sold up to 14 million copies. The song is also The Scorpions’ biggest single with a compelling sonic investment. This single from the album “Crazy World”, peaked at number one worldwide and multiple highs for a period of time.
The song has emotional chords with melodious, clean timbre and makes it easy for listeners to sink into golden tones and delays. In addition to using a regular guitar for mixing, you can use a balladesque lead guitar for a new experience.
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Thanks to the unique way of conveying emotions through vocals and key chord tuning, Wish You Were Here is a sad song performed in a special way. The song, composed with sad lyrics, is the band’s tribute to founding member Syd Barrett. He had to leave the band due to poor health due to drug abuse. It also shows us how harsh the music industry is and how it affects musicians.
The song is one of the best easy sad guitar songs. You can capture the melody throughout the song thanks to consistent chord development and loops. You just strum the chords and combine them into great tunes. This is also one of the good and easy songs for beginners.
With Or Without You by U2
With Or Without You is a unique song from U2’s fifth studio album “The Joshua Tree”. This song has a very unique melody when immersed in delay and sound effects. This song was also prevented from being released due to its ‘unusual’ sound. However, it is that anomaly that makes a song completely different from the rest of the songs on this list.
If you listen through the song you’ll see that the ‘infinite’ guitar sustain effect the song uses is not common to casual players. However, when starting to play it is not as difficult as you think. You just play and follow the chords, you can reproduce the perfect sound for this tune.
Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
Tears in Heaven is a famous song that helps you feel the tragic story with difficult emotions that Eric had to go through. The song was written by Eric and Will Jennings about the passing of Eric’s 4-year-old son – Conor.
This song is composed in a fingerstyle style played in standard EADGBE tuning. You will use the thumb to play the Bassline and the other finger to select the tune. The perfect and fluid combination of notes will give us the best emotional chord of the song.
Thanks to its impressive melody, Tears in Heaven made a big splash as one of Eric’s best-selling singles. This song is also ranked as one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Yesterday by The Beatles
As the most famous band in the world in the field of music, The Beatles have many best-selling singles of all time. They also have a lot of good songs about deep feelings as well as sadness. Yesterday is a famous song with a gentle but deep melody of a solo acoustic guitar with a light orchestra behind it.
The song is a story about the breakup of love, two lovers are recalling “yesterday” and the memories of when they were together. This is one of the hit singles covered by many musicians and singers around the world. To this day, this song is still one of the music legends
When playing songs on guitar, you should use the capo on the 5th fret for more chords and easier control. However, if you do not have a capo to use, you can play in the rendering style.
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Landslide is a hit song by Stevie Nicks, which was released on the band Fleetwood Mac’s album of the same name in 1975. The song is about depression and demise when ‘Polydor Records’ decided to quit. dropped Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham’s upcoming album. As he looked out over the Rocky Mountains he had the feeling that a landslide was approaching him. In the end, he took that as inspiration.
This song has simple chords but is emotional and very attractive to listeners. The tunes C, G/B, Am7 and back to G/B will help you feel the charm of the melody. Although it may seem complicated to start playing guitar when you look at it, in reality, it will be much simpler once you play it.
Most of you just need to repeat the melody of the song because there is already a main motif. For a better sound, you need a capo on the 3rd fret. Although there are versions available that provide “standard tuning”, the capo still gives the best effect to the tone of the song.
Stay With Me by Sam Smith
If you are a music lover, even if you are not, you must have heard the tune of the song Stay With Me somewhere. This is one of my favorite sad songs. The official video of this song has reached over a billion views on YouTube and topped many charts.
Sam Smith with a deep sad voice, high falsetto vocal range really attracts listeners. The original song originally had only light drums and a night piano, but when it was switched to guitar, the melody became especially attractive to listeners. The progression of the chords is very simple but nice and spicy enough. Stay With Me is one of the best sad songs to play on a guitar that you should choose.
The Long And Winding Road by The Beatles
The Beatles with many hit works have shaken the music market in the world. The song The Long And Winding Road released in 1970 on their last album – “Let It Be” has a very simple but catchy tune. At first, the song only had light music with simple instruments, but the producer turned it into a more attractive melody when adding guitars.
The original version of the song consisted of piano and bass sounds, but as the chords and rhythms developed, it was translated into the guitar with a clearer and more vibrant sound. You can play song tunes with guitar and some simple open chords. It will give you great emotions in times of turmoil.
Everybody Hurts by R.E.M
For many people depression is a dangerous illness, Everybody Hurts is a song that speaks to the hearts of children and teenagers who are having problems with depression or thoughts of suicide. The lyrics are quite poignant and heartbreaking but it is softened by the lyrical approach that R.E.M creates. The song has resonated not only with people suffering from depression but has touched the hearts of many people around the world. This huge hit went platinum in the UK and reached the top 10 of the charts in many countries.
Since the song is a ballad at a decent BPM and slows at 94, you’ll be using mostly DGA and Em chords. However, you should use them as arpeggios. Don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as you think. You simply move up and down the strings in a linear fashion to achieve a great sound.
Fix You by Coldplay
Fix You was composed by Chris to comfort his wife when her father-in-law died of a heart attack. The song’s extremely sad chord progression can stir the emotions at the bottom of the listener’s heart. In particular, when the song is performed by Chris Martin’s haunting voice, the melody and vibe are pushed to the highest.
As one of the saddest guitar songs, this song is very easy to play. The song uses a key motif and verse that follows a simple 4-chord progression C, Em, Am, and G, which from a technical perspective you can easily strum. However, if you play along some other synthesizer line, a much more unique sound and tone will be achieved.
Hurt by Johnny Cash
Hurt is a famous song with a very special songwriting history. Originally, this song was written by Trent Reznor but then Johnny Cash decided to change the original in 2002. He gave an impressive performance with unique transformed tunes. Even the song’s original owner, Trent Reznor, said “that song is no longer mine”. Really Cash has created a new product with realistic sound.
It is the careful selection of notes and the creation of a powerful atmosphere in the acoustic guitar part that makes this song a masterpiece. The notes do not need to be rushed but still bring emotions that make listeners climax. You only need very basic chords with a smooth 90bpm to create a melody. However, adding a few sus2 shapes makes the song more engaging.
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams
Ranked number 111 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry is the oldest classic on this list. The song was composed in 1949 with a fairly fast tempo, it has become a craze of the world music market for many years. Dozens of legendary artists have covered this song to express their love, including Johnny Cash.
The song is played at a steady pace with some highlights beyond the dull emotions that need to be expressed. Chords are carefully chosen, when playing this song you need to pay attention to the trio located near the end of the motif. However, you just need to have a certain concentration. You can still easily play it even if you are a newbie.
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan
You’ve probably heard Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door by legendary bands and artists like Guns ‘n’ Roses and Eric Clapton, but it really blew up as the soundtrack of 1973’s ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’. film and perfect remix brought the song to the world and reached more people.
The song’s incredibly simple chord progressions including G, D, C, and Am7 make it easy to get started on the song. You’ll start with a small selection of fingers first, then move on to plucking some simple open chords. No matter what level you are you can play these easy sad guitar songs thanks to the song at slow BPM 68.
Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse puts a lot of her tragic stories and struggles into her song, and the audience is very receptive to that. Back to Black is a sad song that chronicles her complicated relationship and separation from her ex-husband. That man left her for another woman. That pain was fully conveyed by her in the song, making listeners feel the true feelings of grief.
A good song is the title track of the album of the same name. It won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. The song tends to have a tune similar to that of 1960s songs. However, when rearranged as a guitar solo it resonated with the perfect melody. You can easily play by the characteristic pluck.
Black by Pearl Jam
Black is a single from Pearl Jam’s debut album “Ten”. The lyrics talk about the difficulty of letting go of true love. The song peaked at #3 on the US Mainstream Rock chart and the label decided to release it.
The song has a special melody with many interesting chords. Finger position when playing guitar will also be a bit unusual for those who are only used to playing common barre chords. The melody of the song has gentle intervals but there are times when it needs dynamism and emphasis on chords. You need to pay attention to the tone to be able to create the perfect sound.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Green Day has brought many surprises to the audience when breaking into the mainstream music market with hits like “American Idiot” or “Basket Case”. It has been a long road with a clear change in musical trends, but Green Day’s most successful is the ballad ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’. One of their biggest singles, the song recounts Billie Joe’s lonely time in New York.
The song is one of the sad guitar songs that marks the change in the way Greenday plays music. When playing guitar you don’t need to quickly mute the power of the selected chords. You only need a standard acoustic guitar and capo on the first fret. The song becomes more ideal if you play the 4/5/6 major open chords for the entire song. Boulevard of Broken Dreams is also one of the best and easiest sad acoustic guitar songs for beginners.
Disarm by The Smashing Pumpkins
Disarm is a song filled with painful emotions that causes many listeners to face their parenting responsibilities. Singer Billy Corgan wrote this song in response to his parents when he had a rough and tumultuous childhood. The lyrics show that he hates his parents so much that he wants to kill them. He wanted to evoke the guilt of his parents for treating him badly. The lyrics contain strong phrases like ‘killer’ or ‘cut that little child’, which was actually banned in the United Kingdom. It is possible that according to many people’s comments, the song is implying that abortion is on the rise.
This song is pretty easy to play with some chords playing pretty fast on the key position bar. When playing you should also focus more on the pattern of plucking because fast rhythms will sometimes make you feel confused.
Drive by Incubus
Drive is a song that mainly discusses the topic of fear. This song is an important milestone for Incubus, showing their foray into the world music market to more people. The music and lyrics of the song show us that fear is exerting a heavy influence on our decisions. Basically, fear is almost controlling people. However, there is still hope to get out of that control, we will not live the way fear wants and regain our initiative.
The song helps listeners go through many different emotional frames with great chords. The melody is excellently balanced between music and character. The muted percussion in the song is created by placing your left fingers on the strings and hitting them with your right hand. The clicking sounds make the music even more unique.
Like a Stone by Audioslave
With an extremely painful and sad melody, Like a Stone deserves to be one of the easy sad songs to play on a guitar that touches everyone’s heart. The song was performed by Audioslave, a superband with many famous musical works. With Chris Cornell’s haunting and emotional vocals, the superband enjoyed a lot of success with this single.
Because the song focuses a lot on vocals, the old music is quite gentle and nothing outstanding. Therefore, the guitar part is extremely easy to play and can control the rhythm of the song’s melody. You just need to pay attention to some selected notes and combine them to match the mood of the song.
Gravity by John Mayer
Not only famous for his superb guitar playing technique, John Mayer also has a voice that captivates listeners. His songs make listeners understand the feelings deep in their souls. Gravity is a song famous for its sad and melancholy melody. The song is on Mayer’s 2006 album Continuum.
Typical John Mayer songs often focus on some small and subtle details. It is those small melodies that make the song more lively and emotional. To play this song well, you need to have certain guitar playing techniques. The song is in 12/8, so you should solve the bars one by one and then flexibly put them together. Relaxing to have the best state when playing music, will bring more real emotions.
Blackbird by The Beatles
The double album titled “White Album” is one of the great resounding albums of the superband The Beatles. Included in the album is a single about the classic Blackbird. There is a lot of controversy going on when it comes to the meaning of the song. Many people believe that the song was inspired by the sound of the Indian blackbird. However, others suggested that the song was discussing racism. Although there is a lot of buzz surrounding the true meaning, we can’t deny this song is a classic.
In the first few times, you will probably feel that this is a difficult song to play. However, things will become much simpler when you learn carefully and control the bass notes on the bar. Every chord will automatically fall into place and create an unforgettable melody.
Breathe Me by Sia
Breathe Me is a popular song from the album ‘Color the Small One’ by singer Sia. The song has appeared on most music charts in Europe and peaked at number 24 on Rock Digital Songs in the US. With an extremely gentle, delicate and sincere melody, Breathe Me is loved by the audience to this day; there are many singers and musicians who have covered the song.
The original song does not have much guitar participation, the melody of the song is determined mainly by the drums and piano, the guitar only works in the background. When converting a song to using guitar throughout the melody, you need to focus on the chords. You can refer to some tips and guitar lessons when playing this song.
Closer by King Of Leon
Closer is the opening song from Kings of Leon’s album – ‘Only By The Night’, the song has sold very well with over 6.2 million copies sold. It also received a nomination in 2009. Throughout the song is a touching love story, a man who gives everything for the girl he loves but has to go away lonely. The pain and loneliness of being in love but not being reciprocated are honestly expressed through the song’s melody. It makes listeners feel the boy’s sadness and loneliness.
This song is one of the easiest sad guitar songs of all time. The song’s motif is simple, easy to play, and repetitive. However, this repetition makes the melody more unforgettable. If you want the sound to be a bit thicker you can stick to octaves.
Creep by Radiohead
Creep is a famous song that you can easily recognize when you hear the first chord change. This song will also show you a completely different perspective on the style that Radiohead performed before. The lyrics are quite strong and deal with unhealthy sexual desires. However, it is very popular for its catchy and novel melody.
You’ll start playing using some simple arpeggios for the beginning. It will be a premise for the development of the chord in the back to become more prominent. When it comes to the chorus, there are some more electric chords that blend in to combine into a special melody.
Cut My Lip by Twenty One Pilots
The track “Cut My Lip” tells the story of an irresistible determination to overcome life’s unpredictable terrains. The song is the single from Twenty One Pilots’ fifth studio album ‘Trench’. Regarding the album concept, the main character is a guy who is willing to do everything possible to leave DEMA. More than that, he fully understands that on this path he will face countless difficulties, many of which can kill him.
The melodious but determined melody has captured the audience’s attention. The song received a platinum award in the US and was praised by critics.
The song is played quite simply with a basic pluck pattern combined with Em, D, A and Bm chord progressions. The melody of the song requires some sort of bar on the second fret, so it’s even easier to play with the capo. It helps you to tune the chords more precisely according to your wishes.
Dancing On My Own by Calum Scott
Unlike the rest of the songs on the list, Dancing On My Own by Calum Scott is a cover version rather than a promotional single as part of a studio album. The original song was composed by Swedish singer – Robyn. Initially, Calum’s cover song was only posted on his personal youtube channel, but then many fans encouraged him to record and release it in 2016. Although it still received some mixed opinions, The song still reached number 1 in 6 different countries.
The song is one of the best easy sad songs to play on guitar. You can blend in with the melody by simply selecting chords with your fingers. The sound will be more accurate with the capo on the 1st fret. You will only jump between two notes when they outline the overall chord with a few bass notes. The song is not only sad but also full of emotions.
Fire Escape by Foster The People
Foster, The People is one of the most popular Indie/Alternative pop-rock bands today. Since their rise to prominence in 2009, the band has had many outstanding songs that have attracted a large fan base. The song deals with the band’s hometown of Los Angeles and the dark side of life in the city. The melancholy in the song makes listeners ask many questions and think a lot about life.
You can easily play guitar with this song because the melody does not have too many effects and is somewhat dry. However, you need to know how to use the guitar sparingly and still achieve the desired musical effect.
Hey You by Pink Floyd
If we talk about the iconic song on Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall” released in 1979, we must mention Hey You. The song is a touching story about a young rock star who lives in isolation and always feels alienated from society. However, he soon recognized hope in life, and increasingly tried to find a way to rise and find the light of life. There are melodies in the song that will help you feel the man’s desperate and painful cry for help.
The whole song contains many chord changes that create fluctuating emotions for listeners. The color of this song is also very special, it’s full of colors and dynamic movement. From a technical perspective, you’ll have to play either an arpeggio or an open chord in the climax. Although it contains many complex chords, it is still easy to play when you focus on it.
How You Remind Me by Nickelback
Nickelbacks are often famous for their safe and “in the box” style, they are even ridiculed by many for not having a new breakthrough. However, we cannot deny that they have works that surprise the whole world music market. How You Remind Me was a huge hit in their singing career. It has been played on the radio more than 1.2 million times and is also their biggest single to date.
For a song that has a great tune, you just need to tune “Drop D” and drop your lowest string down to D. The tuning will make it easier for you to grasp the chords, just stick to the first two strings. You were able to form interesting electric chords. You can also use the same hand positions throughout the song.
I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton
An extremely emotional sad song will help you feel your inner self. Country queen Dolly Parton wrote her business partner the song I Will Always Love You as a goodbye and thank you. During the time they spent together and worked together, she decided to pursue a solo career so that friend was an important factor in bringing her closer to music.
This song is basically a country ballad played at a slow 60 bpm. You just need to shape some simple chords to be able to play the whole melody of the song. That is also the reason why this song becomes one of the easy sad guitar songs. This version will also have fewer chords due to Whitney Houston’s famous version because no key changes are required.
I’ll Never Love Again by Lady Gaga
I’ll Never Love Again is a successful collaboration between Lady Gaga and famous filmmaker Bradley Cooper. The song is like a big explosion in the music world when it continuously holds high chart positions in both the US and Europe. It even won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture. The melody of the song takes listeners through many emotional frames, especially the chorus that is easy to immerse us.
The melody of the original song is controlled mainly by the piano, but when it comes to guitar, it is quite easy and achieves the desired sound effect. You will find it easier to play the guitar using the DDD-DU strum pattern. The song’s melody and chords seem to be cleverly repeated. As long as you master the chord progression as well as the plucking, you can perform it easily.
Leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver
If you are feeling sad because of loneliness in a foreign place, Leaving on a Jet Plane will be the right song for your mood. The song has enough emotional frames to describe the scene where you have to be away from the people you love. John Denver wrote this song in 1966, inspired when he was at the Washington airport, at this time he was not having any success. Having to leave the people he loved left him feeling empty and painful.
The song uses simple chord developments such as C, G, C, D to perform the melody of loneliness and grief. All chords are played in the normally open position, but to great effect. If you are looking for a sad guitar song you can get this song to start.
No Surprises By Radiohead
No Surprises is a popular song that received a large audience, the song reached number 4 on the UK singles chart and won a gold award in the UK. This is one of the most prominent songs from Radiohead’s third album titled “OK Computer”.
The song contains quite a few layers of opposing sounds and melodies. It is the contrast that makes the music unique and makes it more attractive. If you want the guitar to play the main role of the song you should have the capo on the 15th fret. If you like simpler and softer chords, the capo on the 3rd fret is the best choice. Of course, you can play this song even if you don’t have a capo, but if you use a capo you will have more unique music.
Nude by Radiohead
Sometimes it’s the very things we perceive that are not really appropriate that can have unexpected effects. Nude is the track to prove it. Days after the first recording, Radiohead didn’t really like the song, so they decided to pull it out of the third album. They then proceeded to record a second time and Nude appeared on their 7th studio album ‘In Rainbows’. Unexpectedly, Nude reached number 1 on the Indie songs chart in the United Kingdom and was loved by many fans.
The song creates a great atmosphere and the haunting vocals of Radiohead create a unique musical effect. The guitar is used in the song for the most part. When playing you need to have some carefully placed rhythmic shortcuts to create a distinctly clear tone.
Nutshell by Alice In Chains
Referring to sad acoustic guitar songs, it is impossible to ignore Nutshell with its tender and sincere melody. The song that was part of the 1994 EP ‘Jar of Flies’ gives us the sad feeling of sinking into flashbacks. Listeners will certainly feel moved when the lyrics come out combined with the characteristic guitar melody, it reminds us of the deceased.
The chord progression of the song is full of emotions but not difficult to play. You can start it off easily with some simple open chords. Sometimes you can also enrich the melody of the song with your own unique plucking. Breathing life into the song will help you convey your emotions better, touching the hearts of music listeners.
Pictures of You by The Cure
If you are looking for the saddest guitar with a nostalgic feel and a pensive feel, then Picture of You is the best choice. Not only does the song have an antique feel, but there are many other unique elements that come together to create Cure’s sound. Thanks to its distinctive elements and catchy melody, the song ranks 283rd among the Rolling Stones’ greatest songs of all time.
The inspiration for this song came after a fire broke out in singer Robert Smith’s house. As he passed the ruins of the fir tree he saw a picture of his wife. It made him feel emotional and needed music to release that emotion.
The song is not like conventional acoustic ballads, it’s a bit more rock and roll mix. Much of the song will play in single notes on the guitar with tight acoustic delays. However, that doesn’t happen too often, you just need to do it at the right time to create a highlight. You can play the song with basic techniques, mastery and understanding of the song will help you play it better.
Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits
Talking about sad stories about love, it is impossible to ignore the classic work of William Shakespeare. The song Romeo and Juliet by Mark Knopfler was also inspired by this story. However, the song has a slight change from the original story. The author yearns for love with a happy ending but can’t but just writes a little more playful lyrics. The song has been featured on many albums such as Dire Straits and Knopfler’s duet with Emmylou Harris.
The original song was played on a resonator guitar, but this type of guitar is no longer popular. There have been many covers or re-renders with standard acoustic guitars. Although there will be a slight difference in timbre, in general, each type will bring its own beauty. When using an acoustic guitar to play this song, you need to tune the guitar to open D major and use the capo on the 3rd fret.
Self Care by Mac Miller
This track will be slightly different from the rest of the sad guitar songs on the list. It was originally recorded for Mac Miller’s fifth studio album as ‘Swimming’. It was also part of a concept documenting Mac’s care and recovery in conjunction with the song ‘Oblivion’. However, Mac passed away in 2018, Self Care went on to become his highest charting single.
The song’s melody is mainly electronic drums and synthesizer pads. However, the guitar can develop some chord progressions very well. You can pluck or arrange with your fingers to create familiar tunes. Your creativity will determine the uniqueness of this emotional piece of music!
Stop This Train by John Mayer
Everyone, rich or poor, has to face their own aging and death. The journey forward of human life encounters many difficulties and challenges but we cannot stop. It was like an out-of-control train that kept running. Although the song is an existential theme, it is of great interest to many people due to the excellent arrangement of sounds in the guitar playing.
John Mayer is famous for his excellent guitar technique, perhaps that’s why this song is a real challenge for you. The song has a lot of chords combined with percussion hits from the palm of the hand to create the kick drum sound. Some other chord positions have quite fast tempos that require you to have acumen and dexterity. If you are confident with your guitar technique then you can experience this great song.
The Scientist by Coldplay
Coldplay’s signature haunting style always makes fans sob. The Scientist is a typical piano ballad song. The song uses a gentle melodious melody to describe girls and reveals what you always like the most, especially when you like someone. The song’s appeal is so great that the accompanying MV has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube.
Since the original song was written for the piano, it was very easy to convert it to guitar. You just need to recognize the correct chords when converting from piano to guitar. However, for the best effect, you need to use open chords that have a thicker sound. Using a capo on the 3rd fret will give you more freedom to adjust the chords as you play.
Time After Time by Cindy Lauper
Time After Time is the perfect collaboration of Cindy Lauper and producer Rob Hyman. Together they composed this quintessential love story that wanted to deliver a loving melody with a hint of sadness. Time After Time has been considered by many music experts as one of the best love songs of all time.
In the song, the guitar only appears as a layer, not playing the main role. So if you want a tone that stands out with the guitar you need to have a clear and bright tone. To do that, you can increase the treble of the song and move to your bridge pickup.
Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Over the course of her musical career, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have experimented with various genres from upbeat punk to alternative rock. They made a lot of impressions on the audience and fans, but when Under The Bridge appeared, everyone was surprised. The song carries a sincere emotion expressing extreme loneliness. It tells the story of Anthony Kiedis when he has to refuse to accept the passionate love of a girl. She is willing to give everything to him, but he cannot accept it due to serious drug addiction.
That sad love story has become one of the best sad guitar songs. You can use the pick to play great plucked chords, finger-picked passages will also make the song more attractive. A seasoned melody mixed with a little pop will create its own character that makes the song come alive.
When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars
Appearing on the album ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’, When I Was Your Man is an excellent single that has sold more than 8 million copies, it has created a great resonance in the music world. The song is a touching love story, about Bruno Mars’ regret for rejecting a woman who made her leave him. In the hope that another man would bring happiness to that woman, Bruno used an emotional melody with a gentle ballad.
The song can be easily performed on the guitar thanks to the original ballad played mainly on the piano. Chords can be performed by playing the strum for more characters. This is a popular song suitable for people who want to expand on new chords on the guitar.
She Talks To Angels by The Black Crowes
If you are looking for a song that is emotional and powerful in its way of conveying a message, then you should look to She Talks To Angels. The song contains many different emotional frames, but in general, it is worth learning. She Talks To Angels is on The Black Crowes’ first album – Shake Your Money Maker. There are many people who love this song thanks to the catchy melody.
To play this song effectively and attractively you need an alternate tuning of EBEG # BE. Thanks to the alternate tuning you can confidently play the entire song without worrying about any other notes. This is also the reason why this song becomes the easiest song to play in the list of sad guitar songs.
Somebody Else by The 1975
A song that is heavily influenced by 80s music will give you a feeling of nostalgia and more enjoyment. Many people think that this is a difficult song to listen to, but when it comes to guitar, it is loved by many people. Somebody Else recounts the experience of finding someone you love who has left. In the process, it makes us feel the loneliness of the main character. The song has a lot of Synthwave and Synthpop which makes it easier to transition to guitar.
You just need to take the chords in the song and play them smoothly on the keyboard and you will create an attractive melody. The song wants to let listeners feel lonely and empty, so you don’t need to attach too much importance to the pattern of plucking. Taking advantage of the empty space of the music will make the melody of the song more special, you will also have a gentle and deep performance.
Someone Like You by Adele
“British Painter” – Adele owns extremely popular songs, any of her works or albums that come to market can create a fever. Someone Like You is a hugely popular song, it’s Adele’s biggest single, written by herself and collaborator – musician Dan Wilson. After it was released as the single from her second album titled 21, the song received a rain of praise.
The song’s resounding success should be noted as selling more than 17 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. It also went five times in row platinum in the UK. The song brings endless inspiration to listeners with its powerful voice and melodious melody.
Someone Like You is extremely easy to play with guitar due to the open and sparse nature of the song. You just need to remember the chords and play them in a simple pluck style. Professional guitarists can make a variety of finger arrangements. That change not only tests the technical level but also makes the melody of the song more unique.
Something In The Way by Nirvana
Speaking of change and what reveals another side of Nirvana, we can’t ignore Something In The Way. This song is about the band members having to gradually move out of their comfort zone to adapt to the rest. Composer Kurt had a hard time recording with the band, his tempo always changed suddenly plus the guitar was not in sync with the other members. He had to record vocals and acoustic guitar first. Although the song is a bit rough, it brings many new experiences to listeners.
When playing a song you need to turn on the 3 strings and play them together. That will help form an electric chord. The added octave at the top when the C is adjusted down (CGCFAD) creates a distinctive sound that listeners will miss.
Still Loving You by The Scorpions
If you are looking for a ‘love power ballad’, you can’t miss the legendary German Scorpions. Still Loving You was released as a promotional single from the 9th studio album titled “Love at First Sting”. The song is an emotional ballad with soaring vocals and clean lyrics. It is the outstanding sounds of the guitar combined with the drums that create a successful song.
When you start playing you will play some simple chords such as arpeggios. Then when it comes to the chorus, we often have a case of distorted a few chords like a classical guitar solo. That will cause the song’s melody to be inconsistent. To get the perfect track for the song you need to use clear and undistorted sounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many different questions about sad guitar songs. This article will give some answers to help people better understand this unique music genre.
What are the sad chords called?
Usually, chords like Am-Am/G-D/F#-F will help you create songs with sad and emotional melodies.
Chord progressions with descending bass lines are great for helping musicians create sad guitar songs. It’s easy to see because the descent of the notes can drag our mood with it. That is also the reason why we easily feel sad when listening to slow and deep ballad songs.
How do you know if a song is sad?
There are many signs to recognize sad guitar songs, such as chords and lyrics. Seeing a song bring a sad or happy mood will be most evident through the lyrics. Sad songs often have lyrics containing many painful emotions, sometimes carrying many meanings that make listeners feel sad.
On the other hand, sad songs often have minor chords with sadness. The main chords are strong but still contain a bit of melancholy or loneliness.
What scale is best for sad songs?
The minor scale is the best scale for sad songs. This scale often creates melodious, gentle, but melancholy melodies and contains many sad feelings. There are three different variations of the minor scale: the melodic minor scale, the natural minor scale (or Aeolian mode), and the harmonic minor scale. However, not all sad songs use the minor scale, most will.
What tempo are sad songs?
A tempo between 50 and 80 BPM is the right rhythm for sad songs. With this tempo, the sad emotions in the song will be displayed perfectly. This is also the best tempo range to help the music reach the listener’s heart. Players should limit the use of rhythm instead of needing to focus more on harmonies, long melodic notes, and chord spacing.
Conclusion
Sad guitar songs are essential food in our lives. People should release sadness and negative emotions, should not imprison negative emotions in people and then harm the spirit. Every sad piece of music can make our emotions run high, especially when combined with the characteristic sound of the guitar.
If you are feeling sad, don’t hesitate to listen or play a sad song to release your emotions. When the grieving period is over, it will make you feel lighter inside. No matter what events you encounter in life, you should find a way to stand up in difficulties, to get out of the dark and run towards the light. Hopefully, our top 50 of the best sad guitar songs will help your mood better!
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