Guitar Songs Without Barre Chords: Easy Open-Chord Songs
Not ready for F and Bm yet? No problem. These songs use only open chords, and the tricks below help you skip barre chords in almost any song.
We list the chords commonly used to play each song and describe the feel. We do not publish lyrics or full transcriptions — use the original recording and a licensed lyrics or tab service to play along. Some recordings use a capo or a different key; use our transposer and capo finder to match them.
Songs using only open chords
| Song | Artist | Chords |
|---|---|---|
| Knockin' on Heaven's Door | Bob Dylan | G, D, Am, C |
| Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd | C, D, Am, G, Em |
| Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) | Green Day | G, C, D, Em |
| Zombie | The Cranberries | Em, C, G, D |
| Perfect | Ed Sheeran | G, Em, C, D (capo 1) |
| Heart of Gold | Neil Young | Em, C, D, G |
| What's Up? | 4 Non Blondes | G, Am, C |
| Jolene | Dolly Parton | Am, C, G, Em (capo 4) |
| Island in the Sun | Weezer | Em, Am, D, G |
| Wonderwall | Oasis | Em7, G, Dsus4, A7sus4 (capo 2) |
| Chasing Cars | Snow Patrol | A, E, D |
| Last Kiss | Pearl Jam | G, Em, C, D |
| Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison | G, C, D, Em |
| Louie Louie | The Kingsmen | A, D, Em |
How to avoid barre chords in any song
1. Use a capo
A capo lets you use open shapes in a different key. For example, a song in B♭ (B♭, E♭, F — all barre chords) can be played with capo 3 using the open shapes G, C and D. Our capo finder calculates this for you.
2. Use simpler versions of barre chords
| Barre chord | Easy substitute | How |
|---|---|---|
| F | Small F (x x 3 2 1 1) or Fmaj7 (x x 3 2 1 0) | Only four strings |
| Bm | Bm (x 2 4 4 3 x) or Bm7 (x 2 0 2 0 2) | Skip the full barre |
| B | B7 (x 2 1 2 0 2) | Works in many blues and folk songs |
| F#m | F#m7 (2 x 2 2 2 x) or a 3-string shape on top strings | Partial chord |
| C#m | Use capo and a different shape | Or play Am shape with capo 4 |
3. Use power chords
In rock songs, a two-note power chord can replace most barre chords — see power chords.
But do learn barre chords eventually
Barre chords let you play in any key and anywhere on the neck. Once you know eight to ten open chords, start practising them for a few minutes a day with our step-by-step barre chord lesson.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play guitar without barre chords?
Yes — many songs use only open chords, and a capo lets you play most others with open shapes. But learning barre chords opens up far more songs and keys.
What is the easiest barre chord?
Bm (A-shape at the 2nd fret) or F using the small four-string version are the most common first barre chords.
