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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, I show you how to play the song βSimple Manβ by Lynyrd Skynyrd on an acoustic guitar. Iβll show you how to play the chords needed, the strumming patterns, the distinctive riffs (easy and intermediate versions), and also the picking pattern heard in the intro of the song. Tabs and chord charts are included. Note, Iβll be playing in standard tuning (note, you must tune down one-half step to play along with the Lynyrd Skynyrd version).
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 2:01 Chords
- 4:28 Riff, simple
- 6:45 Riff, intermediate
- 8:48 Picking pattern
- 13:17 Misc other notes
Chords youβll need
Three chords for the entire song!
E βββ0ββββ3ββββ0βββ
B βββ1ββββ0ββββ1βββ
G βββ0ββββ0ββββ2βββ
D βββ2ββββ0ββββ2βββ
A βββ3ββββ2ββββ0βββ
E ββββββββ3ββββββββ
C G Am
Chord progressions
Same chord progression for the entire song! One measure of C, one measure of G, two measures of A-minor. Repeat that, literally, for the entire song. Whether you (or your pals) are strumming, picking, soloing, or playing the jazz flute β these are the chords youβll want to be living in.
C . . . G . . . Am . . . Am . . .
Strumming pattern
If youβre super new to guitar, start with downstrums on the β1β and β3β counts only:
> > > >
β β β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Then, taken a tad further with difficulty, I recommend this:
> > > >
β β β β β β β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
The riff
By βriffβ Iβm referring to the distinctive fill you hear played by the lead guitar / bass / whatever. This is probably played in many ways, by many instruments, over the course of the songβ¦ and Iβm not interested in providing an exact recreation of what each instrument does. Rather, Iβd prefer to give you the building blocks to (1) learn the simplest possible version of this riff, (2) learn a slightly more intermediate version of the riff, so you can (3) take the song wherever you want to go with your future practicing. In summary, think of my notes here as a launchpad β and not as a complete canonical archive of complete truth. The former is going to be far more helpful to most people.
A final note: pay attention to the counting. Notice how youβre βcounting intoβ each new measure (of four beats) by playing the walk-up notes on the βfour andβ at the end of each measure. See my video lesson for a pretty thorough walkthrough of this counting stuff.
Simple version
Start with this one, especially if youβre newer to guitar. All riff notes occur on the lowest two strings, which is nice.
E ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ββββ0ββ2ββ|ββ3βββββββββββββββββ3ββ2ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββ|β
E ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3βββββββββββββββββ3βββββ|β
+ 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C G
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ
β|ββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββ0ββ2ββ|ββ
β|ββββββββββββββββββββ0ββ3ββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am Am
Intermediate version
Taken to the next level, hereβs a slightly more difficult version to play (that sounds more complete). The walk-in notes are a bit more complicated (you sometime use the D string, you sometimes start walking in on the half-beat before the β4 andβ, etc). Thereβs also an opportunity to strum or pick the full chord used in each measure β which I show in parantheses here. Again, listen to my video lesson to see this in action.
E ββββββββββ|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ|β
B ββββββββββ|βββββββ(1)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|β
G ββββββββββ|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|β
D ββββββββββ|βββββββ(2)βββββββ2ββ0βββββ|βββββββ(0)βββββββ2ββ0βββββ|β
A ββββ0ββ2ββ|ββ3ββββ(3)βββββββββββββ3ββ|βββββββ(2)βββββββββββββ3ββ|β
E ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββ(3)ββββββββββββββββ|β
+ 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C G
β|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|β
β|βββββββ(1)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(1)ββββββββββββββββ|β
β|βββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββ|β
β|βββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββ|β
β|ββ0ββββ(0)ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββ(0)ββββββββββ0ββ2ββ|β
β|βββββββββββββββββ0ββ3ββ0ββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am Am
Picking pattern
Alright! Finally, the picking pattern. This is what you hear in the intro to the song, and throughout the verse. This is challenging to learn in its own right (memorizing the pattern for each measure; getting your picking up/down direction polished; not accidentally hitting the other strings; etc). If this is your thing, learn it! If youβre not sure this is your thing, learn it anyway! If nothing else, it is a good practice exercise. Just the same, you could strum the song 100% and never bother with this.
E ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ1βββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββ0ββ|ββββββββββββββ0ββββββββ0ββ|β
D ββββββββββ|ββββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ0ββββββββ|β
A ββββ0ββ2ββ|ββ3ββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ|β
E ββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ|β
+ 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C G
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββ|β
β|ββββββββββββββ1βββββββββββ|βββββ1βββββββββββ1ββββββββ|β
β|βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ2ββ|ββββββββ2βββββββββββββββββ|β
β|ββββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ|βββββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ|β
β|ββ0ββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββββββββββββββββ0ββ2ββ|β
β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Am Am
Lyrics
INTRO
C . . . G . . . Am . . . Am . . . (with riff, play 4x)
VERSE
C G Am
Mama told me..... when I was young
C G Am
Come sit beside me..... my only son
C G Am
And listen closely..... to what I say
C G Am
And if you do this, it'll help you... some sunny day
[ intro riff x 2, with heavy lead guitar ]
C G Am
Oh, take your time..... don't live too fast
C G Am
Troubles will come..... and they will pass
C G Am
You'll find a woman.... and you'll find love
C G Am
And don't forget, son... there is someone up---- above
CHORUS
C G Am
And be a simple------ kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something..... you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple---- kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me, son... if you can
[ intro riff x 1 ]
[ repeat C-G-Am-Am progression for remaining verse & chorus sections]
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can (Oh yes, I will)
[ intro riff, with solo ]
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can
[ repeat chorus, fade out, end ]
Hope that helps!
Let me know how things work for you when learning this song! Hopefully well. Hit me up with any comments / questions / etc.
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