If chords are frustrating you right now, try this instead
May 16, 2026A lot of beginners think they have to learn full chords before they can start playing real music. But chords can be one of the hardest parts of learning guitar at first. Your fingers hurt, the shapes feel awkward, and switching between chords can feel impossible.
That’s why practicing simple riffs on one string can be such a great starting point.
You can play a surprising number of riffs using just ONE guitar string.
That means:
• less finger pain
• less confusion
• faster success
• and more fun early on
Instead of struggling to make every note ring out in a chord, you can focus on rhythm, timing, and getting comfortable moving around the guitar.
In this week’s video, I show you 8 riffs beginners can start playing today using only one string.
You can watch the video here.
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