Learn how to play Uptown Girl by Billy Joel on guitar!

👨 It's an absolute cracker of a tune. I rediscovered it because my daughter was learning it for theatre school, so I had to hear it over and over again in the car—and that's when I realized how cool it really is.

We're not trying to copy the exact recording here—instead, we're putting together a version that works great for solo acoustic guitar. Think campfire vibe or a fun sing-along arrangement. This approach leads us to some very cool chord shapes and unusual movements that sound great.

Interesting Chords to Explore

This song gives us a great mix of chord types:

Open chords
Barre chords
Fresh variations like F♯m11, E/G♯, and B half diminished (Bm7♭5)

We'll examine different voicings and fingerings to determine what feels best under our fingers and sounds best to our ears.

Great Practice for Intermediate Players

This isn't a beginner tune, but if we're intermediate and looking to stretch, this is fantastic. It's a brilliant example of pop songwriting with:

Multiple unique chord progressions
A clever double pre-chorus
A bridge with unusual changes
And even key changes that keep things fresh

We'll explore song structure, harmony, and arrangement while building our chord vocabulary.

Strumming, Rhythm, and Dynamics

We'll also spend time on:

Strumming options (from simple to advanced)
Building dynamics throughout the song
Choosing how and when to intensify or simplify

Starting simple and adding layers as we go gives us control and makes the arrangement our own. Whether we strum big or keep things chill, there's no one right way.

🤘 Extra Tip: Use Backing Tracks

If we want help with rhythm, timing, or just jamming along, the JustinGuitar Lessons & Songs App has loads of backing tracks that can help us lock in the groove. Even if we’re beyond beginner-level chords, we can still use those tracks to try harder ideas—like triads, inversions, or second guitar parts—in an easier musical setting.

If we're into songwriting, this is one to study. The way it shifts, surprises, and flows is a real masterclass in pop composition. It's got heart, clever turns, and is a joy to play once we've got it under our fingers. So if we're looking to push ourselves with something fun and musically rich, Uptown Girl is a brilliant tune to learn.

👉 Let's dive in and make it our own!