Learn to Play "Peggy Sue" by Buddy Holly on the Guitar

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play Peggy Sue on the guitar. This classic tune, written by Buddy Holly, is a great choice for beginners. Peggy Sue is a rather humorous song known for its unique singing style. However, it's not just the odd singing style that makes it interesting. Its catchy rhythm and simple chords make it an enjoyable way to improve your guitar skills.

Chords

The song predominantly uses the A, D, and E chords, with a bit of an F chord. As a beginner, you might find the F chord a bit challenging. But don't worry, we'll learn a workaround so you can still play the song without having to tackle the big, nasty F just yet.

👉 What? You don't want to learn a workaround? No problem. Check out this lesson on the F chord!

Now, let's run through the chords. The verse goes A, D, A. It's a straightforward chord progression. The chorus goes from an A chord, then to F, back to A, and then to D. That's really the first two lines. The rest of the chorus is the same as the verse.

Strumming Pattern

The interesting thing about learning Peggy Sue as a beginner is the strumming pattern as well as the chords. The chords should be fairly easy, but the strumming is really fast. It's not difficult since it's continuous and uses all down-strums, but it's important to control your picking hand to be sure you're picking from the correct string.

You should be strumming from the fifth string for an A chord, not touching the thickest string. The lowest note you're picking there is the fifth string, the A. When you go to the D chord, you should aim to strum just from the fourth string. The strumming pattern is quite fast, so getting used to the continuous picking takes some practice.

Final Thoughts

Well, I hope you enjoy this lesson on this classic Buddy Holly tune. It's quite an easy one to play and a funny one to sing. It makes you sound a little bit weird, but hey, it's kind of amusing, so that's not a bad thing. Remember that practice is key to mastering this tune. Keep at it, and don't forget to have fun while you're at it!

Remember to watch the video lesson for a more detailed walkthrough. If you enjoy my lessons, please don't forget to share them with your friends who are also learning the guitar.

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