Come As You Are

How to play Come As You Are by Nirvana on guitar

Come As You Are is a great beginner song because it feels cool and steady right away. You get a simple, memorable progression that locks into a relaxed groove, so it is satisfying to play even at a basic level.

You can keep most of it on open shapes, since Em, D, and E are easier to grab quickly. The main thing to watch is the move to D#, which is one of the harder barre shapes, so that change can slow you down if you rush it.

Start by looping just Em - D - D# - D at a very slow pace until the switch to D# feels clean. Then bring the tempo up in small steps, and only add full-song speed once your fingers land on each shape without hesitation.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.