Come As You Are

How to play Come As You Are by Nirvana on guitar

Come As You Are is a great song to learn because the groove is steady and the harmony is simple, so you can focus on clean timing and a relaxed feel. You’ll get a strong sense of the song’s pulse without having to fight a busy chord chart.

All the shapes here are open, so the left hand stays friendly and familiar. The main thing to watch is the back-and-forth between D and Em, since that change needs to sound smooth and even. Keep each chord ringing clearly before moving on.

Start by looping D - Em slowly until the switch feels automatic. Then add the full opening progression at a comfortable pace, making sure every chord lands right on time. Once that feels solid, bring it up toward the song’s tempo and keep the motion relaxed.

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.