Dust in the Wind

How to play Dust in the Wind by Kansas on guitar

This is a great song to learn because it sounds calm, reflective, and very musical even at a simple level. You get a steady, flowing feel that rewards clean changes and even timing, so it is satisfying to play once it settles under your fingers.

All of the shapes are open, so you can focus on accuracy and smooth movement instead of barre strength. The main change to watch is the move through Am - C - G and back to Am, since that return can catch you if your left hand gets ahead of your right.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly and making each change clean. Then keep the pulse steady at a comfortable speed, and only speed up when the shapes feel automatic. Once that feels solid, play along with the track and let the progression stay relaxed and even.

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.