I Won't Give Up

How to play I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz on guitar

This is a great song to learn because it has a steady, uplifting feel and a clear repeating progression that helps you settle into the groove. At about 120 BPM, you can keep it relaxed while still building confidence, and the beginner-friendly layout makes it a good song for practicing smooth changes.

You will use a mix of open shapes and barre shapes, so the main challenge is moving cleanly between them. The opening progression is B - A - E - F#, so watch the jump from B into A and then back into the barre shapes later. Keep your fretting hand close to the strings so the changes stay efficient.

Start by looping B - A - E - F# slowly until each change feels automatic. Then add the rest of the chord flow in short sections, and only bring it up to full tempo once the barre shapes feel steady. If you can switch cleanly without stopping, the song will come together quickly.

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.