Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

How to play Journey - Don't Stop Believin' by journey on guitar

This song is a great beginner pick because the progression is memorable and the groove feels steady and uplifting. You get to lock into a classic rock feel without needing anything flashy, so it is satisfying to play along with right away.

You can lean on the open shapes E and A, but the barre shapes B and C#m will ask for more hand strength and clean pressure. The main change to watch out for is moving smoothly through E - B - C#m - A, since that shift from open to barre shapes can slow you down if you rush it.

Start by practicing each chord change one at a time, then loop E - B - C#m - A slowly until the moves feel automatic. After that, bring it up to tempo in small steps and focus on staying relaxed so the rhythm stays 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.