luther

How to play luther by Kendrick Lamar on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 2 you play Em, C, F, Dm, G, G# and more, the shapes the player above shows.

This song is worth learning because it sits in a smooth, steady groove that feels relaxed but still pushes forward. You get a strong sense of motion without having to fight the rhythm, so it is a good fit if you want something that sounds polished and musical at about 120 BPM.

The chart uses a mix of open shapes and barre shapes, so the left hand stays interesting. D, G, Em, and A are the easier forms, while F#m, A#, F#, and Bm ask for more grip and clean muting. The main change to watch is the opening move from F#m to D, then to G and back to D.

Start by looping that opening progression slowly until the shapes feel automatic. Then add the other open chords first, and only bring in the barre shapes once your timing is steady. When it feels secure, play through the full song at a relaxed pace and raise the speed in small steps.

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.