Knockin' on Heaven's Door

How to play Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan on guitar

This is a great beginner song because it feels relaxed, familiar, and easy to settle into. You can focus on clean changes and a steady pulse without worrying about a lot of chord movement, so it is a good one for building confidence.

You only need open shapes here, so your fretting hand can stay in a comfortable position. The main thing to watch is the move between G, D, Am, and C, since that is where the song keeps turning and where you want each change to sound smooth and even.

Start by looping G to D, then add Am and C until the shapes feel automatic. Practice slowly first, then bring it up to the song's easy pace, and finally play along with the full cycle until the changes feel natural.

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.