La Bamba

How to play La Bamba by Ritchie Valens on guitar

La Bamba is a great beginner song because it is upbeat, familiar, and instantly rewarding when you lock into the groove. You get a fast, danceable feel right away, and the repeating pattern makes it easy to hear your progress as you play.

You only need open shapes here, so your left hand can stay relaxed and focused on clean changes. The main thing to watch is the quick move between G and C, since that change comes up again and again as the song keeps cycling the same few chords.

Start by practicing G to C slowly until the switch feels smooth, then add the return to G. Once that loop is steady, play the full repeating pattern with a light, even motion and gradually bring it up to tempo. Keep it simple and let the repetition do the work.

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.