La Bamba

How to play La Bamba by Ritchie Valens on guitar

La Bamba is a great beginner song because it moves fast, feels upbeat, and gives you a strong rhythm workout right away. You get to lock into a lively groove and hear the pattern repeat, which makes it satisfying to learn.

You can keep most of it in open shapes, with F, C, and G doing the main work. The harder B shape is the one to watch, since it asks for a clean barre and can slow the change if your hand is not set. The opening move F - C - F - G is the first place to get smooth.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly, then add the rest of the repeating chord cycle once your changes feel steady. Practice the toughest shift on its own, then bring it back into the full pattern. When that feels easy, raise the tempo in small steps until you can keep up.

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.