Redemption Song

How to play Redemption Song by Bob Marley on guitar

Redemption Song is a great beginner tune because it feels calm, reflective, and rewarding to play. You get a steady, familiar flow that lets you focus on clean changes and a relaxed groove instead of speed.

You can stay mostly with open shapes here, which makes the song approachable right away. The main thing to watch is the move between G, D, and Em, then back to G - that return can feel like the point where the progression resets, so keep your hand ready for it.

Start by practicing the opening G - D - Em - G slowly and evenly until the changes feel natural. Then loop the full song at a comfortable pace, and only after that try to bring it up to the listed tempo.

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.