Somewhere Over the Rainbow

How to play Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole on guitar

This is a great song to learn because it feels calm, familiar, and rewarding right away. You get a gentle, flowing sound that works well at an easy pace, so you can focus on clean changes and a relaxed touch.

All of the shapes are open, so you do not need any barre chords here. The main change to watch is the opening move from F to C, then the shift into Em and G, which can feel a little less direct if your fingers are not used to moving smoothly between open shapes.

Start by looping F, C, Em, and G slowly until each change feels steady. Then practice the same progression with a simple, even pulse and aim for smooth motion rather than speed. Once that feels comfortable, bring it up to tempo and keep the transitions relaxed.

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.