Sweet Home Alabama

How to play Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd on guitar

This is a great beginner song to learn because the groove is instantly recognizable and the progression feels steady and upbeat. You get a classic rock feel without needing a lot of complex changes, so it is rewarding to play along with right away.

Most of the song uses open shapes like Em, D, G, and C, which makes it friendly on the fretting hand. The main thing to watch is the move from Em to D to G and back to D - that change needs to stay clean so the rhythm does not fall apart. If you reach the harder Cm shape, give it extra attention.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until the switches feel automatic. Then add the rest of the song in short sections, keeping the pulse even at about 98 BPM. Once the chord changes are smooth, play through the full song a few times without stopping.

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.