Van Halen - Jump

How to play Van Halen - Jump by Van Halen on guitar

This song is a fun beginner pick because it moves with a bright, upbeat feel and gives you a simple groove to lock into. You get to focus on clean changes and steady time, which makes it satisfying to play even at the start.

Most of the chart uses open shapes, so your left hand can stay relaxed on F, G, C, Em, Dm, A, and D. The harder shapes are the barre chords G#, Cm, Gm, and F#, so watch for any switch that lands on one of those and slow it down first. The opening move F - G - C - G is the main change to get smooth.

Start by looping the opening progression until the changes feel automatic, then add the rest of the open shapes one at a time. After that, practice the barre chords separately and return to the full song at a slower pace before bringing it up to 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.