With or Without You

How to play With or Without You by U2 on guitar

With or Without You is a great beginner song because the progression is simple, steady, and easy to lock into. It has a calm, driving feel that lets you focus on clean changes and even timing rather than flashy technique.

You can stay mostly in open shapes with D, A, Am, and G, while Bm is the tougher barre shape to watch. The main change to hear clearly is the move from A to Am and then into Bm, since that shift gives the progression its emotional pull.

Start by looping D - A - Am - Bm slowly until each change feels smooth. Then add the rest of the chart in short sections, keeping your strums even and your chord changes relaxed. Once the shapes feel automatic, bring it up to full 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.