Zombie

How to play Zombie by The Cranberries on guitar

Zombie is a strong beginner song to learn because the progression is simple, steady, and instantly recognizable. It feels driving and serious, but the chord changes are easy to hear and follow, so you can focus on keeping a solid pulse.

You can lean on open shapes for most of it with E, C, G, and Em, while F# is the harder barre shape to watch. The main change to get smooth is the move from G into F#, since that shift can slow your hand down if you rush it.

Start by looping E - C - G - F# slowly until the shapes feel automatic. Then practice the same cycle with a steady count, making each change clean before you add speed. Once that feels comfortable, play along with the track and keep your hand relaxed so the tempo stays even.

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.