House of the Rising Sun is the song that proves you can play fingerstyle. Five chords in a slow 6/8, arpeggiated triads, dark and atmospheric. Sounds dramatic the moment you nail it.
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A longer write-up with every detail, drill, and common pitfall.
The chords
Progression: Am C D F Am C E E, then Am C D F Am E Am E.
Two new open chords: Am (middle 2nd-fret D, ring 2nd-fret G, index 1st-fret B) and E (middle 2nd-fret A, ring 2nd-fret D, index 1st-fret G). The F diagram shows the full barre; skip it for now. Take a partial F (1st-fret barre on the B and high E only, ring on 3rd-fret D, middle on 2nd-fret G) to make it easier; the song doesn't need the full barre.
The pattern
Each chord lasts one full measure of 6/8 (six eighth notes). Arpeggiate the chord through six notes:
For Am:
beat: 1 2 3 4 5 6
note: A E A C E C
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1) (2)
Numbers are string numbers (1 = high E, 6 = low E). Thumb plays beats 1 and 2 (A and D strings). Index, middle and ring play beats 3, 4 and 5 (G, B, high E). Middle plays B again on beat 6.
Slow first
60 BPM in 6/8. One chord per measure. Loop the progression. Don't speed up until each chord rings cleanly through all six picked notes.
The vocal melody
The chord changes match the vocal phrases of the original. Sing along if you want; the song was meant to be sung. The Animals' 1964 arrangement is the version everyone learns; Bob Dylan's earlier version is similar.Next: hammer-ons. The embellishment that makes a strummed chord sound twice as interesting.