Give your practice a song to work towards

Before the lesson, place A, D and E slowly. Pick the allowed strings individually and check that the unused bass strings stay quiet. Change at a pace that lets your hand relax.

Listen for: Listen for the regular beat first. The easy strumming option is a starting point; the feel of the recording needs more than simply knowing three shapes.

The linked beginner arrangement uses A, D and E. Follow the teacher’s chord durations; the warm-up below is not a song chart.

Warm-up shapes: ADE

Try G, C and D without a metronome first. Notice the change that needs the most attention, then give it a minute on its own. Keep the fingers close to the strings without squeezing.

Listen for: Hear where a section returns to a familiar sound. Work on a plain, steady accompaniment before adding any embellishment.

This is Andy Guitar’s G, C and D beginner arrangement; Cadd9 is an optional alternative in that lesson. Other lessons use different keys.

Warm-up shapes: GCD

Check G, D, Am and C one at a time, then practise the least comfortable pair. Take a short rest between attempts. You can keep the rhythm very plain while your fretting hand learns its route.

Listen for: Notice the space between vocal phrases and the difference between a quiet chord and a louder accent. A steady accompaniment matters more than a busy pattern.

The linked acoustic beginner lesson uses G, D, Am and C. The Guns N’ Roses recording uses different tuning; do not assume this warm-up is a recording playalong.

Warm-up shapes: GDAmC

Use D, A and G for a slow preparation session. Place the next chord without stopping to inspect every finger. If a change becomes tense, slow down and return to one clear strum at a time.

Listen for: This is a useful reminder that a small chord vocabulary can still make a rhythmically demanding song. Listen for changes that happen inside a bar, then follow the linked lesson.

These are warm-up shapes for an easy approach. Follow the lesson for the actual rhythm, chord durations and any fuller arrangement details.

Warm-up shapes: DAG

Warm up with G, C, D and Em. Play one allowed string at a time to check the open notes, then try gentle strums. Keep the same volume as you move between the shapes.

Listen for: Separate the main accompaniment from the recognisable lead introduction. You can work towards one skill at a time instead of expecting the full arrangement immediately.

The shapes here are a preparation set, not a complete transcription. The lesson is the source for its arrangement, timing and extra parts.

Warm-up shapes: GCDEm

Check Em, G, C and D as a separate warm-up. Practise keeping the picking movement small, and pause after each clear note. Let the lesson introduce its specific picked part rather than guessing it from the chord names.

Listen for: Listen for the way a short phrase answers the chord sound. The introduction and an easy strummed accompaniment are different learning tasks; choose one for today.

This warm-up supports chord-to-note coordination. It does not reproduce the song’s intro, full chord sequence or original guitar parts.

Warm-up shapes: EmGCD

Try E5, G5 and A5 as an independent muting exercise. Play only the marked strings and stop cleanly before moving. These power chords are a warm-up, not the melody of the riff.

Listen for: Listen for the length of the notes and the silences between them. A familiar riff is not only a list of fret numbers. Learn the simplified part from the teacher before adding speed.

The original uses open A tuning and slide techniques. The teacher also offers a simplified approach; our standard-tuning warm-up is not the original arrangement.

Warm-up shapes: E5G5A5

Compare Em7, G and Cadd9, listening to the open strings that continue ringing. Use a simple pulse first, and try the rhythm on muted strings separately before combining the two tasks.

Listen for: Count the smaller divisions of the beat and notice the accents. The strumming can be harder than the chord names suggest, so give it its own practice time.

This preparation set is deliberately incomplete. Follow the lesson for its full shapes, capo position and rhythm; do not use these cards as a song chart.

Warm-up shapes: Em7GCadd9

Begin by making Em clearly, then release the pressure without lifting the fingers far away. The saved warm-up uses Em alone so you can practise the pulse before following the teacher’s special second shape.

Listen for: Listen for the repeated rhythmic feel. A song with few shapes can still ask for careful timing, and the lesson introduces the movement gradually.

The teacher’s second grip is D6/9 with F# in the bass, shortened to “D6” in the lesson. Our ordinary D6 chart is not a replacement for that grip; learn it from the linked teacher.

Warm-up shapes: Em

Try Em and Cmaj7 as a gentle preparation set. Pick slowly to check the strings that should stay open. Practise relaxing the hand between changes rather than pressing harder as the session continues.

Listen for: Notice the contrast between a quiet accompaniment and stronger sections. You can practise control at a low volume before trying to make the sound bigger.

The linked lesson also teaches G6 and G6/F#. Our library’s current G6 shapes are advanced, and G6/F# is not in the library. Learn the teacher’s easier grips from the lesson; these two charts are only a beginner warm-up.

Warm-up shapes: EmCmaj7

Check A5, D5 and E5 one at a time. These shapes have no third, so they do not sound major or minor by themselves. Start with gentle downstrokes and leave a little space to reset the hand.

Listen for: Listen for clear starts and stops. Even a short strum can sound untidy when unwanted strings ring, so treat muting as part of the music rather than an extra task.

Fender’s simplified lesson uses A5, D5 and E5. Follow it for the verse and chorus timing; this site supplies separate left-handed warm-up diagrams.

Warm-up shapes: A5D5E5

Try G, Em, C and D as an independent preparation set. Give the least familiar shape a little extra time, then aim for an even volume across all four. A plain pulse is enough to start.

Listen for: Hear the repeated harmonic pattern while keeping your attention on the beat. Add a more rhythmic accompaniment only after the changes feel settled.

The cited course uses G, Em, C and D shapes with a capo at fret 2. The warm-up below is in standard tuning without a capo; follow the course to match its arrangement.

Warm-up shapes: GEmCD