Simple Man Guitar Lesson (LEAD)

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If you checked out the lesson I posted a few weeks back on how to play “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Then you may have noticed that the song only has 3 chords in it C, G, and Am.

In the previous lesson, I covered the must-know iconic guitar parts.

Including:

-The intro arpeggio picking patterns
-The bass-line riff
-How to play big power chords in the chorus.

But today I want to go further with you on this song.

I just updated it with a new lesson on how to play lead over this progression.

I’ll share 3 killer licks that will give you insights into how to start soloing over this song immediately.

👉Follow along with the FULL lesson here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/sim...

Who Wrote Simple Man?

The song "Simple Man" was written by Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington of the American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was released on their debut album, "Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd," which came out in 1973.

The album also featured other iconic Lynyrd Skynyrd songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Tuesday's Gone."

"Simple Man" is known for its heartfelt lyrics, which encourage a simple and humble approach to life. It has become one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most signature songs and a staple of classic rock radio.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was a Southern rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, known for their distinctive sound, blending elements of rock, blues, and country music. Tragically, several members of the band, including Ronnie Van Zant, lost their lives in a plane crash in 1977. Despite this devastating event, Lynyrd Skynyrd's music continues to be celebrated and enjoyed by fans around the world.

Is Simple Man tuned down?

Yes, the original recording of "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd was recorded with the guitars tuned down ½ step. This means that each string on the guitar is tuned one half-step lower than standard tuning.

The standard tuning for a guitar's six strings, from lowest to highest, is E A D G B E. In half-step down tuning, each string is tuned down by one half-step, resulting in the following notes:

Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb

Tuning your guitar down 1/2 step is relatively simple.

Here are the steps to tune your guitar from standard tuning (E A D G B E) to 1/2 step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb):

Step 1: Start with your guitar in standard tuning.

Step 2: Use a guitar tuner to help you get the right pitch for each string. If you don't have a tuner, you can use a reference tone from another source, such as a piano or a tuning app.

Step 3: Tune each string down by 1/2 step (or 1/2 fret). Here's how you can do it for each string:

6th String (Low E): Tune it down to Eb (E flat).

5th String (A): Tune it down to Ab.

4th String (D): Tune it down to Db (D flat).

3rd String (G): Tune it down to Gb (F#).

2nd String (B): Tune it down to Bb.

1st String (High E): Tune it down to Eb (E flat).

After adjusting each string to the correct pitch, make sure to check the tuning again using your tuner or reference source. Fine-tune as needed until all strings are in tune.

Once all your strings are correctly tuned to 1/2 step down, your guitar will be in Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb tuning. (Sometimes also called Eb standard)

Remember to take your time when tuning your guitar, especially when making significant changes in tuning like going from standard to 1/2 step down. It's important to be patient and ensure each string is in tune to achieve the best sound and playability.

Playing "Simple Man" in this tuning gives it a slightly lower and richer sound compared to if it were played in standard tuning. This is a common practice in rock music, and it's used to achieve a particular tone or to make it easier for the vocalist to sing in a lower register.

Simple Man Guitar Chords

To play “Simple Man” you’ll only need to know 3 chords, C, G, and Am. That is the core progression. But we are going to expand on those chords and use some different approaches to mix it up throughout the song. To start though, let’s take a look at how to play these 3 chords.

👉Follow along with the FULL lesson here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/sim...