If you’ve been playing the guitar for a while, you’re probably ready to take on more intermediate material. Enter – intermediate guitar songs.
The topic of intermediate electric and acoustic guitar songs and solos is a tricky one, because it means different things to different people. Some players learn certain techniques faster than others, and what is advanced to some is intermediate to others. In general terms, an intermediate guitar player will be comfortable playing open chords, barre chords, and basic scales.
Guitar players who are just starting out may not be ready to take on their favorite tunes like “Blackbird” by Paul McCartney, “Can’t Stop” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix. However, if you’ve got the fundamentals down, you’re ready to take on these classic songs to learn on guitar.
What Are Some Intermediate Guitar Solos?
The list is long, but some of the best intermediate guitar songs include:
- Space Oddity – David Bowie
- Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
- Blackbird – Paul McCartney
- Neon – John Mayer
- Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin
Ready to learn more of the best songs for intermediate guitar players? Ask your guitar teacher for recommendations! In addition to the songs listed above, you’ll learn fun techniques and skills like what you see in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cABNdWiGRBw
What Does an Intermediate Guitarist Know?
Are you learning to play the guitar, but are unsure about where your level of skill stands? There are three levels of guitarists: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Beginner guitarists have just started playing the guitar or are still learning basic chords and strumming patterns. Advanced guitarists know various playing styles, master complicated chord structures, and can improvise on the fly.
But what about the intermediate guitarist? What skills and techniques do they possess that beginner and advanced guitarists don’t have yet? And what do you need to know to master your favorite intermediate electric guitar songs and acoustic guitar songs?
1. Dexterity and Coordination
Intermediate guitarists have successfully mastered the basics, including basic chords, scales, and strumming patterns.
They have developed greater coordination, dexterity, and can switch chords seamlessly without losing rhythm. The skill is like riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, it takes minimal effort in performing it.
2. Music Theory Knowledge
Intermediate guitarists are not just playing by ear anymore; they have honed the foundational musical theory knowledge within their playing.
They understand how to create a melody, use chord progressions, and build a musical arrangement with their knowledge, instead of just memorizing it. It is a valuable tool that enhances their guitar playing abilities.
3. Improvisation
Intermediate guitarists have bettered their improvisational capacity by playing with various chord structures, scales, and notes. They can fabricate a melody on the spot and work within a specific key’s parameters with ease.
While it may take some time to develop improv skills, intermediate guitarists have a strong foundation to build on.
4. Mastery of Playing Styles
Intermediate guitarists have diversified their playing style and genre versatility. They have nailed a particular style and have begun to explore other styles outside of their comfort zone. Classic rock, blues, heavy metal, folk, jazz, and more are available.
By not being afraid of a new challenge, the intermediate guitarist continually develops into a well-rounded musician.
5. Technical Confidence
Intermediate guitarists have moved beyond worrying about chord progressions, strumming patterns, finger placement, and sequence. They have the technical confidence to play songs without extensive practice, read tablature and sheet music with ease, and experiment with new techniques, sounds, and settings without the fear of making a mistake.
Top 50 Intermediate Acoustic and Electric Guitar Songs
This article will cover learning songs on guitar for intermediate electric and acoustic guitar, as well as intermediate guitar solos. Each of these pieces incorporates different styles and techniques, so don’t be afraid to try something new. The main thing to remember as you attempt to learn guitar songs that are meant to challenge you and take your playing to the next level.
You may listen to some of these songs and think that they’re impossible to play, but you can’t expect to become the next Stevie Ray Vaughan overnight. You know the amount of practice it took to evolve from a beginner to an intermediate guitarist, so just remember to stick with it and keep practicing every day. Pretty much everyone feels this way when learning the guitar, so don’t be discouraged!
Without further ado, let’s move on to the tunes. We’ve split our list into electric and acoustic guitar songs, so you can find your favorite style!
The Best Intermediate Acoustic Guitar Songs
1. Space Oddity – David Bowie (Tabs)
Bowie used several special techniques in this acoustic hit. Pay attention to the left-hand chord voicings used throughout the song.
2. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran (Tabs)
This song is a popular choice for weddings, and a little trickier for most beginners. While practicing, focus on capturing a soulful feeling at a slow tempo.
3. Blackbird – Paul McCartney (Tabs)
This is probably the most popular fingerpicking song. There are a few ways to play this one, but the classically influenced guitar lines will challenge you to think outside of your box a bit.
4. Neon – John Mayer (Tabs)
Some would put this in the advanced category, but it’s actually fairly repetitive and very accessible if you know how to slow down.
5. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin (Tabs)
This might feel like a beginner song once you get the first phrase out, but to play the whole song soulfully takes some precision and passion!
6. Heart of Life – John Mayer (Tabs)
A more advanced pluck-and-chuck song, this is a really good way to get into flicking melodies out.
7. Stop This Train – John Mayer (Tabs)
This song challenges you to combine a melody, bass line, and inner voice into a pluck and chuck pattern.
8. Details in the Fabric – Jason Mraz (Tabs)
This intermediate guitar song uses a fairly intricate strumming pattern that will challenge your ability to hold syncopation!
9. Country Roads – John Denver (Tabs)
“Country Roads” is great song to learn basic four stroke thumbpicking. Focus on the guitar part in the first verse of the original version.
10. I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Deathcab for Cutie (Tabs)
This song mixes alternating bass and thumb slaps with flicks into a fairly easy pattern.
11. Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews (Tabs)
“Crash Into Me” builds an interesting two part guitar texture where you bang out a nice bass line while strumming chords on the treble strings – excellent for developing rest strokes!
12. Leaves That Are Green – Paul Simon (Tabs)
This is a classic thumb-picking song that’s sure to present a challenge to any new, intermediate student.
13. Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie (Tabs)
This legendary folk song is just a 16 bar pattern that repeats. See if you can carry on a conversation while pedaling this pattern!
14. The Boxer – Paul Simon (Tabs)
Another legendary thumb-picking song that mixes four stroke patterns with moving chords and walking bass lines.
15. Operator – Jim Croce (Tabs)
“Operator” is a beautiful fingerpicking song that uses some different rhythmic patterns worth learning!
16. The Rain Song – Led Zeppelin (Tabs)
The alternate tuning in this song will get you thinking about the guitar in a new way. It opens up a lot of possibilities while challenging you to break your typical patterns.
Best Electric Guitar Songs for Intermediate Players
1. Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Tabs)
Especially suited for mastering the “rock muting” techniques (where you almost strum while muting all but one note), this song is a must for electric guitarists!
2. Under the Bridge – The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Tabs)
“Under the Bridge” mixes several techniques and has a number of different sections that take some thought for intermediate guitarists to master.
3. Layla – Eric Clapton (Tabs)
Some of the rhythm and lead parts in “Layla” aren’t complex, but capturing the anguished sound is at the essence of this song’s challenges.
4. Slow Dancing In a Burning Room – John Mayer (Tabs)
This is another song that integrates several different techniques into one line and needs to be executed soulfully to be convincing.
5. Wild Side – Motley Crue (Tabs)
“Wild Side” is not as difficult as it sounds. The riff is a great introduction to playing fast without being too challenging.
6. Black Dog – Led Zeppelin (Tabs)
The notes in this song are challenging enough, but the timing really throws a lot of players off the horse. Challenge yourself to play this along with the record or even better – a band!
7. Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan (Tabs)
On paper it’s not complicated, but the nuances of muting the strings properly to play this song are quite challenging. You may consider getting help from a guitar teacher to master this one!
8. Never There – Cake (Tabs)
This is one of those intermediate guitar songs that is a surprise challenge. The song has some fast notes with string skips that are quite difficult to perfect.
9. Wish You Were Here – Incubus (Tabs)
The secret to Incubus’ magic is not so much in the notes but in Michael Einziger’s shoegaze guitar sounds. See if you can get the tone and effects down.
10. Enter Sandman – Metallica (Tabs)
If you want to learn what metal guitar is supposed to sound like, this is an excellent place to start!
11. Thunderstruck – AC/DC (Tabs)
Some would call this song advanced, but the shortness and repetitiveness of this riff make it a really good study piece for hammer-ons and pull-offs.
12. Back in Black – AC/DC (Tabs)
If the last AC/DC song you tried kicked your butt, give this one a try for a more moderate challenge that satisfies the same itch.
13. Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars (Tabs)
Lots of Bruno Mars songs have worthy funk guitar parts, and “Treasure” is just one great choice. Getting used to the syncopation and articulation are the keys to success here.
14. Brick House – The Commodores (Tabs)
This song often gets called for covers, so if you’re in a band it’s best to start learning it now!
15. You Got Another Thing Coming – Judas Priest (Tabs)
Just playing the notes isn’t too difficult, but synchronizing with a rhythm section in a rock band is very telling of your ability to make this song work.
Intermediate Guitar Solos
- Something – Beatles (Tabs)
- Hotel California – Eagles (Tabs)
- Johnny B Goode – Chuck Berry (Tabs)
- All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix (Tabs)
- Tamacun – Rodrigo y Gabriela (Tabs)
- Voodoo Child – Jimi Hendrix (Tabs)
- Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones (Tabs)
- Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin (Tabs)
- Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix (Tabs)
- Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd (Tabs)
- One of These Nights – Eagles (Tabs)
- Belief – John Mayer (Tabs)
- Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne (Tabs)
- One (Intro) – Metallica (Tabs)
- Heat Wave – Linda Ronstadt (Tabs)
- La Grange – ZZ Top (Tabs)
- Mud on the Tires – Brad Paisley (Tabs)
- My Sharona – The Knack (Tabs)
- Spooky – Atlanta Rhythm Section (Tabs)
- Black Magic Woman – Carlos Santana (Tabs)
Best Bass Guitar Songs for Intermediate Players
Whether you love jazz, rock, funk, or pop music, there are plenty of amazing bass guitar songs out there that are both challenging and fun to play.
Here’s a quick list to give you some ideas for your next jam session:
- Another One Bites the Dust by Queen – This song starts with an iconic bass riff that will get you moving and jumping on the stage. As you progress through the song, the bassline becomes more complex, requiring faster finger movements, sharper interplay between the different instruments, and flamboyant stage showmanship. Another One Bites the Dust is a great song for intermediate players who want to master their timing and rhythm.
- Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes – This song features one of the most recognizable bass riffs in rock history, and it’s a blast to play. The riff is simple but memorable, and it’s a great way to practice your fingerpicking technique.
- Come Together by The Beatles -This song has an infectious bassline that’s both melodic and rhythmic. Playing this song requires a bit of hand stretching and finger-dancing, but it’s totally worth it.
- Superstition by Stevie Wonder – For some funk and soul music, try playing Superstition by Stevie Wonder. This song has a mesmerizing bassline that’s both funky and groovy.
- Teen Town by Jaco Pastorius – If you’re up for more of a challenge, give Teen Town by Jaco Pastorius a try. Jaco Pastorius was a legendary bassist who revolutionized electric bass playing by introducing complex harmonies, intricate melodies, and virtuosic techniques.
Best Intermediate Classical Guitar Songs
Here are some of the best classical guitar songs to learn as an intermediate player:
- Romance d’Amour (Anonymous) – With its slow and elegant melody, this is the perfect song for beginners to learn. It is very simple yet beautiful, and it is a great example of how much can be conveyed with just a few notes. Once you can play this song well, you will be ready to move on to more complex pieces.
- Adelita (Francisco Tárrega) – Adelita is a medium-level difficulty piece that is easy to learn, yet challenging enough to make you feel like you are making some progress in your guitar journey. The song moves between a few different keys, which makes it interesting to learn and play.
- Lagrima (Francisco Tárrega) – This song is a great option for those who are just starting out and want to learn something slow and melodic. Lagrima is a pretty simple piece that uses mostly open chords and some basic picking techniques. It is a great exercise to practice your fingerpicking skills, as well as your ability to maintain a consistent tempo.
- Capricho Arabe (Francisco Tárrega)- Capricho Arabe is a beautiful Spanish piece that showcases the guitar’s full range of expression, from soft delicate melodies to a powerful crescendo. Playing this song requires a bit more finger strength and dexterity, but it is a great piece to work on to improve your skills.
- Prelude in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach – Bach’s compositions are perfect for classical guitar players as they offer a great opportunity to showcase technical skill and musicality. The Prelude in D minor is no exception, and its hauntingly beautiful melody will leave your audience mesmerized.
- Asturias (Leyenda) by Isaac Albéniz – Albéniz’s Asturias is a must-learn piece for classical guitarists. The piece’s rhythmically complex sections, intricate runs, and thumb/finger alternation techniques make it a challenging yet rewarding piece to play.
Take Your Playing to the Next Level with the Best Songs for Intermediate Guitar Players
There you have it, the top 50 acoustic guitar songs (and electric ones!) to start working your way through. Each of these intermediate electric and acoustic guitar songs made the list because of their popularity and influence. Remember that these fun songs to play on guitar are likely to present some unexpected challenges, so reach out to a guitar teacher if you need help along the way. Working one-on-one with a professional guitar teacher is the best way to develop good playing and practicing habits. A teacher will also answer all your guitar questions. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to play a gig!
If a local guitar teacher doesn’t work for you, consider taking an online guitar class. Online classes are a great way to stay motivated, learn new techniques, and master these good acoustic guitar songs for next level playing. Happy jamming!
Do you have another favorite guitar tune to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Post Author: Jonathan B.Jonathan B. teaches acoustic guitar, bass, and more in State College, PA. Jonathan is a Temple University, Music Theory graduate and YouTube celebrity with thousands of subscribers. Learn more about Jonathan here!
Jessica Dais