Simple Man Guitar Tutorial (Flatpicking) Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man

Simple Man Guitar Tutorial

Welcome to my Simple Man Guitar Tutorial by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Before I teach a song I always take a quick look online and see what resources are already available. For this one I found a bunch of TABs that show every single note you’re plucking, and look incredibly confusing. It was my goal to simplify that and show you that there’s actually a really easy pattern behind the whole thing!

“Simple Man” Sheet Music/TAB no longer available due to copyright issues, but I have something even better!

Simple Man FULL PLAY-THROUGH (entire song, start to finish) available on my Patreon page:

Click here

Before getting started: it’s very important to note that the original recording is played on a guitar that is tuned down by a half-step. This means each string has been tuned down by one fret. The e-string becomes the E flat string the a-string becomes A flat and so on.

Simple Man Chords: C, G, Am, Am7

The A minor 7 chord is just one finger different than A minor so it’s not even 4 chord shapes when you think about it… more like 3.5!

From there, I basically take you through the picking and teach you how to practice it. By the end of this you’ll be able to play it just like it is on the recording.

I also show you a strumming pattern so if you want to do something a bit more energetic during the chorus you can switch over to that… it’s a really straight-forward lesson for one of the most legendary southern rock songs ever. Enjoy!

-James

  • 0:00 – INTRO
  • 1:37 – CHORDS & SWITCHING TIPS
  • 2:35 – SWITCHING PRACTICE
  • 4:09 – PICKING PATTERN ON C
  • 6:19 – PICKING PATTERN ON G
  • 7:23 – PICKING PATTERN ON Am
  • 8:18 – PICKING PATTERN ON Am7
  • 9:30 – LEAD-IN TO C
  • 10:00 – FLATPICKING PLAY-ALONG
  • 10:25 – SIMPLE CHORDS & STRUMMING VERSION
  • 11:10 – PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 13:50 – FAREWELL!