Recommended Songs for Beginner Bands at School Culture Festivals

Ms. SeptemberRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Ms. September [Official Live Video from “RADWIMPS Outdoor LIVE 2013 ‘Aoi to Mememe’”]

A four-piece rock band formed in Kanagawa in 2001, RADWIMPS’ track features a catchy rhythm that makes you want to move and guitar phrases with a floating feel.

The guitar centers on a single-note phrase heard throughout the song; with few notes and a simple rhythm, it’s easy for beginner guitarists to copy.

The bass mostly follows the kick drum’s rhythm and plays root notes, with a low note count that makes it approachable.

The drums also use simple patterns and are easy to play, but be careful not to lose the groove when the offbeat hi-hat pattern comes in during the chorus.

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Hoshino Takashi

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You and the summer music festivalSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “You and the Summer Festival”

A three-piece girls’ rock band from Kanagawa, SHISHAMO’s track.

With bittersweet lyrics that capture a page of youth and an exhilarating sound, it’s a truly comfortable number.

The guitar and bass parts are simple outside of the interlude, making them easy to tackle, but a short bass solo appears during the interlude.

If you’re not used to playing solos on bass, you might feel nervous, but the phrases themselves aren’t difficult, so you can finish the song if you relax and play.

The drums feature many tight hits, but the overall rhythm pattern is simple, so focusing on dynamics that suit the song rather than fine techniques will get you closer to the original performance.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Tomorrow as wellSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Tomorrow Too”

This is the song that went viral on social media for its unusual key change in the chorus! But since you’re a beginner, don’t worry—just dive in and give it a go! For guitar, arrange it into power chords and focus on balancing it with your vocals.

For bass, there’s a section where you slide up to the high frets, so practice it repeatedly so you don’t lose your place.

The tempo is faster than you’d expect, so drummers should practice keeping steady eighth notes.

If that’s too tough, it’s fine to switch the eighth-note pattern to quarter notes!

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Hane Keisuke

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Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number

Back Number – Hanako-san on a High Pedestal

A three-piece rock band, back number, known for their popularity with bittersweet lyrics and a melancholic tone.

It’s an exhilarating rock number that captures the relatable emotions of unrequited love.

The guitar mainly features chord strumming patterns, but there are plenty of spotlight moments—like delay-driven phrases and a solo—that are simple yet showy, making it fun to play.

The rhythm section is generally straightforward, but the rhythm becomes irregular in the B section, so be careful not to fall out of sync with the other parts.

None of the parts are particularly difficult, but precisely because of that, mistakes stand out, so it’s important to play each phrase cleanly and with intention.

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Hoshino Takashi

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rainbowELLEGARDEN

Ellegarden – Niji Live Concerti

A four-piece rock band that announced their return to activity in 2018, ELLEGARDEN’s track.

It’s a quintessential ELLEGARDEN number with a catchy melody and a solid rock sound that pumps you up.

The guitar features many memorable phrases—intro, solo, and outro—but none of the parts are too note-dense, so they’re easy to copy.

The rhythm section also plays mostly simple parts overall, but if you create dynamic contrast between the verse and the chorus, you can shape the song’s overall tension and really highlight the lift in the chorus.

The tempo isn’t that fast either, making it an easy song to cover even for a band made up entirely of beginners.

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Hoshino Takashi

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avocadoyonige

yonige - Avocado - [Official Video]

The guitar arpeggio that comes in after the chorus might seem difficult at first, but when you actually play it, only the root note moves and the other notes stay fixed, so there’s no need to overthink it! The final guitar solo is easy too—you’re just playing the same spots on the 2nd and 3rd strings.

It’s simple, but play it with style! The drums also don’t do anything tricky and just keep a straight four-on-the-floor, so as long as you make sure the tempo doesn’t fluctuate wildly, you’ll be fine!

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SAKI

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Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//

DISH// – Sweet Daphne [Official Video]

It’s not easy to put feelings of gratitude toward one’s parents into words.

This song gently embraces the heartfelt emotions of exam-takers who feel that way.

Released by DISH// in November 2021, it drew attention as the theme song for the NTV drama “The Winners in February.” Co-written by DISH// vocalist Takumi Kitamura and Hattori from Macaroni Empitsu, it carefully portrays the pressure and anxiety students feel, as well as their gratitude toward family.

With a powerful, march-inspired sound and wishes embedded in the daphne’s flower language—“glory” and “victory”—it’s sure to resonate with anyone awaiting the fruits of their efforts.

Deliver a breathtaking performance with this moving band number and leave your audience in awe!