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Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

Recommended Songs for Beginner Bands at School Culture Festivals

For students in bands, performing on the cultural festival stage is probably a major goal, isn’t it?

However, if you’ve only just started your instrument or have members with limited experience, choosing songs to play can be quite challenging.

The guitar might be easy but the drums are hard… or the drums are easy but the bass is hard… It’s tough to pick songs that are satisfying to listen to while keeping the difficulty under control.

So in this article, we’ll introduce recommended songs that beginners can definitely pull off if they practice hard.

The key is to be flexible—don’t cling too much to the original, and arrange the parts you absolutely can’t manage.

If you work on it with your bandmates while having fun as you prepare for your first stage, it’s sure to become a lifelong memory!

[School Culture Festival] A roundup of recommended songs for beginner bands (31–40)

Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//

DISH// – Sweet Daphne [Official Video]
Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//

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!

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

Alongside “Cherry” and “Robinson,” this song is famous as one of Spitz’s signature tracks.

Its relaxed tempo, catchy pop melody, and simple chord progression make it highly recommended for beginners.

AmyTHE ORAL CIGARETTES

THE ORAL CIGARETTES “Amy” Music Video
AmyTHE ORAL CIGARETTES

A song by THE ORAL CIGARETTES, a four-piece rock band from Nara Prefecture.

Many of The Oral’s songs are challenging, but this one has been around since their early days and is a simply structured rock ballad, so I think it’s within reach for beginner bands if they put in the effort.

My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Zenzenzense (movie ver.) [Official Music Video]
My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS

This is a RADWIMPS song created for director Makoto Shinkai’s animated film, singing of a fateful love that transcends time.

It’s a pop tune that conveys strength amid poignancy, marked by energetic guitar sounds and a driving, up-tempo rhythm.

Included on the album “Your Name.” released in August 2016, the track drew major attention alongside the film’s mega-hit success, and it’s also beloved as a staple at school festivals where everyone can get excited together.

If you simplify the guitar and drum rhythm parts, it can be enjoyed in performance regardless of skill level.

Loverssumika

Lovers / sumika(Cover)
Loverssumika

A four-piece rock band, sumika, whose fusion of rock and pop has earned them immense popularity.

This track features a light, catchy rhythm and a pop-leaning feel that sticks in your ears.

The guitar is mainly chord strumming, making it approachable for beginner guitarists, but be careful with the chord changes due to a key change in the latter half.

The bass has a fast tempo and a lot of movement; if it feels difficult, it’s fine to reduce the number of notes.

The drums are simple with relatively few hits for the fast tempo, but watch out for a meter change in the outro so you don’t lose the rhythm.

The keyboard shapes the overall atmosphere throughout the song, so it’s better to focus on vibe over technique when playing.

[Culture Festival / School Festival] Recommended Songs for Beginner Bands (41–50)

Is that okay?RADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Is It Okay? [Official Music Video]
Is that okay?RADWIMPS

A song by the rock band RADWIMPS, known for the massive hit “Zenzenzense.” It’s a hidden gem with a breezy, reggae-tinged melody and rhythm that feels great.

The guitar features lots of clean-tone comping and arpeggio phrases; since the tempo is relaxed, aim for a calm, steady performance.

The bass lines cover a wide range of positions from low to high, but the phrases themselves are simple, making them relatively easy for beginner bassists to copy.

The drums aren’t particularly difficult either, but because it’s a shuffle beat, be mindful of triplet rhythms when playing fills.

The Story You Don’t Knowsupercell

The Story You Don’t Know – supercell
The Story You Don't Knowsupercell

This song, which attracted attention after being used as the ending theme for the anime Bakemonogatari, is a track by supercell, a creator group formed around composer ryo.

It’s recommended for bands that have a member on piano.