Level up over summer break! Practice songs recommended for guitarists
We’ve researched guitar practice songs by blending a variety of genres—from globally famous hit tracks to Japanese rock and pop.
You might have a hard time choosing since every song is popular.
In that case, it might be best to pick something you’re already familiar with! While we focused on selections for beginners to intermediate players, some challenging songs are included as well.
If you carefully work your way through the songs listed in this article from top to bottom, your guitar skills are sure to improve!
Level up this summer! Recommended practice songs for guitarists (1–10)
Green-Tinted Sixties MindMr. BIG
Mr.
Big, the American rock band that enjoyed immense popularity especially in Japan, features members who each possess high-level performance skills and strong songwriting abilities.
Their single Green-Tinted Sixties Mind from the second album Lean Into It is notable for its poppy, catchy melodies and ensemble work.
The tapping phrases that appear in the intro and outro aren’t too difficult if you practice them slowly, but be careful as it’s easy to hit wrong notes.
As for the guitar solo, there aren’t any particularly fast runs as long as you watch out for the odd time signature in the latter half, making this a fun piece to play for intermediate guitarists.
RewriteASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s “Rewrite” is one of the band’s signature songs—powerful and exhilarating.
The entire track is built around an accessible band sound, and the guitar packs in a wide range of techniques, from ringing chords to single-note phrases.
The chords are straightforward power chords, and the single-note lines are meant to be sustained, making it a perfect song for gradually building up your technique.
If you pay special attention to muting to prevent unwanted noise, you’ll be able to produce a cleaner, sharper sound.
Enough already.Suspended 4th
Before their major-label debut, the four-piece rock band Suspended 4th drew attention with their powerful activities, including hosting an outdoor festival that brought together street musicians.
Their digital single “Mou Ii,” released on January 20, 2021, showcases each member’s high level of musicianship and the ensemble’s tight cohesion.
It’s challenging to prioritize rhythm over phrases; if you don’t synchronize your breathing with the other parts, the performance can fall apart, so be careful.
It’s a difficult piece that’s great practice not only for intermediate guitarists but for the whole band—definitely worth the challenge.
BuddhaRADWIMPS
If you play guitar, chances are you’ve tried playing the intro riff.
Overall, it feels like there are many phrases that are good for practicing hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Focus on keeping your fingering steady and controlled without any flailing!
Love SongGO!GO!7188
GO!GO!7188’s “Koi no Uta” is one of the band’s signature songs—while it has a calm atmosphere, you can still feel its strength.
The guitar part is basically simple strummed chords, with single-note phrases that sustain slowly.
When playing chords, aim for smooth chord changes; for single notes, focus on finger movement that lets the sound ring out fully to the end.
Precisely because the rhythm is relaxed, the way you let notes sustain is a crucial point for achieving a beautiful final sound.
Shall we go on a trip?Kitanitatsuya
Tatsuya Kitani’s “Tabi ni demo deyokka” (“Shall We Go on a Journey?”) is a warm song that portrays the feeling and scenes of setting out on a journey to somewhere far away.
The guitar part has a simple structure that repeats the same phrase across sections, so making it sound beautiful is key.
Since it focuses more on single-note lines than chords, practicing these carefully will help you develop your tone production and finger movement.
Aiming for a softer sound by trying fingerpicking is also recommended—how about working on the fretting and picking-hand motions as well?
The Kouga Ninja ScrollsOnmyoza
Onmyo-za is a four-piece metal band that fuses traditional Japanese-themed lyrics and costumes with classic metal sound, under the catchphrase “Yokai Heavy Metal.” Their 10th single, “Kouga Ninpou Chou,” was used as the opening theme for the TV anime Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls.
The intro riff with palm muting and the rapid-fire phrases in the latter half of the guitar solo can be challenging for beginner guitarists, but mastering them could well qualify you to call yourself an intermediate player.
It’s a catchy metal tune whose quintessentially metal sound will pump you up.