Printable House of the Rising Sun Guitar Chords
The arpeggio song every beginner wants. Five chords, one picking pattern, and it sounds finished from the first run-through. This is the song that teaches arpeggios. The right hand plays the same six-note pattern through every chord, so once the pattern is in your fingers the only thing that changes is the shape your left hand is holding. It is also in 6/8, which is a gentler introduction to counting than it sounds: count to six, one note per count. This printable song sheet has every chord shape you need, the chord order bar by bar, the picking pattern and simple steps to learn it. The song is in the public domain and the arrangement is Fretwork's own.
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What’s inside
- Chord diagrams for Am, C, D, F, E
- Chord order, bar by bar
- Strumming or picking pattern
- Step-by-step learning plan
How to use it
- Print the sheet and learn the chord shapes first.
- Practice the chord changes slowly, then add the strum or picking pattern.
- Play along with the free click track on the song page, raising the tempo as you improve.
Learn it step by step, free
Fretwork turns sheets like this into short daily lessons with audio, a play-along and a quick check for every skill. Stages 0 and 1 are free.
Questions
What chords do you need for House of the Rising Sun?
Am, C, D, F and E. The F is the only difficult one, and Fmaj7 (xx3210) works as a substitute while you build up to the barre chord.
Is House of the Rising Sun good for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the best first fingerpicking songs. The picking pattern repeats unchanged through every chord, so you learn one right-hand movement and apply it five times.
What time signature is House of the Rising Sun?
It is usually written in 6/8, which means six beats to the bar. In the arpeggio version you play one picked note per beat, so each chord lasts six notes.
Is this printable really free?
Yes. Enter your first name and email once and every Fretwork printable unlocks on your device. There is nothing to pay and no card needed.
Can I share it with students or friends?
Yes, for personal and classroom use. Please share the link to this page rather than the PDF file, so everyone gets the latest version.
Free for classroom use. Linking to this page keeps your students on the latest version.
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