How to play Wayfaring Stranger on guitar
A dark, slow minor-key folk song. Slow enough that you have time to think, and it sounds serious from the first bar.
At a glance
- Key A minor
- Time 4/4
- Level Improver
- Chords Am, C, F, E, G
Why this song is worth learning
Most beginner songs are bright and quick. This one is neither, and that makes it unusually useful: at 76 beats per minute you have real time between chord changes, so you can play it cleanly long before your changes are fast. It also teaches the Am to E move, which is the backbone of minor-key folk and blues.
The chords, as shapes
| Chord | Frets (low E to high e) |
|---|---|
| Am | x 0 2 2 1 0 |
| C | x 3 2 0 1 0 |
| F | 1 3 3 2 1 1 |
| E | 0 2 2 1 0 0 |
| G | 3 2 0 0 0 3 |
x means do not play that string, 0 means play it open. Tap any shape on the page to hear it.
Play along
Press play. The track counts you in, clicks the beat and lights up the chord you should be holding. Drop the tempo while you are learning and raise it once you can get through without stopping.
Chord order
| Verse | Am | C | Am | Am | F | C | Am | Am | C | Am | E | Am |
|---|
Each group is one bar. Count 4 beats per bar.
The picking pattern
Am — one bar of the pattern
5:0 4:2 3:2 2:1 3:2 4:2
C — one bar of the pattern
5:3 4:2 3:0 2:1 3:0 4:2
F — one bar of the pattern
6:1 4:3 3:2 2:1 3:2 4:3
E — one bar of the pattern
6:0 5:2 4:2 3:1 4:2 5:2
Every note comes straight out of the chord shape, so if you can hold the chord you can play the pattern. Numbers are string:fret, counting string 1 as the thin high E.
How to learn it
- Learn Am and C, then the picking pattern on each.
- Add E. The Am to E change in bar eleven is the most important sound in the song.
- Add F, or use Fmaj7 instead while you build up to the barre.
- Play bars one to four, which are Am, C, Am, Am.
- Play the whole twelve bars slowly with the play-along, keeping the tempo down.
Tips that matter
- Do not speed it up. The song depends on space. Played fast it loses everything that makes it work.
- Let the bass note ring through. Pick the root firmly and let it sustain under the higher notes.
- Fmaj7 is a fine substitute for the F in bar five while the barre is still difficult.
Questions about Wayfaring Stranger
What chords are in Wayfaring Stranger?
Am, C, F and E, with G sometimes added. The F can be played as Fmaj7 while you are still learning barre chords.
What key is Wayfaring Stranger in?
It is most commonly played in A minor, which keeps every chord in easy open position. It also works in E minor and D minor.
Is Wayfaring Stranger good for beginners?
Yes, particularly if your chord changes are still slow. The tempo is around 76 beats per minute, which gives you far more time than a faster song.
Is it public domain?
Yes. It is a nineteenth-century American folk and gospel song with no known author and no copyright.