How to Play Stairway to Heaven on the Guitar

You hear "Stairway to Heaven" countless times on the radio, but here is your chance to play this popular song yourself. Playing this tune doesn't require a complicated arrangement. The tablature and chords repeat the same sequences.

Instructions

1. Play the introduction of the song with an Am formation. Place your index or pointer finger on the fifth fret of the last three bottom strings, and rest your ring (fourth) finger on the fourth string, seventh fret, lightly strumming only the last four strings. Keep your index finger rested on the fifth fret of the last three bottom strings, but now place your third finger on the fourth guitar string, sixth fret and your fourth finger on the first guitar string, sixth fret picking only the fourth and first string at the same time.

2. Rest your index finger on the last four bottom strings of the fifth fret, and place your pinky on the bottom first string, eighth fret, picking the first and fourth strings at the same time. After picking the first and fourth string, continue to pick the second and third string back to the first string.

3. Form an open D chord, by placing your ring and middle fingers on the second frets and third bottom strings, and your fourth finger on the third fret of the second string immediately after playing the sequence above. Pick the first and third strings at the same time, and then continue to pick the rest of the chord from the bottom up.

4. Make an F formation chord placing your index finger on the first fret of the second string, third finger on the second fret of the third string and fourth finger on the third fret of the fourth string. Pick the second and fourth strings at the same time, then continue to pick the rest of the individual strings of this chord.

5. Segue into a G chord followed immediately by an Am chord. Make a G by putting your pointer finger on the second fret of the fifth string, rest your third finger on the third fret of the first string and place your fourth finger on the third fret of the first string. Make an Am chord placing both your middle and ring finger on the second frets of the third and fourth strings, rest index finger on the first fret of the second string, then strum the G chord once followed by strumming the Am chord twice.

6. Pick the fifth string, then form a C chord. Rest your pointer finger on the second string's first fret, put your third finger on the fourth string's second fret and set your fourth finger on the fifth string's third fret. Pick the fifth and second strings simultaneously, then follow through picking the rest of the chord, then segue back to the D chord, then the F chord, using the same picking methods above.

7. Repeat the same chords in the last step. The only difference is that this time immediately after playing the C Chord, switch to the G chord then the D chord, and then switch back to the exact chord formations in the preceding step. The acoustic part you play is by strumming the Am chord, and then go to the D. Then, using the same D formation, slide all the way to the seventh fret, and then slide back to the fifth fret, placing your index finger on the first string, fifth fret, and your pinky and ring finger on the seventh frets of the second and third strings. Finally, slide to the third fret using the same formation as the last.