Today we’re going to look at how to play Zombie on guitar. This song by The Cranberries is a 90’s anthem that remains popular today.
Written by lead singer Dolores O’Riordan, this song was featured in the album No Need To Argue.
If you want to learn many more songs in a fun and effective way, check out Roadie Coach. This tool conveniently attaches to your guitar and gives you personalized feedback on your progress. Without further ado, here’s how to play Zombie on guitar.
Chords
Zombie is a great song for beginners to learn. It features only four easy chords that repeat in the same order. In other words, once you learn the progression, you will apply it through the entire song.
The chords are Em, Cmaj7, G and D. To play an Em, place your middle finger on the fifth string second fret. Next, place your ring finger on the fourth string second fret, and strum all six strings.
For the Cmaj7, place your middle finger on the fifth string third fret and ring finger on the fourth string second fret. For the G, the middle finger goes on the sixth string third fret, index on the fifth string second fret and pinky on the first string third fret.
Finally, for the D, place your index on the third string second fret, the ring on the first string second ferret and the middle finger on the second string third fret.
Strum pattern
The strum pattern for Zombie is D D D DU D D D. Although it may look challenging on paper, this pattern feels quite natural. It follows the up down movement continuously, but most times you just hit downward and not upward.
If that pattern is too complicated, try strumming down on each downbeat for the entirety of the song. You can then slowly incorporate the movements of the pattern described above.
We hoped you enjoyed our guide on how to play Zombie on guitar. This song is a great choice for beginners. Zombie features simple chords, an easy form and straightforward strumming pattern.
Remember to take it slow at first, and take your time to go through each chord attentively. This way you ensure that you learn it well. Remember that all of these easy chords will appear in countless other songs. It is vital to learn them well in order to progress at a good rate. Feel free to share which other songs you’d like to learn in the comment section below.
