7/07/2023

How to Play "Flowers" (Miley Cyrus) on Guitar: Beginner-Friendly Tutorial

If you're a fan of Miley Cyrus and want to learn how to play her beautiful song "Flowers" on the guitar, you've come to the right place. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the chords and strumming patterns needed to play this song. Whether you're a beginner or have some guitar experience, we have you covered. So grab your guitar and let's get started!


Video Tutorial
Before we delve into the details, here's a video tutorial by Ellen (for3v3rfaithful), where she demonstrates how to play "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus on the guitar. You can follow along with her explanations and visual aids.




Lesson Overview

"Flowers" is a beginner-friendly song, with only one bar chord to tackle. Ellen will also provide an alternative way to play that chord. To start, your guitar should be in standard tuning, and no capo is required to play the song in its original key.

Throughout the tutorial, Ellen introduces eight chords used in the song: C Major 7, A minor, D minor, G, C, E7, C over B, and F. For the F chord, she offers a simplified version to avoid the challenges of barring chords. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with these chord shapes and practice transitioning between them.

Intro picking:
Cmaj7: 5321

Chords needed:

Cmaj7: x32000
Am: x02210
Dm: xx0231
G: 320003
C: x32010
E7: 020100
C/B: x22010
F: 133211 or F/C: x3321x


Strumming Patterns

Ellen demonstrates two strumming patterns that can be utilized to play the entire song. The first pattern is a practice pattern, ideal for beginners who are still developing their skills in playing and singing simultaneously. It involves a single down strum for every chord change, allowing learners to focus on the lyrics and chord transitions.

Practice pattern: d
Strumming pattern 1: dddddddd
Strumming pattern 2: d dududu


The second pattern, called "Strumming Pattern 1," is an eighth note pattern consisting of eight down strums. Ellen emphasizes accenting specific beats to create a pulsating strumming style, which complements the song's energy. This pattern works well for the verses and pre-choruses of "Flowers."


Chorus and Split Patterns

Moving on to the chorus, Ellen introduces "Strumming Pattern 2," another eighth note pattern. This pattern includes down, down-up, down-up strums and provides a driving rhythm reminiscent of the song's beat. She explains how to accent certain strums to achieve the desired effect. Additionally, Ellen demonstrates how to handle split patterns, where chord changes occur in the middle of the strumming pattern.

Chord progression:

verses: Am   Dm   G   C   Cmaj7

pre-choruses: Am   Dm   E7

choruses: Am   Dm   G   C   C/B   F   E7   Am

post-choruses: Am   Dm   G   C   C/B


Additional Techniques: Palm Muting and Fret Muting

To enhance the song's rhythmic feel, Ellen suggests incorporating palm muting. By resting the side of your picking hand gently on the bridge of the guitar, you can achieve a muted and dampened sound, adding depth to your strumming.

Furthermore, Ellen introduces fret muting, a technique that involves releasing some pressure on the strings with your fretting hand. This technique allows you to selectively mute certain notes, creating a unique and percussive effect in your strumming.



Learning to play "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus on the guitar is an achievable goal, especially with Ellen's beginner-friendly tutorial. With detailed explanations of chords, strumming patterns, and additional techniques like palm muting and fret muting, you'll be able to master this beautiful song in no time. So grab your guitar, follow the tutorial, and enjoy playing "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus!

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