Song Arrangement

Arms Wide Open - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that has the best rock song Grammy to its name –With Arms Wide Open by Creed. Scott Stapp’s wife was pregnant with his first child, he wrote the lyrics when he found out, with great surprise, that he was going to be a father. According to Stapp, the song was written in just fifteen minutes during a soundcheck. The song has received almost 200 million views on YouTube.

Stapp says, “It continues to have relevant meaning in my life because as I sing it now, I think of my daughter who's now on this planet and alive. And then I think of my newest son, my three-year-old, Daniel”. The song is about a man expressing his feelings about thinking about becoming a father.

Arms Wide Open Guitar Lesson

This is a guitar lesson that is an acoustic cover version of the song performed by James Boyce, taught by our expert Steve Luciano, in a section-by-section manner. They start with the introduction

The song is in the key of C major and features a number of suspended chords. There is a C major 9 chord with a B note in the bass, which sounds like a suspended chord because of the 9th scale degree. There is also a very unique A minor 11th chord, which also sounds like a suspended chord because of the 11th scale degree, which is actually the 4th scale degree on the octave higher. The instructor explains all the chord shapes in great detail. You can also refer to the Arms Wide Open tabs along with the lesson on the sidebar.

The strumming of the chords is very simple, compared to the chord voicings, that is – D - U U D - U U D - D U for the most part (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum).

There is also an easy verison of the song that the instructor demonstrates, which is a beginner-friendly version of the song focused more on the singing part of the track.

FAQs

Q. What skill level is Arms Wide Open for?

This lesson is ideal for beginner to intermediate players. If you know basic open chords, you can easily learn the song.

Q. Is this version different from the original Creed version?

Yes. This is a soft acoustic cover by James Boyce. It keeps the emotional depth of the original but focuses more on the singing part.

Q. What is the tuning of Arms Wide Open by Creed?

Nope! This version is played in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e), making it very accessible. Drop D is not required here.

Q. What chords are used in this version?

The song uses common suspended and power chords, with some being 9 and 11th chords. The tutor goes over each one slowly and clearly.

[Intro]

| C| C| Cmaj9/B| Cmaj9/B|
| Am-Am11| Am-Am11| Cmaj9/B|


[Verse-1]


Well CI just heard the Cmaj9/Bnews today

It Am-Am11seems my life is going to changeCmaj9/B

I Cclosed my eyes, Cmaj9/Bbegin to pray

AmThen tears of joy stream Gdown Ammy face



[Chorus]


Gsus4With arms wide Fopen

Under Cthe sunlight

Welcome Gsus4to this place

I'll show you Ameverything

With Cmaj9/Barms wide Copen

Cmaj9/BWith arms wiAm-Am11de open Cmaj9/B



[Verse-2]


Well CI don't know D4if C/BI'm ready D4

To Am-Am11be the man I have to be Cmaj9/B

I'll C5take a breath, D4I'll take her C/Bby my side D4

We Am-Am11stand in awe, we've creCmaj9/Bat - Ced Cmaj9/Blife Am



[Chorus]


GWith arms wide Fopen

Under the Csunlight

Welcome Gsus4to this place

I'll show you AmeveryGthing Foh yeah

WiGth arms Gwide open

Now everyCthing has changed

I'll show you Gsus4love

I'll show you AmeveGryFthing


[Instrumental]

| CC5| CC5| CC5| CC5G|

[Solo]

| CC2C| CC2| G/B| G/B|
| Am| Am| Am| AmG/B|
| C| C| G/B| G/B|
| Am| Am| GAm| Am|


G/BI'll show you Ceverything ...oh Cmaj9/Byeah

I'll show you Am-Am11everything

I'll show you Am-Am11love


[Bridge]



If Cmaj9/BI had Cjust one wish

Only Cmaj9/Bone demand

I hope he's Am-Am11not like me

I hope he Am-Am11un - CdersFtands G

That Amhe can Ctake this life


And hold it Cmaj9/Bby the hand

And he can Am-A11greet the world

With arms wide G/Bopen…CG/BCG



[End Chorus]



With arms Fwide open

Under the Csunlight

Welcome to Gsus4this place


I'll show you AmeveGryFthing

With Garms Fwide open

Now Ceverything has changed

I'll show you Gsus4love

I'll show you AmeveGryFthing

With arms Cwide open Cmaj9/B

With arms wide Am-Am11open


I'll G/Bshow you everything..oh yeah

G/BWith arms wide Copen

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Arms Wide Open - Introduction

Welcome to the guitar lesson on a song that has the best rock song Grammy to its name –With Arms Wide Open by Creed. Scott Stapp’s wife was pregnant with his first child, he wrote the lyrics when he found out, with great surprise, that he was going to be a father. According to Stapp, the song was written in just fifteen minutes during a soundcheck. The song has received almost 200 million views on YouTube.

Stapp says, “It continues to have relevant meaning in my life because as I sing it now, I think of my daughter who's now on this planet and alive. And then I think of my newest son, my three-year-old, Daniel”. The song is about a man expressing his feelings about thinking about becoming a father.

Arms Wide Open Guitar Lesson

This is a guitar lesson that is an acoustic cover version of the song performed by James Boyce, taught by our expert Steve Luciano, in a section-by-section manner. They start with the introduction

The song is in the key of C major and features a number of suspended chords. There is a C major 9 chord with a B note in the bass, which sounds like a suspended chord because of the 9th scale degree. There is also a very unique A minor 11th chord, which also sounds like a suspended chord because of the 11th scale degree, which is actually the 4th scale degree on the octave higher. The instructor explains all the chord shapes in great detail. You can also refer to the Arms Wide Open tabs along with the lesson on the sidebar.

The strumming of the chords is very simple, compared to the chord voicings, that is – D - U U D - U U D - D U for the most part (D is a downward strum and U is an upward strum).

There is also an easy verison of the song that the instructor demonstrates, which is a beginner-friendly version of the song focused more on the singing part of the track.

FAQs

Q. What skill level is Arms Wide Open for?

This lesson is ideal for beginner to intermediate players. If you know basic open chords, you can easily learn the song.

Q. Is this version different from the original Creed version?

Yes. This is a soft acoustic cover by James Boyce. It keeps the emotional depth of the original but focuses more on the singing part.

Q. What is the tuning of Arms Wide Open by Creed?

Nope! This version is played in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e), making it very accessible. Drop D is not required here.

Q. What chords are used in this version?

The song uses common suspended and power chords, with some being 9 and 11th chords. The tutor goes over each one slowly and clearly.

[Intro]

| C| C| Cmaj9/B| Cmaj9/B|
| Am-Am11| Am-Am11| Cmaj9/B|


[Verse-1]


Well CI just heard the Cmaj9/Bnews today

It Am-Am11seems my life is going to changeCmaj9/B

I Cclosed my eyes, Cmaj9/Bbegin to pray

AmThen tears of joy stream Gdown Ammy face



[Chorus]


Gsus4With arms wide Fopen

Under Cthe sunlight

Welcome Gsus4to this place

I'll show you Ameverything

With Cmaj9/Barms wide Copen

Cmaj9/BWith arms wiAm-Am11de open Cmaj9/B



[Verse-2]


Well CI don't know D4if C/BI'm ready D4

To Am-Am11be the man I have to be Cmaj9/B

I'll C5take a breath, D4I'll take her C/Bby my side D4

We Am-Am11stand in awe, we've creCmaj9/Bat - Ced Cmaj9/Blife Am



[Chorus]


GWith arms wide Fopen

Under the Csunlight

Welcome Gsus4to this place

I'll show you AmeveryGthing Foh yeah

WiGth arms Gwide open

Now everyCthing has changed

I'll show you Gsus4love

I'll show you AmeveGryFthing


[Instrumental]

| CC5| CC5| CC5| CC5G|

[Solo]

| CC2C| CC2| G/B| G/B|
| Am| Am| Am| AmG/B|
| C| C| G/B| G/B|
| Am| Am| GAm| Am|


G/BI'll show you Ceverything ...oh Cmaj9/Byeah

I'll show you Am-Am11everything

I'll show you Am-Am11love


[Bridge]



If Cmaj9/BI had Cjust one wish

Only Cmaj9/Bone demand

I hope he's Am-Am11not like me

I hope he Am-Am11un - CdersFtands G

That Amhe can Ctake this life


And hold it Cmaj9/Bby the hand

And he can Am-A11greet the world

With arms wide G/Bopen…CG/BCG



[End Chorus]



With arms Fwide open

Under the Csunlight

Welcome to Gsus4this place


I'll show you AmeveGryFthing

With Garms Fwide open

Now Ceverything has changed

I'll show you Gsus4love

I'll show you AmeveGryFthing

With arms Cwide open Cmaj9/B

With arms wide Am-Am11open


I'll G/Bshow you everything..oh yeah

G/BWith arms wide Copen

Unlock Full Access to Lyrics & Chords with Torrins Membership

Unlock with premium

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