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Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

Marshmello & Anne-Marie

1 guitar song · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Pop Rock

Choose a Marshmello & Anne-Marie Song to Play

About This Collection

Marshmello and Anne-Marie are a collaboration between the anonymous EDM producer Marshmello (Christopher Comstock) and British pop vocalist Anne-Marie. Their 2018 smash hit "Friends" became one of the biggest pop crossover tracks of the late 2010s, blending electronic dance production with catchy pop songwriting. While neither artist is primarily associated with guitar music, the song has become a staple for acoustic guitarists looking for a crowd-pleasing, easy-to-learn track that sounds great with just a voice and six strings. From a guitarist's perspective, the appeal of learning Marshmello and Anne-Marie material lies in chord-based acoustic playing. "Friends" translates beautifully to acoustic guitar because its harmonic structure is built on a simple, repeating four-chord progression that sits comfortably in open position or with a capo. This makes it an ideal song for beginner to early-intermediate players who want to work on strumming patterns, rhythmic consistency, and dynamics while singing along. The challenge is not in complex chord voicings or technical fireworks; it is in nailing the rhythmic feel and keeping the energy up throughout the song. There is no dedicated guitarist in this collaboration. Marshmello programs beats and synths, while Anne-Marie handles vocals. Any guitar parts you hear in covers or live acoustic versions are adaptations of the synth and bass lines into guitar-friendly chord shapes. This is actually a great exercise for guitarists: learning to translate electronic pop into acoustic arrangements teaches you how to identify root movements, implied harmonies, and rhythmic patterns buried in production-heavy tracks. Overall difficulty is beginner-friendly. If you can strum open chords cleanly and keep time, you can play "Friends" within a session or two. It is a perfect campfire song and a solid addition to any gigging guitarist's setlist for requests.

What Makes Marshmello & Anne-Marie Essential for Guitar Players

  • "Friends" uses a simple four-chord loop (typically Am, C, G, F or variations with a capo) that repeats throughout the entire song, making it one of the easiest pop hits to learn on acoustic guitar.
  • The strumming pattern is the real workout here. A driving down-down-up-up-down-up pattern with slight muting on the upstrokes gives the song its percussive, energetic feel that mimics the EDM pulse of the original.
  • Palm muting on the verse sections and opening up to full open strums on the chorus is a great way to add dynamics and make your acoustic arrangement sound more like a full production rather than a flat strum-along.
  • Try using a capo at the first or second fret to match Anne-Marie's vocal key more precisely. This also brightens the tone of your acoustic and gives the chords a slightly different character that sits well with the pop vibe.
  • This track is an excellent exercise in translating electronic music to guitar. Learning to hear the implied chord changes beneath synth pads and bass drops is a transferable skill that will help you arrange any modern pop or EDM song for acoustic performance.

Did You Know?

"Friends" reached the top 5 in over 20 countries and has been streamed billions of times, making it one of the most requested acoustic cover songs at open mics and gig nights worldwide.

The entire harmonic content of "Friends" can be played with just four open chords, proving that songwriting impact has nothing to do with harmonic complexity. Perfect proof that simple progressions work.

Marshmello produces almost entirely in FL Studio using virtual instruments and samples, meaning there is no original guitar recording in the track. Every guitar version you hear is an arrangement, which gives you creative freedom to interpret it your own way.

Anne-Marie started her career in a completely different musical world: she was a two-time junior world champion in Shotokan karate before pivoting to music. Her rhythmic precision as a vocalist actually makes her phrasing easy to lock into when strumming along.

The song's chord progression (vi, I, V, IV in the major key) is one of the most common in all of pop music. Learning it here means you can instantly apply the same shapes to hundreds of other songs by artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and The Chainsmokers.

Live acoustic versions of "Friends" have been performed on BBC Radio 1 and other sessions, typically featuring a single acoustic guitarist using a capo and simple open chords, proving the song needs nothing more than a good rhythm hand and confident vocals.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Marshmello Singles Collection (Friends era) 2018

Since Marshmello releases primarily as singles rather than traditional albums, the 2018 period surrounding "Friends" is your best entry point. "Friends" teaches basic open-chord strumming and pop song structure, while other Marshmello collaborations like "Happier" (with Bastille) offer similar four-chord arrangements that build your acoustic pop repertoire quickly.

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How to Practice Marshmello & Anne-Marie on GuitarZone

Every Marshmello & Anne-Marie song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Friends - Guitar Cover