For my money, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I'm sure it was originally conceived as a song about the missionary experience, but in reality, it also applies to any disciple of Christ. We all need to make ourselves into “a window to His love.”
This song is an excellent example of how barre chords can actually make a song easier to play. Six of the ten chords used are actually just two barre chords, played at different frets. Even that doesn’t tell the whole story, as the barred E-shape, barred Am-shape, and barred Am7-shape are so similar that they might as well all be one chord, thus cutting the number of chords used in half. Even the barred A-shape found in the CIII chord, while more difficult than the other barre chords in this song, actually makes the transition from GIII easier and faster than it would be if you used a normal C chord. You can substitute the four-string F-shape played in the III and V spaces some of the time, which I admit is easier, but it doesn’t work all the time. If you’re going to have to learn to play the full-barre versions anyway, why not play all six strings all the time?
Unlike most of my other tabs, this one is meant to be played as an accompaniment to a singer. If the singer wants a break after the chorus following Verse 2, just go directly to the Intro before playing Verse 3. You may even decide to insert the extra Intro yourself, just to show off. It sounds really cool with all the ligados, but is not especially hard to do. Just be sure to warn the vocalist!
INTRO:
Played right, the Intro sounds lovely and delicate. To avoid confusion, I’m going to refer to the fingers of the RIGHT hand as T, I, M, and R (for Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring), and the fingers of the LEFT hand as numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 (for Index, Middle, Ring, and Pinkie, respectively). If you play left-handed, just reverse that. If you are a classical guitarist, and think I should stick to the Spanish p, i, m, a -- Sorry! Most of my readers don’t speak Spanish, and are not classically trained. That’s why the song is in tablature.
The lead finger in the first measure (and in most others) is the R finger. This begins a pattern-pick that continues throughout the Intro, and the brief reprises throughout the song. The first four notes of the measure are played normally, followed by a double-ligado: a hammer-on and immediate pull-off, counted as, “5-&-6”, using the #1 finger. The last two notes of the measure are counted and played normally, using the fingers specified in the tab.
The M finger leads in the second measure, and the double-ligado is done with the #2 or #3 finger, which ever is easiest for you. To do this, hold the barre with the #1 finger after the third note, but release the rest of the chord, to free the other fingers of the left hand. Release the barre after the double-ligado to play the open B string at the end of the measure. This kind of left hand finger-dancing only needs to be done when playing the full-barre F chord. If it seems excessive to you, you may find it easier to play the normal, (four-string) F chord, and fret the bass E string with the #4 finger briefly.
The third measure of the Intro is exactly like the first, and the final measure is played straight, holding the fifth note for three counts (5-6-7). Lead this final measure with the R finger again.
Measure [5] is also played straight. If you are not accompanying a singer, and you want a more delicate effect, just play the treble string of each chord, using an R finger lead, instead of the three-string pinches. These single notes will get lost if the vocalist has a strong voice. Measure [6] is fingered like measure [2], releasing the fingers first, then the barre at the end, for the note on the open string. Play measure [7] straight.
Measure [8] is not difficult, but watch out for the brief slide on the treble e-string. It’s just there for a bit of expression, and is not part of the count. You don’t even have to slide all the way down to the next note. In measure [9], hold the Am chord for 1-1/2 counts (one-and-two), then pick up the note on the open e-string with an upward picking motion, followed immediately by two downward strums of the whole chord, to the beat of “DUM, da-Dum, Dum”, like the word, “pumpernickle”.
Measure [10] is split between lines. Sorry, there just was no better way to print it, for various obscure, technical reasons. The last half of the measure has a downward T strum that stops at the 3rd string. Play the next note on the B string with the thumb. It’s much easier that way. Play measures [11], [12], and [13a] straight, then go back to begin the second verse with measure [5]. continue to measure [12] again, but the second time, continue with [13b] through [33a], while the singer sings the second verse and the chorus.
CHORUS:
Starting in measure [13b] through [31], the guitar will be the same for verses 2 and 3. Play the tremolo at the end of [13b] with the #3 finger, to ease the transition to the full barre in the V space. You can substitute a Dm chord for the Dm7v called out in measure [14] if it’s easier for you, but the Dm7v chord has a softer sound, which I find especially appropriate to underscore the word, “Love.” It’s actually slightly easier to play, too, as you are fretting one fewer string.
Through measure [28] the tab is straightforward, but in [29] you don’t actually play the full GIII chord. You only need to barre all the strings with the #1 finger, in the III space. Fret the notes in the V space with the #4 finger, and those in the IV space with the #3 finger. This may seem like doing it the hard way, but if you’re already able to play barre chords, you’ll probably find it easier than trying to hit all the notes rapidly by finger dancing.
The double-ligado in [30] is made by sliding the #4 finger up and down the neck one fret, in a move that is technically called a mordant. It doesn’t sound any better than the hammer-on/pull-off used in the rest of the song, but if you’ve been playing along with the tab, you’ll have run out of fingers, so the mordant is the only option.
Measures [31] through [33a] are played pretty much like the last three measures of the Intro, with only slight variation in the initial pinches of each measure. You can play them identically to the Intro, if you like, and most likely no one will know or care. Then go back and play the whole verse and chorus over again, while the singer sings the third verse and chorus, ending with measures [32b] through [34]. Measure [32b] is actually played the same as [32a], but the singer does not end the measure by singing the word “I.” The next measure is nearly identical to [6], and can be played that way if you like, but the pace is very different. You begin slowing in [32b], but in [33], you want to slow to half-speed by the end of the measure, then hold the final C chord in [34] as long as you can, and bask in the applause.
LEGAL STUFF:
This song is NOT in public domain! I’ve tried to contact Julie DeAzvedo repeatedly to ask about copyrights and permissions, but she has never answered me. I’ve had the song tabbed for years, but couldn’t include it here, without permission. Recently, I learned that the LDS Church owns the copyright, and since I have their permission to publish their copyrighted songs, for non-commercial, home and church use, and since the guitar arrangement is my own, I list it here. Please honor the Church’s standards, and refrain from circulating this piece or using it for commercial purposes of any kind, without written permission from the copyright holder.
COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION
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Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Easter Medley: a duet for piano and guitar
This is an original arrangement for piano and classical guitar, by Joanne Niewinski and me. We played it last year in our ward’s Easter Sacrament Meeting. Some of the ward leaders resisted having a guitar perform in such a holy setting, until we challenged them to show us the handbook’s ban on guitars. There never was such a ban, of course, Mormon legends to the contrary notwithstanding. As Michael Moody said, speaking as Church General Music Director, “We are an international church and do not discriminate against any instrument or musical tradition, as long as the sacred character of the Sacrament is preserved.”
For those who would like to try an ambitious project like this, I am including both my guitar part and Sister Niewinski’s piano part, (with her kind permission.) I'm sorry the piano part didn't scan well, but it is playable. It is a medley of “He Is Risen,” and “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” Both sound very good as a piano-guitar duet, and are in the key of C, an easy one for both instruments.
It’s intended to be an instrumental duet; the words are only included for reference. The music goes faster than it would if it were sung. Even with all three verses of “He Is Risen,” a complete verse of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” a four-bar introduction, several reprises, and a finale, it barely occupies three minutes of time. Feel free to lengthen the introduction and finale, add more verses, or make other changes, if you wish.
I played my Cervantes classical guitar, with high-tension D’Addario strings, and used a regular, Church microphone on a boom, playing through the chapel sound system, which was set a notch louder than usual. The piano was not amplified. The sound balance was good, but I had to place the microphone right at the sound hole, very close to the strings, which made playing around the microphone rather awkward. It would have been possible with a straight microphone stand, but really clumsy. The boom helped a lot. A guitar mic or acoustic pickup would have solved the problem perfectly, but I couldn’t find one that would interface with the Church’s sound system. If I’d had a “stand-alone” sound system, designed for a guitar, I’d have used it.
At the end of the Guitar Coda, the meter changes briefly to 2/4, so the last two counts of the measure can be dropped. We go right into the beginning of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” dropping the last syllable of “vic-tor-y.” We did this to create some musical tension, which we resolved by bringing the piano in for the “alleluyah” at the end of the line. We tried bringing the piano in at the beginning of the line, but it sounded like the pianist came in early by mistake.
There are lots of ligados-- hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. They make a nice contrast to the more staccato piano. Most of the ligados are simple, but in a few places, there are several in a row. The trickiest part is in the last line on page two, where you have three ligados, a fast bass run, then a complex riff in the last measure. The hard part is the timing. Some of the notes are eighth-notes, while others are quarter-notes. Remember to count: “ONE-and-TWO-and-THREE-and-FOUR-and” for every measure, paying attention to which notes fall on the counting numbers and which fall on the “ands”.
The piano part in the third verse is lighter and more delicate than most piano music played in church. It sounds a bit like a music box. The guitar just plays rhythm here, hence the strummed chords. Where the piano plays loud in the last line of the verse (“Death is conquer’d, man is free”), the guitar needs to be as loud as possible (ff, or fortissimo), or the piano will drown it out. The rest of the line can be a little less forte, but still moderately loud (mf, or mezzo-forte).
After the piano and guitar each take a solo on the same line, the finale is played together. We used these multiple repetitions to drive home the message that “Christ has won the victory,” which is the whole point of Easter. Even though the words were not sung, the congregation heard them in their heads, and got the point.
The two parts diverge musically in the finale, then reunite for the final chord, which both instruments sound simultaneously. Do whatever it takes to make it simultaneous. The slightest error in timing will be obvious. Hold the chord for two full measures, if possible. Unless you have an electric guitar, you will not be able to sustain the chord as long as the piano. It’s important that guitarist and pianist damp or release the chord at the exact same instant. If not, it will sound like you were competing for the longest hold. (And the piano won.)
We performed this duet as the climax of the Easter Sacrament Meeting, just before the closing prayer, and not as an instrumental “rest hymn” in the middle of the service. It was a wonderful, spiritual experience for everyone. Even those who had resisted having a guitar in Sacrament Meeting loved it. Several came up to me afterwards and admitted their prejudice. Only then did I learn that one of them had been the bishop.
For those who would like to try an ambitious project like this, I am including both my guitar part and Sister Niewinski’s piano part, (with her kind permission.) I'm sorry the piano part didn't scan well, but it is playable. It is a medley of “He Is Risen,” and “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” Both sound very good as a piano-guitar duet, and are in the key of C, an easy one for both instruments.
It’s intended to be an instrumental duet; the words are only included for reference. The music goes faster than it would if it were sung. Even with all three verses of “He Is Risen,” a complete verse of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” a four-bar introduction, several reprises, and a finale, it barely occupies three minutes of time. Feel free to lengthen the introduction and finale, add more verses, or make other changes, if you wish.
I played my Cervantes classical guitar, with high-tension D’Addario strings, and used a regular, Church microphone on a boom, playing through the chapel sound system, which was set a notch louder than usual. The piano was not amplified. The sound balance was good, but I had to place the microphone right at the sound hole, very close to the strings, which made playing around the microphone rather awkward. It would have been possible with a straight microphone stand, but really clumsy. The boom helped a lot. A guitar mic or acoustic pickup would have solved the problem perfectly, but I couldn’t find one that would interface with the Church’s sound system. If I’d had a “stand-alone” sound system, designed for a guitar, I’d have used it.
At the end of the Guitar Coda, the meter changes briefly to 2/4, so the last two counts of the measure can be dropped. We go right into the beginning of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” dropping the last syllable of “vic-tor-y.” We did this to create some musical tension, which we resolved by bringing the piano in for the “alleluyah” at the end of the line. We tried bringing the piano in at the beginning of the line, but it sounded like the pianist came in early by mistake.
There are lots of ligados-- hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. They make a nice contrast to the more staccato piano. Most of the ligados are simple, but in a few places, there are several in a row. The trickiest part is in the last line on page two, where you have three ligados, a fast bass run, then a complex riff in the last measure. The hard part is the timing. Some of the notes are eighth-notes, while others are quarter-notes. Remember to count: “ONE-and-TWO-and-THREE-and-FOUR-and” for every measure, paying attention to which notes fall on the counting numbers and which fall on the “ands”.
The piano part in the third verse is lighter and more delicate than most piano music played in church. It sounds a bit like a music box. The guitar just plays rhythm here, hence the strummed chords. Where the piano plays loud in the last line of the verse (“Death is conquer’d, man is free”), the guitar needs to be as loud as possible (ff, or fortissimo), or the piano will drown it out. The rest of the line can be a little less forte, but still moderately loud (mf, or mezzo-forte).
After the piano and guitar each take a solo on the same line, the finale is played together. We used these multiple repetitions to drive home the message that “Christ has won the victory,” which is the whole point of Easter. Even though the words were not sung, the congregation heard them in their heads, and got the point.
The two parts diverge musically in the finale, then reunite for the final chord, which both instruments sound simultaneously. Do whatever it takes to make it simultaneous. The slightest error in timing will be obvious. Hold the chord for two full measures, if possible. Unless you have an electric guitar, you will not be able to sustain the chord as long as the piano. It’s important that guitarist and pianist damp or release the chord at the exact same instant. If not, it will sound like you were competing for the longest hold. (And the piano won.)
We performed this duet as the climax of the Easter Sacrament Meeting, just before the closing prayer, and not as an instrumental “rest hymn” in the middle of the service. It was a wonderful, spiritual experience for everyone. Even those who had resisted having a guitar in Sacrament Meeting loved it. Several came up to me afterwards and admitted their prejudice. Only then did I learn that one of them had been the bishop.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
White Christmas-- a stocking stuffer
I AM dreaming of a white Christmas this year. There's not a speck of snow on the ground. In case you're also dreaming of a white Christmas, here it is: the most popular single song of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was listed as such in the very first edition of Guiness, and again each year for the last fifty years.
The Tab:
The tablature is simplicity itself. I only included the melody line, except for the final C chord. For those who are not familiar with the upper end of the fret board, I have included notations above each staff, in lightface italics, showing which finger of the left hand to use for each note. The fingers are numbered thus:
1 = index
2 = middle
3 = ring
4 - pinkie
This is standard notation for classical guitar (or lead). In general, you will be playing in "seventh position", so all the notes in the seventh fret will be fretted with the index finger, all the notes in the eighth fret will be fretted with the middle finger, etc. The only changes are near the end.
In the next-to-last line, right after the word, "write," the left hand changes to fifth position. If you like you can barre the fifth fret, but you may find it easier to play the third string normally, then just sort of smash the side of your finger down on the second string and first string, as needed. Do the same with the third finger at the eighth fret. Stay in fifth position until it's time to play the last three notes of the next-to-last measure on the open second string, then change to first position for the C chord. With a bit of practice, it will seem quite natural to you.
I hope to do a full guitar arrangement in 2012, and post it before next Christmas, so you will have time to practice. But it sounds pretty good this way, and even better on an acoustic guitar, with lots of vibrato.
Cool stuff about the song:
Irving Berlin wrote over 1500 songs in his long lifetime (he died in his sleep at 101, in the 1980s.) Legend has it that he stayed up all night writing White Christmas, then called up a friend the next day and said, "I've just written the best song I ever wrote-- maybe the best song anybody ever wrote!" If so, many famous song writers, including George Gershwin and Aaron Copeland, would agree. So would millions of fans. Recordings of White Christmas have sold over a hundred million copies, more than any other song in history, and it has reached #1 on the Hit Parade chart of best-selling records three separate times-- the only song ever to do so.
Not bad, for an American Christmas carol written by a Jewish immigrant from Russia!
The Tab:
The tablature is simplicity itself. I only included the melody line, except for the final C chord. For those who are not familiar with the upper end of the fret board, I have included notations above each staff, in lightface italics, showing which finger of the left hand to use for each note. The fingers are numbered thus:
1 = index
2 = middle
3 = ring
4 - pinkie
This is standard notation for classical guitar (or lead). In general, you will be playing in "seventh position", so all the notes in the seventh fret will be fretted with the index finger, all the notes in the eighth fret will be fretted with the middle finger, etc. The only changes are near the end.
In the next-to-last line, right after the word, "write," the left hand changes to fifth position. If you like you can barre the fifth fret, but you may find it easier to play the third string normally, then just sort of smash the side of your finger down on the second string and first string, as needed. Do the same with the third finger at the eighth fret. Stay in fifth position until it's time to play the last three notes of the next-to-last measure on the open second string, then change to first position for the C chord. With a bit of practice, it will seem quite natural to you.
I hope to do a full guitar arrangement in 2012, and post it before next Christmas, so you will have time to practice. But it sounds pretty good this way, and even better on an acoustic guitar, with lots of vibrato.
Cool stuff about the song:
Irving Berlin wrote over 1500 songs in his long lifetime (he died in his sleep at 101, in the 1980s.) Legend has it that he stayed up all night writing White Christmas, then called up a friend the next day and said, "I've just written the best song I ever wrote-- maybe the best song anybody ever wrote!" If so, many famous song writers, including George Gershwin and Aaron Copeland, would agree. So would millions of fans. Recordings of White Christmas have sold over a hundred million copies, more than any other song in history, and it has reached #1 on the Hit Parade chart of best-selling records three separate times-- the only song ever to do so.
Not bad, for an American Christmas carol written by a Jewish immigrant from Russia!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
I Saw Three Ships
Well, it's a Christmas carol, even if it's not in the hymnal, or even specifically Christian, and it has always bothered me that it would be impossible to see ANY ships from the region near Bethlehem. Oh, well! It's a pretty song to play on the guitar, and quite easy. There are no barre chords at all. Basically, it's C, G, and G7, with just one variation of each. I've tagged the variations with asterisks, as the real names of the chords take up a lot of room, and are quite unnecessary. For you purists, I've included the real names on the chord charts. If you just wanted to strum along with some carolers, you wouldn't even need to play the variations, just the three basic chords.
Good thing, too, at least in Salt Lake City where I live-- it gets DARN COLD of a winter evening, cold enough to make any but the simplest playing impossible, and I've never figured out how to play with gloves on. Enjoy! Of course, it's in the public domain.
Good thing, too, at least in Salt Lake City where I live-- it gets DARN COLD of a winter evening, cold enough to make any but the simplest playing impossible, and I've never figured out how to play with gloves on. Enjoy! Of course, it's in the public domain.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Merry Christmas!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Ding-Dong, Merrily on High (easier)
It's HARD to play this song at the proper speed. Doing so requires paying strict attention to correct fingering of both the left and right hands. What works best for me may not work best for you, so don't hesitate to change these instructions if your fingers like a different pattern better! The chords called out in the chord charts require some odd fingerings to allow for fast chord changes, so I have specified which finger to use in the charts. The number 1 = the index finger, 2 = the middle finger, etc. You may find some of these fingerings counter-intuitive, but they are the ones I have found work the best in this particular song.
Meanwhile, back at the first verse:
Strum the initial C chord with the thumb, then play the second note with the ring finger of the right hand. This leaves the stronger middle finger to initiate the pull-off series on the second string. You'll probably have to release the C chord-shape with the left hand to play that series. Play the last note, on the third string, with the right index finger.
In the second measure, play all the third string notes with the right middle finger, and the bass string with the right thumb. This sets you up to play the F chord in the third measure as a thumb strum. The next three notes, all on the second string, can be played rapidly by using a different right hand finger for each one: ring-middle-index. If you know classical guitar terminology, use alternating rest-strokes. In the final measure, use a thumb strum, and pluck the final note with the middle finger (that's a free-stroke in classical guitar).
The Chorus
The Chorus is the fastest part of the song, and thus the hardest to play. Practice each measure until you can do it without thinking about it, then go on to the next. All three Choruses are the same, except for the last line of the final Chorus.
Pluck the first note of the first measure with the right ring finger, then strum the next two notes. Release the chord shape with the left hand, and play the fourth note with the ring finger. Then pluck the next-to-last note with the right middle finger, pulling-off the last note with the left hand. All the notes are eighth-notes, and should have equal length and emphasis.
The second measure of the Chorus has a slightly different pattern. All the notes on the first string are plucked with the right middle finger, the bass note with the thumb, and all the rest with the right index finger. Releasing the chord-shape after the first two notes will make this measure much easier on your left hand. The third measure has the same pattern.
The pattern for the fourth and fifth measures is actually the same, except shifted down one string. The second string notes are all plucked with the right middle finger, bass notes with the thumb, and all others with the index finger. There are no notes on the first string.
The sixth measure is different. Keep the chord shape with the left hand throughout the measure. All second string notes are plucked with the right ring finger, all third string notes with the middle finger, all fourth string notes with the index finger, and the bass with the thumb. The same pattern holds for the final two measures of the Chorus, except for the strummed chord at the beginning of the seventh measure. I like to repeat the Chorus, but it's not required except after the last verse.
The Second Verse
This same pattern is continued into the second verse, except for the second measure, where it shifts down another string, so the chord is strummed by the thumb, then the third string is plucked by the right ring finger, the fourth by the middle finger, the fifth by the index, and the bass by the thumb. At the end of this measure, shift back to the previous pattern, and keep it up until the end of the verse. Repeat the verse, then go right into the Chorus.
The Third Verse
The Third Verse does not follow the melody-- it just sounds really neat! If you want to follow the melody, just repeat the First Verse. But if you want to play the Third Verse the way I've arranged it, here's how.
After the initial strum, release the chord-shape with the left hand. The rest of the measure consists essentially of scales, descending from treble to bass, then ascending again. If you have trouble performing two pull-offs or hammer-ons in a row, you'll have trouble with this verse, but if you can do them, it makes the verse extremely easy, as it's the same pattern, just on different strings.
The only “odd” note comes in the third measure, where you have to fret the fifth string in the fourth space with your left pinkie. If your pinkie is not up to this, you can move your hand around and hit the note in the same place with your ring finger, but it's a lot of finger-dancing for one note. I use my pinkie, and figure if it doesn't sound too good, nobody is likely to notice, as it's a “grace note.”
Repeat the verse, going immediately into the beginning of the repetition without a pause. Even though you are doing exactly the same thing, most of your audience will think you somehow have shifted the guitar down an octave, and will wonder how you did it!
Final Chorus:
The last Chorus is played exactly like all the others, except for the last two measures. You can slow down for this “finale”, but it's way more impressive if you don't. The next-to-last measure is actually easier than in the previous Choruses, to allow a bit more time for you to move your hand up the neck to the eighth fret, for the full-barre C chord.
Just strum the two bass strings quickly, so they sound more or less together, then “slow strum” the other four strings, so each one can be heard independently. (But don't slow down!) Hold the final note as long as you can. If you don't break the rhythm, and you play it as fast as it's written (or even close), your applause will be thunderous!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Ding Dong Merrily on High
Yes, it really is supposed to be played that fast! Here’s what it’s supposed to sound like, if you don’t know the song, or copy and paste this: http://www.christmas-carol-music.org/SATB/DingDongMerrily.mid into your browser, if the link doesn't work. The original was a French dance tune without words, called “le branle de l'Official”. It was first published in the late 1580s by French cleric and dance historian Jehan Tabourot, under the pen name Thoinot Arbeau, which is an anagram of his real name. No one now knows if he composed the tune, or merely collected it. I have not been able to locate any French lyrics, either ancient or even a modern translation from the English. Such a translation would have to be decidedly modern, as the English lyrics were not written until 1924!
The lyrics were written by George Ratliffe Woodward, who adapted the somewhat worldly dance tune for use as a Christmas carol. Their archaic flavor stems from the author’s delight in archaic verse and language, and references to his hobby of church-bell ringing. His deliberate archaisms include the words sungen, swungen, matins, evetime and Io, io, io, as well as his deliberate use of the Latin chorus: gloria, hosanna in excelsis. This is a quotation from the Latin Bible, and means, “Glory and praise in the highest,” the phrase which the people shouted to Jesus on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, in recognition of his Messiahship. It is often mispronounced hose Anna in excel sis. In reality, it has nothing to do with spraying Anna with water or exceeding your sister, and should be pronounced hoe sauna e’en ex shell cease (e’en though it has nothing to do with gardening in a sauna or stopping an artillery barrage!) Io, io, io is pronounced, "ee-oh, ee-oh, ee-oh," NOT "eye-oh, eye-oh, eye-oh,." At speed, it sounds rather like a piglet squealing. Oh well!
I first encountered this delightful tune in the movie, "Little Women," and was devastated to learn that Jo and the girls could not really have sung it, as the lyrics would not be written for more than sixty years! It’s still my favorite version of the song. The harmonies (also from 1924) were composed by Charles Wood. In any event, the tune is in the public domain, so there’s no problem with publishing it.
This is really not a hard song to play-- slowly. The difficulty comes when you try to play it at speed. Don’t try this until you have the song completely memorized! Even then, start at half speed or slower and work up gradually, or you’ll never get it right. This may take some time, so start working on it early. Remember, it’s much better to play it too slowly than to mess up the rhythm. If you play too slow, the audience may think you’re doing it on purpose, if they even notice. After all, this is a guitar solo; there’s no one singing or dancing! If you lose the rhythm, though, it’ll show.
The lyrics were written by George Ratliffe Woodward, who adapted the somewhat worldly dance tune for use as a Christmas carol. Their archaic flavor stems from the author’s delight in archaic verse and language, and references to his hobby of church-bell ringing. His deliberate archaisms include the words sungen, swungen, matins, evetime and Io, io, io, as well as his deliberate use of the Latin chorus: gloria, hosanna in excelsis. This is a quotation from the Latin Bible, and means, “Glory and praise in the highest,” the phrase which the people shouted to Jesus on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, in recognition of his Messiahship. It is often mispronounced hose Anna in excel sis. In reality, it has nothing to do with spraying Anna with water or exceeding your sister, and should be pronounced hoe sauna e’en ex shell cease (e’en though it has nothing to do with gardening in a sauna or stopping an artillery barrage!) Io, io, io is pronounced, "ee-oh, ee-oh, ee-oh," NOT "eye-oh, eye-oh, eye-oh,." At speed, it sounds rather like a piglet squealing. Oh well!
I first encountered this delightful tune in the movie, "Little Women," and was devastated to learn that Jo and the girls could not really have sung it, as the lyrics would not be written for more than sixty years! It’s still my favorite version of the song. The harmonies (also from 1924) were composed by Charles Wood. In any event, the tune is in the public domain, so there’s no problem with publishing it.
This is really not a hard song to play-- slowly. The difficulty comes when you try to play it at speed. Don’t try this until you have the song completely memorized! Even then, start at half speed or slower and work up gradually, or you’ll never get it right. This may take some time, so start working on it early. Remember, it’s much better to play it too slowly than to mess up the rhythm. If you play too slow, the audience may think you’re doing it on purpose, if they even notice. After all, this is a guitar solo; there’s no one singing or dancing! If you lose the rhythm, though, it’ll show.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Let Us All Press On -- 2nd Tali update
Well, she's had her second lesson. Even though she is not really up to speed on the "rank beginner" version, I've started her on a modification of the regular version. She's learning the chords and ligadoes, but I'm not insisting that she play hammer-ons from a pinch, as her little finger isn't really strong enough yet. But she picked up the hammer-ons and pull-offs right away, and is learning the chords. She'll have a much easier time playing chords when she buys her own guitar. She has extremely short fingers, not the best with my old flamenco guitar. The soft tension is great for a beginner, and the tone is not bad, but it has the widest neck of any guitar I've ever owned! I'm letting her use it, because I don't want her to go out and buy a guitar until she can play well enough to know when a guitar feels "right" for her. Today, she asked to borrow my Cervantes, to see if she likes it better--and she does, of course! Small wonder-- it cost about ten times as much!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
OOPS! My bad...
Well, it was late at night and I was tired and in a hurry, and I typed in the names of the strings wrong, on the easy version of Let Us All Press On. Reading DOWN, they're supposed to be: e B G D A E. Ack! I had them all mixed up. I've fixed it now. If you've downloaded that song, download it again, please. Sorry for the confusion. The strings are named correctly in the post, and the notes in the tab are correct. Only the string names in the tab were wrong. So sorry! If you ever catch any errors in my tabs, please let me know. And thanks to Tali for catching that.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Let Us All Press On-- for absolute beginners
“Easy” doesn’t even begin to describe this song. It’s the easiest hymn I’ve ever arranged. As I was working on this hymn, and noticing how easy it is to play, my daughter Tali called to ask if I would teach her to play the guitar. She mentioned that she is particularly interested in “eventually” learning to play the hymns. I don’t believe in coincidences.
Since Tali has never played the guitar at all, or any other stringed instrument, I decided to see just how simple I could make it. With very little effort, I was able to eliminate not only all the barre chords, but all chords entirely! There are a couple of pinches, and that’s it. So, this will be Tali’s very first song to learn on the guitar. How’s that for easy?
To make the song playable by a brand-new guitarist, I also left out all advanced techniques, such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. This does make the song sound a bit choppy, so I am including my original version, with chords and ligadoes. The melody is the same for either version. There are a few “extra” bass notes in both versions, but they are included in the original arrangement, as found in Hymns.
The original is already in the key of C, so I didn’t even have to transpose it. I left out some of the harmony notes, and recast the tempo as 8/8, to simplify counting. It almost seems like it was written for guitar on purpose. This hymn was in the public domain, so copyright was not a problem. I’m including links for both versions, but the Study guide is only for the beginner’s version. The other is easy enough for most beginners, without special instructions.
Study guide (beginner’s version)
This guide is meant to be read one measure at a time, while playing the notes on the guitar. Trying to just read through it, without playing the guitar, will likely confuse you if you are a beginner. If you are not a beginner, why are you playing this simplified version?
The song begins with a partial-measure lead-in. A hammer-on sounds really good here. Get someone to show you how to do one, if you are not an absolute beginner. The metronome setting of 100 will show you how fast to play the song, once you have it memorized. Don’t try to play it that fast initially! Start slow, then build up speed later. Each metronome tick equals two counts.
The first three notes in measure [1] take two counts each, but the last two notes take only one each. Notes that take two counts are called quarter-notes, while those that take only one count are called eighth-notes. The two eighth-notes at the end of the measure lead into measure [2], which is nearly all eighth-notes. When finger-picking successive notes on the same string, as in measure [2], it is useful to play them with alternating fingers of the right hand, for speed. If you are playing them with a pick, alternate down-strokes and up-strokes of the pick.
Measures [3] and [4] repeat this pattern of one measure of nearly all quarter-notes, followed by a measure of nearly all eighth-notes. Measures [5] and [6] repeat it again, as do [7] and [8]. Measure [6] contains a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the index finger, and the third space on the 4th string (the D string), with the ring finger. Play the pinch in measure [8] similarly, but notice that the ring finger will be fretting the third space on the 5th string (the A string).
The first measure of the chorus is a bit tricky. It begins with a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the ring finger, and the third space on the 6th string (the E string), with the middle finger. This pinch, and the next note, are quarter-notes, but the rest are eighth-notes. Those “extra” notes on the D string are not part of the melody as sung, but they are called out in the hymnal, for the instrument to play. I recommend that you count this measure out loud, until you can play it fluently.
Measure [10] is much easier, but you will have to alternate the right-hand fingers (or up-down pick strokes) as you did in measure [2]. Measure [11] contains no surprises, and [12] is all eighth-notes. Measure [13] and [14] repeat this pattern, and [15] is all eighth-notes, too. Again, the two bass notes on the 5th string (the A string) in measure [15] may seem like they don’t belong, as they are not part of the melody, but they do appear in Hymns.
The last measure is a little bit different. It begins with a pinch, and the tempo slows down, so you have to hold the pinched notes a bit longer than usual, even though they are eighth-notes. Then play the final four notes of the measure on the 4th (D) string, and hold the final quarter-note as long as you can. The last two counts of the measure are in parentheses, because you do not count them if you are going to play a second verse. Instead, substitute the first two notes of the lead-in at the beginning of the song. That’s why the notes of the lead-in are counted “7, 8” instead of “1, 2”. Only the last time around do you continue the count to the end of measure [15].
Since Tali has never played the guitar at all, or any other stringed instrument, I decided to see just how simple I could make it. With very little effort, I was able to eliminate not only all the barre chords, but all chords entirely! There are a couple of pinches, and that’s it. So, this will be Tali’s very first song to learn on the guitar. How’s that for easy?
To make the song playable by a brand-new guitarist, I also left out all advanced techniques, such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. This does make the song sound a bit choppy, so I am including my original version, with chords and ligadoes. The melody is the same for either version. There are a few “extra” bass notes in both versions, but they are included in the original arrangement, as found in Hymns.
The original is already in the key of C, so I didn’t even have to transpose it. I left out some of the harmony notes, and recast the tempo as 8/8, to simplify counting. It almost seems like it was written for guitar on purpose. This hymn was in the public domain, so copyright was not a problem. I’m including links for both versions, but the Study guide is only for the beginner’s version. The other is easy enough for most beginners, without special instructions.
Study guide (beginner’s version)
This guide is meant to be read one measure at a time, while playing the notes on the guitar. Trying to just read through it, without playing the guitar, will likely confuse you if you are a beginner. If you are not a beginner, why are you playing this simplified version?
The song begins with a partial-measure lead-in. A hammer-on sounds really good here. Get someone to show you how to do one, if you are not an absolute beginner. The metronome setting of 100 will show you how fast to play the song, once you have it memorized. Don’t try to play it that fast initially! Start slow, then build up speed later. Each metronome tick equals two counts.
The first three notes in measure [1] take two counts each, but the last two notes take only one each. Notes that take two counts are called quarter-notes, while those that take only one count are called eighth-notes. The two eighth-notes at the end of the measure lead into measure [2], which is nearly all eighth-notes. When finger-picking successive notes on the same string, as in measure [2], it is useful to play them with alternating fingers of the right hand, for speed. If you are playing them with a pick, alternate down-strokes and up-strokes of the pick.
Measures [3] and [4] repeat this pattern of one measure of nearly all quarter-notes, followed by a measure of nearly all eighth-notes. Measures [5] and [6] repeat it again, as do [7] and [8]. Measure [6] contains a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the index finger, and the third space on the 4th string (the D string), with the ring finger. Play the pinch in measure [8] similarly, but notice that the ring finger will be fretting the third space on the 5th string (the A string).
The first measure of the chorus is a bit tricky. It begins with a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the ring finger, and the third space on the 6th string (the E string), with the middle finger. This pinch, and the next note, are quarter-notes, but the rest are eighth-notes. Those “extra” notes on the D string are not part of the melody as sung, but they are called out in the hymnal, for the instrument to play. I recommend that you count this measure out loud, until you can play it fluently.
Measure [10] is much easier, but you will have to alternate the right-hand fingers (or up-down pick strokes) as you did in measure [2]. Measure [11] contains no surprises, and [12] is all eighth-notes. Measure [13] and [14] repeat this pattern, and [15] is all eighth-notes, too. Again, the two bass notes on the 5th string (the A string) in measure [15] may seem like they don’t belong, as they are not part of the melody, but they do appear in Hymns.
The last measure is a little bit different. It begins with a pinch, and the tempo slows down, so you have to hold the pinched notes a bit longer than usual, even though they are eighth-notes. Then play the final four notes of the measure on the 4th (D) string, and hold the final quarter-note as long as you can. The last two counts of the measure are in parentheses, because you do not count them if you are going to play a second verse. Instead, substitute the first two notes of the lead-in at the beginning of the song. That’s why the notes of the lead-in are counted “7, 8” instead of “1, 2”. Only the last time around do you continue the count to the end of measure [15].
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