As promised, here is the tab. You’ll notice right away that it doesn’t resemble “Come Ye Disconsolate” nearly as much as you may have thought it would, even though both have been transposed into the key of C for easier playing.
That does not mean it is easy to play. You really do need to play the FV chord to make the melody come out right. Substituting the more common FI chord just will not work, as the melody goes up very high, and the FI chord is very low-pitched. There are no easy verses. This is NOT a good song to learn barre chords. If you are not rather comfortable playing them, practice on other songs, until you are comfortable with them.
The Em in the next-to-last measure of the first verse has to be played with the index and middle fingers, as shown in the chord chart, even if you usually play it with the middle and ring finger, or you will never get a clean pull-off on the 4th string. In fact, I can only get it right by doing a “push-off” with the middle finger, pushing it toward me, rather than pulling it away from me, as is the usual practice.
In the last line of the first verse, there are two places where you have to hold a note with tremolo, then slide it to the next note without re-picking it. Your ear will tell you how long to hold the first note before beginning the slide. If you hold it too long, the second note will be too soft, unless you are playing an electric guitar. This actually is not a bad idea. Try for a sound that rings clear and sweet, similar to the one the Beatles used in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The audience will be weeping too.
You may also find the finale a bit difficult, especially the second time around. There are no special techniques here. You are playing high up on the fretboard, where the frets are close together. It makes it easier to stretch to the 12th fret, but there’s not much room for error in those tiny spaces. Good luck!
Showing posts with label advanced. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advanced. Show all posts
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
General
I have recast the tempo of this song from 3/4 to 6/8, to make the counting easier. However, this is not to say that it makes the counting easy. The tempo of the original, as written in Hymns, changes a lot and includes triplets in odd places. One of the oddest occurs in measures [7] and [9], where there is a triplet, whose first note is a rest, which is counted as one of the triplet notes, but is not played. If you are familiar with the song, just play it as it normally sounds. If not, you’ll have to count it carefully, until you are familiar with it. Count these “phantom” triplet notes as [blank]-two-three, with the last two notes equally stressed. I have indicated this in the tab by substituting a lower case r (for “rest”) for the unplayed note.
Every line of the song begins and ends with a partial measure, so the first measure only has two counts in it, the last two counts of the partial measure at the end of the last line. I always find this a bit confusing, and usually try to avoid split measures, but could not do so this time without making things worse. Just play it as though the final measure of each line and the first measure of the next line were a single measure. Which, in fact, they are.
This song actually has two verses, when sung. I left out the second verse, to fit the song on a single page, and because this is supposed to be an instrumental solo. If you intend to accompany a singer, just play it through twice. You can even play an extra verse of the tab unaccompanied, as a bridge between the two verses. Enjoy!
Barre chords
More than half the chords in this song are barre chords. If you are already familiar with barre chords, this is a good thing, as they are nearly all just a barred e-shape, or are based on it. If you aren’t completely comfortable with barre chords, this is not the best song for learning them. These barre chords aren’t particularly difficult, but you have to hold them for a relatively long time, while subtly altering them to pick up the melody notes, or even to change chords. You will find this very tiring if you are not used to holding barre chords. That’s why I recommend this song for advanced, or at least for intermediate guitarists.
If you are advanced enough to be playing this arrangement, the first two lines should give you no trouble at all. Just play the tab as written, and the melody will be brought out within the chords as tabbed. In measure [2], you don’t actually have to fret the full barred F chord. A simple, four-string F will do. I left out the chord chart for the four-string F, for simplicity’s sake.
The measures in the last two lines are another story. Remember to strum all chords in the last two lines. I left out the strum markings for clarity. There would be so many of them that they would be more confusing than helpful. Nearly all these chords are played with the barre at the VIII fret (eighth fret). In measures [12] and [17], this requires you to stretch your pinkie up to the twelfth fret. To play the full CVIII chord while doing this, you will have to barre the 4th and 5th strings with the ring finger. Be sure not to buzz on the 3rd string while doing this. If your ring finger will not bend backwards enough to clear the 3rd string, try damping that string, or you can just play the first three strings. It won’t sound as nice as a full barre chord, but the audience won’t notice.
Chord changes
You will have to barre a couple of strings with the pinkie, while holding the main barre with the index finger, when converting the CVIII to an F6, in measures [12] and [17]. Fret them with the edge of the pinkie. You don’t have to press very hard. You can fret the strings, then lift the pinkie without disturbing the rest of the left hand, which holds the CVIII chord throughout the phrase. Play the melody notes in the 10th fret the same way.
There is not much of a change from the GIII in [14] to the G7III in [15]. Your pinkie will already be in the 5th fret. Just move it to the 6th fret, and you’ve made the change, with no need to disturb the other fingers. Why make things more difficult than they need to be?
The only really difficult chord change comes in measure [19], where you must transition from CVIII to GIII. This requires a fast and accurate change from the 8th fret to the 3rd. Remember to lift your fingers completely off the strings, or you’ll get an ugly string squeal. A fast and accurate change of five frets like this can be difficult to do, but it sets your hand up for the quick transition to the final C/G. To make it easier, I’ve tabbed it with a E on the open 1st string, instead of a full chord. You can play this note with your right hand alone, while moving your left hand from the 8th fret to the 3rd, giving you an extra beat to make the transition. Pros can do a five fret change like this in the blink of an eye without looking, but I try to give myself as much time as possible, and I always look. Hitting the wrong fret, just at the climax of a song, is a great way to spoil an otherwise perfect performance.
History
Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a prolific writer of hymns and poems. In his lifetime, he wrote thousands. This one is considered by many to be his best. It has been published in 2629 hymnals! There is an interesting story about its composition:
According to Mrs. Mary Hoover of Bellefonte, PA, her grandmother was involved in the creation of this hymn. Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of Parish Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when his doctrines angered some local men, who attacked him. He sought refuge at a nearby farm, where the farmer’s wife, Jane Lowrie Moore, hid him in the milk house. When a mob arrived in pursuit, she went to the milk house on the pretext of offering them some refreshment, and told Wesley to go out the rear window and hide instead under the hedge, near a little brook. There, he composed the words to this hymn, with the cries of his pursuers all around him.
Mrs. Moore’s descendants still live there, and it is said the house has not changed much since Wesley’s time, according to the Cyber Hymnal website. The hymn has changed since then, however. Originally it had five verses, of which the LDS hymnal includes only the first two: (extra spaces added in the middle of each line to emphasize the internal rhymes).
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.
Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall — Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.
Over the years, several musical scores have been written to accompany this hymn. Perhaps the most popular, though not the one used in Hymns, has been a melody and arrangement by Joseph Parry composed in 1879. The melody used in the LDS hymnal is titled “Refuge”, and was composed by Joseph P. Holbrook (1822-1888). I have been unable to locate any verifiable information about him.
I have recast the tempo of this song from 3/4 to 6/8, to make the counting easier. However, this is not to say that it makes the counting easy. The tempo of the original, as written in Hymns, changes a lot and includes triplets in odd places. One of the oddest occurs in measures [7] and [9], where there is a triplet, whose first note is a rest, which is counted as one of the triplet notes, but is not played. If you are familiar with the song, just play it as it normally sounds. If not, you’ll have to count it carefully, until you are familiar with it. Count these “phantom” triplet notes as [blank]-two-three, with the last two notes equally stressed. I have indicated this in the tab by substituting a lower case r (for “rest”) for the unplayed note.
Every line of the song begins and ends with a partial measure, so the first measure only has two counts in it, the last two counts of the partial measure at the end of the last line. I always find this a bit confusing, and usually try to avoid split measures, but could not do so this time without making things worse. Just play it as though the final measure of each line and the first measure of the next line were a single measure. Which, in fact, they are.
This song actually has two verses, when sung. I left out the second verse, to fit the song on a single page, and because this is supposed to be an instrumental solo. If you intend to accompany a singer, just play it through twice. You can even play an extra verse of the tab unaccompanied, as a bridge between the two verses. Enjoy!
Barre chords
More than half the chords in this song are barre chords. If you are already familiar with barre chords, this is a good thing, as they are nearly all just a barred e-shape, or are based on it. If you aren’t completely comfortable with barre chords, this is not the best song for learning them. These barre chords aren’t particularly difficult, but you have to hold them for a relatively long time, while subtly altering them to pick up the melody notes, or even to change chords. You will find this very tiring if you are not used to holding barre chords. That’s why I recommend this song for advanced, or at least for intermediate guitarists.
If you are advanced enough to be playing this arrangement, the first two lines should give you no trouble at all. Just play the tab as written, and the melody will be brought out within the chords as tabbed. In measure [2], you don’t actually have to fret the full barred F chord. A simple, four-string F will do. I left out the chord chart for the four-string F, for simplicity’s sake.
The measures in the last two lines are another story. Remember to strum all chords in the last two lines. I left out the strum markings for clarity. There would be so many of them that they would be more confusing than helpful. Nearly all these chords are played with the barre at the VIII fret (eighth fret). In measures [12] and [17], this requires you to stretch your pinkie up to the twelfth fret. To play the full CVIII chord while doing this, you will have to barre the 4th and 5th strings with the ring finger. Be sure not to buzz on the 3rd string while doing this. If your ring finger will not bend backwards enough to clear the 3rd string, try damping that string, or you can just play the first three strings. It won’t sound as nice as a full barre chord, but the audience won’t notice.
Chord changes
You will have to barre a couple of strings with the pinkie, while holding the main barre with the index finger, when converting the CVIII to an F6, in measures [12] and [17]. Fret them with the edge of the pinkie. You don’t have to press very hard. You can fret the strings, then lift the pinkie without disturbing the rest of the left hand, which holds the CVIII chord throughout the phrase. Play the melody notes in the 10th fret the same way.
There is not much of a change from the GIII in [14] to the G7III in [15]. Your pinkie will already be in the 5th fret. Just move it to the 6th fret, and you’ve made the change, with no need to disturb the other fingers. Why make things more difficult than they need to be?
The only really difficult chord change comes in measure [19], where you must transition from CVIII to GIII. This requires a fast and accurate change from the 8th fret to the 3rd. Remember to lift your fingers completely off the strings, or you’ll get an ugly string squeal. A fast and accurate change of five frets like this can be difficult to do, but it sets your hand up for the quick transition to the final C/G. To make it easier, I’ve tabbed it with a E on the open 1st string, instead of a full chord. You can play this note with your right hand alone, while moving your left hand from the 8th fret to the 3rd, giving you an extra beat to make the transition. Pros can do a five fret change like this in the blink of an eye without looking, but I try to give myself as much time as possible, and I always look. Hitting the wrong fret, just at the climax of a song, is a great way to spoil an otherwise perfect performance.
History
Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a prolific writer of hymns and poems. In his lifetime, he wrote thousands. This one is considered by many to be his best. It has been published in 2629 hymnals! There is an interesting story about its composition:
According to Mrs. Mary Hoover of Bellefonte, PA, her grandmother was involved in the creation of this hymn. Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of Parish Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when his doctrines angered some local men, who attacked him. He sought refuge at a nearby farm, where the farmer’s wife, Jane Lowrie Moore, hid him in the milk house. When a mob arrived in pursuit, she went to the milk house on the pretext of offering them some refreshment, and told Wesley to go out the rear window and hide instead under the hedge, near a little brook. There, he composed the words to this hymn, with the cries of his pursuers all around him.
Mrs. Moore’s descendants still live there, and it is said the house has not changed much since Wesley’s time, according to the Cyber Hymnal website. The hymn has changed since then, however. Originally it had five verses, of which the LDS hymnal includes only the first two: (extra spaces added in the middle of each line to emphasize the internal rhymes).
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.
Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall — Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.
Over the years, several musical scores have been written to accompany this hymn. Perhaps the most popular, though not the one used in Hymns, has been a melody and arrangement by Joseph Parry composed in 1879. The melody used in the LDS hymnal is titled “Refuge”, and was composed by Joseph P. Holbrook (1822-1888). I have been unable to locate any verifiable information about him.
Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
Finally, after weeks of arranging, I’ve got this song right. I wanted to get it posted well before Christmas, but it just needed more work. Merry Christmas, anyway.
Don’t feel bad if you have trouble with the semi-pattern picking. Most (but not all) of the melody notes are fretted with the little finger of the left hand. Like most fingerstyle guitar, the LEFT index finger frets in the first space, the middle in the second space, and the ring finger in the third space. Hence, the little finger is left free for fretting other notes, but sometimes this is not handy, and you have to release the chord, so you can use one of the other fingers for melody notes, hammer-ons, or slides.
I have not included all the chords that would be needed to strum the song as an accompaniment to singers. The chords called out in the tablature are only for finger position. Quite often, the following chord is only represented by a single melody note, or can easily be “faked” without changing the basic position of the chord being held. In these cases, I have left out the chord symbol. If you want to know all the chords used in this song, I recommend doing an Internet search for oh come all ye faithful/chords. The chords shown in the chord chart at the end of the tab really only show the chord shapes used in this arrangement.
There are three verses to this song, and they are all different, with two key changes. I’ll be playing it, as written, for my ward’s Christmas party this week. But you need not learn all three verses. If you can find one of the three that you like, you can simply repeat that one twice. The first verse is almost all chords, and would go well as an accompaniment to singers, though the key of C is a bit low for most vocalists. Verse two is in D, and may be easier for a singer, but the verse is tabbed for fingerstyle guitar. Verse Three is in C again, AND is mostly fingerstyle.
The chords in the first two lines are all strummed, and the other notes can be played easily with the thumb, giving this verse a distinctive, soft sound. It’s also really easy to play that way. The third line and the chorus contain a lot of pattern picks that are better done as finger-picking, (using “free strokes” for you classical guitarists). I like to play this section and the second verse near the bridge, for a twangy, “classical” sound. It wouldn’t hurt to use your fingernails, if you’ve got ’em.
To make finger-picking easier, remember to use your right ring finger to pluck the notes on the #1 string (high e). Use your RIGHT middle finger to pluck notes on the #2 (B) string, and the RIGHT index finger for notes on the #3 (G) string. The RIGHT thumb plucks the bass strings. In the last measure before the Chorus, you’ll have to strum the two bass strings to play them both with the thumb.
The first measure of the chorus introduces a riff that sounds like it is repeated throughout the song. Though there are many similar measures throughout the song, there are no actual repetitions. Fortunately, they are not at all hard to do, and they all sound great.
In the second line of the chorus, watch out for the glissando (slide) on the third (G) string. Use the LEFT middle finger to make the slide. Timing is critical, and to sound good, you must hit the tenth fret exactly, without overshooting or undershooting. Hold that note (F) with a bit of vibrato if necessary.
In the second and third lines of the second verse, pay special attention to the tab. The notes aren’t always what you would expect. Sometimes they change slightly, for example from a D to a C# and back, in order to conform to the melody, even though the chord names do not change. If something sounds wrong to you, you may be missing a slight change in the notes shown in the tab.
There’s another glissando in the second line of the second chorus. Again, accuracy is super important. Hold the final G of the slide with vibrato if needed.
The third verse contains chords designed to add a “full” sound to the music: six-string chords such as the barre chords GIII and FI and the non-barre chord C/G. If you’ve come this far, please don’t skip them. They are there to prepare the audience for the finale, and paradoxically, they may also make the music easier to play on the guitar. Remember, chords with the strum marking are to be strummed. All others are to be pinched.
Slow almost to half-speed for the final line. The glissando in the second measure is exactly like the one in the first verse. Hold the final C/G chord as long as you can, preferably for the full eight counts. This is hard to do if you are playing an acoustic guitar, but do your best. It’ll sound wonderful, a real crowd pleaser.
About the song:
This song was originally written in Latin, under the title Adeste Fideles, which could be translated as, “Approach, faithful ones.” The author and composer are uncertain, but the earliest extant copies from the 1700s were all signed by John Francis Wade, an English Catholic hymnist, and it is most commonly attributed to him.
Latin puns and other internal evidence in the lyrics have led many to conclude that the hymn was originally composed in celebration of the birth of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobite pretender to the crown of England, known to history as Bonny Prince Charlie. His cause was defeated when the Jacobite rising of 1745 was crushed, but the song lives on. It is a perennial favorite in most Catholic countries and virtually all English speaking ones. (See the Wikipedia articles Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade, and Bonny Prince Charlie for more details.)
Don’t feel bad if you have trouble with the semi-pattern picking. Most (but not all) of the melody notes are fretted with the little finger of the left hand. Like most fingerstyle guitar, the LEFT index finger frets in the first space, the middle in the second space, and the ring finger in the third space. Hence, the little finger is left free for fretting other notes, but sometimes this is not handy, and you have to release the chord, so you can use one of the other fingers for melody notes, hammer-ons, or slides.
I have not included all the chords that would be needed to strum the song as an accompaniment to singers. The chords called out in the tablature are only for finger position. Quite often, the following chord is only represented by a single melody note, or can easily be “faked” without changing the basic position of the chord being held. In these cases, I have left out the chord symbol. If you want to know all the chords used in this song, I recommend doing an Internet search for oh come all ye faithful/chords. The chords shown in the chord chart at the end of the tab really only show the chord shapes used in this arrangement.
There are three verses to this song, and they are all different, with two key changes. I’ll be playing it, as written, for my ward’s Christmas party this week. But you need not learn all three verses. If you can find one of the three that you like, you can simply repeat that one twice. The first verse is almost all chords, and would go well as an accompaniment to singers, though the key of C is a bit low for most vocalists. Verse two is in D, and may be easier for a singer, but the verse is tabbed for fingerstyle guitar. Verse Three is in C again, AND is mostly fingerstyle.
The chords in the first two lines are all strummed, and the other notes can be played easily with the thumb, giving this verse a distinctive, soft sound. It’s also really easy to play that way. The third line and the chorus contain a lot of pattern picks that are better done as finger-picking, (using “free strokes” for you classical guitarists). I like to play this section and the second verse near the bridge, for a twangy, “classical” sound. It wouldn’t hurt to use your fingernails, if you’ve got ’em.
To make finger-picking easier, remember to use your right ring finger to pluck the notes on the #1 string (high e). Use your RIGHT middle finger to pluck notes on the #2 (B) string, and the RIGHT index finger for notes on the #3 (G) string. The RIGHT thumb plucks the bass strings. In the last measure before the Chorus, you’ll have to strum the two bass strings to play them both with the thumb.
The first measure of the chorus introduces a riff that sounds like it is repeated throughout the song. Though there are many similar measures throughout the song, there are no actual repetitions. Fortunately, they are not at all hard to do, and they all sound great.
In the second line of the chorus, watch out for the glissando (slide) on the third (G) string. Use the LEFT middle finger to make the slide. Timing is critical, and to sound good, you must hit the tenth fret exactly, without overshooting or undershooting. Hold that note (F) with a bit of vibrato if necessary.
In the second and third lines of the second verse, pay special attention to the tab. The notes aren’t always what you would expect. Sometimes they change slightly, for example from a D to a C# and back, in order to conform to the melody, even though the chord names do not change. If something sounds wrong to you, you may be missing a slight change in the notes shown in the tab.
There’s another glissando in the second line of the second chorus. Again, accuracy is super important. Hold the final G of the slide with vibrato if needed.
The third verse contains chords designed to add a “full” sound to the music: six-string chords such as the barre chords GIII and FI and the non-barre chord C/G. If you’ve come this far, please don’t skip them. They are there to prepare the audience for the finale, and paradoxically, they may also make the music easier to play on the guitar. Remember, chords with the strum marking are to be strummed. All others are to be pinched.
Slow almost to half-speed for the final line. The glissando in the second measure is exactly like the one in the first verse. Hold the final C/G chord as long as you can, preferably for the full eight counts. This is hard to do if you are playing an acoustic guitar, but do your best. It’ll sound wonderful, a real crowd pleaser.
About the song:
This song was originally written in Latin, under the title Adeste Fideles, which could be translated as, “Approach, faithful ones.” The author and composer are uncertain, but the earliest extant copies from the 1700s were all signed by John Francis Wade, an English Catholic hymnist, and it is most commonly attributed to him.
Latin puns and other internal evidence in the lyrics have led many to conclude that the hymn was originally composed in celebration of the birth of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobite pretender to the crown of England, known to history as Bonny Prince Charlie. His cause was defeated when the Jacobite rising of 1745 was crushed, but the song lives on. It is a perennial favorite in most Catholic countries and virtually all English speaking ones. (See the Wikipedia articles Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade, and Bonny Prince Charlie for more details.)
Souviens-toi
Souviens-toi
A Hungarian young woman named Nami Tóth requested this song. It’s from the French language version of the LDS hymnal, called “Cantiques”, which is French for “Hymns”. The music is based on the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak, which in turn was based on an American Negro spiritual called, “Steal Away to Jesus.” Some musicologists believe this to be one of the “code songs” used by the slaves to pass on the information that a “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” was in the area, and an escape was planned. I’m a sucker for the message of liberation, for the French language, and for requests from Saints in places where I’ve never been, especially if they are young people, and especially if I find the music unusual or interesting. How could I resist? Nami, this one’s for you!
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT an easy song to play. When I first transposed it, there were more chords in it than in any other hymn I’ve ever tabbed. There were more hard chords in it. There were more strange chords in it. I had to invent a couple of chord names. One was so long, I had to truncate it. Two chords were simply impossible to play for anyone with normal hands. I simplified one to make it playable, and left the other one out, replacing it with a single melody note. Other chords needed to have their notes rearranged. I maintained the melody notes as the treble note of each chord (the usual practice), rearranging the order of the other notes to make playable chords. It was still impossible, so I bit my lip, apologized to Dvorak, and re-wrote the whole song.
The result sounds very close to the original, but it contains thirteen fewer chords. At the cost of some very subtle (and very beautiful) harmonies, it is now merely difficult to play on the guitar, instead of impossible. If you are a regular on this blog, you will find nearly all the chords familiar.
Strum all the chords with the thumb or with a relatively soft pick. If thumb strumming, pluck the individual melody notes with the middle or ring finger. I find using the ring finger allows me to play with a rocking motion of the wrist.
In the third measure of the first line, you can leave the left ring finger on the second string, 5th space, which converts the GIII chord into a G6, for a nice, subtle harmony. I did not call for this in the tab, because I used it later in the fifth line, which is otherwise very similar.
The second line starts the same as the first, but don’t omit the G13→ Bdim→ Am chord progression. It’s beautiful. Your audience will love it, and it’s not hard. G13 may be unfamiliar to you, but it’s only a three finger chord. Bdim is even easier, being exactly the same as G13, except that you lift up the left ring finger. It can be a bit of a trick to get from there to Am quickly. I don’t know any special tricks for this. You just have to practice until you can do it fast. Be sure to play only the strings shown in the tablature, to bring out the melody notes. The chord charts show the standard fingering for the chords, but not all notes shown in the charts are used in the tablature every time.
The third and fourth lines are virtually identical, and contain only one chord. You may find it hard to hold the barred FI chord that long. Not to worry. There are a couple of spots in each line where you have to lift your fingers off the strings, to play the open notes on the 2nd and 3rd strings. It’s a good idea to lift off only the index and middle fingers, leaving the other two fingers in place, to facilitate your return to the full FI chord moments later.
The fifth line is very similar to the first line, except for the G6 chord in measure two, and the G7III chord in measure four. Be sure to add in the F note on the 2nd string, 6th space at just the right moment. You could hammer it on if you want to. Audiences love it.
The GaddD chord in the first measure of the last line is not nearly as strange or difficult as it may appear from the name. Just barre the first two strings in the third space, and play the next two strings open. You don’t even have to move your hand out of the C position. Just barre the strings with the little finger and lift the rest of the fingers off the strings. As soon as the strings quit ringing, immediately move the left hand up the neck to the 8th fret.
The next measures are the only really difficult ones. They are going to require some practice, especially if you are not used to playing barre chords at the 8th fret. ALL the chords in the rest of the song are played with the barre at the 8th fret. There’s just no other way to do it that is any easier.
Play the CVIII. As you can see in the chord charts, this is just an E-shape chord barred at the 8th fret. All the following chords are based on this chord shape, and are played without moving the barre, so it’s important that you get comfortable playing CVIII. Your finger’s going to be there, without moving, for the next three measures.
You could play G11 by barring the first five strings at the 10th fret. If you are playing a steel-string guitar, or have a cut-away body, go right ahead and do it that way. If, like me, you have a classical guitar with the 12th fret at the body, you probably won’t be able to fit your hand into the narrow space between the 10th and 12th frets. My solution is to keep the barred E-shape at the 8th fret, but flatten the left hand against the neck, in effect fretting all of the first five strings at the 10th fret, as shown in the chord chart.
The next chord is actually a plain CVIII chord, with the high C added at the 12th fret. Hence, its name, CaddE. By returning to the CVIII , and playing only the first four strings, you should be able to stretch your hand far enough to hit the 12th space with your little finger. If your fingers are short and stubby like mine, you may need to cover the note on the 4th string with your ring finger, which would normally be covering the 5th string, if you were playing more than four strings. You may notice that this chord looks a lot like a normal F chord, only barred at the 8th fret. You are right, and you can play it that way if you wish. I find it easier to barre the first two strings with the first joint of the index finger, as I would do if barring all six strings. This allows me to stretch my little finger farther. I suggest you try it both ways, then do it the way that’s easiest for you. It’s probably going to be difficult no matter how you try. No pain, no gain!
Hold the final CVIII chord as long as you can. Check the position of your fingertips, to ensure each is as close to the “sweet spot” between the frets as possible. If your fretting technique is good, you should be able to hold the chord at least for a count of 3. If the chord won’t sustain, recheck your fretting technique. Best way to do this is by looking in a mirror. That way, you can see what your fingers are doing, without having to bend your wrist and mess up your finger position.
The lyrics to this song were written by a Church-sponsored committee, and the copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Used by permission. You may download it, copy it for your own or church use, and perform it, as long as you don’t distribute it or charge money for performing.
A Hungarian young woman named Nami Tóth requested this song. It’s from the French language version of the LDS hymnal, called “Cantiques”, which is French for “Hymns”. The music is based on the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak, which in turn was based on an American Negro spiritual called, “Steal Away to Jesus.” Some musicologists believe this to be one of the “code songs” used by the slaves to pass on the information that a “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” was in the area, and an escape was planned. I’m a sucker for the message of liberation, for the French language, and for requests from Saints in places where I’ve never been, especially if they are young people, and especially if I find the music unusual or interesting. How could I resist? Nami, this one’s for you!
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT an easy song to play. When I first transposed it, there were more chords in it than in any other hymn I’ve ever tabbed. There were more hard chords in it. There were more strange chords in it. I had to invent a couple of chord names. One was so long, I had to truncate it. Two chords were simply impossible to play for anyone with normal hands. I simplified one to make it playable, and left the other one out, replacing it with a single melody note. Other chords needed to have their notes rearranged. I maintained the melody notes as the treble note of each chord (the usual practice), rearranging the order of the other notes to make playable chords. It was still impossible, so I bit my lip, apologized to Dvorak, and re-wrote the whole song.
The result sounds very close to the original, but it contains thirteen fewer chords. At the cost of some very subtle (and very beautiful) harmonies, it is now merely difficult to play on the guitar, instead of impossible. If you are a regular on this blog, you will find nearly all the chords familiar.
Strum all the chords with the thumb or with a relatively soft pick. If thumb strumming, pluck the individual melody notes with the middle or ring finger. I find using the ring finger allows me to play with a rocking motion of the wrist.
In the third measure of the first line, you can leave the left ring finger on the second string, 5th space, which converts the GIII chord into a G6, for a nice, subtle harmony. I did not call for this in the tab, because I used it later in the fifth line, which is otherwise very similar.
The second line starts the same as the first, but don’t omit the G13→ Bdim→ Am chord progression. It’s beautiful. Your audience will love it, and it’s not hard. G13 may be unfamiliar to you, but it’s only a three finger chord. Bdim is even easier, being exactly the same as G13, except that you lift up the left ring finger. It can be a bit of a trick to get from there to Am quickly. I don’t know any special tricks for this. You just have to practice until you can do it fast. Be sure to play only the strings shown in the tablature, to bring out the melody notes. The chord charts show the standard fingering for the chords, but not all notes shown in the charts are used in the tablature every time.
The third and fourth lines are virtually identical, and contain only one chord. You may find it hard to hold the barred FI chord that long. Not to worry. There are a couple of spots in each line where you have to lift your fingers off the strings, to play the open notes on the 2nd and 3rd strings. It’s a good idea to lift off only the index and middle fingers, leaving the other two fingers in place, to facilitate your return to the full FI chord moments later.
The fifth line is very similar to the first line, except for the G6 chord in measure two, and the G7III chord in measure four. Be sure to add in the F note on the 2nd string, 6th space at just the right moment. You could hammer it on if you want to. Audiences love it.
The GaddD chord in the first measure of the last line is not nearly as strange or difficult as it may appear from the name. Just barre the first two strings in the third space, and play the next two strings open. You don’t even have to move your hand out of the C position. Just barre the strings with the little finger and lift the rest of the fingers off the strings. As soon as the strings quit ringing, immediately move the left hand up the neck to the 8th fret.
The next measures are the only really difficult ones. They are going to require some practice, especially if you are not used to playing barre chords at the 8th fret. ALL the chords in the rest of the song are played with the barre at the 8th fret. There’s just no other way to do it that is any easier.
Play the CVIII. As you can see in the chord charts, this is just an E-shape chord barred at the 8th fret. All the following chords are based on this chord shape, and are played without moving the barre, so it’s important that you get comfortable playing CVIII. Your finger’s going to be there, without moving, for the next three measures.
You could play G11 by barring the first five strings at the 10th fret. If you are playing a steel-string guitar, or have a cut-away body, go right ahead and do it that way. If, like me, you have a classical guitar with the 12th fret at the body, you probably won’t be able to fit your hand into the narrow space between the 10th and 12th frets. My solution is to keep the barred E-shape at the 8th fret, but flatten the left hand against the neck, in effect fretting all of the first five strings at the 10th fret, as shown in the chord chart.
The next chord is actually a plain CVIII chord, with the high C added at the 12th fret. Hence, its name, CaddE. By returning to the CVIII , and playing only the first four strings, you should be able to stretch your hand far enough to hit the 12th space with your little finger. If your fingers are short and stubby like mine, you may need to cover the note on the 4th string with your ring finger, which would normally be covering the 5th string, if you were playing more than four strings. You may notice that this chord looks a lot like a normal F chord, only barred at the 8th fret. You are right, and you can play it that way if you wish. I find it easier to barre the first two strings with the first joint of the index finger, as I would do if barring all six strings. This allows me to stretch my little finger farther. I suggest you try it both ways, then do it the way that’s easiest for you. It’s probably going to be difficult no matter how you try. No pain, no gain!
Hold the final CVIII chord as long as you can. Check the position of your fingertips, to ensure each is as close to the “sweet spot” between the frets as possible. If your fretting technique is good, you should be able to hold the chord at least for a count of 3. If the chord won’t sustain, recheck your fretting technique. Best way to do this is by looking in a mirror. That way, you can see what your fingers are doing, without having to bend your wrist and mess up your finger position.
The lyrics to this song were written by a Church-sponsored committee, and the copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Used by permission. You may download it, copy it for your own or church use, and perform it, as long as you don’t distribute it or charge money for performing.
Choukoun (also called Choucoune)
Complete instructions, chords, complete lyrics, pronouncing guide & translation, plus poetic analysis by me are included with the tab. There's also instructions on how to do the Calypso strum, and a discussion of the political and literary significance of this masterpiece, little known outside of Haiti.
The lyrics alone are nearly impossible to find on the Internet, let alone a reasonable tab. I'm hoping to soon put up a video; until then, this will have to do. It's one of my two or three favorite songs. But it's so well-known in Haiti that no one performs it in it's "pure" version any more. All that can be found on the Internet are "jazzed-up" versions that don't show what the original song was like.
The closest to the original version I have found was performed by Nancy Ames in the 1960s, and released on her album This Is the Girl That Is, under the title "Choucoune". Musically, it's perfect, and her kreyòl isn't bad, but the lyrics aren't right-- she leaves out some of the verses, as do all modern Haitian recordings. That's not surprising. How often do you hear all the verses of The Star-Spangled Banner? Out of respect for a work of true genius, I have included ALL the words.
The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Haitian poet Durand Oswald* in 1883, inspired by actual events in his life. "Choukoun" was a real woman, though we do not know her true name. The word, "choukoun" means "like a cukoo," a bird which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, and therefore symbolizes both infidelity and interracial sex. Ten years later, in 1893, the poem was set to music by Haitian pianist/composer Mauleart Monton Michel*, and became an instant hit. In the 1930s, with the popularity of folk music in the United States, it became the basis for several popular tunes, including "Yellow Bird" and "Don't Ever Love Me."
linguistic notes:
1. NAMES: Traditionally, Haitians give their family name first, and given name last. Thus, the poet would be called Oswald Duran in most Western cultures, and the composer, Michel Mauleart-Monton. Knowing this, educated Haitians habitually give their given name first when speaking to foreigners. Unfortunately, many Haitian family names sound like given names to English-speakers, and vice-versa. If the foreigners are sophisticated and know about Haitian name order, this can cause even more confusion. To avoid such confusion, I give Haitian names in Haitian order, and add an asterix (*) after the name to show it is family-name-first.
2. CAPITALIZATION: You will notice that I fail to capitalize many words in kreyòl, such as the names of countries, languages, etc. These are not errors. In kreyòl, only the names of people are capitalized, and sometimes, the first word of a sentence. Many kreyòl-speakers, even highly educated ones who speak, read, and write English, French, and Spanish, never capitalize anything in kreyòl. To make life easier for the majority of my readers, I have capitalized the beginning of sentences and the first word in each line of the lyrics, as well as the kreyòl word for French-- "Franse"-- even though they would not normally be capitalized in kreyòl. For my kreyòl-speaking friends, I beg your forgiveness. My purpose is not to teach the language, which I am not qualified to do, but just to give my English-speaking readers a "taste" of the masterpiece that this song is.
The lyrics alone are nearly impossible to find on the Internet, let alone a reasonable tab. I'm hoping to soon put up a video; until then, this will have to do. It's one of my two or three favorite songs. But it's so well-known in Haiti that no one performs it in it's "pure" version any more. All that can be found on the Internet are "jazzed-up" versions that don't show what the original song was like.
The closest to the original version I have found was performed by Nancy Ames in the 1960s, and released on her album This Is the Girl That Is, under the title "Choucoune". Musically, it's perfect, and her kreyòl isn't bad, but the lyrics aren't right-- she leaves out some of the verses, as do all modern Haitian recordings. That's not surprising. How often do you hear all the verses of The Star-Spangled Banner? Out of respect for a work of true genius, I have included ALL the words.
The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Haitian poet Durand Oswald* in 1883, inspired by actual events in his life. "Choukoun" was a real woman, though we do not know her true name. The word, "choukoun" means "like a cukoo," a bird which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, and therefore symbolizes both infidelity and interracial sex. Ten years later, in 1893, the poem was set to music by Haitian pianist/composer Mauleart Monton Michel*, and became an instant hit. In the 1930s, with the popularity of folk music in the United States, it became the basis for several popular tunes, including "Yellow Bird" and "Don't Ever Love Me."
linguistic notes:
1. NAMES: Traditionally, Haitians give their family name first, and given name last. Thus, the poet would be called Oswald Duran in most Western cultures, and the composer, Michel Mauleart-Monton. Knowing this, educated Haitians habitually give their given name first when speaking to foreigners. Unfortunately, many Haitian family names sound like given names to English-speakers, and vice-versa. If the foreigners are sophisticated and know about Haitian name order, this can cause even more confusion. To avoid such confusion, I give Haitian names in Haitian order, and add an asterix (*) after the name to show it is family-name-first.
2. CAPITALIZATION: You will notice that I fail to capitalize many words in kreyòl, such as the names of countries, languages, etc. These are not errors. In kreyòl, only the names of people are capitalized, and sometimes, the first word of a sentence. Many kreyòl-speakers, even highly educated ones who speak, read, and write English, French, and Spanish, never capitalize anything in kreyòl. To make life easier for the majority of my readers, I have capitalized the beginning of sentences and the first word in each line of the lyrics, as well as the kreyòl word for French-- "Franse"-- even though they would not normally be capitalized in kreyòl. For my kreyòl-speaking friends, I beg your forgiveness. My purpose is not to teach the language, which I am not qualified to do, but just to give my English-speaking readers a "taste" of the masterpiece that this song is.
Come, Follow Me
This is a really pretty song, with lots of cool chords. I love the lyrics, too, except for the second verse. If anyone who reads this can define the word “effulgent” or use it in a sentence in such a way as to indicate the meaning, WITHOUT looking it up first, please email me or comment on this post. The other five verses are wonderful, and can get along just fine without verse two. Maybe even better.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
I Feel My Savior's Love
Merry Christmas from Jason Booth!
Just in time for Christmas, Jason emailed me and offered this tab and video. I think you'll agree that both are fantastic. Here's the tab, and Jason's comments, both published with his permission. There's also a video of Jason playing the piece [HERE]. This arrangement is NOT in the Public Domain, but Jason has generously offered them to the blog. Same rules apply as for my tabs. Thank you, Jason.
Jason describes himself thus: I'm a married, father of four, mechanical engineer, who loves all things guitar related. I've been playing for about 17 years. I've accompanied people in talent shows and at different church functions. I just think the guitar is wonderful. I actually am in the process of building my own acoustic guitar, but since I work on it when I'm not busy with my kids the process is a couple of years in the works so far.
The song is originally written in the key of F. This arrangement is in the key of D, to get
to F you just need to put a capo on the 3rd fret. In my video I have the capo on the 2nd
fret because that’s the range that fit my daughter’s voice the best. The tab is written for a guitar tuned to
DADGBE, regular tuning with the low E string dropped to a D. [This is often called, "drop D tuning"-- Don]
The song requires the use of the barred C-form chord. Because the low string is dropped to a D it makes a couple of strange barred chords that take a bit of practice to be able to go to smoothly, like the G in measure 10 and the F#m in measure 11. Because the song is finger picked you can cheat a little bit though. You don’t have to have all of your fingers in place at the beginning of the measure, just the ones that are needed for the first note. Then the fingers in place act as an anchor to help the others land in the correct position. That’s the technique I use going from the D5 in measure 9 to the G in measure 10. I make sure my 1st finger is on the 6th string at the 5th fret and my 3rd finger is on the 1st sting at the 7th fret at the start of the measure then I have a whole extra beat to get my other two in place. I do the same thing for the F#m in the 11th measure.
I added a couple of beats to measures 13 and 17 to account for a couple of notes that are usually held longer by the person singing the song and I liked the way it sounded. If you end up playing along with someone who is playing on the piano you’ll need to make some adjustments there. To start the song I play the end of the song starting on the last note of measure 13 as an intro. I end the song with a slow strum of the full D chord, ending on the 2nd string, a D.
Just in time for Christmas, Jason emailed me and offered this tab and video. I think you'll agree that both are fantastic. Here's the tab, and Jason's comments, both published with his permission. There's also a video of Jason playing the piece [HERE]. This arrangement is NOT in the Public Domain, but Jason has generously offered them to the blog. Same rules apply as for my tabs. Thank you, Jason.
Jason describes himself thus: I'm a married, father of four, mechanical engineer, who loves all things guitar related. I've been playing for about 17 years. I've accompanied people in talent shows and at different church functions. I just think the guitar is wonderful. I actually am in the process of building my own acoustic guitar, but since I work on it when I'm not busy with my kids the process is a couple of years in the works so far.
I wrote a couple of paragraphs about playing the song. That was
harder than I thought it would be. Let me know if something doesn't
make sense. Here they are:
The song requires the use of the barred C-form chord. Because the low string is dropped to a D it makes a couple of strange barred chords that take a bit of practice to be able to go to smoothly, like the G in measure 10 and the F#m in measure 11. Because the song is finger picked you can cheat a little bit though. You don’t have to have all of your fingers in place at the beginning of the measure, just the ones that are needed for the first note. Then the fingers in place act as an anchor to help the others land in the correct position. That’s the technique I use going from the D5 in measure 9 to the G in measure 10. I make sure my 1st finger is on the 6th string at the 5th fret and my 3rd finger is on the 1st sting at the 7th fret at the start of the measure then I have a whole extra beat to get my other two in place. I do the same thing for the F#m in the 11th measure.
I added a couple of beats to measures 13 and 17 to account for a couple of notes that are usually held longer by the person singing the song and I liked the way it sounded. If you end up playing along with someone who is playing on the piano you’ll need to make some adjustments there. To start the song I play the end of the song starting on the last note of measure 13 as an intro. I end the song with a slow strum of the full D chord, ending on the 2nd string, a D.
Testimony
This is another of those simple little tunes that are SO HARD to play! The big problem, for most, will be the extensive use of barre chords, especially in the barred A-form and the barred C-form. These forms often give troubles to those who are not completely comfortable with barring. I have tried to keep this song as playable as possible, while staying true to the music. You’ll know how well I did when you play the song.
I generally just hate to split a measure between lines, and also dislike splitting a lligado between two measures, yet I have done both simultaneously in this piece. My only excuse is, I couldn't find a better way to write it. I guess the editors of Hymns couldn't either, as they did the same thing in the same place. There are several places where you have to move fast to get from one chord to the next. All I can suggest is, practice the transitions until you can do them fluently, then worry about how they relate to the rest of the song.
The first one comes at the end of the second measure, where you have to go from the 2nd string, 1st space, to the FV chord, which is a C-shape barred in the 5th space. To make it easier, I’ve elected to use only the first four strings of the FV chord, so you only have to barre three strings. Still, this may be an unfamiliar shape to you, and you have to move from the 1st position to the 5th position in a heartbeat, and nail the FV chord all at once. Practice, practice, practice! You need to get this down pat, as there’s a far worse transition coming in the second line.
The chord change from FV to CIII is also not easy, especially if you are not comfortable with barred A-shape chords. CIII is one of the most common variants of this shape, so you may already be familiar with it. I use it here for two reasons: it enhances the melody line, and, by adding an intermediate step between the FV and the following C chord, it actually makes that transition easier.
The C - FI - GIII chord progression should be easy enough for anyone using this blog, as it is basic to better than 90% of the tabs here. But don’t get too complacent. The second line is harder, though I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible.
The biggest jump in the song comes right at the end of the second measure, when you have to slide all the way from 1st position to eighth position to hit the FVIII, a barred A-shape in the eighth space. In reality, it’s no worse than hitting any other A-shape barre chord, you just have to move your hand up the neck a bit faster. Actually, it may even be easier than the CIII you played in the first line, because the frets are closer together at the high end of the fretboard.
The change from FVIII to CVIII is actually one of the easier changes in the piece. Just leave the barre where it is, and change from an A-shape to an E-shape. I have elected to use the E on the open 1st string, instead of the same note on the 4th string, 10th space, which is already being fretted, because it forces you to release the barre, giving you a full quarter-note beat to move back to first position.
The pull-off in the penultimate (next-to-last) measure has a similar function, easing the transition to GaddD. This is actually a very easy chord to play, being based on the standard, first position G chord. In fact, it’s even easier than a standard G chord, because your fingers don’t have to stretch as far. Just remember not to play the 1st string, as the open E will sound discordant.
The transition to the following C/G (C, with a G bass), is very nearly a standard C chord, with the addition of the G on the bass string. This gives the chord a fuller sound, but you can play a regular C if your hand is tired.
I like to repeat the last phrase, “O Father of my soul,” as a brief coda after the last full verse. You can also use it as an introduction, if you wish, though I think it’s a bit too much, considering the brevity of the song. If you do use it as a coda, I recommend playing GIII, in place of the GaddD, for it’s fuller sound, and slightly different harmony.
Copyrights to this song are held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please respect them. There are other verses, but since this intended as a guitar solo, you can repeat as many times (or as few) as you like. I think this song would make a dynamite duet with a bowed instrument such as a violin or cello, but have not tried it. If you do play it as a duet, email me and let me know how it goes. A digital recording would be even better.
I generally just hate to split a measure between lines, and also dislike splitting a lligado between two measures, yet I have done both simultaneously in this piece. My only excuse is, I couldn't find a better way to write it. I guess the editors of Hymns couldn't either, as they did the same thing in the same place. There are several places where you have to move fast to get from one chord to the next. All I can suggest is, practice the transitions until you can do them fluently, then worry about how they relate to the rest of the song.
The first one comes at the end of the second measure, where you have to go from the 2nd string, 1st space, to the FV chord, which is a C-shape barred in the 5th space. To make it easier, I’ve elected to use only the first four strings of the FV chord, so you only have to barre three strings. Still, this may be an unfamiliar shape to you, and you have to move from the 1st position to the 5th position in a heartbeat, and nail the FV chord all at once. Practice, practice, practice! You need to get this down pat, as there’s a far worse transition coming in the second line.
The chord change from FV to CIII is also not easy, especially if you are not comfortable with barred A-shape chords. CIII is one of the most common variants of this shape, so you may already be familiar with it. I use it here for two reasons: it enhances the melody line, and, by adding an intermediate step between the FV and the following C chord, it actually makes that transition easier.
The C - FI - GIII chord progression should be easy enough for anyone using this blog, as it is basic to better than 90% of the tabs here. But don’t get too complacent. The second line is harder, though I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible.
The biggest jump in the song comes right at the end of the second measure, when you have to slide all the way from 1st position to eighth position to hit the FVIII, a barred A-shape in the eighth space. In reality, it’s no worse than hitting any other A-shape barre chord, you just have to move your hand up the neck a bit faster. Actually, it may even be easier than the CIII you played in the first line, because the frets are closer together at the high end of the fretboard.
The change from FVIII to CVIII is actually one of the easier changes in the piece. Just leave the barre where it is, and change from an A-shape to an E-shape. I have elected to use the E on the open 1st string, instead of the same note on the 4th string, 10th space, which is already being fretted, because it forces you to release the barre, giving you a full quarter-note beat to move back to first position.
The pull-off in the penultimate (next-to-last) measure has a similar function, easing the transition to GaddD. This is actually a very easy chord to play, being based on the standard, first position G chord. In fact, it’s even easier than a standard G chord, because your fingers don’t have to stretch as far. Just remember not to play the 1st string, as the open E will sound discordant.
The transition to the following C/G (C, with a G bass), is very nearly a standard C chord, with the addition of the G on the bass string. This gives the chord a fuller sound, but you can play a regular C if your hand is tired.
I like to repeat the last phrase, “O Father of my soul,” as a brief coda after the last full verse. You can also use it as an introduction, if you wish, though I think it’s a bit too much, considering the brevity of the song. If you do use it as a coda, I recommend playing GIII, in place of the GaddD, for it’s fuller sound, and slightly different harmony.
Copyrights to this song are held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please respect them. There are other verses, but since this intended as a guitar solo, you can repeat as many times (or as few) as you like. I think this song would make a dynamite duet with a bowed instrument such as a violin or cello, but have not tried it. If you do play it as a duet, email me and let me know how it goes. A digital recording would be even better.
I Know My Father Lives
Copyright LDS. Here’s another of those “simple-sounding” Primary songs that are anything but simple to play.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
Window to His Love
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.
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.
Abide With Me!
Originally, I tabbed this as all chords, but soon found that playing the chords as a modified pattern-pick was much easier. For this reason, the chords called out in the tab are for reference only. Do not strum them. Play only the individual notes as shown. There are only two strummed chords, toward the very end of the song, as shown by the wiggly line to the left of each chord.
The song is written in 4/4 time, but I have recast it as 8/8, to make counting easier. The metronome count is still listed for quarter-notes, as is standard. That is, each tick of the metronome counts for two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. If you find this confusing, practice without the metronome. Since this is a guitar solo, it won’t matter if your timing is imperfect.
In classical guitar, the fingers of the right hand are labelled p-i-m-a, for the initials of the Spanish words, Pulgar, Indicio, Medio, and Anulario. (“Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring”) The p-i-m-a notations below the lyrics tell you which finger of the right hand to use when you play each note. Most measures begin with the ring finger (“a”), then play the bass note with the thumb (“p”). The next two strings are played with the m and a fingers respectively. So the pattern is not only which strings are played, but also which fingers are used: a-p-i-m-a-i-m-i in the first measure.
The pattern is modified in the next measure: a-p-i-m-a-p-i-m, and again in the third verse: a-i-m-i-m-i-m-i. So the finger pattern and the string pattern are both constantly changing. It makes the song harder to learn (if you are not used to playing fingerstyle or classical guitar), but it actually makes the song easier to perform. I don’t normally specify the right hand fingering, figuring that each guitarist has his or her own preferences. You don’t have to use my fingering, but it’s the easiest way I have found to play the notes called out in this tab.
In the third measure, you need only play the first three strings, which makes the Fv chord much easier to play. You only have to barre three strings, and you can play the chord without stretching your hand. Unfortunately, the Fv in the sixth measure is not nearly so easy to play. You have to play all five strings, using all four fingers, and it’s a stretch to reach the F note on the fifth string with the little finger, especially if you have short fingers, as I do. But the note is necessary for the melody, and the chord shape allows for a quick change to the following CIII.
At the end of the second line, the “7th” note of the G7III chord is fretted with the little finger, producing a sound often found in the Blues. You can even bend the note a bit, if you wish, by stretching the string slightly, to make it sound even more “Blues-y”. This same chord shows up again in the third measure of the next line, where it’s even easier to play. This second time, you only have to play the 1st, 2nd, and 6th strings. If you have a narrow-neck guitar, you can wrap your hand around the neck and fret the 6th string with your thumb, eliminating the barre altogether.
I play a classical guitar, and my fingers are short, so I use the barre version, which makes it super simple to change to the following G7III chord. Hold this chord with the left hand until the last two measures of the song. You don’t actually have to change for the CIII chord, as you can just flatten your fingers briefly to fret the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings.
Play ALL the notes in the next-to-last measure with the thumb (p), as a slow strum, on just the strings indicated. Then, strum all six strings and let it ring. It will sound like a chord change, even though you have not moved your left hand at all!
This song is in the public domain.
The song is written in 4/4 time, but I have recast it as 8/8, to make counting easier. The metronome count is still listed for quarter-notes, as is standard. That is, each tick of the metronome counts for two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. If you find this confusing, practice without the metronome. Since this is a guitar solo, it won’t matter if your timing is imperfect.
In classical guitar, the fingers of the right hand are labelled p-i-m-a, for the initials of the Spanish words, Pulgar, Indicio, Medio, and Anulario. (“Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring”) The p-i-m-a notations below the lyrics tell you which finger of the right hand to use when you play each note. Most measures begin with the ring finger (“a”), then play the bass note with the thumb (“p”). The next two strings are played with the m and a fingers respectively. So the pattern is not only which strings are played, but also which fingers are used: a-p-i-m-a-i-m-i in the first measure.
The pattern is modified in the next measure: a-p-i-m-a-p-i-m, and again in the third verse: a-i-m-i-m-i-m-i. So the finger pattern and the string pattern are both constantly changing. It makes the song harder to learn (if you are not used to playing fingerstyle or classical guitar), but it actually makes the song easier to perform. I don’t normally specify the right hand fingering, figuring that each guitarist has his or her own preferences. You don’t have to use my fingering, but it’s the easiest way I have found to play the notes called out in this tab.
In the third measure, you need only play the first three strings, which makes the Fv chord much easier to play. You only have to barre three strings, and you can play the chord without stretching your hand. Unfortunately, the Fv in the sixth measure is not nearly so easy to play. You have to play all five strings, using all four fingers, and it’s a stretch to reach the F note on the fifth string with the little finger, especially if you have short fingers, as I do. But the note is necessary for the melody, and the chord shape allows for a quick change to the following CIII.
At the end of the second line, the “7th” note of the G7III chord is fretted with the little finger, producing a sound often found in the Blues. You can even bend the note a bit, if you wish, by stretching the string slightly, to make it sound even more “Blues-y”. This same chord shows up again in the third measure of the next line, where it’s even easier to play. This second time, you only have to play the 1st, 2nd, and 6th strings. If you have a narrow-neck guitar, you can wrap your hand around the neck and fret the 6th string with your thumb, eliminating the barre altogether.
I play a classical guitar, and my fingers are short, so I use the barre version, which makes it super simple to change to the following G7III chord. Hold this chord with the left hand until the last two measures of the song. You don’t actually have to change for the CIII chord, as you can just flatten your fingers briefly to fret the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings.
Play ALL the notes in the next-to-last measure with the thumb (p), as a slow strum, on just the strings indicated. Then, strum all six strings and let it ring. It will sound like a chord change, even though you have not moved your left hand at all!
This song is in the public domain.
Beautiful Savior
ABOUT THE SONG:
For such a well-beloved old hymn, there is remarkably little agreement about any part of this song. The title, lyrics, composer(s), lyricist(s), English translator(s), even the authenticity of the score are all hotly disputed. Legend has it The Crusaders’ Hymn was sung by German Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. But no one has established which of the nine Crusades (spanning three centuries) is meant, much less documented the legend. Others attribute the original German lyrics to 17th Century German Jesuits, three or four centuries later.
Most Protestants call it Fairest Lord Jesus, and most Catholics call it The Crusaders’ Hymn, but Lutherans and Mormons call it Beautiful Savior, and use different lyrics. All versions refer to the Son of God and Son of Man, whose beauty and purity exceed those of all natural phenomena. But there is little or no agreement on specifics. Due to the multiplicity of “original German sources,” it is perfectly possible that all those claiming to be the “original” translator are correct!
The music itself is cited as an old, Silesian folksong, in a German text published in 1842, while the Crusades lasted from 1095 to 1291. Eight centuries is plenty of time for a hymn to give rise to a folksong, or vice-versa. No one truly knows which came first. To further muddy the water, the first English translation was published in 1677, almost two centuries before the “original” German text that it was translated from! Nevertheless, we know that the English version is not the original, as it is listed as a translation in its earliest extant version. That may be the only fact about this beautiful, old hymn that can be stated without dispute.
ABOUT THE CHORDS:
I arranged this song at the request of my daughter Thora. It will stretch your hands. If you are not up to that, you can dumb it down and sing the melody. To facilitate this, I’ve left it in the key of D, as published in The Children’s Songbook. If you are accompanying vocalists, substitute D, A, and G for the relevant barre chords, and it becomes a very easy song to play. You can strum the chords, or use a pattern pick. Play all the chords listed, including those in brackets.
To include the melody and all the cool harmonies in your solo, play it as written. Played this way, it is not a song for beginners, but it’s not as hard as it looks. True, there are seventeen chords, and some of them look rather strange, but five are common chords you already know, or very slight variations. For example, D/A is just a regular D chord, but you play the open A string, too. Read it as, “D, A bass.”
Of the rest, nine are slight variations of barred E, barred A, and barred Am, chord shapes you probably already know if you are used to playing barre chords. A#dim and A7II are less common, but are simple, two-finger chords. There is really only one difficult chord, called DII, but also called D/F#II. Read these as D (barred at the second fret), and D, F# bass (barred at the second fret). They are really the same chord; the only difference being whether or not you play the #6 string. This chord is a barred C shape, which is a tough chord shape for many people to master. It is not by any means impossible, though, and its full, rich sound makes it very important in nearly all music genres.
PLAYING INSTRUCTIONS:
To minimize finger dancing, I begin the Intro by barring at the tenth fret, but you don’t have to if it’s not comfortable. Steel-string guitars have two “extra” frets on the neck, which makes this much easier. If you have large hands and a classical guitar, it may be easier to play the notes as written, or invent an intro of your own. There is nothing “official” about introductions; you can use whatever you like. You may even wish to use the coda (the underlined measures on the last page) as an introduction. If you do, the actual coda at the end becomes a reprise of the intro, which is a cool way to end a song.
At the end of the second line, after playing A7II, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the open E string. This gives you time to move up the neck for the upcoming DX. This chord makes the fingering way easy: all changes can be made by flattening and un-flattening the pinky. There are other ways to play these notes, but this way minimizes chord changes. The last measure of the third line includes an [A] in lightface type. If you are playing the tab, just ignore it, as the necessary notes are in the tab. But if you are strumming accompaniment, you should play the [A], and the following [A7], or it will sound wrong.
At the end of the line, lift the whole left hand from the strings while playing the open E string. This gives you more time to move to the fifth fret, easing the chord change to AV. The mordant (--5_7_5--) in the next measure sets up the transition to the following DV. There’s no slick way to make the change to EmVII in the middle of the next measure, but the change from a barred A shape to a barred Am shape is not a difficult one. The only tricky part is doing so while moving up the neck two frets. Remember to lift the fingers from the fretboard slightly while changing, or the slide will be audible.
In the first line of page two, make the same changes in reverse, ending the line with a regular D. I tried using DV, to minimize the change from AV, but it just doesn’t sound the same. D also eases the chord changes at the beginning of the next line. The D probably will not sustain for the full measure, unless you are playing an electric guitar. Use the [rest] at the end of the measure to start the change to D/F#II. This chord is a barred C shape, played at the second fret, allowing the #6 string to sound. Read it as, “D, F# bass”. You can substitute a D/AV (DV, allowing the open A string to sound), which many find easier, and sounds almost as good. Try it both ways, and decide for yourself. The barred C shape is a difficult one to master, but worth the effort. This song is all about gorgeous harmonies; if you dumb it down, you cheat yourself and your audience.
At the beginning of the fourth line, hold the AV as long as possible, while fretting the G note on the 2nd string with the pinky. That converts the chord into an A7, an interesting resolve to the preceding phrase. Starting in the next measure, there's another one of those barred C shapes. This time, it actually makes the transition to the following BmII easier. I have added arpeggios between the next, strummed chords. Playing the arpeggios with the thumb gives a soft sound. Slow down a bit for emphasis.
The coda (the underlined measures) will sound faster, because you are playing eight notes to the bar, but the tempo doesn’t really change at all. Play the chord and the first two notes at the beginning of each measure with the thumb, then pluck the treble strings with the fingers. The slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs add even more variety. You could play all the D chords in the coda the same way, as a regular D, but starting at the fifth fret and working down to the regular D lends a sense of closure that would otherwise be lacking. In the next-to-last measure, you will have to release the A chord to do the hammer-ons. Slow down for emphasis, and hold the final D chord as long as you can. Stunning!
For such a well-beloved old hymn, there is remarkably little agreement about any part of this song. The title, lyrics, composer(s), lyricist(s), English translator(s), even the authenticity of the score are all hotly disputed. Legend has it The Crusaders’ Hymn was sung by German Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. But no one has established which of the nine Crusades (spanning three centuries) is meant, much less documented the legend. Others attribute the original German lyrics to 17th Century German Jesuits, three or four centuries later.
Most Protestants call it Fairest Lord Jesus, and most Catholics call it The Crusaders’ Hymn, but Lutherans and Mormons call it Beautiful Savior, and use different lyrics. All versions refer to the Son of God and Son of Man, whose beauty and purity exceed those of all natural phenomena. But there is little or no agreement on specifics. Due to the multiplicity of “original German sources,” it is perfectly possible that all those claiming to be the “original” translator are correct!
The music itself is cited as an old, Silesian folksong, in a German text published in 1842, while the Crusades lasted from 1095 to 1291. Eight centuries is plenty of time for a hymn to give rise to a folksong, or vice-versa. No one truly knows which came first. To further muddy the water, the first English translation was published in 1677, almost two centuries before the “original” German text that it was translated from! Nevertheless, we know that the English version is not the original, as it is listed as a translation in its earliest extant version. That may be the only fact about this beautiful, old hymn that can be stated without dispute.
ABOUT THE CHORDS:
I arranged this song at the request of my daughter Thora. It will stretch your hands. If you are not up to that, you can dumb it down and sing the melody. To facilitate this, I’ve left it in the key of D, as published in The Children’s Songbook. If you are accompanying vocalists, substitute D, A, and G for the relevant barre chords, and it becomes a very easy song to play. You can strum the chords, or use a pattern pick. Play all the chords listed, including those in brackets.
To include the melody and all the cool harmonies in your solo, play it as written. Played this way, it is not a song for beginners, but it’s not as hard as it looks. True, there are seventeen chords, and some of them look rather strange, but five are common chords you already know, or very slight variations. For example, D/A is just a regular D chord, but you play the open A string, too. Read it as, “D, A bass.”
Of the rest, nine are slight variations of barred E, barred A, and barred Am, chord shapes you probably already know if you are used to playing barre chords. A#dim and A7II are less common, but are simple, two-finger chords. There is really only one difficult chord, called DII, but also called D/F#II. Read these as D (barred at the second fret), and D, F# bass (barred at the second fret). They are really the same chord; the only difference being whether or not you play the #6 string. This chord is a barred C shape, which is a tough chord shape for many people to master. It is not by any means impossible, though, and its full, rich sound makes it very important in nearly all music genres.
PLAYING INSTRUCTIONS:
To minimize finger dancing, I begin the Intro by barring at the tenth fret, but you don’t have to if it’s not comfortable. Steel-string guitars have two “extra” frets on the neck, which makes this much easier. If you have large hands and a classical guitar, it may be easier to play the notes as written, or invent an intro of your own. There is nothing “official” about introductions; you can use whatever you like. You may even wish to use the coda (the underlined measures on the last page) as an introduction. If you do, the actual coda at the end becomes a reprise of the intro, which is a cool way to end a song.
At the end of the second line, after playing A7II, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the open E string. This gives you time to move up the neck for the upcoming DX. This chord makes the fingering way easy: all changes can be made by flattening and un-flattening the pinky. There are other ways to play these notes, but this way minimizes chord changes. The last measure of the third line includes an [A] in lightface type. If you are playing the tab, just ignore it, as the necessary notes are in the tab. But if you are strumming accompaniment, you should play the [A], and the following [A7], or it will sound wrong.
At the end of the line, lift the whole left hand from the strings while playing the open E string. This gives you more time to move to the fifth fret, easing the chord change to AV. The mordant (--5_7_5--) in the next measure sets up the transition to the following DV. There’s no slick way to make the change to EmVII in the middle of the next measure, but the change from a barred A shape to a barred Am shape is not a difficult one. The only tricky part is doing so while moving up the neck two frets. Remember to lift the fingers from the fretboard slightly while changing, or the slide will be audible.
In the first line of page two, make the same changes in reverse, ending the line with a regular D. I tried using DV, to minimize the change from AV, but it just doesn’t sound the same. D also eases the chord changes at the beginning of the next line. The D probably will not sustain for the full measure, unless you are playing an electric guitar. Use the [rest] at the end of the measure to start the change to D/F#II. This chord is a barred C shape, played at the second fret, allowing the #6 string to sound. Read it as, “D, F# bass”. You can substitute a D/AV (DV, allowing the open A string to sound), which many find easier, and sounds almost as good. Try it both ways, and decide for yourself. The barred C shape is a difficult one to master, but worth the effort. This song is all about gorgeous harmonies; if you dumb it down, you cheat yourself and your audience.
At the beginning of the fourth line, hold the AV as long as possible, while fretting the G note on the 2nd string with the pinky. That converts the chord into an A7, an interesting resolve to the preceding phrase. Starting in the next measure, there's another one of those barred C shapes. This time, it actually makes the transition to the following BmII easier. I have added arpeggios between the next, strummed chords. Playing the arpeggios with the thumb gives a soft sound. Slow down a bit for emphasis.
The coda (the underlined measures) will sound faster, because you are playing eight notes to the bar, but the tempo doesn’t really change at all. Play the chord and the first two notes at the beginning of each measure with the thumb, then pluck the treble strings with the fingers. The slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs add even more variety. You could play all the D chords in the coda the same way, as a regular D, but starting at the fifth fret and working down to the regular D lends a sense of closure that would otherwise be lacking. In the next-to-last measure, you will have to release the A chord to do the hammer-ons. Slow down for emphasis, and hold the final D chord as long as you can. Stunning!
Secret Prayer
To play this song in the key of D, as printed in Hymns, you will need to tune DOWN two frets. This won’t make any difference if you are not playing with another instrument, as practically no one in your audience will be able to tell the difference.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Sing We Now At Parting
No, I didn't add this just for General Conference, though I did love the way the Tabernacle Choir sang it! I've been working on it for weeks.
This is not an easy song to play on the guitar. It uses LOTS of barre chords, and relies heavily on some of the more difficult ones. My only excuse is that it's beautiful. I have tried to arrange it so that the chord transitions come as naturally as possible, which you may think isn't very. I won't argue. It's in C, so you could dumb it down and just strum C, F, and G7, if you only want to accompany a singer, but you won't get any of the melody notes that way.
On my classical guitar, it sounds way better if you finger-pick the chords as arpeggios, than simply strumming the chords, as shown in the first verse, but I've included both ways, as the left hand is a bit different if you're finger-picking. You can leave out some of the harder chords that way, especially some of the Fv's, which I find hard to fret well. In this way, the arpeggio version is actually easier!
No bar-by-bar explanation on this one. If you're good enough to play it, you won't need it, and if you're a beginner, the explanations won't help.
This is not an easy song to play on the guitar. It uses LOTS of barre chords, and relies heavily on some of the more difficult ones. My only excuse is that it's beautiful. I have tried to arrange it so that the chord transitions come as naturally as possible, which you may think isn't very. I won't argue. It's in C, so you could dumb it down and just strum C, F, and G7, if you only want to accompany a singer, but you won't get any of the melody notes that way.
On my classical guitar, it sounds way better if you finger-pick the chords as arpeggios, than simply strumming the chords, as shown in the first verse, but I've included both ways, as the left hand is a bit different if you're finger-picking. You can leave out some of the harder chords that way, especially some of the Fv's, which I find hard to fret well. In this way, the arpeggio version is actually easier!
No bar-by-bar explanation on this one. If you're good enough to play it, you won't need it, and if you're a beginner, the explanations won't help.
Be Still, My Soul
My daughter Amy requested this hymn. If I’ve got it right, [NOT QUITE! See Amy's comment.] her best friend had just died suddenly, her husband was recovering from a triple stroke, and she also had to cope with her three-year-old, autistic son, while holding down a major ward calling. One of her Relief Society sisters sang this hymn to her. It was the first time she had heard it. The message, the melody, and the gorgeous harmonies really impressed her. They’ll impress nearly anyone, but they were perfect for her at that moment. This is for you, Amy.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
It’s not really LDS, or even religious, but it’s such a pretty lovesong, and a chaste one at that, that I couldn’t resist including it as a Valentine’s Day treat. Yeah, I know, it’s barely New Years, but it might take you a while to get this one down pat, as the chord progressions, while beautiful, are a bit unusual. I’m including two versions. If you like instrumental guitar solos, play the tab version. If you’re intending to sing it to someone special, the cheat sheet is probably better. Or, you can do as I do most of the time -- play the chords and sing it, but include some finger-pickin’ as an interlude.
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
Families Can Be Together Forever 2
I like this version better, but it is harder to play. Maybe not as hard as it looks, though. You already know how to play D, E, Em, A, and Am, and they, with barred versions and/or very slight variations, account for seventeen of the eighteen chords in this piece. B9 is the ONLY uncommon chord, and it's dead EASY to play. Just lay your index finger across the first four strings in the second space, and the ring finger across the first three strings in the third space, and squeeze. You can be real sloppy about it, and it'll still work just fine.
The many barre chords lend the song a rich, full sound that works well with a slower, more deliberate delivery than is usual when singing as a hymn or a Primary song. As a guitar solo, it doesn't matter if the tempo is too slow for singing, of course, and it sounds nice. The G9, B9 and Am0 chords add harmonies and chord progressions more suited to adult listeners. Classical music uses the degree sign 0 to indicate a diminished chord. The abbreviation "dim" has already been taken-- it means diminuendo {"getting softer"). Similarly, the minus sign means to play a note flat, so we just have to live with the 0. It's standard musical notation.
I did take some liberties with the original score, especially right at the end. I hope you like it.
The many barre chords lend the song a rich, full sound that works well with a slower, more deliberate delivery than is usual when singing as a hymn or a Primary song. As a guitar solo, it doesn't matter if the tempo is too slow for singing, of course, and it sounds nice. The G9, B9 and Am0 chords add harmonies and chord progressions more suited to adult listeners. Classical music uses the degree sign 0 to indicate a diminished chord. The abbreviation "dim" has already been taken-- it means diminuendo {"getting softer"). Similarly, the minus sign means to play a note flat, so we just have to live with the 0. It's standard musical notation.
I did take some liberties with the original score, especially right at the end. I hope you like it.
Til There Was You
From The Music Man by Meredith Willson. Start practicing NOW for next Valentine's Day. This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written, and one of the hardest to play. It's the most difficult in my personal repertoire. It is NOT in the public domain, so no lyrics. You can get them on nearly any lyrics website. Hard as this version is, the original is even harder, as Willson wrote it in the key of Eb. I've transposed it down (one fret) to D, where it's slightly easier to play. There are so many barre chords, it scarcely makes a difference.
The chords in this song are unusual, hauntingly beautiful, and excruciatingly difficult to play. The chord changes are fast, and there's no room for error. Do NOT attempt this song unless you are an ADVANCED guitarist. If you are an advanced guitarist, don't let the weird chords scare you off. It took me more than a year to master, but it was well worth the effort. It's that pretty.
The chords in this song are unusual, hauntingly beautiful, and excruciatingly difficult to play. The chord changes are fast, and there's no room for error. Do NOT attempt this song unless you are an ADVANCED guitarist. If you are an advanced guitarist, don't let the weird chords scare you off. It took me more than a year to master, but it was well worth the effort. It's that pretty.
I Am a Child of God
This song is NOT in public domain, so, sorry-- no lyrics! If you don't know them, you can find them on page 2 of the Children's Songbook or page 301 of Hymns. You can also get them from the music page on lds.org.
My version is my own arrangement, but after the introduction, it follows the layout of measures in the Children's Songbook, measure for measure. It is also in the same key (C). If you'd rather play it in D, as in the hymnal, use a capo. The notes don't come out in the same place, if you just transpose it. This is not a particularly easy song to play, but done right, it should appear to be simple and easy. The key is lots of practice.
You don't have to play the intro, I just think it sounds pretty. It's not the standard intro shown in the hymnal. You can play the C chord in the first measure of the verse as a C/G if you want, or just hit the G note as a melody note. The slide in this measure is a bit tricky, as you have to play the note on the fifth string while sliding on the fourth string. It's really not particularly hard to do; it just requires a bit of practice. The last measure of the verse has a rest after the last note, hence, only five notes are shown. Don't be fooled, they are still all eighth notes.
The first three measures of the refrain are just the melody, with an interpolated drone on the bass string, to add variety. The last measure of the line is just a single, strummed C chord. You can lengthen it out for emphasis if you can sustain it that long. The first measure at the beginning of the last line is almost the same as the first measure of the previous line except the bass note is the C on the fifth string, instead of the G on the sixth string. You can play it as a G, if you want to, but it does make it a bit harder to hit the F chord in the second measure quickly. The third measure returns to the bass G drone. You do not have to actually play the G7 chord. You can just play the two notes. But it seems to make it easier, to me, to play the whole chord.
The last measure is the hardest one, because of the need to play two artificial harmonics in rapid succession, as part of an arpeggio. They are not really any harder to play than regular harmonics, but you play them with one hand, while fretting the string with the left hand. They are easy to do if you rest the right index finger lightly on the string, exactly over the eighth fret, while fretting the string at the first fret with the left hand. Pluck the string with the ring finger, allowing the index finger to come off the string in the same motion. With a little practice, you can achieve a gorgeous, bell-like tone, with a single movement. Fret the first two strings with the left index finger, exactly as if playing an F chord.
Practice until you can do one harmonic easily, then practice playing the two of them in a row. After you master this, add the first three (normal) notes. Keep at it until you can make it look and sound easy, for a really impressive finale.
My version is my own arrangement, but after the introduction, it follows the layout of measures in the Children's Songbook, measure for measure. It is also in the same key (C). If you'd rather play it in D, as in the hymnal, use a capo. The notes don't come out in the same place, if you just transpose it. This is not a particularly easy song to play, but done right, it should appear to be simple and easy. The key is lots of practice.
You don't have to play the intro, I just think it sounds pretty. It's not the standard intro shown in the hymnal. You can play the C chord in the first measure of the verse as a C/G if you want, or just hit the G note as a melody note. The slide in this measure is a bit tricky, as you have to play the note on the fifth string while sliding on the fourth string. It's really not particularly hard to do; it just requires a bit of practice. The last measure of the verse has a rest after the last note, hence, only five notes are shown. Don't be fooled, they are still all eighth notes.
The first three measures of the refrain are just the melody, with an interpolated drone on the bass string, to add variety. The last measure of the line is just a single, strummed C chord. You can lengthen it out for emphasis if you can sustain it that long. The first measure at the beginning of the last line is almost the same as the first measure of the previous line except the bass note is the C on the fifth string, instead of the G on the sixth string. You can play it as a G, if you want to, but it does make it a bit harder to hit the F chord in the second measure quickly. The third measure returns to the bass G drone. You do not have to actually play the G7 chord. You can just play the two notes. But it seems to make it easier, to me, to play the whole chord.
The last measure is the hardest one, because of the need to play two artificial harmonics in rapid succession, as part of an arpeggio. They are not really any harder to play than regular harmonics, but you play them with one hand, while fretting the string with the left hand. They are easy to do if you rest the right index finger lightly on the string, exactly over the eighth fret, while fretting the string at the first fret with the left hand. Pluck the string with the ring finger, allowing the index finger to come off the string in the same motion. With a little practice, you can achieve a gorgeous, bell-like tone, with a single movement. Fret the first two strings with the left index finger, exactly as if playing an F chord.
Practice until you can do one harmonic easily, then practice playing the two of them in a row. After you master this, add the first three (normal) notes. Keep at it until you can make it look and sound easy, for a really impressive finale.
Greensleeves/What Child Is This?
Definitely in the public domain! This song has been around, in one form or another, since the time of Shakespeare. Some say it was written by King Henry VIII. The title and lyrics have changed over the centuries, and the tune has been used as a bawdy ballad, a love song, a political ditty, even an accompaniment to executions. My version is intended to be an instrumental solo; it doesn't matter what you call it or where the lyrics come from.
This version has three verses, each different in mood. It's fun to play, and uses lots of slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, tremolos, and single and double harmonics. Done without fanfare, it tends to stun audiences, which is pretty good for a piece that scarcely lasts three minutes!
I don't have a complete study guide written for Greensleeves, but there is a minimal one at the end of the tab.
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