Sweet is the Work

The chords:

No hard chords in this song, unless you absolutely cannot play barre chords. If that’s the case, or if you cannot hit the final GIII chord in rhythm, substitute a normal G. It won’t sound quite as good for a final resolution, but it won’t sound bad. Only you will know the difference.

The rest of the chords are just your old friends G, D, D7, and C, with two miniscule exceptions. D/A is just a normal D chord, but you play the open A string, instead of damping or omitting it, as usual. This is important, as the melody depends on this note, but it’s no harder than playing a normal D. 

The other exception is GaddD. This is played just like a normal G, except that the second string is fretted in the third space, instead of the first string, which is not played. This is very similar to the hand position required for a normal G, except that it’s actually easier to play! Just be sure not to play the open first string. If this is hard for you, fret the first string in the third space too, and play all six strings. The high G note will distract a bit from the melody, but it’s far better than an open E, which has no place in any G-type chord.

Techniques:

Most of the transitions in this song are quite easy, but there are three spots that can be difficult to play quickly and smoothly, unless you use some easy, but counter-intuitive techniques. 

In the transition from measure [3] to measure [4], you can reach the chord more easily if you fret the final note of [3] with your ring finger. This may feel odd, but it positions your ring finger on the correct string for the D chord in the next measure. For this to work, you will have to do the glissando between measures [2] and [3] with your middle finger. It won’t take much practice for you to see that this is a much faster and smoother way to play this riff.

In measure [14], the chord labelled G7 should really be a G, but it’s a lot easier to get to the G7 hand position from the preceding C. Since the first string is not played anyway, it doesn’t really matter. The notes form a G chord anyway. To avoid confusion, I have shown the way to fret the G7 in the chord diagram, but have placed an X instead of a 0 on the first string, to show that it is fretted but not played. 

The third sticky spot is the trickiest of the lot. It occurs in measure [15]. To smooth the transition to the barred GIII chord, fret the last note of [15], in the fourth space on the fourth string, with your little finger. This positions it handily on the correct string for the following chord. As you make the barre with your index finger, your little finger will just automatically slide up a fret to the fifth space. It’s counter-intuitive, but it really works. To add a bit of expression, you can even allow the little finger to press on the string as it slides, creating a bit of glissando between the notes.

History:

Isaac Watts, the author of this hymn, was born near London, England, on July 17, 1674. He was a precocious child, studying Latin by the age of four, and “writing respectable verses at the age of seven” according to biographical notes in a later Anglican hymnal. At the age of 24, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church in London. In 1702, he became pastor. He suffered from delicate health all his life, but managed to publish over 800 hymns during his lifetime, as well as books of poetry, treatises, sermons, and tracts. Watts died November 25, 1748. There is a monument to his memory in Westminster Abbey.

“Sweet Is the Work” has been sung to several tunes. This one, called “Douglass,” was composed by John J. McClellan, Jr. (April 20, 1874 – August 2, 1925), while he was serving as chief organist of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. McClellan was born in Payson, Utah. By eleven, he was church organist there. He studied music in the US and Europe, was organist of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, taught music at Brigham Young Academy, forerunner of BYU, and served as pianist for the Salt Lake Opera Company. McClellan became the Tabernacle organist in 1900, where he accompanied the Mormon Tabernacle Choir until 1925, and inaugurated the free weekly organ recitals there.

John J. McClellan is also known for making the first known organ recording, recorded at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City in September 1910, by the Columbia Graphophone Company. Although technically successful, it was never released for publication. 

Dulce Tu obra es, Señor

 Los acordes:

Sin acordes duros en esta canción, a menos que absolutamente no pueden tocar acordes con cejilla. Si ese es el caso, o si no puede tocar el final acorde de Sol III en ritmo, sustitute el Sol normal. No sonará tan bueno para una resolución final, pero no va a sonar mal. Sólo usted sabrá la diferencia.

El resto de los acordes son sus viejos amigos de Sol, Re, Re7, y Do, con dos excepciones minúsculas. Re/La se realiza exacto como Re normal, pero dejando sonar el quinto cuerdo, contra de costumbre. Ya que es importante, porque la melodía depende de esta nota, la realización era sensilla.

La otra excepción es el Sol+5. Este se juega al igual que un Sol normal, excepto que la segunda cuerda se trasta en el tercer espacio, en lugar de la primera cuerda, que no se reproduce. Esto es muy similar a la posición de la mano requerido para un Sol normal, excepto que en realidad ¡es más fácil de jugar! Sólo asegúrese de no tocar la primera cuerda al aire. Si esto es difícil para usted, traste de la primera cuerda en el tercer espacio también, y toque a las seis cuerdas. La nota alta Sol distraerá un poco de la melodía, pero es mucho mejor que la cuerda al aire, que no tiene niguna parte de cualquier tipo acorde Sol.

Las técnicas:

La mayoría de las transiciones en esta canción son bastante fácil, pero hay tres puntos que pueden ser difíciles de reproducir de forma rápida y sin problemas, a menos que utilice algunas técnicas sencillas, pero contrarios a la intuición.

En la transición del compás [3] para el [4], se puede llegar a la cuerda más fácilmente si traste la nota final de [3] con su dedo anular. Esto puede sentirse extraño, pero esto colocara a su dedo anular en la cuerda correcta para el acorde Re en el siguiente compás. Para hacerlo debidamente, tenia que hacer el glissando entre los compases [2] y [3] con el dedo medio. No se necesitará mucha práctica para ver que esta manera del tocar este riff es más rápida y suave.

En el compás [14], el acorde designado Sol7 realmente es un Sol, pero es mucho más fácil para llegar a la posición de mano de Sol7 del Do anterior, que por medio de Sol. La primera cuerda no se toca, entonces realmente no importa nada. Las notas forman un acorde de Sol de ambos modos. Para evitar la confusion, he mostrado el Sol7 en el diagrama de acordes, pero he colocado una X en lugar de un 0 en la primera cuerda, para demostrar que se trasta, pero no se toca.

El tercer punto dificil es lo más complicado del lote. Se produce en el compas [15]. Para facilitar la transición hasta la cuerda cejiillada Sol III, traste la última nota de [15], en el cuarto espacio de la cuarta cuerda, con su dedo meñique. Esto lo posiciona cómodamente en la cadena correcta para el siguiente acorde. Al realizar la cejilla con su dedo índice, el dedo meñique se deslizara automáticamente un traste más, al quinto espacio. Es contrario a la intuición, pero realmente funciona. Para añadir un poco de expresión, se puede permitir el dedo meñique a presionar sobre la cuerda ya que se desliza, creando un poco de glissando entre las notas.

Historia:

Isaac Watts, el autor de este himno, se nació cerca de Londres, Inglaterra, el 17 de julio de 1674. Fue un niño precoz, estudiando el latin por la edad de cuatro años, y "escribiendo respetables  versos a la edad de siete años", según notas biográficas en un himnario Anglicana más recente. Como adulto, se convirtió en pastor de la Iglesia Independiente en Londres. Sufría de salud delicada durante toda su vida, pero logró publicar más de 800 himnos durante su vida, así como libros de poemas, de tratados, y de sermones. Watts murió el 25 de noviembre de 1748. Hay un monumento a su memoria en la Abadía de Westminster.

"Dulce tu obra es" se ha cantado a varias melodías. Éste, llamado "Douglass," fue compuesta por John J. McClellan, Jr. (el 20 de abril de 1874 - el 02 de agosto de 1925), mientras se desempeñaba como organista del Tabernáculo de Salt Lake City. McClellan se nació en Payson, Utah. A la edad de once años, era organista de la iglesia allí. Estudió música en los Estados Unidos y en Europa, fue organista de la iglesia católica St. Thomas en Ann Arbor, Michigan, enseñó música en la Academia Brigham Young, precursor de la Universidad Brigham Young, y se desempeñó como pianista para el Salt Lake Opera Company. McClellan se convirtió en el organista del Tabernáculo en el año 1900, donde acompañaba al Coro del Tabernáculo Mormón hasta 1925, e inaugurado los recitales gratuitos semanales allí.

También, es conocido por hacer la primera grabación de órgano que conocemos, grabado en el Tabernáculo Mormón en Salt Lake City en septiembre de 1910, por la Columbia Graphophone Company. Aunque técnicamente exitoso, nunca fue lanzado para la publicación.

Rejoice, the Lord is King!

Another one by Charles Wesley.  If the name sounds familiar to you, it should.  He also wrote five other hymns in the hymnal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as six thousand others not found in the LDS hymn book.  The five are:

Jesus, Lover of My Soul,
Ye Simple Souls Who Stray,
Christ the Lord is Risen Today,
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,
Come Let Us Anew. 

The guy’s a heavyweight poet and lyricist for sure.  Not only that, he was also an Anglican minister, a contemporary of George Washington, and his big brother John was the founder of the Methodist church.  Not surprisingly, Charles grew up to be a minister, like his father and his brothers.  So did his son, and grandson.  How would you like to grow up in a family like that?

Rejoice, the Lord is King! was written as a poem, to celebrate the kingship of Jesus, as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, the only books of scripture available to Wesley at that time. We don’t know exactly when it was written, but it was first published in Wesley’s book, Moral and Sacred Poems, in 1744, and had been set to music as a hymn by 1770. It has since become a favorite of Christians around the world.

As the hymn gained in popularity, it attracted other composers including George Handel and William E. Fischer. Different churches have standardized on three separate tunes. The one most Mormons are familiar with is called, “Jubilate,” and was written in 1894 by Horatio W. Parker, an American organist, choirmaster, and composer who began composing at age 15. He composed “Jubilate” when he was 21, and already successful on both sides of the Atlantic.

Play this song rapidly. The metronome setting shows 160 eighth-notes per minute, but you may wish to count it in quarter-notes, as written in Hymns. I recast it in 8/8 time, to simplify the counting of sixteenth-notes. It was written in the key of C, which makes it easy to play. Only one chord is played in an unusual way. 

Play the Dm as it is shown in the chord chart, to ease the transition to the following notes. Instead of showing the position of the left-hand fingers in the chord chart with zeros, as usual, I have used the numbers 1 - 4, to show which finger goes where, with 1 = index finger, 2 = middle finger, 3 = ring finger, and 4 = little finger. As a rule, I just use zeros, as it doesn’t really matter which finger goes in which spot as long as you are comfortable, and using finger numbers gets confusing. But this time it’s important, so I have broken my rule. Fret the Dm in the refrain the same way, but play it as a broken chord. Do not strum or pinch it. That is why it is shown in lightface, italic type.

In the next-to-last measure, hold the single D note with lots of tremolo.  Since this note is found at the third fret, you can get a much better tremolo effect by vibrating the string across the neck, rather than along it, as you normally would. Notes fretted in the first three frets require this technique to achieve a strong tremolo.

This song is in the public domain.



  

Rock of Ages

Short, easy, beautiful piece.  Only twelve full measures, only three chords, all easy.  No barre chords.  No hard or fast changes.  Lots of fun expression-- it can make people weep.  And it’s in the public domain.  What’s not to love? 

Tempo is approximate; don’t even try to use a metronome.  You’ll find yourself wanting to adjust the tempo throughout the song, as you speed up and slow down for emphasis.  The count is approximate, too, as I found it confusing to try to put in sixteenth notes.

I recommend you try to stick with the chord strums and pinches as tabbed, as well as the slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, at least until you get a feel for the arrangement.  Yeah, it’s easier without all that expression, but it’s not nearly as beautiful.  Done correctly, after three verses, you should see members of the congregation dabbing their eyes.

There are two ways to make a tremolo, and this piece requires both, depending on fretboard position.  For notes at the fifth fret and above, make the tremolo by vibrating the fretting finger along the string.  For notes below the fifth fret, vibrate across the string, or the tremolo will be weak, or even inaudible.

A few of the slides and changes require you to use specific fingers:

In the last two measures of the second line, use the middle finger for the slide, leaving the index finger free to fret the G on the 6th string in the last measure.  The ring finger then plays the B in the IV space of the third string, pulling off to G.  It’s not difficult at all, just unusual.

For similar reasons, in the second measure of the last line, I like to use the middle finger for the double slide on the 4th string.  In the next measure, the second note is actually part of the strummed chord, but is a quarter note, for emphasis, while the rest of the chord receives a standard strum. 

Try to hold the tremolo in the penultimate (next to last) measure as long as you can.  You can slide down to the D on the 2nd string if you wish, or play it separately as shown.  The rest of the song need not be played very deliberately for the first two verses, but the last time, play at half speed as shown, with great deliberation, emphasizing each chord separately.

The final chord may be played as a standard C if desired, but I think adding the G bass note with the little finger gives a fuller sound.  Tip:  Play the standard C for the first two verses, reserving the C/G for the final resolve of the song.  This chord is properly called, "C with a G bass," but guitarists often call it "C-slash-G," or "C-over-G."  Whatever you call it, it's a strong way to end a beautiful song.

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.