What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?

For my darling wife, Barbara, just because she loves it-- and because it’s her birthday.

Happy Birthday, dear!

The Song:

This song is harder than it looks, but a lot easier than it might be, so I’m calling it Intermediate level.  It does contain eight chords, and five are barre chords, but two are just barrred A-shapes, which can be played as a two-finger chord, using the middle finger to barre the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings in the second space, bending the second knuckle backwards a bit to clear the 1st string. This is a jazz technique pioneered by the great Django Rinehart, father of modern jazz guitar, who only had the use of two fingers on his left hand. (Really!)

Two more barre chords are a barred E-shape, probably the most common barre chord, and a barred Em7-shape, another two-finger chord, and one of the easiest. The other barre chord, EIV,  is a truncated version of a barred C-shape. The full version of this chord is generally conceded to be a difficult one, but since none of the notes used in the tab fall on the 5th string, I have left it out, making the chord MUCH easier to play. The other three chords are just A, E, and D.

I’ve left out several chords, in the interest of easier chord changes, substituting melody notes to carry the tune. So the chords alone make this an Intermediate level piece. But there’s more. Nearly every measure ends with a triplet-- three notes played in the time of a single beat. This constant slowing down and speeding up adds a lot to the appeal of the song. It also adds a bit to the difficulty level, since most of these triplets are achieved by using a double-ligado-- either a slide/pull-off, or a hammer-on/slide. One is even a mordant, achieved by sliding an entire chord down a fret and back up again, in the space of a single beat! In fact, this piece is just full of such combinations of techniques. Definitely not Beginner level. Sorry, all you beginners who would like to learn this song!

History

This is one of the few times where we know more about the composer of the song than we do about the writer of the words. The music was composed by Evan Stephens, an early Tabernacle Choir director and prolific composer. Nineteen of the songs in the current English language version of the hymnal were written or composed by him. Stephens was the first person to be employed as a  full-time Tabernacle Choir Director, and it was he who first took the Choir on touring concerts. He also more than doubled the size of the choir, from 125 members to over 300.

We know nothing of the circumstances surrounding the composition of this particular song, and even less about the writer of the lyrics, John S. Davis. The name is just too common, and without corroborating details, there is no way for me to sort out which one he is. If anyone knows, please contact me.

Come, Ye Disconsolate

Don’t confuse this hymn with “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” which it strongly resembles, both musically and in sentiment. I’ll tab that one next time. If you do sometimes confuse them, pat yourself on the back. They are not even in the same key, which means you are transposing one or both of them in your head, consciously or not.

This guitar arrangement is in three verses of varying difficulty.
Moore’s original lyrics for the second and third verses were somewhat different:

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope when all others die, fadeless and pure;
Here speaks the Comforter, in God’s name saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.”

Come, ask the infidel what boon he brings us,
What charm for aching hearts he can reveal,
Sweet is that heavenly promise Hope sings us
“Earth has no sorrow that God cannot heal.”

Beginners

I have transposed the song into the key of C for easier playing. You may still find the introduction difficult to play.  If so, just leave it out.  It’s not in the original piano music.

If you are a beginner, just play the first verse. It does include a barred F chord. If you are not comfortable with barre chords, you can substitute either a traditional four-string F or a five-string F. It won’t sound bad, but I don’t recommend it, just because this song is such a perfect vehicle for learning to play barre chords. There aren’t many of them, and the tempo is slow and deliberate, allowing plenty of time for the unfamiliar chord change. This barred-E chord shape is the most frequently-used barre chord in just about every kind of music. It provides instant access to other barred chords with the same chord shape. That’s TEN major chords just by moving the barre. Plus, you can easily convert any of these chords to a minor, a seventh, or a minor seventh, just by lifting up a finger or two. That’s ten major chords, ten minor chords, ten seventh chords, and ten minor sevenths, for a total of FORTY new chords, all for the price of learning just one! And THAT’S why serious guitarists all learn to play barre chords.

Look at the chord chart. The index finger is supposed to barre, or fret, all six strings of the guitar, in the space between the nut and the first fret. This spot is properly called “First Position”, but most guitarists call it “the first fret.” Don’t be fooled. You still have to put your finger between the frets, just as you would do if you were only fretting one string. It may be hard to fret all six strings with the side of your index finger at the same time, so that all six sound clearly. Not to worry! Here are some tricks to make it easier:
1. You only have to fret the first two strings (high e, and B) and the last string (low E) with the index finger. The other three strings will be fretted individually by the middle, ring, and little fingers, so don’t worry about those strings yet. Your barring finger will cover them, but you need not get those spots perfectly.
2.  It’s easier to practice barre chords higher up on the neck, where the frets are closer together. Try practicing with the barre at the fifth fret, until you can do the chord well, then move your hand back to First Position.
3.  If the barred strings don’t sound clear, pressing harder probably won’t help. There’s a “sweet spot” on your barring finger where you can fret the necessary strings without much effort. LEARN THAT SWEET SPOT, and barre chords will be easy for you.
4.  Once you’ve found your sweet spot, use the other three fingers to fret the other three strings. They go in exactly the spots where you would play an E chord, if you were using a capo instead of your finger. It will feel a little strange at first, because you are used to using different fingers to fret the E chord. But that’s the only difference.
5.  If it’s still hard for you, try simplifying by playing an Em instead of an E. This actually gives you an Fm chord, which won’t sound right in this song. So, once you can do it, add the middle finger back in where it belongs. As with most guitar problems, lots of practice is the real secret to success.

Intermediate to advanced guitarists:

The second and third verses contain more barre chords and rapid chord changes than the first verse.  The chords should be self-explanatory for regular readers of this blog, except for F*, which is simply a normal F chord, with the C note added on the 5th string in the third space.  You can certainly substitute a full-barre FI chord, if you wish. I use the five-string version to speed up the chord change.

You will probably want to include the intro, which is a slightly modified version of the last line. The only hard part is being fast and accurate in the lengthy slide from 3rd position to 12th.  It may take some practice, but it’s worth it.

That’s it.  Enjoy!

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.

God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray

WARNING:  CONTAINS VERY EASY CHORDS  (with scary names.) And lots of barre chords. If you can play barre chords, you should have no trouble.

THE CHORDS:

According to the piano music in the hymnal, this song is a long series of chords, with hardly any melody notes. That sounds good when accompanying choral or congregational singing, but  does not do so well as an instrumental solo. But it’s such a beautiful song, with such a lovely chord progression, that I could not resist it. It did require a bit of arranging for instrumental guitar, and in one case, I had to substitute an F#7 chord for Fdim7, to bring out the melody.

There are lots of “diminished seventh” chords in this song. Don’t let that throw you. They are beautiful, and easy to play. Only the names are scary. And there’s a secret to playing them that you may not know.

THE SECRET: Nearly all diminished seventh chords are played exactly the same way; only the barre position varies. Sometimes, even that does not change. The second chord in the first measure is actually an Fdm7, but it’s played exactly the same as Ddim7. The name is the only difference! That’s right-- the very same chord has two different names. Actually, it has four different names: Ddim7 = Fdim7 = G#dim7 = Bdim7. All four are exactly the same chord, played exactly the same way. All four names are equally correct.

I call them all Ddim7 for simplicity. Change the barre position, and you get other diminished seventh chords, in similar groups of four. There are technical reasons for this. I won’t go into them here, but if you are interested, see the PDF document in The Tabs at right, called “Diminished Seventh Chord Theory”. You’ll learn how, by mastering one easy, four-string chord, you can play five dozen really beautiful chords. Really.

Those dim7 chords probably all should have Roman numerals attached, to show which space the barre goes in. I didn’t do it, because their names would be ridiculously long, and would not fit in the tablature. G#dim7II, for example.

Some chords called for in the piano music have been replaced with single notes or two-note pinches, for playability. In the interest of simplicity, and to avoid confusion, I have left their chord names out of the tab entirely.

There are two different ways of playing A7 in this tab, two ways of playing Bm, and two ways to play D7. All are necessary to bring out the melody. If you just play them one way, the melody  will go down where it’s supposed to go up,. There are also two different ways of playing G. You may find it easier to fret the non-barred G as if you were playing G7, for easier chord changes. The #1 string is not played, so there is no difference between G and G7, so far as the actual notes played are concerned. Use which ever feels easiest to you.

PLAYING TIPS:

-- At the end of the second measure, you can ease the transition from G to BmII by releasing the G chord early. It won’t matter, as the third pinch is on two open strings. Do the same at the end of the tenth measure, where the transition is from G to BII .

-- The first measure of the second line shows a ligado on the G string, from the 4th fret to the 2nd fret. Normally, this would be played as a pull-off, but if your fingers are short, like mine, you may find it easier to do a push off instead. Whichever way you do it. leave the index finger on the string in the 2nd space, where it will be perfectly positioned for the following D chord.

-- In the first measure of the last line, you will normally use your ring finger to fret the G note on the #1 string. If you leave it on the string, you can easily move it to the second space, to make the pull off, in preparation for the following GIII  chord.

-- Following this chord, there are two notes (C and B) on the #1 string, which are to be played with “strong tremolo”. This is done by rapidly vibrating the fretting finger (probably the ring finger) along the string, while continuing to hold the note. The tremolo will be strongest if performed with the finger closer to the next higher fret, rather than in the middle of the space. If you are playing more than one verse, you may choose to omit the tremolo from the earlier verses, adding it in on the last verse for emphasis.

-- The final three chords require you to go from an Em7 shape to an A7 shape to an E shape, while simultaneously sliding the barre from VII to V to III. Quickly. There is no trick for doing this easily. It’s a hard series to play well, even though the chords individually are not difficult. As in all such situations, the only strategy that works is lots of practice. Sorry, there is no royal road here. It just takes work. However, it’s worth it, as this is a lovely way to end the phrase. You may even wish to repeat the last four measures, slowly, as a finale after the last verse.

-- Since this guitar arrangement is still mostly chords, it works without alteration as a guitar accompaniment for singers, or as a duet with some other instrument. I’d love to hear it done as a duet with a violin. Any violinists out there want to jam?

Historical notes:

Text of the lyrics is by Annie Pinnock Malin, an early Utah pioneer. I have been unable to learn anything about the circumstances under which she wrote this song. Anyone have any information?

The music is from a tune called “Mercy”, by Louis M. Gottschalk, adapted by Edwin P. Parker. Gottschalk was a child prodigy of the piano, born in the USA, but classically trained in Europe, who performed throughout the United States. He left the U.S. after a scandal, and died in Brazil, leaving a large corpus of music. Several of his tunes are well-known hymns, but this is the only one included in the LDS Hymnal, which states that it was “adapted by Edwin P. Parker.

Parker is listed in hymnals of various churches as adapting works by Gottschalk (and other composers), though the names are often misspelled. To further cloud the issue, there are several historical personages of note named Edwin P. Parker, with conflicting birthdates and biographical information. I’m not going to repeat any of them, as I have no way to tell which are true, or even which refer to this-- and not some other-- Edwin P. Parker.

This song is in the public domain.

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.)

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

“Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” was written and composed by Will L. Thompson, the same Southern Baptist composer who wrote the famous hymn, “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling”.  It was first included in the Latter-Day Saint hymnal, Songs of Zion, published by the Northern States Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1908.  Latter-Day Saints musicians may be interested to know that the first line was changed, from “The world has need of Christian men...” to “willing men...”. At that time, it was not considered unusual for local missions or other units of the Church to produce their own hymnals. I have been unable to learn the exact year of the song's composition or its publication history, though it appears to have been first published as a Southern Baptist hymn about the same time that it appeared in Songs of Zion. 

The title comes (originally) from one of Aesop’s Fables, “The Tale of Hercules and the Wagoner”. The tale goes as follows (spelling modernized):

    A wagoner was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way. At last he came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels. So the wagoner threw down his whip, and knelt down and prayed to Hercules the Strong:
    "O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress."
    But Hercules appeared to him, and said, "Tut, man, don't sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel."
    The gods help them that help themselves.
This song is not difficult to play for anyone who doesn’t mind a few barre chords and ligados. Intermediate level guitarists should have no trouble with it.  You will, however, need a guitar that allows you to perform a double hammer-on.  There are a few places where you hammer-on a note, then hammer-on a higher note on the same string.  If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry; it’s not nearly as hard as it looks, as long as your guitar can sustain that second note long enough for the second hammer-on to work.  If your guitar won’t do this, try putting higher tension strings on it.  You’ll be amazed at the difference that can make.  Of course, there’s hardly a guitar in existence that cannot benefit from new strings!

You may find the FV chord difficult if you are not used to it.  It’s just a C-shape chord, barred at the 5th fret, and is basic to many styles of music.  If you don’t know it, this is an excellent opportunity to learn it.  You can’t follow the melody of this song without it.

Another place you may want to practice is the slide on the first string, in the third measure of the next to last line, where you are holding a CIII chord, and have to slide from G to F on the first string.  The trick is that you don’t actually have to hold the barre in the 3rd space; you have enough time to release the barre and fret the G note with the tip of your index finger, making the slide much easier. 

The only relatively quick chord change needed is in the next measure, in the transition from C to G7addD.  This is only a problem if you play this chord as a normal G7, then add the D a moment later.  Trust me, you will not have time to do it this way.  But if you learn the chord, as a chord, and play it all at once, you’ll have enough time.  Once again, the “trick” is lots of practice.

The last line is a recap of the previous line.  This is not according to the hymnal, nor does it match the original hymn in the Southern Baptist hymnal.  It’s an addition I put in, just ‘cause it sounds better to my mind.  Leave it out if you don’t like it.  Or, you can leave it in, and leave out the previous line.  They are not the same.

This song is in the public domain.

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. 

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.



  

We'll Bring the World His Truth ("Army of Helaman")

Yeah, I know:  everyone calls this song, “The Army of Helaman.”  Sorry, but that is not actually its title.  The original name, according to Janice Kapp Perry, the composer and lyricist, is “We’ll Bring the World His Truth.”  So many people called it “The Army of Helaman,” that the LDS Church, which is extremely careful about such things, had to append the alternate title, to avoid confusion.  So did I.

Another shocker:  the copyright date is 1983.  The song is barely thirty years old.  I thought it had been around forever.  Instead, I find the original copyright date is still valid.  It is NOT in the public domain.  The Church website states,

© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.  Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
I would normally conclude from the double copyright that the Church had purchased limited rights from Sister Perry.  However, Sister Perry’s own website has not responded to my request for reprint permission.  I have waited months for a meaningful reply, and have received only spam.  I conclude:  either she does not care if I publish this song, or she no longer owns the rights.  Nevertheless, I have removed the lyrics from the tab, which is my own work as the arranger.  The lyrics are readily available HERE.  Write them in if you wish.  They are not needed for a strictly instrumental arrangement such as this.

Playing guide:
I have recast the time signature from 3/4 to 6/8, for simplicity.   Nearly all the notes come out eighth notes, which is fine for guitar, and it’s much less confusing visually.  I didn’t even have to transpose, as it was originally written in C.  I did slow it down just a bit, from 116 quarter notes per minute to 100.  Remember this when counting:  TWO counts = ONE beat.

There are a few unusual (but easy) chords, and a few difficult barre chords.  Before you panic, I have tried to leave plenty of time for chord changes.  The hard chords make this piece more suitable for intermediate guitarists than for beginners, despite its simple sound.  If you play through it, you may find it’s more sophisticated than it seems.

The first two measures are just arpeggios, and are only played once, as an introduction.  The verses start with measure [3], where the melody begins.  The melody is carried in the bass in this measure, with the rhythm in the treble, just the opposite of the usual arrangement. 

Measure [4] is a treble pluck, followed by a rising arpeggio and ending with a descending note, a pattern repeated often in this song.  Measure [5] abandons the pattern-picking, for a series of descending pinches.  The rhythm is off the beat, but is carried in the bass. 

There’s a bit of a tricky pull-off in measure [9].  The trick is pushing the finger off the string (toward the top of the guitar) instead of pulling it, which would be well nigh impossible to accomplish while holding the FI chord.  It’s easy if you push it off, though this may seem a little odd, if you’re not used to the technique.

Measures [11] and [12] are the same as [3] and [4].  Measure [13] is nearly identical to [5], except that the first pinch of the measure is replaced by a full, strummed chord, and the rhythm is carried on the bass E string, instead of the A string.

Measures [16] and [17] end with a quarter note, or you can substitute an eighth note and a rest if you are having trouble sustaining these notes.  You fret this note with your left pinkie.  If you are not used to fretting bass strings with your pinkie, you may well have such trouble. 

The next measure, [18] is the last measure of the verse, and is unique in several ways.  First, there’s a tempo change to 8/8, just for this one measure.  Also, it is contains multiple hammer-ons.  Do not omit them.  The phrase needs to be played with extreme fluidity.  Remember, this eight-note measure should take no longer to play than the six-note measures that precede and follow it.  A little practice should suffice; it’s not as hard as it looks.  Do not hesitate, but go right into the next measure [19] without a break.  I can’t stress this enough:  fluidity and perfect timing here will make the song; variation in timing or hesitation will sound terribly amateurish to the audience.  Practice playing measures [17] through [19] until you can’t muff them.  Your audience will forgive a bobble in any other part of this song, but not here.

Measure [19] begins the chorus.  Play the FI chord and then slide up the neck of the guitar to the III space while lifting the left pinkie off the string to make a very fast change to G7III.  In measure [21], on the final pinch of the measure, you’ll need to add the F note on the 4th string with the left pinkie.  Don’t forget it; it’s the melody note!  Then, in [22], you have another one of those push-offs.  If you’ll fret the final note of the measure (G on the 6th string) with your left pinkie again, it’ll position your left hand automatically for the FI chord that begins [23].

Measures [29] and [30] are played almost exactly like [21] and [22].  The only difference is in the final note of [30].  This is a melody note AND a transition to Dm7V.  DON’T play it exactly the same as [22]!  Measure [33] has another one of those push-offs.  You can do this one as a pull-off if you wish, I just find it easier to push.  Hammer on the F note on the 4th string, then lift the entire left hand from the strings as you do the pull-off or push-off to D (open).  End the chorus with a C chord strum and go right into the next verse, starting with measure [3].

Since this is an instrumental solo, you don’t have to play all three verses.  Or, if you wish, you can add additional ones.  But on the final verse, skip directly from verse [32] to verse [35], play the Finale through ONCE, and stop.  This finale is not part of the song as published in The Children’s Songbook.  But I hope you’ll like it.

Measures [35] and [36] nearly reprise [33] and [34], with a couple of differences:  the initial, two-note pinch in [33] becomes a three-note pinched chord in [35], and a G note is added on the open 3rd string at the end of [36].  This note is important, as it provides a transition to the following musical phrase comprising [37] through the initial chord of [40].  This phrase is the melody associated with the words, “to bring the world His truth,” and is repeated twice more.  Note that the chords do not match those used in other parts of the song to accompany the same words, though the effect is similar.   In measure [38], the G7* chord can be fretted by barring the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings with the index finger, bending it slightly backwards so as not to buzz on the 2nd string, which is played open.  If, like me, your index finger does not bend backward, you’ll have to fret the 4th and 6th strings with the index and middle finger as shown in the chord charts.

The FV and GVII chords in measures [41] and [42] are not terribly hard to play as written. They normally would be played as five-string chords, which are difficult to play.  As shown in the tab, you only have to bar the first three strings, but I recommend barring all six strings anyway if you can, as this greatly simplifies the transition to CVIII in the next measure. 

Possibly the most technically difficult part of the song occurs right at the end, when you have to fret the 3rd string in the 10th space with the left pinkie, then slide it down to the 7th fret.  Then, without a break, lift the fingers off the strings and continue along the guitar neck to the C chord in the first position.  Try to do it all in one motion.  Sustain the C chord as long as you can, and take your bows.

Today, While the Sun Shines

This song has a rather quick tempo, though not as fast as the SATB version in Hymns.  But it should not be too difficult to play-- if you memorize it first.  The lines of music are rather short, and if you try to play at speed from the tab, you’ll spend lots of time hesitating between the end of one line and the beginning of the next, giving the piece a very choppy sound.  Practice it that way, and that’s how you’ll learn it. 

The solution is to play the song at about half speed at first.  Practice until you can play the whole piece at a regular tempo from memory.  THEN work on speed.  Please trust me on this.  You really need to go slowly at first on this piece, even though many parts may seem simple and easy.

I have tabbed some of the chords as pinches, and others as strums, but there’s no specific rule about this.  If you feel like playing all pinches, all strums, or changing them up differently than the way I have tabbed them, go ahead.

The last two measures in the first line are a little bit “tricky”.  To get the melody notes out of the F chord, you have to lift the middle finger and replace it, then lift the barring index finger in the last measure, and replace it.  With a bit of practice, you should be able to do it quite fast, and in perfect tempo, but it does feel a bit odd at first.

The second note in the second line is a grace note (not part of the melody).  It is inserted to help the rhythm.  Fret the next note, on the 3rd string, by briefly flattening the left pinkie while playing the note.  You must immediately correct this flattened condition, in order to play the next note, on the 2nd string.  Fret the last note of the second measure (E) on the 2nd string, 5th fret, with the left pinkie.  I know, it’s  easier to just play the 1st string open, but that makes for a significantly harder transition to the next note played on the 2nd string, 6th fret.  You’re going to have to fret that one with the pinkie anyway-- no other way to do it.  So, you might as well play the E with the pinkie too.  You can leave out the following pull-off if you want, and just play the notes separately, but it sounds way better with the pull-off.

The third line is played almost exactly like the first, with the exception of a few melody notes.  What a difference a couple of notes can make!  When you play the song at speed, the audience will most likely have no idea you are just repeating the first line, even if they are seasoned guitarists.

The first half of the fourth line is very similar to the first half of the second line.  Lift the middle finger and then hammer it on in the 4th space.  Play the C note on the third string by flattening the pinkie. The pull-off that bridges the last two measures is very important.  If you leave it out, and play the two notes separately, they will sound much too staccato.  Also, they will be harder to play quickly in the right tempo.

The Chorus has a lively, up-tempo melody-- so lively in fact, that it seems to go faster than the verse.  It’s an illusion.  Both are played at exactly the same speed.  The second and third notes of the first six measures are grace notes, forming a counterpoint to the melody and giving it drive.

In the fourth measure of the chorus’ first line, switch to a GIII chord, even though you’re only playing a single note. There’s a reason for this.  It’s easier to make the change from the C chord here than in the beginning of the next measure, giving just a bit more time to reach the full barre chord. 

In the next line, the C/GIII is played exactly like a normal CIII, except that the bass string is fretted by the barring index finger, and the resulting G note is allowed to sound.  You could play it as a normal, five-string chord, but the lead note would not be a G.  This is not exactly vital, but it’s so easy to do it right.  The only difficulty is a rather weird-looking chord name.  Read it as, “C with a G bass, barre three.”  Some prefer to call it, “C over G,” or even “C slash G.”  There are other ways to play this chord, but they don’t sound right, in this spot.

Hold that chord for four measures.  This would be difficult if you really had to barre all six strings, but in fact, only the first string and the last two strings actually need to be barred.  The rest are part of a barred A-shape, so you’re never actually barring more than three strings at a time.  Finger pick the second string notes with the middle finger, and the first string notes with the ring finger of the right hand, and play the notes on the sixth and fifth strings with the thumb.  Not only is this the easiest way to play it, but it accents the counterpoint.

The chord change to GIII is easy.  Just leave the barre in place and change from an A-shape to an
E-shape.  In the last measure of the line, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the first string open, and then fret the F in the first space lightly with the index finger.  The idea is to be ready for the quick chord change to C in the next measure.

In the second measure of the last line, the notes on the fifth and fourth strings (C and E) are grace notes.  The final note is a repeat of the partial measure that begins the song.  When you return to the beginning of the song for the next verse, ignore that partial measure, and go right into the second measure of the first line.

Play as many verses and you like, but on the last time around, use the final two measures.  You’ll have to fret the D in the third space, second string with the pinkie, then quickly move it to the sixth string, third space.  Omit the pull-off on the second string.  Strumming the C/G chord UP gives you a little more time for the finger dancing, resolves with a bass note, and just sounds all-around cool.

 

Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide

    Abide with Me; ’Tis Eventide post

A funny thing happened on the way to this website.  I was unable to find a single YouTube or MP3  guitar solo of this popular hymn.  Nor could I find a tab listed anywhere.  I checked twenty pages deep, and found not a one!  There are lots of other versions of this song, but not guitar solos.  Part of the problem undoubtedly comes from the fact that the search terms, “abide with me” and “eventide” are also shared by the hymn “Abide with Me.”  But the bottom line is, if you learn this song and publish it on the web, you will receive instant, worldwide recognition, because you will be the only one on the web doing it.  Chance of a lifetime.

Not much seems to be known about the song itself.  WikiPedia contains only an entry of one brief paragraph.  Same for HymnWiki, and all other web-based song engines I could find.  Hardly anyone has covered it.  It’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful song.  And it's in the Public Domain.

Actually, the song is musically rather simple, if you are not afraid of a few barre chords.  You don't even have to finger-pick it.  The whole song can be thumb strummed, pinched, or played with a flat pick.  It appears in the key of Eb in the LDS hymnal, but I have transposed it into the keys of A and C, because they are MUCH easier to play.  For similar reasons, I have recast it into 6/8 time instead of 3/4, as published in Hymns.  Remember that the metronome tempo refers to quarter-notes, so each metronome beat equals two counts.

In the first line, notes # 2 & 3 of the second and fourth measures are not actually part of the melody, but are included to help with the timing and to keep the song from dragging.  You can leave them out if you wish, but the song sounds more finished with them in.  The final measure of the line is a partial measure, concluded at the beginning of the next line.  I don’t usually use partial measures, but in this case, they make the tab easier to follow.  Line two is an exact duplicate of the first line, except for notes 5 and 6 of the fourth measure.  It’s important to play the E7 chords as written, and not substitute the easier, two-finger version, which will not work.

In the third line, I like to keep my middle finger on the #1 string, and just slide it up to the fifth fret and back down again.  I haven’t marked it as a slide, because you still have to pluck the string to get the note, unlike a true slide, where you are sliding instead of plucking.  Following the E chord, fret the 2nd string, 4th fret with the ring finger, and the next note, 1st string, 2nd fret, with the index finger.  This makes the transition to the following E7 chord easier.

The fourth line contains the only difficult chords in the song.  Both the EIV and DII are barred C-shapes.  I’ve tried to keep this part as easy as possible by putting them together, so you can just slide from one to the other.  Don’t neglect the pull-off in the second measure.  It actually makes this difficult chord change easier.  Do the pull-off with your pinkie.  A/E is just a normal A chord, but let the bass E string sound.  You can also let the high E string sound if you wish, but I think it detracts from the melody note, which is found on the #2 string.

The last line recaps the words of the fourth line, but the melody is very different, as you can easily see from the chord structure.  Please do not substitute the unbarred A chord for the barred version called for in the tab. The melody note is on the first string, 5th fret, which is quite a reach unless you play it as a barred E-shape, as indicated.

You can play as many verses of this song as you like; you don’t have to stick to three, though the audience may expect it.  Verse 2:  The chords are exactly the same as the first verse.  The only difference is that in the first two lines, the chords are pinched instead of plucked.  It sounds very different, though.

Verse 3:  BIG difference, beginning with a key change to the key of C.  The first two lines do not need any special instructions, but the first note of the third line is fretted at the 5th fret.  This is a hard stretch from a C position, so it’s easier to release the C chord and fret the note by barring at the 5th fret with the index finger.  It also makes the transition to FV in the second measure much easier.  In the same measure, you can easily hit the C at the 8th fret, first string by briefly flattening the pinkie.  It’s lots easier than moving the pinkie tip to the first string and back again for successive eighth-notes.

Play the CIII in the third measure as marked.  Don’t try to substitute a normal C chord, or you’ll miss the melody note.  In the fourth measure, you’ll probably need to release the GIII to play the melody notes, then quickly hit the chord again.  If you can’t do this, practice this transition over and over until you can nail the chord all at once.  In fact, this song makes a pretty good etude for learning barre chords really well.

The G7V and F7III are D7 chord shapes, something you don’t see much.  Nevertheless, they are not hard to play.  You don’t even really have to barre them, as you’re only playing one of the four “barred” strings.  I find it easier to barre five or six strings, even though I don’t need to, than to bend my fingers so much.  You’ll probably need to release the CIII to play the open first string, but don’t move the barring finger much, as you just have to put it right back for the following GIII. 

You could substitute the E on the second string, fifth fret for the open first string.  This would allow you to leave the barre in place for the chord change.  I  find it easier the way I have written it.  Similarly, you could substitute a G7III for the G7 called out in the tab.  This makes the GIII to G7III chord change really easy, but at the cost of a slower change back to C at the end of the line.  I think the way I have written it is marginally easier and faster overall.

Notice the slide at the beginning of line 5.  Hold your index finger in barring position, and slide from the third fret up to the seventh.  You can pull your barring finger slightly off the string as you slide, producing a blurred sound called a slur.  The second and third notes of each measure in this line are not part of the melody, but are inserted to bring out the rhythm.  Unlike all previous lines, this one ends in a complete measure.  The chord which occupies the final, partial measure in each of the previous lines is here replaced by the finale, shown at the beginning of the last line.

The broken chord at the beginning of the final line consists of six notes, perfect for 6/8 time.  The two single notes in the next measure also perfectly fit the time signature.  Hold each for three counts, then immediately play the final C/G.  This may be the most difficult chord change in the piece, just because of the need to traverse the entire length of the fretboard in such a short length of time, and hit a six-string chord.  If you just cannot do it, substitute a regular C chord, but it won’t sound as full.

This hymn sounds especially good if you strum the first and third verses with a soft flat-pick, and finger-pick the second verse.  (It helps to hold the pick in your mouth while finger-picking.)  If you do this, you'll want to strum the final chord UP, treble to bass.  Sounds way cool.

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.

Danny Boy-- guitar/mandolin duet

This is a great tune for a duet, but each of the parts can be played alone, too.  I know it's not really Gospel-related, and is rather Catholic in tone, referring as it does to "saying an ave" (pronounced AH-vay), which is how some Catholics refer to the prayer which in Latin begins, "Ave Maria".  In English, it's called a "Hail Mary." 

Actually, the tune is far older than the words associated with it, and makes a really lovely instrumental duet.  The tune was collected in County Londonderry (or Derry) in what is now Northern Ireland, in the mid-1800s, and was so old even then that no one even knew its name, so the collector just referred to it as "The Londonderry Air."  The tune is in the public domain.  The lyrics were written by Frederic Weatherly, and originally set to a completely different tune.  In 1913, he adapted it to fit the Londonderry Air, so the song Danny Boy, as we now know it, is only 100 years old.  But in that century, it has become so popular that hardly anyone remembers the previous version or name.

The mandolin is tuned exactly like the violin, so you could substitute a violin for the mandolin part.  Or you could, if I had used mandolin musical notation instead of tablature.  But there are countless violin versions available in sheet music, and I couldn't find any in tab.  If you're an accomplished mandolin player, you're doubtless used to reading sheet music, but for those who, like me, are not accomplished, I've provided tab.  Either part can also be played separately as a solo.

The piece is actually not difficult for the guitarist who can play standard barre chords.  It uses only barred E-shape chords, except for CaddE and CaddD near the end.  Both are based on the CVIII chord, and can be played that way, if your fingers are long, or your guitar is small.  Otherwise, just play the first four strings of those chords, as written.  I have a 3/4 size classical guitar which I use for teaching very young students, and it works perfectly for me to play the full chords (all six strings), and still reach the 12th fret with my little finger.

I've added a reprise of the last line, as a finale, ending with CVIII. I like to end on a rising note, but you can leave off the finale if you prefer the C/G resolution.


 

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.

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.

Love Me Tender

No, it’s not a hymn, nor even a religious song. But it is about eternal love, and that is also Gospel-friendly. It’s been a long time since I’ve included a love song. My excuse for this one is that it was first performed 55 years ago this week.

Let’s get this straight: I am an Elvis fan, but I must tell the truth. Despite his name in the credits, Elvis Presley did not write this song. The tune was first published in 1861, as a Civil War ballad called Aura Lea, by George R. Poulton, with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. Over the next hundred years, it generated several popular versions with different lyrics. In 1956, songwriter Ken Darby created yet another set of lyrics to the old tune, for the 20th Century Fox movie, The Reno Brothers, in which the young Elvis Presley played a part. Elvis first performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show, on September 9, 1956, as a plug for his upcoming movie. He was not yet known for singing ballads, and neither the movie trailer nor the advance copies of the record had yet been released. So popular was his crooning, however, that one day later the record had sold a million reserved copies, earning a gold record in a single day's sales, before even one copy was released! 20th Century Fox changed the title of the movie to Love Me Tender, to take advantage of this astounding publicity, but still killed off Elvis’ character in the last act.

Although Elvis had no part in writing the lyrics, and the music was in the public domain, he was given equal credit as co-writer, because his contract required it. (Elvis did not actually write any of the songs he recorded.) In a fit of pique, Darby transferred his part of the credit to his wife, Vera Matson, “because she didn’t write it either.” Elvis was well-known as a tyrant in the recording studio, too. Ironically, he made so many last-minute changes to the arrangement and the lyrics of this song, that his credits as songwriter may have been partially justified after all.

PLAYING THE SONG

The metronome setting is for quarter-notes, but I have recast the piece in 8/8 time, instead of 4/4, to make the counting easier. So remember, each tick of the metronome represents two counts.

Nearly all the chords in this song are variants of D, E, and A. If you wish, you can just play those three chords, and it’ll sound okay, but you’ll miss all the cool harmonies. If even “The King,” with his gorgeous voice, needed to add bass and harmony, the rest of us will need to also. Unlike 99 percent of the songs on this blog, this one is intended to accompany a singer. If you don’t have the voice for it, find someone who does.

Strum all the chords with your thumb, or with a soft flat-pick, for the mellowest sound you can get. If you have looked up the chords to this song on other Internet sites, you will notice I have included several additional chords. If you listen to any of Elvis’ actual recordings, you will note that HE always included the “extra” chords too. You can dumb it down if you want to, but it will show. Elvis used the barre chords, which you’ll see if you watch him play this piece on any You-Tubes of his early TV appearances. Or, listen to the chords played by his backup musicians. Like many other really beautiful songs, this one sounds a lot simpler than it really is.

The song is played in a hesitation rhythm: / one-and-two-(and)-three-and-four-(and)- /. The second and fourth notes of each measure are accented, and the intermediate notes following them are not played at all. True, it would be simpler to play this in straight 4/4 time, with an alternating bass note, and that’s how most guitarists do it, but it’s NOT how Elvis or his sidemen played it! I tried writing out the count as / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / but it got too confusing, so I recast it as 8/8 instead. Purists may grumble, but it’s lots easier to figure out that way.

All the chords are quite ordinary for any intermediate guitarist who is used to playing barre chords, with the possible exception of the DII in the second finale. You may find this chord difficult, though it’s just a barred C-shape. If you like, just play the normal D in Finale 1, then repeat and fade. That’s how Elvis’ sidemen did it, while he held the last note with his voice. This emphasizes the voice, at the expense of the guitar, and is great, IF, like Elvis, you have the voice for it. I don’t, so I use Finale 2 to cover.

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.