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.
Showing posts with label chord voicing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chord voicing. Show all posts
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.
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.
Come, Follow Me
This is a really pretty song, with lots of cool chords. I love the lyrics, too, except for the second verse. If anyone who reads this can define the word “effulgent” or use it in a sentence in such a way as to indicate the meaning, WITHOUT looking it up first, please email me or comment on this post. The other five verses are wonderful, and can get along just fine without verse two. Maybe even better.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
I Know My Father Lives
Copyright LDS. Here’s another of those “simple-sounding” Primary songs that are anything but simple to play.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
Carry On
Well, the reason I've been carrying on about barre chords is to prepare you for this song. Now that the Mission website is back up, we can carry on as usual. There are lots and lots of barre chords in Carry On-- all easy ones. Just the regular, old, barred E, Em, E7, A, Am, and A7. The only hard chord in the song is Cadd5, which is NOT a barre chord! (It's actually not that hard, either.)
You COULD play this song using only the non-barre versions of these chords. This would be OK if you were just strumming accompaniment for a singer, but for a guitar solo, it sounds terrible, as the melody would often be going down, when it's supposed to go up.
This piece does require a reasonably high-quality instrument, where the high notes are not grossly out of tune with the low notes on the same string. On nearly all guitars, as you play higher and higher up the neck, the the notes sound progressively more out of tune. This happens because you have to exert more pressure on the strings to fret them, stretching them and making them play sharper than intended.
If your high notes and chords seem excessively sharp, try using less pressure on the strings. If this doesn't help, change to high-tension strings. The extra pressure needed to fret the high notes is a smaller fraction of the total string tension, with high-tension strings. Besides, there's hardly a guitar in the world that can't be improved by putting new strings on it. If that's not good enough, have a professional luthier (guitar technician) look at your guitar. There are modifications that are relatively easy and cheap for a luthier to make, that can help a lot. Most good guitar stores have a luthier on staff. If he can't fix it, it's probably time to upgrade your guitar. This song is a good one to use when trying out new guitars.
Carry on!
You COULD play this song using only the non-barre versions of these chords. This would be OK if you were just strumming accompaniment for a singer, but for a guitar solo, it sounds terrible, as the melody would often be going down, when it's supposed to go up.
This piece does require a reasonably high-quality instrument, where the high notes are not grossly out of tune with the low notes on the same string. On nearly all guitars, as you play higher and higher up the neck, the the notes sound progressively more out of tune. This happens because you have to exert more pressure on the strings to fret them, stretching them and making them play sharper than intended.
If your high notes and chords seem excessively sharp, try using less pressure on the strings. If this doesn't help, change to high-tension strings. The extra pressure needed to fret the high notes is a smaller fraction of the total string tension, with high-tension strings. Besides, there's hardly a guitar in the world that can't be improved by putting new strings on it. If that's not good enough, have a professional luthier (guitar technician) look at your guitar. There are modifications that are relatively easy and cheap for a luthier to make, that can help a lot. Most good guitar stores have a luthier on staff. If he can't fix it, it's probably time to upgrade your guitar. This song is a good one to use when trying out new guitars.
Carry on!
About the tablature
There is no recognized standard for how to write guitar tablature. I use an underscore (4_5) to indicate any ligado, either a hammer-on or a pull-off. I find it makes the tab easier to read than cluttering it up with the letters h (4h5) or p (5p4), and it's obvious which is meant. I use vertical lines for measures, and write time signatures outside the staff. Two lower case o's, placed vertically on the #3 and #4 strings, inside the staff, are a repeat sign. I use a zig-zag, vertical line at the left of a chord, to indicate a strum. All strums are down unless otherwise stated, or noted with the letters u or d above the staff. Chords tabbed without the zig-zag line are to be plucked or pinched, unless otherwise specified. If all chords in a section are to be strummed, I indicate that with a note, and leave out the zig-zag lines. Slow strums are tabbed note by note. Harmonics are indicated with an exclamation point: !12, double harmonics with two exclamation points: !!7. Double vertical lines indicate the end of the song.
Where the abundance of strummed chords makes the tab too busy for easy reading, I have employed several strategies. Sometimes, I write “All chords are strummed” at the beginning of the song. Where the same chord is strummed repeatedly, I may leave out the numbers, after the first strum, and use only the zig-zag lines. Spaces between notes do not usually indicate length of the note-- they are only added to allow the printed words to fit better. Except where the notes indicate a slow strum, I always allow at least one space (hyphen) between notes.
About the chords
Where possible, I include “standard” chord charts at the end of each song, with the chords in the order of their appearance in that song. Some tab artists write out chords like this:
C: x32010, meaning the sixth string is not played, the fifth string is fretted in the third space, etc. This takes a great deal less room than standard charts, but lacks the visual element, is confusing to beginners, and somewhat duplicates the chords as shown (vertically) in the tablature. I try to avoid such, but do use them occasionally.
I use a lot of barre chords. Selection of which voicing of a chord to use often brings out the melody. To distinguish voicings of the same chord, I use Roman numerals in smaller type after the chord name, to indicate the chord's position (where the barre goes.) For example, the C major chord is normally played without a bar, but is sometimes played as an A barred in the third space (A III), or an E barred in the eighth space (E VIII).
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