Here in the southern hemisphere, where my wife and I are serving our mission, it's early spring. Flowers are blooming, birdsongs echo through the trees, and the sidewalks are filled with strolling lovers. What could be more appropriate than this song? I hope it will cheer up those of you heading into a northern hemisphere winter. The world definitely needs some cheering up at this time!
This is an easy song to play, and it's in the Public Domain.
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice
This is an EASY song to play. Don’t be fooled by the Roman numerals or the final C/G chord, which is just a normal C, with the G note added on the 6th string with the little finger . There are really only two, very easy chords in this song: C and a two-finger version of G. The rest is just a bit of lead, with a trick to make it even easier.
The trick is to move your hand one fret up the guitar neck, from time to time, then back to the normal position, for the following C chord. In classical guitar, this normal position is called, “First Position”. So, one fret higher on the neck would be “Second Position,” right? It is indicated by a Roman Numeral II above the staff.
Normally, you would fret the notes in the first space with the index finger, the notes in the second space with the middle finger, and the notes in the third space with the ring finger. In Second Position, that means that any notes in the second space are to be fretted with the index finger, while those in the third space are fretted with the middle finger, and those in the fourth space with the ring finger. That’s the “trick.” By knowing when to move your hand up the neck, and how far, you can make complex-looking riffs easy!
It is a bit tough to reach a normal G chord from Second Position, so I use a modified, two-finger “wrap-around” G. Fret the first string with the middle or ring finger, while wrapping the hand around the neck, so you can fret the sixth string with the thumb. Mute the A string with the thumb also, so it doesn’t sound. This chord is actually easier to do on steel string guitars, with their narrow necks, and is often used in rock music. If it’s too big a reach for you, don’t play the fifth and sixth strings. Or you can substitute a full-barre GIII if you wish.
There are no advanced techniques in this song, but there are lots of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, which makes it easy to play quickly. Nevertheless, learn it slowly first, keeping the timing perfect, until you’ve got it memorized. It won’t take long, as there’s lots of repetition. Then speed up to full speed. Learning it this way will ensure that your timing never varies, and that will blow the minds of your audience.
I did not split any measures, except for the first and last. This resulted in a split slide at the end of the third line and beginning of the fourth line. Perform this slide from 2nd to 3rd fret exactly the same as the one two measures previous. The only difference is in the way I had to write it, to go from the end of one line to the beginning of the next.
I would perform several verses. This song has the potential to be a great set opener, and a perennial crowd-pleaser.
History
The lyrics are from a poem by Joseph S. Murdock, and refer to his friendship with Joseph Smith, Jr., for whom he had acted as a bodyguard. The music is by Joseph J. Daynes, a child prodigy who became the first Tabernacle organist at age sixteen, in 1867. He held that position until 1900. Evan Stephens, the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during Daynes’ tenure as organist, said Daynes “was, without doubt, one of the greatest organists of his time.”
The song is in the Public Domain.
The trick is to move your hand one fret up the guitar neck, from time to time, then back to the normal position, for the following C chord. In classical guitar, this normal position is called, “First Position”. So, one fret higher on the neck would be “Second Position,” right? It is indicated by a Roman Numeral II above the staff.
Normally, you would fret the notes in the first space with the index finger, the notes in the second space with the middle finger, and the notes in the third space with the ring finger. In Second Position, that means that any notes in the second space are to be fretted with the index finger, while those in the third space are fretted with the middle finger, and those in the fourth space with the ring finger. That’s the “trick.” By knowing when to move your hand up the neck, and how far, you can make complex-looking riffs easy!
It is a bit tough to reach a normal G chord from Second Position, so I use a modified, two-finger “wrap-around” G. Fret the first string with the middle or ring finger, while wrapping the hand around the neck, so you can fret the sixth string with the thumb. Mute the A string with the thumb also, so it doesn’t sound. This chord is actually easier to do on steel string guitars, with their narrow necks, and is often used in rock music. If it’s too big a reach for you, don’t play the fifth and sixth strings. Or you can substitute a full-barre GIII if you wish.
There are no advanced techniques in this song, but there are lots of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, which makes it easy to play quickly. Nevertheless, learn it slowly first, keeping the timing perfect, until you’ve got it memorized. It won’t take long, as there’s lots of repetition. Then speed up to full speed. Learning it this way will ensure that your timing never varies, and that will blow the minds of your audience.
I did not split any measures, except for the first and last. This resulted in a split slide at the end of the third line and beginning of the fourth line. Perform this slide from 2nd to 3rd fret exactly the same as the one two measures previous. The only difference is in the way I had to write it, to go from the end of one line to the beginning of the next.
I would perform several verses. This song has the potential to be a great set opener, and a perennial crowd-pleaser.
History
The lyrics are from a poem by Joseph S. Murdock, and refer to his friendship with Joseph Smith, Jr., for whom he had acted as a bodyguard. The music is by Joseph J. Daynes, a child prodigy who became the first Tabernacle organist at age sixteen, in 1867. He held that position until 1900. Evan Stephens, the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during Daynes’ tenure as organist, said Daynes “was, without doubt, one of the greatest organists of his time.”
The song is in the Public Domain.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
The name of Ebenezer Beesley, the composer of this hymn, may seem familiar to you. If so, it’s probably because he composed the tunes to many other hymns in the LDS hymnal, including:
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
The Iron Rod
I had thought to fancy this up, with cool chords and lots of fill, but after trying to do so, I decided this simple and easy version sounds better. This is one of the easiest hymns I've ever published. It's in the key of C, so you can easily transpose it into D, as shown in the hymnal, just by using a capo in the 2nd space, which makes it even easier to play. There are no barre chords, and only three basic chords, though a couple of times you'll want to alter the C chord to a C/G by adding the G note on the #6 (bass) string with your pinkie.
There's also an alternate G7 chord voicing labelled G7*, which requires you to add the F note on the 4th string, III fret. If you're not used to it, and you're not using a capo, this may be slightly difficult for you. If so, you can play it as a three-finger chord by not playing the #1 string, which isn't needed for the melody at that time anyway. In the chord diagram, I have shown this by printing the 0 on the first string in light-face type, and placing an X above the nut over that string. Musically, there is no difference between the two ways of playing this chord; use whichever is easiest for you.
Other than those two slight differences, there are no unusual chords at all. My only other departure from my usually tabbing is to list "strum all chords" at the beginning of the tab, then leave off all the "strum" signs as unnecessary. Let's keep it simple!
There are a couple of techniques that make the song easier to play and nicer to hear. There are a few slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. These are not strictly necessary to play the melody. You could play them as individual notes, but they sound very much nicer as written. And, unless the techniques are just impossible for you, they actually make the song easier to play. One is written a little strangely. In the first measure of the Refrain, the second note (over the word, "to") is plucked and allowed to ring briefly, before hammering-on the next note. This follows the normally sung rhythm,
"Hold__to__the-rod__...." It shouldn't take much practice for you to get it right, as even children have been singing that rhythm for years.
There's also an alternate G7 chord voicing labelled G7*, which requires you to add the F note on the 4th string, III fret. If you're not used to it, and you're not using a capo, this may be slightly difficult for you. If so, you can play it as a three-finger chord by not playing the #1 string, which isn't needed for the melody at that time anyway. In the chord diagram, I have shown this by printing the 0 on the first string in light-face type, and placing an X above the nut over that string. Musically, there is no difference between the two ways of playing this chord; use whichever is easiest for you.
Other than those two slight differences, there are no unusual chords at all. My only other departure from my usually tabbing is to list "strum all chords" at the beginning of the tab, then leave off all the "strum" signs as unnecessary. Let's keep it simple!
There are a couple of techniques that make the song easier to play and nicer to hear. There are a few slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. These are not strictly necessary to play the melody. You could play them as individual notes, but they sound very much nicer as written. And, unless the techniques are just impossible for you, they actually make the song easier to play. One is written a little strangely. In the first measure of the Refrain, the second note (over the word, "to") is plucked and allowed to ring briefly, before hammering-on the next note. This follows the normally sung rhythm,
"Hold__to__the-rod__...." It shouldn't take much practice for you to get it right, as even children have been singing that rhythm for years.
Meditation (Meditaçao)
Don’t let the weird chord names throw you, or prevent you from learning this song. It’s actually not very hard. In fact, it’s the very first Bossa Nova song I ever learned, strumming it softly, before I ever learned to finger-pick. I’ve included the lyrics to all the verses, and a cheat sheet at the end, for those who prefer to strum it and sing the melody. (The cheat sheet chords are even easier!) If, like me, your fingers work better than your voice, you may want to pick it as a guitar solo instead. It sounds great either way. “Lovely” is about the only word to describe it. If you don’t know the piece, see the guitar version by Antonio “Tom” Jobim HERE. I don’t know if this is the original composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim, who also went by the name Tom Jobim, or a wonderful guitarist with a similar name. As you can see, my chords are lots easier, but his are LOTS prettier! Or check out the melody as originally performed by Astrud Gilberto in 1967 HERE.
In tabbing this piece, I have tried something new. There are several places where a barre is indicated, to make the left hand fingering easier, but the indicated note is not actually played. Where this occurs, I have marked the string with a capital X in lightface type, in place of the usual boldface 0. The chords are A9IV, G9II, and especially Fmaj7I, in which the 5th string isn’t even part of the chord, but must be barred in order to ease the transition from C.
On the Coda, just barre the first five strings in the indicated space and slide from one chord to the next, sustaining each chord for just a moment, so the whole slide takes six beats. If your guitar won’t sustain this long (few acoustic guitars will), try playing it as three separate two-chord slides, or play each chord separately as a finger-stopped thumb strum. Finger-stop the chords (except for the last one) by quickly easing the barring finger pressure against the strings just slightly, just enough to damp the strings so they quit sounding, before moving to the next chord. After finger-damping the chord, be sure to lift the finger completely off the strings while moving to the next chord, or the strings may sound. This will not sound like a cool slide, but rather like a muffed transition. Either make the slide definite, or make the stop definite. Let the final Cmaj7 chord ring, and take your bows. I just love a Major Seventh resolve. Your audience will, too.
If you play around on YouTube, you’ll find that every artist who covers this piece does it differently. It’s JAZZ. There’s no “right” way to play it, just so it sounds good to you. A nice thing about this song is that it sounds equally good as a simple melody, or tricked up with all kinds of fancy riffs. Play around with it. Have fun. That’s what jazz is all about.
In tabbing this piece, I have tried something new. There are several places where a barre is indicated, to make the left hand fingering easier, but the indicated note is not actually played. Where this occurs, I have marked the string with a capital X in lightface type, in place of the usual boldface 0. The chords are A9IV, G9II, and especially Fmaj7I, in which the 5th string isn’t even part of the chord, but must be barred in order to ease the transition from C.
On the Coda, just barre the first five strings in the indicated space and slide from one chord to the next, sustaining each chord for just a moment, so the whole slide takes six beats. If your guitar won’t sustain this long (few acoustic guitars will), try playing it as three separate two-chord slides, or play each chord separately as a finger-stopped thumb strum. Finger-stop the chords (except for the last one) by quickly easing the barring finger pressure against the strings just slightly, just enough to damp the strings so they quit sounding, before moving to the next chord. After finger-damping the chord, be sure to lift the finger completely off the strings while moving to the next chord, or the strings may sound. This will not sound like a cool slide, but rather like a muffed transition. Either make the slide definite, or make the stop definite. Let the final Cmaj7 chord ring, and take your bows. I just love a Major Seventh resolve. Your audience will, too.
If you play around on YouTube, you’ll find that every artist who covers this piece does it differently. It’s JAZZ. There’s no “right” way to play it, just so it sounds good to you. A nice thing about this song is that it sounds equally good as a simple melody, or tricked up with all kinds of fancy riffs. Play around with it. Have fun. That’s what jazz is all about.
When I Am Baptized
I have recently received several requests for this Primary song. It was played at my grandson’s recent baptism. Another grandson will be baptized soon, so I couldn’t resist these requests.
It’s an easy song, too, with only one barre chord, a few pull-offs, and a slide. If you don’t like barre chords, you can substitute GaddD for GIII. The pull-offs can also be eliminated, too, if they give you trouble, and you can simply leave out the slide, making this a very easy, beginner level song.
Tips:
In measure [3], if you fret the D note in the third fret, second string with your ring finger, you’ll be all set up for the GIII chord (or the GaddD chord, if you choose to substitute) in the next measure. The pull-off in [5] is tricky, if you try to hold the other two notes while doing the pull-off. I just release the whole chord, sort of nicking the third string as I do, to make the pull-off.
The second line is a virtual duplicate of measures [2] - [5], except for an extra D note in [7].
In the Chorus, the D chords are for reference only. You don’t actually fret a full chord; just fret the D note on the second string with your index finger. This makes it possible to play the D/F# which follows by fretting the fourth string with the ring finger. That sets up the left hand to barre the first four strings in the fourth fret with the ring finger, in preparation for the slide in [12]. You can certainly omit the slide if you wish, but it sounds really neat.
Measure [14] is identical to [10], and [15] is very similar. You don’t have to fret either the D or the C chord. Just fret the second string with the index finger in the first space, and with the ring finger in the third space, as needed. The pull-off in [16] is easy, or it can be played normally, as desired. Repeat for a second verse if you wish. Many of the chords shown are for reference only, and may not go well with a singer or piano accompaniment, if you try to strum them.
It’s an easy song, too, with only one barre chord, a few pull-offs, and a slide. If you don’t like barre chords, you can substitute GaddD for GIII. The pull-offs can also be eliminated, too, if they give you trouble, and you can simply leave out the slide, making this a very easy, beginner level song.
Tips:
In measure [3], if you fret the D note in the third fret, second string with your ring finger, you’ll be all set up for the GIII chord (or the GaddD chord, if you choose to substitute) in the next measure. The pull-off in [5] is tricky, if you try to hold the other two notes while doing the pull-off. I just release the whole chord, sort of nicking the third string as I do, to make the pull-off.
The second line is a virtual duplicate of measures [2] - [5], except for an extra D note in [7].
In the Chorus, the D chords are for reference only. You don’t actually fret a full chord; just fret the D note on the second string with your index finger. This makes it possible to play the D/F# which follows by fretting the fourth string with the ring finger. That sets up the left hand to barre the first four strings in the fourth fret with the ring finger, in preparation for the slide in [12]. You can certainly omit the slide if you wish, but it sounds really neat.
Measure [14] is identical to [10], and [15] is very similar. You don’t have to fret either the D or the C chord. Just fret the second string with the index finger in the first space, and with the ring finger in the third space, as needed. The pull-off in [16] is easy, or it can be played normally, as desired. Repeat for a second verse if you wish. Many of the chords shown are for reference only, and may not go well with a singer or piano accompaniment, if you try to strum them.
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Merry Christmas!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, EASY version
I never was really satisfied with the other version, but have left it on the blog, for those like me who like barre chords. For those who don't, this version has NO BARRE CHORDS, nor any hard chords or techniques at all. In fact, it is "almighty easy"!
It's so easy, there's really not a lot to say about it. If you can't do hammer-ons or pull-offs, just ignore them. The song will still sound just fine.
There are only four chords in the song, but two of them may look a little strange. GaddD and CaddG are just very simple variations on normal G and C chords. GaddD is played exactly like a regular G chord, except the ring finger of the left hand frets the second string in the third space, instead of the first string, which is not played. It's actually easier to play than a regular G, because the hand doesn't have to stretch so far. CaddG is played exactly like a regular C, except you have to add the G note on the first string, third space, with your pinkie. If this is hard for you, you can just play a regular C, but the melody will suffer. C'mon! It's not that hard!
There are a couple of spots where you have to hold the first note in the measure for a count of 1 and a half beats. If you just hold the first note a bit, then make the last two notes very quick, it'll come out right. If you don't know the song, and don't know how to count, go ahead and make all three notes equal in all the measures. It'll sound a little different in a couple of places, to those who know the song, but it won't sound bad, just a little odd. Your audience may even think you did it that way on purpose!
I like to repeat the final phrase of the last line, using a bass run, on the last time through.
That's IT! Way better than the other tab I wrote for it at first. I think you'll enjoy it. It was written in 1665, so the copyright has definitely expired, if there ever was one.
It's so easy, there's really not a lot to say about it. If you can't do hammer-ons or pull-offs, just ignore them. The song will still sound just fine.
There are only four chords in the song, but two of them may look a little strange. GaddD and CaddG are just very simple variations on normal G and C chords. GaddD is played exactly like a regular G chord, except the ring finger of the left hand frets the second string in the third space, instead of the first string, which is not played. It's actually easier to play than a regular G, because the hand doesn't have to stretch so far. CaddG is played exactly like a regular C, except you have to add the G note on the first string, third space, with your pinkie. If this is hard for you, you can just play a regular C, but the melody will suffer. C'mon! It's not that hard!
There are a couple of spots where you have to hold the first note in the measure for a count of 1 and a half beats. If you just hold the first note a bit, then make the last two notes very quick, it'll come out right. If you don't know the song, and don't know how to count, go ahead and make all three notes equal in all the measures. It'll sound a little different in a couple of places, to those who know the song, but it won't sound bad, just a little odd. Your audience may even think you did it that way on purpose!
I like to repeat the final phrase of the last line, using a bass run, on the last time through.
That's IT! Way better than the other tab I wrote for it at first. I think you'll enjoy it. It was written in 1665, so the copyright has definitely expired, if there ever was one.
The Lord Is My Shepherd
If you're a beginner, don't let the tab scare you. There's a very easy, strummed version shown as a cheat sheet at the end of the tab. Both are in the key of A, so you can play them as alternate verses, or as a duet, if you like.
To make this a bit easier, I've tried to use chords that lend themselves to easy changes. For example, you can easily change from Av to Dv by just flattening the fingers of the left hand across the strings. Same for D6v. To get from the (unbarred) A to the (barred) Av at the end of the song, use the first joint of the index finger (the one closest to the palm) to fret the first string, as it's already in position over the string, and just needs to be slid up to the IV space. Then, it's easy to hit the barre in the v space for the full-barre Av.
Counting this song is easy, if you remember that every two notes equal one count! I routinely recast 3/4 time songs like this as 6/8, as it rarely makes a difference. This is one of the rarelies, so I left it in 3/4. But remember the metronome setting of 70 is for two notes, not one, or the song will really drag.
I have to confess, I'm not entirely happy with this arrangement, but audiences seem to like it. If anyone knows a better one, I'd love to see it.
The cheat sheet at the end of the tab is for strumming, to accompany a singer. The chords are much easier, and you can even play it with a pick, if you want. I usually replace the high A note at the end with an Av chord, but if you aren't up to playing full barre chords, you can just tremolo the last note, and it'll sound great. Virtually any guitarist can play this version. My seven year old student Meilin picked it up and started playing it (while singing!) the first time she heard it.
To make this a bit easier, I've tried to use chords that lend themselves to easy changes. For example, you can easily change from Av to Dv by just flattening the fingers of the left hand across the strings. Same for D6v. To get from the (unbarred) A to the (barred) Av at the end of the song, use the first joint of the index finger (the one closest to the palm) to fret the first string, as it's already in position over the string, and just needs to be slid up to the IV space. Then, it's easy to hit the barre in the v space for the full-barre Av.
Counting this song is easy, if you remember that every two notes equal one count! I routinely recast 3/4 time songs like this as 6/8, as it rarely makes a difference. This is one of the rarelies, so I left it in 3/4. But remember the metronome setting of 70 is for two notes, not one, or the song will really drag.
I have to confess, I'm not entirely happy with this arrangement, but audiences seem to like it. If anyone knows a better one, I'd love to see it.
The cheat sheet at the end of the tab is for strumming, to accompany a singer. The chords are much easier, and you can even play it with a pick, if you want. I usually replace the high A note at the end with an Av chord, but if you aren't up to playing full barre chords, you can just tremolo the last note, and it'll sound great. Virtually any guitarist can play this version. My seven year old student Meilin picked it up and started playing it (while singing!) the first time she heard it.
Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle (Bring a Torch!)
An old, French Christmas carol, much beloved in France, and practically unknown in the English-speaking world. Possibly because the English lyrics don't seem to flow very well. The French lyrics don't, either, but the French don't seem to care. They can deal with a slightly "sprung" rhythm. I have "un-sprung" it in this version, (to make it easier to play) by adding and extra "Ah" and stretching out the word, "bell-e, and then adding another "Ah!" to make it all come out even. Non-French audiences don't seem to mind the change.
If anybody asks, I'll tab the last line in the traditional manner and add it.
I know it's too late for Christmas Carols, two days after Christmas, but it's the best I can do. Maybe it'll help next year. When you're my age, that doesn't seem so far away.
If anybody asks, I'll tab the last line in the traditional manner and add it.
I know it's too late for Christmas Carols, two days after Christmas, but it's the best I can do. Maybe it'll help next year. When you're my age, that doesn't seem so far away.
Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head
One of the easiest tabs I've ever done. Everything's easy enough for beginners, except the time signature, but I've written out the count below the words. This is actually easier to play on the guitar than it is to sing! Nevertheless, it's fun to play.
The only slightly unusual chord is the D/A, (pronounced, "D, with an A bass"), which just means you strum five strings, instead of only four, allowing the open A string to sound. It's fretted exactly the same as a normal D chord.
If you find the hammer-ons and pull-offs too hard, you can just leave them out. But I strongly urge you to try them. They're not really hard, and they give the faster part of the song a different sound.
There are no "extra" notes. In fact, I've simplified it a bit, to make it easier to play on the guitar. This hymn is in the public domain, though the author and composer died in the year I was born.
The only slightly unusual chord is the D/A, (pronounced, "D, with an A bass"), which just means you strum five strings, instead of only four, allowing the open A string to sound. It's fretted exactly the same as a normal D chord.
If you find the hammer-ons and pull-offs too hard, you can just leave them out. But I strongly urge you to try them. They're not really hard, and they give the faster part of the song a different sound.
There are no "extra" notes. In fact, I've simplified it a bit, to make it easier to play on the guitar. This hymn is in the public domain, though the author and composer died in the year I was born.
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
An easy one, in time for Easter. There are no hard chords in this song. No barre chords. Chord changes are easy, as long as you can do hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. The only remotely hard parts come in the last two Hallelujahs, and the first measure of the last line, with multiple hammer-ons and pull-offs in each of the three measures. But they are all easy ones. Play them slowly, until you get the hang of playing the strings with the left hand, then speed up gradually.
This song sounds especially good with a crisp, bright sound. Play it close to the bridge, and use your fingernails, or finger picks, if you don't have nails, for a clear, crisp, "classical guitar" sound. This song is in the public domain, though I reserve copy rights to my arrangement and tablature. If you reproduce it, please give me credit.
This song sounds especially good with a crisp, bright sound. Play it close to the bridge, and use your fingernails, or finger picks, if you don't have nails, for a clear, crisp, "classical guitar" sound. This song is in the public domain, though I reserve copy rights to my arrangement and tablature. If you reproduce it, please give me credit.
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