Like many hymns, this song is better known by its first line, “Whenever I Hear the Song of a Bird.” It has also been called, “The Beautiful World,” which is not its title at all.
The author/composer was Clara W. McMaster. As a member of the Primary Board of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for many years, she wrote many popular children’s songs, including “Teach Me to Walk in the Light,” “Reverently, Quietly” and “Kindness Begins with Me.” She was also a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 22 years.
Like many Primary songs, this one is more complex musically than it sounds, but it is not difficult to play, if you don’t mind barre chords. Half the chords in the song are barre chords, including CIII and FV, which many intermediate guitarists find difficult. They are worth learning, as they are used frequently in pattern picking and fingerstyle music of all sorts, as well as in much jazz guitar music. The solution, as usual, is plenty of practice.
If you just want to strum this song for accompaniment, you can use the more common chord voicings, but you will lose the lovely, high-pitched melody. If you do this, substitute G7 for all of the G chords, C for all the C chords, etc. This arrangement is intended as a guitar solo. A really cool way to use it is to strum the chords as accompaniment to a singer or vocal group, then play this solo as an instrumental bridge between verses. The last line of the tab, beginning with the last note in measure [13], makes a great instrumental introduction, too.
Begin measure [1] by fretting the single G note with your pinkie. The best way to do this is to pre-position your left hand for the CaddG chord, but only play the top note, changing to the C chord at the beginning of [2] by simply lifting the pinkie off the string. Replace it for the second half of the measure, to make the CaddG chord again.
The next two measures use partial and full chords to emphasize the melody line on the first two strings. Be sure to strum only the strings indicated. Because all chords are to be strummed, this is an easy song to flat-pick. I think it sounds better thumb-strummed, or you can use a very soft pick.
In measure [5], you can substitute an E chord for the E7 if you like. E7 gives a softer sound, and is called for in the original music. Sometimes, I like to play E in [5], and E7 in measure [13], to avoid excessive repetition.
Notice the slide up on the first string at the very end of measure [7]. There is no final note shown, as the slide is just an accent. This is called, slurring the note. It’s quite easy to do: just leave your index finger on the string as you slide up from the third fret to the fifth, then strum the chord normally. It sounds really cool, and takes absolutely no trouble at all to add. Just don’t get too carried away and do it all the time, or it will lose its impact.
There are a couple of tricky spots in measure [8]. If you are not completely easy with the barred-C chord shape, you’ll need to practice it until you can hit it reliably while sliding your hand up the neck from CaddG, a rather quick slide from first position to fifth position. There’s also a pull-off called for at the end of the measure. Making this pull-off while holding the chord can be tricky. You can either release the chord, to give your hand some extra room, or push the note off instead of pulling it.
Measures [10], [11], [12] and [13] are played exactly like [2], [3], [4] and [5], unless you choose to substitute an E chord for one of the E7 chords. Measure [14] is just a very slow, deliberate strum of an FI chord. Play each note separately.
In [15], you could substitute a CaddG for the CIII, if you find it easier to play. I use the CIII to ease the transitions from FI, and to the following CVIII, as all three are barre chords. Play the A note on the first string (fifth fret) by flattening the pinkie across the string, then play the B at the seventh fret by stretching the pinkie along the string, slurring the note. Slur the 5th note too, coming down from the twelfth fret to the tenth, at the end of the measure.
In measure [16], change hand position to GIII at the fourth note, where indicated, even though you don’t strum the chord until the last note of the measure. The change is not strictly necessary at the fourth note, as you can easily reach that note from the barre-A shape of the CIII chord, but this is the easiest place in the measure to make the change. Holding the CIII until the next-to-last note necessitates a rather quick and complex chord change (CIII to GIII to C/G) all within the span of three counts. The tempo is slow enough that you can make such a chord change, but why make things harder to no purpose? It sounds exactly the same either way.
This song is not in the public domain. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds the copyright, which allows you to use the song only for non-commercial, church and home use. Please abide by the terms of this copyright restriction.
Showing posts with label hard chords. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hard chords. Show all posts
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.
Secret Prayer
To play this song in the key of D, as printed in Hymns, you will need to tune DOWN two frets. This won’t make any difference if you are not playing with another instrument, as practically no one in your audience will be able to tell the difference.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Be Still, My Soul
My daughter Amy requested this hymn. If I’ve got it right, [NOT QUITE! See Amy's comment.] her best friend had just died suddenly, her husband was recovering from a triple stroke, and she also had to cope with her three-year-old, autistic son, while holding down a major ward calling. One of her Relief Society sisters sang this hymn to her. It was the first time she had heard it. The message, the melody, and the gorgeous harmonies really impressed her. They’ll impress nearly anyone, but they were perfect for her at that moment. This is for you, Amy.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
It’s not really LDS, or even religious, but it’s such a pretty lovesong, and a chaste one at that, that I couldn’t resist including it as a Valentine’s Day treat. Yeah, I know, it’s barely New Years, but it might take you a while to get this one down pat, as the chord progressions, while beautiful, are a bit unusual. I’m including two versions. If you like instrumental guitar solos, play the tab version. If you’re intending to sing it to someone special, the cheat sheet is probably better. Or, you can do as I do most of the time -- play the chords and sing it, but include some finger-pickin’ as an interlude.
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
Families Can Be Together Forever 2
I like this version better, but it is harder to play. Maybe not as hard as it looks, though. You already know how to play D, E, Em, A, and Am, and they, with barred versions and/or very slight variations, account for seventeen of the eighteen chords in this piece. B9 is the ONLY uncommon chord, and it's dead EASY to play. Just lay your index finger across the first four strings in the second space, and the ring finger across the first three strings in the third space, and squeeze. You can be real sloppy about it, and it'll still work just fine.
The many barre chords lend the song a rich, full sound that works well with a slower, more deliberate delivery than is usual when singing as a hymn or a Primary song. As a guitar solo, it doesn't matter if the tempo is too slow for singing, of course, and it sounds nice. The G9, B9 and Am0 chords add harmonies and chord progressions more suited to adult listeners. Classical music uses the degree sign 0 to indicate a diminished chord. The abbreviation "dim" has already been taken-- it means diminuendo {"getting softer"). Similarly, the minus sign means to play a note flat, so we just have to live with the 0. It's standard musical notation.
I did take some liberties with the original score, especially right at the end. I hope you like it.
The many barre chords lend the song a rich, full sound that works well with a slower, more deliberate delivery than is usual when singing as a hymn or a Primary song. As a guitar solo, it doesn't matter if the tempo is too slow for singing, of course, and it sounds nice. The G9, B9 and Am0 chords add harmonies and chord progressions more suited to adult listeners. Classical music uses the degree sign 0 to indicate a diminished chord. The abbreviation "dim" has already been taken-- it means diminuendo {"getting softer"). Similarly, the minus sign means to play a note flat, so we just have to live with the 0. It's standard musical notation.
I did take some liberties with the original score, especially right at the end. I hope you like it.
Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy
This is one of my favorite hymns, both to sing and to play. There are very few "grace notes" in it; nearly all of it is melody. The few grace notes are put in parentheses, in light face type. You can safely ignore them if you only want to play the melody. You can also substitute the regular C chord for all the different C chords, the regular F for all the F chords, and the regular G for all the different G chords, if you are not comfortable with barre chords. It won't sound as nice or follow the melody as well, but will be perfectly fine for accompanying vocalists.
Notes:
I usually play the first F as a regular, four-string F, just because the chord change from C and back is easier that way, and it's a very fast change.
The transition F(I) to F(V) may be hard to make rapidly, if you are not used to playing these chords. It is perfectly acceptable to avoid the change by playing all the F chords in the tenth measure the same. If you do this, it sounds much better if you leave out the F(I) chord and substitute the F(5) chord, rather than the other way around.
It's also perfectly OK to make the final C chord a normal one, without the G bass, if your pinkie isn't up to it. But it sounds a bit thin for a finale. The full, six-string chord sounds much better to end the song on.
It wouldn't hurt to put tremolo on the E note on the third string in the next-to-last measure. That's why I play it in the 9th fret of the third string, instead of just playing the first string open, which is the same note. When performed as a guitar solo, this piece sounds better with lots of pauses, holds, and tremolos. I like to use these forms of expression to emphasize the words of the hymn that feel most important to me at the time I am playing them. You cannot be too expressive with this song-- the more expression you put in, the better your audience will like it, even at the risk of totally losing the rhythm!
This song is in the public domain.
Notes:
I usually play the first F as a regular, four-string F, just because the chord change from C and back is easier that way, and it's a very fast change.
The transition F(I) to F(V) may be hard to make rapidly, if you are not used to playing these chords. It is perfectly acceptable to avoid the change by playing all the F chords in the tenth measure the same. If you do this, it sounds much better if you leave out the F(I) chord and substitute the F(5) chord, rather than the other way around.
It's also perfectly OK to make the final C chord a normal one, without the G bass, if your pinkie isn't up to it. But it sounds a bit thin for a finale. The full, six-string chord sounds much better to end the song on.
It wouldn't hurt to put tremolo on the E note on the third string in the next-to-last measure. That's why I play it in the 9th fret of the third string, instead of just playing the first string open, which is the same note. When performed as a guitar solo, this piece sounds better with lots of pauses, holds, and tremolos. I like to use these forms of expression to emphasize the words of the hymn that feel most important to me at the time I am playing them. You cannot be too expressive with this song-- the more expression you put in, the better your audience will like it, even at the risk of totally losing the rhythm!
This song is in the public domain.
Til There Was You
From The Music Man by Meredith Willson. Start practicing NOW for next Valentine's Day. This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written, and one of the hardest to play. It's the most difficult in my personal repertoire. It is NOT in the public domain, so no lyrics. You can get them on nearly any lyrics website. Hard as this version is, the original is even harder, as Willson wrote it in the key of Eb. I've transposed it down (one fret) to D, where it's slightly easier to play. There are so many barre chords, it scarcely makes a difference.
The chords in this song are unusual, hauntingly beautiful, and excruciatingly difficult to play. The chord changes are fast, and there's no room for error. Do NOT attempt this song unless you are an ADVANCED guitarist. If you are an advanced guitarist, don't let the weird chords scare you off. It took me more than a year to master, but it was well worth the effort. It's that pretty.
The chords in this song are unusual, hauntingly beautiful, and excruciatingly difficult to play. The chord changes are fast, and there's no room for error. Do NOT attempt this song unless you are an ADVANCED guitarist. If you are an advanced guitarist, don't let the weird chords scare you off. It took me more than a year to master, but it was well worth the effort. It's that pretty.
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