This one is slow, easy to play, lovely, and has an interesting history. There’s not a hard chord, technique, or transition in it, and the words were written by a canonized saint-- in the twelfth century. What’s not to love?
Technique
If you can play C, G7 and G, you can play this song. The G chord I use is actually a GaddD chord, but it’s fretted exactly like a normal G, except the ring finger frets the third space on the 2nd string instead of the 1st string, which is not played. This makes it even easier to play than a normal G.
All the chord changes in the first two lines (except one) follow a note played on an open string, giving you plenty of time to make the change. The exception is the change from C to GaddD at the end of the seventh measure. I usually fret the D note on the #2 string with my ring finger, making the change to GaddD super easy.
Similarly, the pull-off in the first measure of the third line eases the transition to GaddD. Then, after playing the chord and holding it as long as needed, release it, shifting the hand to a normal G7 position. Since you are not playing the #1 string, this chord is actually a G, but it’s easier to hit the notes called out in the tab from the G7 hand position, and it makes no difference to the music what you call it.
For the whole third line, you’re actually holding the middle and ring fingers in place, using the index finger to fret the melody notes. In the third measure of the line, I usually just flatten my middle finger across the #3 string briefly to hit the A note, instead of fretting it with the index finger. Do it the way it is easiest for you.
There’s an optional pull-off in the third line. Play the C note with the index finger, then pull that finger off the string, plucking the string with the left hand. It makes the two notes sonnd more connected, and is therefore called a ligado, the Spanish word for “tied”.
The last line is all played from a C hand position. On the final chord, if you wish, you can fret the #6 string in the 3rd space with your pinkie, turning the chord into a C/G, which just means a C chord with a G bass note. I like the sound of it better with a deeper bass, but it’s not necessary. If you prefer, just play a normal C here, omitting the #1 string. This omission is necessary, as the melody note is the C on the 2nd string. If you play the E on the open #1 string, the melody won’t sound right.
History
Edward Caswall, who translated the lyrics, was a clergyman in the Church of England who later converted to Catholicism and became a Catholic priest. Over his long lifetime as a clergyman, he wrote and translated hundreds of hymns.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was without doubt, Western Europe's “man of the twelfth century.” Adviser of popes, preacher of the Second Crusade, defender of the faith, healer of a schism, reformer of a monastic Order, Scripture scholar, theologian and eloquent preacher, he was the son of a French nobleman, who gave up all his advantages to become a priest. He was the first member of the Cistercian order to be placed on the Calendar of Saints, and was canonized, or officially recognized as a saint, on January 18, 1174. This was exactly 842 years ago today, January 25, 2016, due to confusion between the Julian Calendar in use at the time, and the Gregorian Calendar in use worldwide today. If you think that’s confusing, you don’t know the half of it!
If Saint Bernard did in fact write this hymn, it was probably written in Latin, but I have been unable to find any original lyrics. The music is a different story. It was composed by John B. Dykes, in the mid-nineteenth century, approximately seven centuries later. We don’t have an exact composition date for this tune, as Dykes was a prodigy who was Assistant Organist at his church by the age of ten, and who composed over three hundred hymn tunes in his short lifetime. He is better known as the composer of the tune used for Lead Kindly Light (Hymns #97).
Showing posts with label no difficult techniqes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no difficult techniqes. Show all posts
America the Beautiful (Oh, beautiful for spacious skies)
Last week I was invited to my grand-kids’ elementary school for their annual, Veterans’ Day assembly. When the whole school stood and sang this song, it brought tears to my eyes, especially when they sang the third verse:
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
When I returned from my military service, I was greeted with rotten tomatoes and curses, and it was fifteen years before anyone ever thanked me for risking my life for my country. These kids served me breakfast, plied me with questions, and treated me like a hero. Thank you so much, American Preparatory Academy!
I thought this would be a hard song to arrange for the guitar, but it turns out to be one of the easiest. There are only five chords (two are very easy), and while there are three barre chords, they are all the same barred-E chord shape. They are played exactly the same, just at different frets. So this is really only a three-chord song.
There are a few slides, including one whole-chord slide, and a few pull-offs. But there are no difficult techniques or hard chord changes, as long as you can do the barre chords. If you have not yet learned barre chords, this is the perfect song for learning them! Only one new chord shape to learn, and you get three chords for the “price” of one. (Actually, you get more than three, as the barred-E chord shape is commonly used to play F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B, and C, plus other chords even higher up the fretboard, if you have an electric guitar.)
I left out the counting numbers. They are more confusing than helpful in this song, and besides, everybody already knows it. If for some reason you don’t know how it goes, you can find dozens of versions recorded on the Internet. I had thought to write a bit about the song’s origins, but the Wikipedia article found HERE says it all. This song is in the public domain.
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
When I returned from my military service, I was greeted with rotten tomatoes and curses, and it was fifteen years before anyone ever thanked me for risking my life for my country. These kids served me breakfast, plied me with questions, and treated me like a hero. Thank you so much, American Preparatory Academy!
I thought this would be a hard song to arrange for the guitar, but it turns out to be one of the easiest. There are only five chords (two are very easy), and while there are three barre chords, they are all the same barred-E chord shape. They are played exactly the same, just at different frets. So this is really only a three-chord song.
There are a few slides, including one whole-chord slide, and a few pull-offs. But there are no difficult techniques or hard chord changes, as long as you can do the barre chords. If you have not yet learned barre chords, this is the perfect song for learning them! Only one new chord shape to learn, and you get three chords for the “price” of one. (Actually, you get more than three, as the barred-E chord shape is commonly used to play F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B, and C, plus other chords even higher up the fretboard, if you have an electric guitar.)
I left out the counting numbers. They are more confusing than helpful in this song, and besides, everybody already knows it. If for some reason you don’t know how it goes, you can find dozens of versions recorded on the Internet. I had thought to write a bit about the song’s origins, but the Wikipedia article found HERE says it all. This song is in the public domain.
I Stand All Amazed
This is a beautiful song, and one of the most beautiful things about it is that it is much easier to play than it seems-- if you play it in the right key. The original is in Bb, which is really hard to play on the guitar, and not much better on the piano. I play it in C, which is much easier, and sounds better on the guitar, anyway. If you must have it in Bb, tune all six strings down two frets and play it as written, and it’ll come out in Bb.
You can really make people cry with this song if you play it as a duet with a violin. To do that, you must both be playing in the same key. Either tune the guitar down two frets, or the violinist will have to transpose into C. LDS.org has a transposer for this song, located HERE. Open the link, open the "Key" drop-down menu in the left-hand column,and type in, C. The ap will do the rest for you. A good violinist may be able to play it without the sheet music.
[FOR THE VIOLINIST: there are a few F chords in the piece, that are not called out in the guitar tab, as no actual chords are played, only single notes. F is considered a hard chord to play by some guitarists.]
Nearly the whole song is played from some variant of a C or G chord. Of the 22 strums in the song, 21 are either a variation of the basic C chord, or the G or G7. The other is a simple Dm. Don’t let the unusual names of these chords discourage you. They are all played as a normal C chord, with one additional note added with the little finger. There are a few transitions that can be tricky if you don’t play them right, but they are not hard if you know the trick.
It took me less than 24 hours to tab the whole song, including creating the guitar arrangement. There are no barre chords. There are a few ligados, but all can be played as straight notes if you have trouble with hammer-ons or pull-offs. Nevertheless, the piece does not sound over-simplified.
Study notes:
Strum the chords with the thumb, or with a flat pick. You can pick out the melody notes the same way. A flat pick makes a twangy sound, which gives the piece a bit of a “Country Gospel” feeling, while using the thumb gives a mellower, semi-classical sound.
In the first line, all of the 2nd fret notes are fretted by flattening the middle finger of the left hand, briefly, without releasing the chord. Since all but the last chord in the line are versions of C, this allows the other strings to continue ringing while the melody is picked out in individual notes-- a beautiful technique. That last chord is a G7, which is not much of a change from a C shape--a really easy transition.
Don’t try to hold the G7 throughout the second line. You’ll need to release the chord and just concentrate on picking out the melody. Remember, fret the notes in the first fret with the index finger, the second fret with the middle finger, and the third fret with the ring finger, and it’ll make the notes just naturally fall into place with very little practice.
The first two measures of the third line are identical to the corresponding measures of the first line, but the melody is different in the last two measures. You will need to fret the notes not found in the C chord with the little finger, again. The GaddD chord is played very much like a normal G, except that the ring finger goes on the second string instead of the first string, which is not played. If anything, it’s even easier to play than a normal G, because you don’t have to stretch as far.
Maintain the GaddD into the fourth line, then release it and fret the melody notes with the “proper” fingers, as in line 2. The only remotely difficult transition in the whole song comes at the end of this line, when you have to change from the A note (2nd fret, 3rd string) to the G7 chord in the space of an eighth-note. The trick is to co-ordinate the right and left hand so the note is damped by the left finger coming off the string, just an instant after the right hand plucks it. This technique, called, “finger-damping,” is used in a lot of blues guitar playing, as well as in classical guitar. It produces a short, staccato effect, but here, it is used more to get you out of the note and into the chord quickly and harmoniously, than for the sound.
The last two lines reprise the techniques of the first and third lines: hold the C-shape chords and allow the strings to ring while playing the following melody notes. There are no difficult transitions in these lines, but remember that most of the notes are actually eighth-notes. Counting numbers are provided if you are not completely familiar with the song.
When sung as a vocal piece, this hymn has three verses, but that doesn’t mean you have to play it through three times, if you don’t want to. Once, twice, or even four times may sound better to you. Since this is intended as an instrumental solo, you can also play around with the rhythm in the last two lines, holding some of the notes extra long for emphasis. I like to hold the Dm, especially the last time around, then play the last measure in half-time. That gives the chord progression a really cool sound.
About the song:
There does not seem to be a cool back-story to this hymn-- not surprising, considering that the songwriter and lyricist, Charles H. Gabriel, wrote 7000 or 8000 others. He was a professional hymn writer, who published his works under many pseudonyms. Not all those aliases are known with equal certainty, hence the uncertainty about the number of his creations. He also wrote the music to many other familiar songs, including, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” "I Stand All Amazed" is in the public domain.
You can really make people cry with this song if you play it as a duet with a violin. To do that, you must both be playing in the same key. Either tune the guitar down two frets, or the violinist will have to transpose into C. LDS.org has a transposer for this song, located HERE. Open the link, open the "Key" drop-down menu in the left-hand column,and type in, C. The ap will do the rest for you. A good violinist may be able to play it without the sheet music.
[FOR THE VIOLINIST: there are a few F chords in the piece, that are not called out in the guitar tab, as no actual chords are played, only single notes. F is considered a hard chord to play by some guitarists.]
Nearly the whole song is played from some variant of a C or G chord. Of the 22 strums in the song, 21 are either a variation of the basic C chord, or the G or G7. The other is a simple Dm. Don’t let the unusual names of these chords discourage you. They are all played as a normal C chord, with one additional note added with the little finger. There are a few transitions that can be tricky if you don’t play them right, but they are not hard if you know the trick.
It took me less than 24 hours to tab the whole song, including creating the guitar arrangement. There are no barre chords. There are a few ligados, but all can be played as straight notes if you have trouble with hammer-ons or pull-offs. Nevertheless, the piece does not sound over-simplified.
Study notes:
Strum the chords with the thumb, or with a flat pick. You can pick out the melody notes the same way. A flat pick makes a twangy sound, which gives the piece a bit of a “Country Gospel” feeling, while using the thumb gives a mellower, semi-classical sound.
In the first line, all of the 2nd fret notes are fretted by flattening the middle finger of the left hand, briefly, without releasing the chord. Since all but the last chord in the line are versions of C, this allows the other strings to continue ringing while the melody is picked out in individual notes-- a beautiful technique. That last chord is a G7, which is not much of a change from a C shape--a really easy transition.
Don’t try to hold the G7 throughout the second line. You’ll need to release the chord and just concentrate on picking out the melody. Remember, fret the notes in the first fret with the index finger, the second fret with the middle finger, and the third fret with the ring finger, and it’ll make the notes just naturally fall into place with very little practice.
The first two measures of the third line are identical to the corresponding measures of the first line, but the melody is different in the last two measures. You will need to fret the notes not found in the C chord with the little finger, again. The GaddD chord is played very much like a normal G, except that the ring finger goes on the second string instead of the first string, which is not played. If anything, it’s even easier to play than a normal G, because you don’t have to stretch as far.
Maintain the GaddD into the fourth line, then release it and fret the melody notes with the “proper” fingers, as in line 2. The only remotely difficult transition in the whole song comes at the end of this line, when you have to change from the A note (2nd fret, 3rd string) to the G7 chord in the space of an eighth-note. The trick is to co-ordinate the right and left hand so the note is damped by the left finger coming off the string, just an instant after the right hand plucks it. This technique, called, “finger-damping,” is used in a lot of blues guitar playing, as well as in classical guitar. It produces a short, staccato effect, but here, it is used more to get you out of the note and into the chord quickly and harmoniously, than for the sound.
The last two lines reprise the techniques of the first and third lines: hold the C-shape chords and allow the strings to ring while playing the following melody notes. There are no difficult transitions in these lines, but remember that most of the notes are actually eighth-notes. Counting numbers are provided if you are not completely familiar with the song.
When sung as a vocal piece, this hymn has three verses, but that doesn’t mean you have to play it through three times, if you don’t want to. Once, twice, or even four times may sound better to you. Since this is intended as an instrumental solo, you can also play around with the rhythm in the last two lines, holding some of the notes extra long for emphasis. I like to hold the Dm, especially the last time around, then play the last measure in half-time. That gives the chord progression a really cool sound.
About the song:
There does not seem to be a cool back-story to this hymn-- not surprising, considering that the songwriter and lyricist, Charles H. Gabriel, wrote 7000 or 8000 others. He was a professional hymn writer, who published his works under many pseudonyms. Not all those aliases are known with equal certainty, hence the uncertainty about the number of his creations. He also wrote the music to many other familiar songs, including, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” "I Stand All Amazed" is in the public domain.
Joseph Smith's First Prayer (Oh How Lovely Was the Morning)
An EASY and BEAUTIFUL arrangement. EASY and BEAUTIFUL don’t often coincide, but this time, they do. Of the six chords in the charts, three are C, A, and G7. The others are easier than normal, because no notes are found on the #1 string when these chords are played. There are NO BARRE CHORDS at all, not even the F/C.
Because it’s so easy, you may be tempted to play it faster than specified. Trust me; it sounds better slow. Remember, that’s 80 quarter-notes per minute, so each beat of the metronome equals two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. In the hymnal, this song is listed as 4/4 tempo, but I have recast it as 8/8, to simplify the counting. As tabbed, all notes are eighth-notes.
You may wish to add other verses, with chords, key changes, and reprises, as in Dennis Crocket’s lovely piano arrangement. You can do what you like; the hymn’s in public domain.
Complete, line-by-line instructions:
Begin with a partial measure lead-in. If you’re counting measures, begin with the first complete measure. The lead-in consists of a hammer-on on the fourth string. Position your fingers for the C chord, then perform the hammer-on with the pinkie. This sets up your hand perfectly for the following measure. You can play the lead-in as two separate notes, if the hammer-on is hard for you. In fact, you can treat all of the hammer-ons in the song as separate notes if you wish, but they’ll sound better as hammer-ons.
Continue to hold this chord shape with the left hand until it is time to change to G7 in measure [2]. You’ll have plenty of time to make the chord change, as the last note in C and the first note in G7 are both played on open (un-fretted) strings. Release the G7 while playing the open notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, setting up the hammer-on that ends the measure. This eases the transition to the GaddD chord in measure [3]. The change back to G7 is a bit fast, but it’s not difficult, and the switch back to C is easy, as you are playing on open strings during the change.
The end of this measure and all of measure [5] duplicate the lead-in and measure [1], and measure [6] is almost the same as measure [2]. The bass strings are played in order (6-5-4), and it’s easy to play all three with the thumb, in a slow strum, rather than playing just the 6th string with the thumb and plucking the others with the fingers, as would normally be done.
All this repetition makes the first two lines really easy to play, and you’ll notice that many other riffs, and even entire measures, are repeated throughout the song. Measures [7] and [8], are the almost the only unique ones in the song. I strongly recommend that you play the hammer-on in [7] as a hammer-on, even if you avoid all the others in the song.
In measures [9] and [11], you don’t actually have to play an A-shape to play the A chord. Just flatten the middle finger across the 3rd and 4th strings, briefly, then lift the finger off the strings and play them again, open, giving plenty of time to switch to the following C. The rhythm of measure [12] is very similar to that of [5], even though the actual notes are different.
Measure [13] is a new form, with a five-string run from the 1st string to the 5th. If you try to pluck the strings with your fingers, you will run out of fingers before you run out of strings, as the right hand pinky is not used. If you strum the strings UP, your hand will be out of place for the last two notes of the measure. The solution is to strum UP the first three strings with the middle finger, reserving the index and thumb for the 4th and 5th strings respectively. Then you can play the whole measure without a break.
Measure [14] is one of only two “difficult” measures in the song, as there’s a quick chord change from G7 to F/C. The good news is that the 1st string is not played for either of these chords, and the 2nd string is played open until the last note, which is a hammer-on. Since you are only actually fretting three strings, a bit of practice should get this transition smooth.
Measure [15] is very similar to [13]. Since only four strings are involved, simply pluck each string separately: ring finger - middle finger - index finger - thumb. You don’t have to play the G7-shape, as there are only two notes, and one of them is on a open string. I just fret the 6th string with my pinkie, then slow-strum the five-string run in the last measure.
There’s a quick movement of the left hand required between the third and fourth notes of the final measure, which may take a bit of practice. I barre the 1st and 2nd strings with my left pinkie. It’s a bit of a quick reach to the eighth fret, but the 3rd string is played open, which gives a bit more time for the movement. It’s not really a chord change, as the notes are included in the C chord, just one octave higher.
There are only six notes in this measure, but the 8/8 time signature remains unchanged. The two-note lead-in will be the last two notes of the final measure, if you play a second verse. That’s why the time in the lead-in measure is counted, “7, 8” even though it begins the song.
These instructions are rather detailed, but the playing goes quickly. I recommend that you play several verses, altering the tempo for emphasis, and reprise the last five measures.
Because it’s so easy, you may be tempted to play it faster than specified. Trust me; it sounds better slow. Remember, that’s 80 quarter-notes per minute, so each beat of the metronome equals two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. In the hymnal, this song is listed as 4/4 tempo, but I have recast it as 8/8, to simplify the counting. As tabbed, all notes are eighth-notes.
You may wish to add other verses, with chords, key changes, and reprises, as in Dennis Crocket’s lovely piano arrangement. You can do what you like; the hymn’s in public domain.
Complete, line-by-line instructions:
Begin with a partial measure lead-in. If you’re counting measures, begin with the first complete measure. The lead-in consists of a hammer-on on the fourth string. Position your fingers for the C chord, then perform the hammer-on with the pinkie. This sets up your hand perfectly for the following measure. You can play the lead-in as two separate notes, if the hammer-on is hard for you. In fact, you can treat all of the hammer-ons in the song as separate notes if you wish, but they’ll sound better as hammer-ons.
Continue to hold this chord shape with the left hand until it is time to change to G7 in measure [2]. You’ll have plenty of time to make the chord change, as the last note in C and the first note in G7 are both played on open (un-fretted) strings. Release the G7 while playing the open notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, setting up the hammer-on that ends the measure. This eases the transition to the GaddD chord in measure [3]. The change back to G7 is a bit fast, but it’s not difficult, and the switch back to C is easy, as you are playing on open strings during the change.
The end of this measure and all of measure [5] duplicate the lead-in and measure [1], and measure [6] is almost the same as measure [2]. The bass strings are played in order (6-5-4), and it’s easy to play all three with the thumb, in a slow strum, rather than playing just the 6th string with the thumb and plucking the others with the fingers, as would normally be done.
All this repetition makes the first two lines really easy to play, and you’ll notice that many other riffs, and even entire measures, are repeated throughout the song. Measures [7] and [8], are the almost the only unique ones in the song. I strongly recommend that you play the hammer-on in [7] as a hammer-on, even if you avoid all the others in the song.
In measures [9] and [11], you don’t actually have to play an A-shape to play the A chord. Just flatten the middle finger across the 3rd and 4th strings, briefly, then lift the finger off the strings and play them again, open, giving plenty of time to switch to the following C. The rhythm of measure [12] is very similar to that of [5], even though the actual notes are different.
Measure [13] is a new form, with a five-string run from the 1st string to the 5th. If you try to pluck the strings with your fingers, you will run out of fingers before you run out of strings, as the right hand pinky is not used. If you strum the strings UP, your hand will be out of place for the last two notes of the measure. The solution is to strum UP the first three strings with the middle finger, reserving the index and thumb for the 4th and 5th strings respectively. Then you can play the whole measure without a break.
Measure [14] is one of only two “difficult” measures in the song, as there’s a quick chord change from G7 to F/C. The good news is that the 1st string is not played for either of these chords, and the 2nd string is played open until the last note, which is a hammer-on. Since you are only actually fretting three strings, a bit of practice should get this transition smooth.
Measure [15] is very similar to [13]. Since only four strings are involved, simply pluck each string separately: ring finger - middle finger - index finger - thumb. You don’t have to play the G7-shape, as there are only two notes, and one of them is on a open string. I just fret the 6th string with my pinkie, then slow-strum the five-string run in the last measure.
There’s a quick movement of the left hand required between the third and fourth notes of the final measure, which may take a bit of practice. I barre the 1st and 2nd strings with my left pinkie. It’s a bit of a quick reach to the eighth fret, but the 3rd string is played open, which gives a bit more time for the movement. It’s not really a chord change, as the notes are included in the C chord, just one octave higher.
There are only six notes in this measure, but the 8/8 time signature remains unchanged. The two-note lead-in will be the last two notes of the final measure, if you play a second verse. That’s why the time in the lead-in measure is counted, “7, 8” even though it begins the song.
These instructions are rather detailed, but the playing goes quickly. I recommend that you play several verses, altering the tempo for emphasis, and reprise the last five measures.
Love Me Tender
No, it’s not a hymn, nor even a religious song. But it is about eternal love, and that is also Gospel-friendly. It’s been a long time since I’ve included a love song. My excuse for this one is that it was first performed 55 years ago this week.
Let’s get this straight: I am an Elvis fan, but I must tell the truth. Despite his name in the credits, Elvis Presley did not write this song. The tune was first published in 1861, as a Civil War ballad called Aura Lea, by George R. Poulton, with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. Over the next hundred years, it generated several popular versions with different lyrics. In 1956, songwriter Ken Darby created yet another set of lyrics to the old tune, for the 20th Century Fox movie, The Reno Brothers, in which the young Elvis Presley played a part. Elvis first performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show, on September 9, 1956, as a plug for his upcoming movie. He was not yet known for singing ballads, and neither the movie trailer nor the advance copies of the record had yet been released. So popular was his crooning, however, that one day later the record had sold a million reserved copies, earning a gold record in a single day's sales, before even one copy was released! 20th Century Fox changed the title of the movie to Love Me Tender, to take advantage of this astounding publicity, but still killed off Elvis’ character in the last act.
Although Elvis had no part in writing the lyrics, and the music was in the public domain, he was given equal credit as co-writer, because his contract required it. (Elvis did not actually write any of the songs he recorded.) In a fit of pique, Darby transferred his part of the credit to his wife, Vera Matson, “because she didn’t write it either.” Elvis was well-known as a tyrant in the recording studio, too. Ironically, he made so many last-minute changes to the arrangement and the lyrics of this song, that his credits as songwriter may have been partially justified after all.
PLAYING THE SONG
The metronome setting is for quarter-notes, but I have recast the piece in 8/8 time, instead of 4/4, to make the counting easier. So remember, each tick of the metronome represents two counts.
Nearly all the chords in this song are variants of D, E, and A. If you wish, you can just play those three chords, and it’ll sound okay, but you’ll miss all the cool harmonies. If even “The King,” with his gorgeous voice, needed to add bass and harmony, the rest of us will need to also. Unlike 99 percent of the songs on this blog, this one is intended to accompany a singer. If you don’t have the voice for it, find someone who does.
Strum all the chords with your thumb, or with a soft flat-pick, for the mellowest sound you can get. If you have looked up the chords to this song on other Internet sites, you will notice I have included several additional chords. If you listen to any of Elvis’ actual recordings, you will note that HE always included the “extra” chords too. You can dumb it down if you want to, but it will show. Elvis used the barre chords, which you’ll see if you watch him play this piece on any You-Tubes of his early TV appearances. Or, listen to the chords played by his backup musicians. Like many other really beautiful songs, this one sounds a lot simpler than it really is.
The song is played in a hesitation rhythm: / one-and-two-(and)-three-and-four-(and)- /. The second and fourth notes of each measure are accented, and the intermediate notes following them are not played at all. True, it would be simpler to play this in straight 4/4 time, with an alternating bass note, and that’s how most guitarists do it, but it’s NOT how Elvis or his sidemen played it! I tried writing out the count as / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / but it got too confusing, so I recast it as 8/8 instead. Purists may grumble, but it’s lots easier to figure out that way.
All the chords are quite ordinary for any intermediate guitarist who is used to playing barre chords, with the possible exception of the DII in the second finale. You may find this chord difficult, though it’s just a barred C-shape. If you like, just play the normal D in Finale 1, then repeat and fade. That’s how Elvis’ sidemen did it, while he held the last note with his voice. This emphasizes the voice, at the expense of the guitar, and is great, IF, like Elvis, you have the voice for it. I don’t, so I use Finale 2 to cover.
Let’s get this straight: I am an Elvis fan, but I must tell the truth. Despite his name in the credits, Elvis Presley did not write this song. The tune was first published in 1861, as a Civil War ballad called Aura Lea, by George R. Poulton, with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. Over the next hundred years, it generated several popular versions with different lyrics. In 1956, songwriter Ken Darby created yet another set of lyrics to the old tune, for the 20th Century Fox movie, The Reno Brothers, in which the young Elvis Presley played a part. Elvis first performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show, on September 9, 1956, as a plug for his upcoming movie. He was not yet known for singing ballads, and neither the movie trailer nor the advance copies of the record had yet been released. So popular was his crooning, however, that one day later the record had sold a million reserved copies, earning a gold record in a single day's sales, before even one copy was released! 20th Century Fox changed the title of the movie to Love Me Tender, to take advantage of this astounding publicity, but still killed off Elvis’ character in the last act.
Although Elvis had no part in writing the lyrics, and the music was in the public domain, he was given equal credit as co-writer, because his contract required it. (Elvis did not actually write any of the songs he recorded.) In a fit of pique, Darby transferred his part of the credit to his wife, Vera Matson, “because she didn’t write it either.” Elvis was well-known as a tyrant in the recording studio, too. Ironically, he made so many last-minute changes to the arrangement and the lyrics of this song, that his credits as songwriter may have been partially justified after all.
PLAYING THE SONG
The metronome setting is for quarter-notes, but I have recast the piece in 8/8 time, instead of 4/4, to make the counting easier. So remember, each tick of the metronome represents two counts.
Nearly all the chords in this song are variants of D, E, and A. If you wish, you can just play those three chords, and it’ll sound okay, but you’ll miss all the cool harmonies. If even “The King,” with his gorgeous voice, needed to add bass and harmony, the rest of us will need to also. Unlike 99 percent of the songs on this blog, this one is intended to accompany a singer. If you don’t have the voice for it, find someone who does.
Strum all the chords with your thumb, or with a soft flat-pick, for the mellowest sound you can get. If you have looked up the chords to this song on other Internet sites, you will notice I have included several additional chords. If you listen to any of Elvis’ actual recordings, you will note that HE always included the “extra” chords too. You can dumb it down if you want to, but it will show. Elvis used the barre chords, which you’ll see if you watch him play this piece on any You-Tubes of his early TV appearances. Or, listen to the chords played by his backup musicians. Like many other really beautiful songs, this one sounds a lot simpler than it really is.
The song is played in a hesitation rhythm: / one-and-two-(and)-three-and-four-(and)- /. The second and fourth notes of each measure are accented, and the intermediate notes following them are not played at all. True, it would be simpler to play this in straight 4/4 time, with an alternating bass note, and that’s how most guitarists do it, but it’s NOT how Elvis or his sidemen played it! I tried writing out the count as / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / but it got too confusing, so I recast it as 8/8 instead. Purists may grumble, but it’s lots easier to figure out that way.
All the chords are quite ordinary for any intermediate guitarist who is used to playing barre chords, with the possible exception of the DII in the second finale. You may find this chord difficult, though it’s just a barred C-shape. If you like, just play the normal D in Finale 1, then repeat and fade. That’s how Elvis’ sidemen did it, while he held the last note with his voice. This emphasizes the voice, at the expense of the guitar, and is great, IF, like Elvis, you have the voice for it. I don’t, so I use Finale 2 to cover.
What Child Is This?
Merry Christmas, Poet-With-A-Day-Job!
Poet commented on another post that this Christmas carol would be the best Christmas present ever, so here it is! Actually, it was quite easy for me to do, as the tab was already present on this website, only it was listed as Greensleeves. It's now also listed as, "What Child Is This?" The tab is the same, as there's no difference in the music. I apologize for not including the Christmas carol words for the second and third verses, but that would take more time than I have right now. You are welcome to print the tab and write in the proper words.
Poet also mentioned that he (she?) is a beginner. The song is published with complete instructions for playing all three verses, which are tabbed in order of increasing complexity. Of course, as a guitar instrumental solo, they need not be played in this order! But if you find arpeggios stuck in around the melody daunting, you can still do fine by playing the first verse or two, and learn the arpeggios later, when you have more confidence.
If you like this tab, you might also like A-Soulin', which is another very old, English Christmas carol. It was popularized in the 1960s by the folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, but my version is a guitar duet in the form of a round. There are no difficult techniques or chords in it. In fact, there's only ONE strummed chord! It's so simple that I teach it to my first-year students. Nevertheless, it sounds absolutely stunning. Check out the video clip of two of my first-year students.
Poet commented on another post that this Christmas carol would be the best Christmas present ever, so here it is! Actually, it was quite easy for me to do, as the tab was already present on this website, only it was listed as Greensleeves. It's now also listed as, "What Child Is This?" The tab is the same, as there's no difference in the music. I apologize for not including the Christmas carol words for the second and third verses, but that would take more time than I have right now. You are welcome to print the tab and write in the proper words.
Poet also mentioned that he (she?) is a beginner. The song is published with complete instructions for playing all three verses, which are tabbed in order of increasing complexity. Of course, as a guitar instrumental solo, they need not be played in this order! But if you find arpeggios stuck in around the melody daunting, you can still do fine by playing the first verse or two, and learn the arpeggios later, when you have more confidence.
If you like this tab, you might also like A-Soulin', which is another very old, English Christmas carol. It was popularized in the 1960s by the folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, but my version is a guitar duet in the form of a round. There are no difficult techniques or chords in it. In fact, there's only ONE strummed chord! It's so simple that I teach it to my first-year students. Nevertheless, it sounds absolutely stunning. Check out the video clip of two of my first-year students.
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.
High on the Mountain Top in G (for beginners)
Actually, it's played a lot like the version in C. Most beginners find it easier to play in the key of G than in C, as there are no barre chords. This version includes a couple of minor chords, where the other version only has single notes, but they are very easy, common chords. If you already know them, you may find it easier to play the chord than to learn the melody line. The tab is simpler, too, without split measures, metronome count, etc. In the second line, there is one pull-off and one slide, but you can just play the notes without using those techniques, and it'll still sound good. No special instructions are needed to play this version, just play the tab as it is written.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
Praise to the Man
This is about as easy as it gets! The only thing even faintly scary about this song is the F/C chord. Read that, "F with a C bass," and you won't be scared. It's just a normal F chord, but you add the C on the 5th string, third space, with your pinkie, to follow the melody. Or, if you are already comfortable with barre chords, just play the full-barre F, but avoid the #6 string. If you really are a beginner, just play a regular, four-string F, but it won't sound quite as good.
There are also pull-offs in measures # 3, 11, and 27. These are easy to do. Fret the second string in the first space (C) with your index finger, and simultaneously in the third space (D) with your pinkie. When you pluck the string with your right hand, only the D will sound, of course. Leaving the index finger in place, pull the pinkie off the string, so it plucks the string again, sounding the C. This produces a legato sound, (search "ligado" on this blog), and also allows you to play the two-note sequence much faster than you otherwise could.
The song was originally written in 2/4 time, but I have re-cast it in 4/8. There is actually no difference, except that it's easier to count in eighth notes. The metronome setting has therefore been increased to 132. To be perfectly faithful to the piano music in the hymnal, it should have been somewhere between 152 - 192, but this just sounds too fast to me. If you are accompanying a singer, 132 would probably be too slow, but if you are playing it as a guitar solo, the speed is not terribly important, anyway.
Both the tune and the lyrics are in the public domain.
There are also pull-offs in measures # 3, 11, and 27. These are easy to do. Fret the second string in the first space (C) with your index finger, and simultaneously in the third space (D) with your pinkie. When you pluck the string with your right hand, only the D will sound, of course. Leaving the index finger in place, pull the pinkie off the string, so it plucks the string again, sounding the C. This produces a legato sound, (search "ligado" on this blog), and also allows you to play the two-note sequence much faster than you otherwise could.
The song was originally written in 2/4 time, but I have re-cast it in 4/8. There is actually no difference, except that it's easier to count in eighth notes. The metronome setting has therefore been increased to 132. To be perfectly faithful to the piano music in the hymnal, it should have been somewhere between 152 - 192, but this just sounds too fast to me. If you are accompanying a singer, 132 would probably be too slow, but if you are playing it as a guitar solo, the speed is not terribly important, anyway.
Both the tune and the lyrics are in the public domain.
Teach Me to Walk In the Light
FOR RANK BEGINNERS:
At the top of the page is the title of the hymn, and the hymn number, as found in the LDS hymnal, Hymns. Then follow general instructions, such as “Strum all chords.” This means that anywhere you see a chord in the tablature, it is to be strummed, not plucked or pinched. Individual notes are always plucked unless otherwise instructed.
Each line of music is divided into four separate parts. The top line shows the chord names. They are given only when the chord changes, so the first line of the tab shows the E chord only once, though it is strummed nine times. The B7 chord shown next continues onto the second line, even though it is only shown on the first line, etc. Sometimes, special instructions are also included in this line, such as, slow, or hold.
The next six lines are the actual tablature. Each horizontal line of dashes represents a string of the guitar, with the top one representing the high e-string, the next representing the B-string, etc., as shown at the beginning of the tab. I usually omit the names of the strings when writing tab, unless they are tuned in a non-standard tuning, but I put them in on this song, for the use of true beginners.
In reading tablature (tab for short), the strings are fretted where the numbers indicate the proper fret: 1 = the first fret, etc. A zero -- 0 -- indicates the string is to be played “open” (unfretted). If there is no number on the string, do not play it. Vertical lines indicate measures, as in traditional music.
The next line is the lyrics of the song. Since the purpose of the tablature is to teach how to play a guitar instrumental solo, only the first verse of the song is included, for those who are familiar with it, to help them know where they are in the song.
The bottom line contains the time count, or tempo. This song is in “three-four” time, meaning that each measure contains three beats, and the first beat of each measure is accented by being played a bit louder than the others: ONE two three; ONE two three, etc. The accented beats are shown in bold face type. In general, each beat is accompanied by either a strummed chord or a plucked note, except for the last measure of each line, where the chord is strummed and allowed to ring through the other two beats, which are counted, but not played. This is shown by placing the other two beats in parentheses: (2 3). In the last line, the third beat of the first measure is also treated this way, and is shown in parentheses, too: (3) .
The next-to-last measure is also counted differently. There are six notes in the measure, but they are “eighth notes”, instead of the “quarter notes” that make up the rest of the song. The measure takes exactly the same length of time as the other measures, because the notes are played twice as fast. To count these notes, count the last two measures, “ONE-and-two-and-three-and-ONE, (two, three)”. The beat remains steady.
All but the very last note of the next-to-last measure can be easily played by simply strumming an E chord slowly, so each string sounds separately. You’ll have to stretch your pinkie to reach that note in the 4th fret, or else, let your hand slide slightly up the neck of the guitar, hit the note, then slide right back down to play the E chord.
Chord charts are shown at the end of the song. If you don’t know how to play a chord, the chord charts show you how. The vertical lines represent the guitar strings, and the horizontal lines show the frets. The top line shows the nut of the guitar, with Xs above strings that are not played. Finger positions are usually shown with zeros, or large, black dots, but I have used numbers to indicate which finger is placed where: 1 = the index finger, 2 = the middle finger, 3 = the ring finger, and 4 = the pinky.
I have tried to arrange the song so it would be as easy as possible to play, since I’m arranging it for my seven-year-old student, Meylin. If you are really a rank beginner, start by just strumming the chords as shown in the counting line, until you can make the chord changes without missing a beat. Only then should you try to learn how to put in the melody notes.
Most of the notes are part of the chords, and can be played just by selecting the proper string. Some of the notes are different, though. In the first line, a couple of the “extra” notes in the second fret can be reached just by flattening the left hand across the strings. Others need to be added with the pinky. In the third line, the E chord can be changed to an E7 just by lifting the 3rd finger. Replace it to hit the third note in the next measure.
This song is not in the public domain, but I have received written permission of the copyright owner (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) to publish it in this format, for personal or incidental, non-commercial home or church use.
At the top of the page is the title of the hymn, and the hymn number, as found in the LDS hymnal, Hymns. Then follow general instructions, such as “Strum all chords.” This means that anywhere you see a chord in the tablature, it is to be strummed, not plucked or pinched. Individual notes are always plucked unless otherwise instructed.
Each line of music is divided into four separate parts. The top line shows the chord names. They are given only when the chord changes, so the first line of the tab shows the E chord only once, though it is strummed nine times. The B7 chord shown next continues onto the second line, even though it is only shown on the first line, etc. Sometimes, special instructions are also included in this line, such as, slow, or hold.
The next six lines are the actual tablature. Each horizontal line of dashes represents a string of the guitar, with the top one representing the high e-string, the next representing the B-string, etc., as shown at the beginning of the tab. I usually omit the names of the strings when writing tab, unless they are tuned in a non-standard tuning, but I put them in on this song, for the use of true beginners.
In reading tablature (tab for short), the strings are fretted where the numbers indicate the proper fret: 1 = the first fret, etc. A zero -- 0 -- indicates the string is to be played “open” (unfretted). If there is no number on the string, do not play it. Vertical lines indicate measures, as in traditional music.
The next line is the lyrics of the song. Since the purpose of the tablature is to teach how to play a guitar instrumental solo, only the first verse of the song is included, for those who are familiar with it, to help them know where they are in the song.
The bottom line contains the time count, or tempo. This song is in “three-four” time, meaning that each measure contains three beats, and the first beat of each measure is accented by being played a bit louder than the others: ONE two three; ONE two three, etc. The accented beats are shown in bold face type. In general, each beat is accompanied by either a strummed chord or a plucked note, except for the last measure of each line, where the chord is strummed and allowed to ring through the other two beats, which are counted, but not played. This is shown by placing the other two beats in parentheses: (2 3). In the last line, the third beat of the first measure is also treated this way, and is shown in parentheses, too: (3) .
The next-to-last measure is also counted differently. There are six notes in the measure, but they are “eighth notes”, instead of the “quarter notes” that make up the rest of the song. The measure takes exactly the same length of time as the other measures, because the notes are played twice as fast. To count these notes, count the last two measures, “ONE-and-two-and-three-and-ONE, (two, three)”. The beat remains steady.
All but the very last note of the next-to-last measure can be easily played by simply strumming an E chord slowly, so each string sounds separately. You’ll have to stretch your pinkie to reach that note in the 4th fret, or else, let your hand slide slightly up the neck of the guitar, hit the note, then slide right back down to play the E chord.
Chord charts are shown at the end of the song. If you don’t know how to play a chord, the chord charts show you how. The vertical lines represent the guitar strings, and the horizontal lines show the frets. The top line shows the nut of the guitar, with Xs above strings that are not played. Finger positions are usually shown with zeros, or large, black dots, but I have used numbers to indicate which finger is placed where: 1 = the index finger, 2 = the middle finger, 3 = the ring finger, and 4 = the pinky.
I have tried to arrange the song so it would be as easy as possible to play, since I’m arranging it for my seven-year-old student, Meylin. If you are really a rank beginner, start by just strumming the chords as shown in the counting line, until you can make the chord changes without missing a beat. Only then should you try to learn how to put in the melody notes.
Most of the notes are part of the chords, and can be played just by selecting the proper string. Some of the notes are different, though. In the first line, a couple of the “extra” notes in the second fret can be reached just by flattening the left hand across the strings. Others need to be added with the pinky. In the third line, the E chord can be changed to an E7 just by lifting the 3rd finger. Replace it to hit the third note in the next measure.
This song is not in the public domain, but I have received written permission of the copyright owner (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) to publish it in this format, for personal or incidental, non-commercial home or church use.
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.
A-Soulin'
Similar to the old Peter, Paul, & Mary version of this very old, English carol, but arranged as a round for two guitars. There's a very short lyric section, which isn't at all hard to sing. The round is in two "parts", but they're almost exactly the same, except for the end of the intro and the coda, where they have to transition to unison. Meylin, my seven-year-old beginning guitar student, can play it. The hardest part is not getting "pulled off" of your part by listening to the other player.
Play at a steady pace, without variation, and it'll sound fantastic. Especially if you can do it while looking a bit bored. Mind you, no one will think it's actually easy. They'll just think you're showing off. And that you have talent worth showing off. It's actually not bad as a solo piece, too, but the duet round just blows people away.
Play at a steady pace, without variation, and it'll sound fantastic. Especially if you can do it while looking a bit bored. Mind you, no one will think it's actually easy. They'll just think you're showing off. And that you have talent worth showing off. It's actually not bad as a solo piece, too, but the duet round just blows people away.
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!
Upon the Cross of Calvary
Public Domain. I transposed it into C, because it's hard for me to play in G. I got tendinitis in my left hand from playing with a bent wrist. That's why your guitar teacher won't let you look at your guitar while playing-- it makes you bend your wrist, and causes tendinitis, down the road. Now, my ring finger tends to lock when I play too many G chords. So I use a lot of barred Gs, which don't make my finger lock up. My cross to bear. But this song is about the real cross, borne by the Savior.
I've written it three ways, which can be used as separate versions, or combined as verses. The first, mostly chords, sounds good on a flat-top guitar, played with a pick, or on a classical guitar, strummed with the thumb. The second one cannot be played with a pick, but sounds really "classical" when pinched, especially if you use the fingernails or finger picks. Play it near the bridge for an even more brilliant sound.
The third verse includes lots of "extra" notes to emphasize the 8/8 tempo. I like playing in 8/8, as all the notes are the same length. The "extra" notes are mostly drones in the bass. You can leave out any of them you like, but remember to lengthen the other notes, or the tempo will suffer.
If all you want is the melody, play the 3rd version, except:
1. Leave out all the notes on the 4th, 5th and 6th strings (the drones)
2. Play only the 1st and 7th notes in the 5th measure (GIII)
3. In the next-to-last measure, play only the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes
4. In the final measure, play only the 1st note.
This is actually a pretty easy hymn to play. If the CIII chord gives you trouble, you can substitute a regular C chord, but it'll make the transition to the next chord harder-- that's why I used the barre chord.
I've written it three ways, which can be used as separate versions, or combined as verses. The first, mostly chords, sounds good on a flat-top guitar, played with a pick, or on a classical guitar, strummed with the thumb. The second one cannot be played with a pick, but sounds really "classical" when pinched, especially if you use the fingernails or finger picks. Play it near the bridge for an even more brilliant sound.
The third verse includes lots of "extra" notes to emphasize the 8/8 tempo. I like playing in 8/8, as all the notes are the same length. The "extra" notes are mostly drones in the bass. You can leave out any of them you like, but remember to lengthen the other notes, or the tempo will suffer.
If all you want is the melody, play the 3rd version, except:
1. Leave out all the notes on the 4th, 5th and 6th strings (the drones)
2. Play only the 1st and 7th notes in the 5th measure (GIII)
3. In the next-to-last measure, play only the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes
4. In the final measure, play only the 1st note.
This is actually a pretty easy hymn to play. If the CIII chord gives you trouble, you can substitute a regular C chord, but it'll make the transition to the next chord harder-- that's why I used the barre chord.
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