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 hard chords. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no hard chords. Show all posts
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
The name of Ebenezer Beesley, the composer of this hymn, may seem familiar to you. If so, it’s probably because he composed the tunes to many other hymns in the LDS hymnal, including:
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Merry Christmas!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Enjoy!
The music:
This is not a difficult song, but it needs a bit of explanation. As published in Hymns, it is written in the key of F, which is nearly impossible for most guitarists. I have transposed it up two frets, to the key of G. Other than that, the first verse is taken exactly from the soprano and alto lines in Hymns. The song is in the public domain, so that’s okay. For those who just want to accompany singers, I have included the rhythm guitar chords, in lightface type. They won’t help you with the tab, though. So if you’re trying to play the tab as written, just ignore the lightface chords in the first verse. (The second verse is different. More on that later.)
The first verse does not need chord symbols, as there are NO CHORDS in this verse, just two-finger pinches. For those who are not classically trained, I have included notations about which left-hand finger to use to fret the notes. Normally, in classical guitar notation, such abbreviations are given in Spanish: p - i - m - a, for the Spanish words, pulgar, indicio, medio, & anulario. Since the song is written in English, and few of my followers are classically trained, I decided to use the English abbreviations: t - i - m - r (for thumb, index, middle, & ring) instead. If you are a classical guitarist, please just deal with it.
There are a couple of places where it’s easier to just slide the left hand up or down the neck, rather than switching fingers. You’ll find them as you play through the song. I tried to specify the fingering that I think will be easiest for a beginner. If you think a different fingering would be better, please yourself. This is just my arrangement; it wasn’t handed down by Mendelssohn!
The second verse is a different story.
First, the lyrics: I couldn’t keep the song on three pages and use the real lyrics for the second verse. They just take up more room, and are not as easy to follow. Since I only include lyrics to aid in following the rhythm, I re-used the lyrics from the first verse. This is supposed to be a guitar solo, anyway.
Second, the arrangement: This is one of my easier guitar arrangements. Half the notes are played on open strings! All the chords are easy to play, and most are well-known to every guitarist. The only exceptions are GaddD and CaddD, which are both slight variations of the basic G-shape. There are no difficult chord changes, and NO BARRE CHORDS!
I have included chord symbols where they would be helpful in knowing where to place the fingers of the left hand. I have left them out, where they are not needed. For example, where all the strings are played open, it is not necessary to hold a G chord, even though that is what you would do if you were playing accompaniment or rhythm guitar. In other places, only a single note of a chord is called for. In such places, I have left out the unnecessary chord changes, for clarity. If you wish to play rhythm, use the chords from the first verse.
History:
This is one of eight thousand hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. During his life, Charles published over six thousand of his hymns, many of which are found in the LDS hymnal.
The tune he had in mind is not the one usually associated with this carol. Wesley envisioned it being sung to the tune of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, which he also wrote. The tune we now use was part of a secular cantata, written a hundred years later by Felix Mendelssohn, to commemorate the invention of the printing press. Fifteen years after that, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s tune to Wesley’s lyrics, creating the sprightly Christmas carol we now know.
There have been many other tweaks since Wesley’s day. Even the first line (and hence, the title) of the song has changed. Originally, it began, “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings”. Wesley’s co-worker, George Whitefield, persuaded him to change it. Thank you, George!
Come, Come, Ye Saints
An old favorite, and not especially hard. There are NO BARRE CHORDS! It does contain an F, which some beginners may find difficult. The only unusual chord is CaddG, which is played exactly like a regular C chord, but with the G note added in the third space on the first string with the little finger. Using this instead of a regular C allows the sound to rise with the melody of the song. You can just use the regular C if you are accompanying singing, but if you're playing it as a guitar solo, you'll want to carry the melody on the first string.
The tempo of the song is the only really weird part. In the hymnal, it keeps changing back and forth between 4/4 and 3/4. I have as usual recast this in eighth notes, as 8/8 and 6/8, which makes the counting easier. But it's still not easy, as the rhythm is sprung, and would need sixteenth notes to come out right. That's OK; sixteenth notes are no harder to play than quarter notes or eighth notes, but if I had to write them out, and count up to sixteen every measure, it would double the number of pages needed, and would not make the song any clearer to those who already know it. Which is most likely anyone who would be reading this blog anyway.
As a possibly interesting aside, I first tabbed this song while living in a housing tract built on land that was once a cattle ranch owned by William Clayton, the author of the lyrics. Sister Clayton, his great, great grand-daughter, still lived there, as a 90-year-old spinster. She didn't get out much, but I was asked to take the Sacrament to her a few times before she died. They played this song at her funeral.
Public domain, of course.
The tempo of the song is the only really weird part. In the hymnal, it keeps changing back and forth between 4/4 and 3/4. I have as usual recast this in eighth notes, as 8/8 and 6/8, which makes the counting easier. But it's still not easy, as the rhythm is sprung, and would need sixteenth notes to come out right. That's OK; sixteenth notes are no harder to play than quarter notes or eighth notes, but if I had to write them out, and count up to sixteen every measure, it would double the number of pages needed, and would not make the song any clearer to those who already know it. Which is most likely anyone who would be reading this blog anyway.
As a possibly interesting aside, I first tabbed this song while living in a housing tract built on land that was once a cattle ranch owned by William Clayton, the author of the lyrics. Sister Clayton, his great, great grand-daughter, still lived there, as a 90-year-old spinster. She didn't get out much, but I was asked to take the Sacrament to her a few times before she died. They played this song at her funeral.
Public domain, of course.
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.
Otro año ha pasado
There are no hard chords in this piece. In fact, there are no chords at all! It's a relatively easy classical piece, based on the soprano and alto lines of the hymn in the Spanish hymnal. It's not in the English hymn book.
One of the hardest things to do in tablature is to convey a complex rhythm. This is even harder when working in a foreign language, particularly one like Spanish, where the words are often run together in peculiar ways when singing. So I wrote out a silly, little ditty in English to illustrate the way the rhythm changes:
verses:
Drink some lemonade / sitting in the shade
with a pretty girl / who you love.
Tell her everything / promise her a ring
make her laugh and sing like / Saints above!
refrain:
Boys and girls are / often seen together
strolling slowly / walking hand in ha__nd.
Summer, winter / any kind of weather.
Ad-o-les-cent / love is truly grand.
These words have nothing at all to do with the actual lyrics of the hymn, and little enough to do with each other, but they do make a kind of sense, if you don’t look too closely! Divisions of measures within each line are shown by slashes.
The refrain (estribillo) is quite different from the verses, in melody, rhythm, and feeling. The verses have a serious tone, while the refrain sounds more like a children’s song. The last word in the second line of the refrain is drawn out, where the tab has a hammered-on C, on the 5th fret of the third string, added almost as if it were an afterthought. Other than that one note, every note of the song has a corresponding syllable in the lyrics-- both the real, Spanish lyrics, and my frivolous ditty above.
Oh, and yes, the phrase, con resolución, does indeed mean that it is to be played “with resolution!” How very appropriate, for a New Years song!
One of the hardest things to do in tablature is to convey a complex rhythm. This is even harder when working in a foreign language, particularly one like Spanish, where the words are often run together in peculiar ways when singing. So I wrote out a silly, little ditty in English to illustrate the way the rhythm changes:
verses:
Drink some lemonade / sitting in the shade
with a pretty girl / who you love.
Tell her everything / promise her a ring
make her laugh and sing like / Saints above!
refrain:
Boys and girls are / often seen together
strolling slowly / walking hand in ha__nd.
Summer, winter / any kind of weather.
Ad-o-les-cent / love is truly grand.
These words have nothing at all to do with the actual lyrics of the hymn, and little enough to do with each other, but they do make a kind of sense, if you don’t look too closely! Divisions of measures within each line are shown by slashes.
The refrain (estribillo) is quite different from the verses, in melody, rhythm, and feeling. The verses have a serious tone, while the refrain sounds more like a children’s song. The last word in the second line of the refrain is drawn out, where the tab has a hammered-on C, on the 5th fret of the third string, added almost as if it were an afterthought. Other than that one note, every note of the song has a corresponding syllable in the lyrics-- both the real, Spanish lyrics, and my frivolous ditty above.
Oh, and yes, the phrase, con resolución, does indeed mean that it is to be played “with resolution!” How very appropriate, for a New Years song!
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.
Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head
One of the easiest tabs I've ever done. Everything's easy enough for beginners, except the time signature, but I've written out the count below the words. This is actually easier to play on the guitar than it is to sing! Nevertheless, it's fun to play.
The only slightly unusual chord is the D/A, (pronounced, "D, with an A bass"), which just means you strum five strings, instead of only four, allowing the open A string to sound. It's fretted exactly the same as a normal D chord.
If you find the hammer-ons and pull-offs too hard, you can just leave them out. But I strongly urge you to try them. They're not really hard, and they give the faster part of the song a different sound.
There are no "extra" notes. In fact, I've simplified it a bit, to make it easier to play on the guitar. This hymn is in the public domain, though the author and composer died in the year I was born.
The only slightly unusual chord is the D/A, (pronounced, "D, with an A bass"), which just means you strum five strings, instead of only four, allowing the open A string to sound. It's fretted exactly the same as a normal D chord.
If you find the hammer-ons and pull-offs too hard, you can just leave them out. But I strongly urge you to try them. They're not really hard, and they give the faster part of the song a different sound.
There are no "extra" notes. In fact, I've simplified it a bit, to make it easier to play on the guitar. This hymn is in the public domain, though the author and composer died in the year I was born.
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