This is not actually a Gospel song. It is about the hope of finding love. My excuse for publishing it here is that it one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and it has very easy chords. Of the thirteen chords used, nine are two-finger chords, and the rest-- Am, E, Dm, and C-- are super easy chords you probably already know. A few right hand techniques in the second verse are easily mastered with a bit of practice.
The song comes from the movie Black Orpheus, under the tiltle “Manha de Carnaval” (Portugese for "Carnival Morning"). The Portugese lyrics have been translated into many languages, and the song has been published under several titles, including “Mañana de Carnaval”, “A Day in the Life of a Fool”, “Theme from Black Orpheus,” etc. The Guiness Book of World Records lists this song as one of the top ten standards played worldwide. It’s a favorite in both vocal and instrumental versions.
This version includes both. The first verse includes the lyrics as recorded by Perry Como, the most popular Internet lyrics, but I have included alternate words for the last line, from Oscar Brown, Jr.’s cover of the song. The second, instrumental verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle guitar. It sounds (and looks) complex, but is not actually difficult. Once I figured out the technique, it took me only a couple of hours to master, and I am not a fast learner.
Bossa Nova rhythm
There are three basic parts to this piece: the introduction/refrain, the first verse, which is intended as an accompaniment to a vocalist, and the second verse, which is a long, instrumental solo. The second refrain, which is also instrumental, is a repeat of the introduction, with the addition of a finale. The three parts are quite different. The introduction/refrain has a different time signature from the rest of the song. It’s in 6/8 time, with each measure divided into two groups of three eighth-notes each. Each group is accented on the first note of the group, and the two accents are equal. This is shown at the top of the first page of the tab as “6/8 parts = 1 2 3 4 5 6".
A rhythm in which beats or stresses are placed where they wouldn’t normally occur is said to be syncopated. There is no actual syncopation in these measures, but the music sounds syncopated because the melody begins with a partial measure, consisting of two unaccented eighth-notes, like this: 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc.
The verses, on the other hand, are indeed syncopated. They are in 8/8 tempo, which is normally counted 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, with minor accents (not shown) on beats 3 and 7. In Bossa Nova rhythm, the accents are placed differently: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. There are three major accented beats, instead of the usual two, and no minor accents. This approximates the rhythm of the phrase, “I like my pa-stra-mi.” If you say that phrase, you may notice that the last two syllables are held longer than any of the others. That’s the basic rhythm of the song, and with few exceptions, all the 8/8 measures contain beats on those notes. The only exceptions are measures in which there is a pause on the fifth note of the measure, which is a kind of “backhand” way of stressing that note. But hey, it’s jazz, right?
Study guide
The whole introduction is played based on the Am chord, lifting the left index finger, replacing it, or fretting the 2nd string in the 3rd space as needed. It’s actually very easy, even played at speed. That’s a good thing, because the tempo is FAST and steady, except for the hold. This riff is repeated twice later in the song, but is played exactly the same all three times, except for the tremolos, which we’ll cover later.
In between measures [4] and [5], you switch to 8/8 time, and pick up the pattern pick, which continues throughout the first verse. The pattern consists of a bass note, followed by two pinched chords plucked with the index, middle and ring fingers of the right hand, then another chord which is sometimes pinched, but more often is played as a broken chord, using the same fingers. If you can play one of these measures, you can play them all. The basic chord progression is Am - Dm6 - E7, all drop-dead easy chords to play. Occasionally there’s a G7, a C, or a Dm-- no big deal.
A7 is a fairly common chord, but there are several ways to play it, and only one will work in measure [14]. It’s fretted by barring the first four strings in the 2nd space, while fretting the first string in the 3rd space. The easiest way to do this is to do the barre with the index finger, while fretting the first string with the ring finger. You have to do something with the middle finger, so most guitarists place it on top of the barring finger, which helps to make the barre. Having done this, all you have to do to make the Amaj6 chord is lift up the ring finger. Nearly every time you play A7, you’re going to follow it with Amaj6, so you might as well get used to it.
In [18], there’s a Cmaj7 chord made by just lifting up the left index finger. Easy, but it sounds really nice. Then you return to the basic chord progression again, until you reach another A7 in [27]. This time it’s followed by a strange chord called C9. This is basically like the A7, except instead of just playing the first string with the ring finger, lay it across the first three strings. This is actually easier to do than it looks, and the harmony it produces isn’t much different from A7, but don’t leave it out. The close harmonies in the chord progression are what gives it its amazing beauty. Then, just as before, you’ll follow with the Amaj6, but instead of going to Dm6, you play a straight Dm for two verses, then the Dm6. This mini-chord sequence of A7 - C9 - Dm - Dm6 lasts only five measures, but will be one of the most musically memorable parts of the song. It gives you a chance to shine, even while the vocalist has “center stage”. If you are the vocalist, it will be absolutely mind-blowing for the audience, even if they are not musicians. They won’t know why it sounds so cool, but they certainly will know that it does.
Measures [36] and [37] depart from the previous pattern in two ways: you’ll play an E instead of an E7, and the pattern pick ceases, being replaced by a strummed chords, even eliminating the broken chord entirely in [37]. The last two notes of [37] lead into a repition of the refrain, taking the place of the partial measure that began the introduction. This refrain is exactly the same as the intro, except for the two tremolos. They are not played the same. The first tremolo note is played by vibrating the index fingertip at right angles to the second string while fretting the string normally. To do this, you have to bend and release the index finger rapidly, alternately stretching the string sideways. Do not actually release the string. It must remain in contact with the fretboard at all times, or you will get separate notes instead of a tremolo.
The second tremolo is done by vibrating the ring finger along the 2nd string in the 3rd space. To produce a strong tremolo, you will need to release all the other fingers from their strings and press the 2nd string into the fretboard quite hard. The best way I know to do this is to stiffen the ring finger and move the whole hand back and forth along the string. You could make the first tremolo this way too, but for frets below the 3rd, across the string works best, while above the 3rd, along the string works best. At the 3rd fret, it’s your choice. On my guitars, it sounds better as I’ve described. However you do it, make the first tremolo brief, but emphasize the second one by lengthening it into a hold.
Measure [42] begins the second verse, which is played quite differently, because there is no vocalist to carry the melody. This is where you get to SHINE.
This verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle playing. Strum a chord, then tap some of the strings with the fingers of the right hand. The strings to be damped are noted with stars in front of the notes, like this: --*2--. If you tap too hard, you will hammer-on instead of damping. If you tap too gently, you will just mute the strings, without making the damping sound. The trick is to almost miss the strings. As the fingers slide between the strings, the finger tips contact the fretboard, making a slight thump, while the sides of the fingers damp the strings simultaneously. The little finger can be allowed to tap on the guitar top at the same time, if desired. It is not hard to learn; it just requires practice. Whatever you do, don’t just mute the strings. You need to make a sound here, or it’ll mess up the rhythm. If you can’t do the damp, pluck the strings instead. It won’t sound as cool, but at least the rhythm will be right.
The rhythm of the second verse appears slightly different from the first. Where the first verse has three or four notes in the broken chords, the second has two or three, sometimes leaving out the broken chords altogether, or replacing them with a multiple hammer-on riff. Don’t let it throw you! The Bossa Nova rhythm remains the same, with the accents in the same place. Or, to put it another way, if a note appears in the 1,5, or 7 spot, accent it; if not, don’t let it bother you.
This verse uses both strummed and pinched chords. Please strum the marked chords and pluck the rest. The strings sound very different when plucked. If you wish, you can emphasize the difference by strumming near the center of the strings, and plucking closer to the bridge, for a twangy effect.
The chord progression in the second verse is nearly identical to the first, except that the Cmaj7 in [18] has been replaced with Am in [54]. The refrain at the end of the second verse, in [73], [74], and [75] is played exactly like the previous refrain in [38], [39], and [40]. The only difference is the finale on the end of it.
Play the finale slow, stretching out the chords. The last chord gives you a choice. The easy way to play it is to simply slide the hand one fret up the guitar neck from C#9 to D9. This is a beautiful chord, and a dead easy transition, but it only uses four strings, a bit “thin” to resolve the whole song. You may wish to substitute Amv. It’s very similar, though not quite as pretty, but does use all six strings. After playing it both ways for an hour on three separate occasions, I still don’t know which I like best; please yourself.
Which ever you use, include the whole-chord tremolo. Strum the chord normally, then cup the right hand and vibrate it over the sound hole, about an inch away from the strings, exactly as if using an invisible whammy bar. This makes a distinct “wah-wah-wah-wah” sound, similar to that produced by a real whammy bar. In fact, the whammy bar was invented to compensate for a solid body guitar’s lack of a sound hole, and was originally meant to imitate this sound. You may get better results by vibrating the hand toward and away from the guitar directly over the sound hole, or by moving the hand parallel to the guitar top, covering and uncovering the sound hole. There will be a particular vibration speed that works best for your guitar.
Which ever way you do it, your audience will think you are a fretboard master-- and they’ll be right! Prepare for thunderous applause.
Showing posts with label not public domain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label not public domain. Show all posts
Souviens-toi
Souviens-toi
A Hungarian young woman named Nami Tóth requested this song. It’s from the French language version of the LDS hymnal, called “Cantiques”, which is French for “Hymns”. The music is based on the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak, which in turn was based on an American Negro spiritual called, “Steal Away to Jesus.” Some musicologists believe this to be one of the “code songs” used by the slaves to pass on the information that a “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” was in the area, and an escape was planned. I’m a sucker for the message of liberation, for the French language, and for requests from Saints in places where I’ve never been, especially if they are young people, and especially if I find the music unusual or interesting. How could I resist? Nami, this one’s for you!
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT an easy song to play. When I first transposed it, there were more chords in it than in any other hymn I’ve ever tabbed. There were more hard chords in it. There were more strange chords in it. I had to invent a couple of chord names. One was so long, I had to truncate it. Two chords were simply impossible to play for anyone with normal hands. I simplified one to make it playable, and left the other one out, replacing it with a single melody note. Other chords needed to have their notes rearranged. I maintained the melody notes as the treble note of each chord (the usual practice), rearranging the order of the other notes to make playable chords. It was still impossible, so I bit my lip, apologized to Dvorak, and re-wrote the whole song.
The result sounds very close to the original, but it contains thirteen fewer chords. At the cost of some very subtle (and very beautiful) harmonies, it is now merely difficult to play on the guitar, instead of impossible. If you are a regular on this blog, you will find nearly all the chords familiar.
Strum all the chords with the thumb or with a relatively soft pick. If thumb strumming, pluck the individual melody notes with the middle or ring finger. I find using the ring finger allows me to play with a rocking motion of the wrist.
In the third measure of the first line, you can leave the left ring finger on the second string, 5th space, which converts the GIII chord into a G6, for a nice, subtle harmony. I did not call for this in the tab, because I used it later in the fifth line, which is otherwise very similar.
The second line starts the same as the first, but don’t omit the G13→ Bdim→ Am chord progression. It’s beautiful. Your audience will love it, and it’s not hard. G13 may be unfamiliar to you, but it’s only a three finger chord. Bdim is even easier, being exactly the same as G13, except that you lift up the left ring finger. It can be a bit of a trick to get from there to Am quickly. I don’t know any special tricks for this. You just have to practice until you can do it fast. Be sure to play only the strings shown in the tablature, to bring out the melody notes. The chord charts show the standard fingering for the chords, but not all notes shown in the charts are used in the tablature every time.
The third and fourth lines are virtually identical, and contain only one chord. You may find it hard to hold the barred FI chord that long. Not to worry. There are a couple of spots in each line where you have to lift your fingers off the strings, to play the open notes on the 2nd and 3rd strings. It’s a good idea to lift off only the index and middle fingers, leaving the other two fingers in place, to facilitate your return to the full FI chord moments later.
The fifth line is very similar to the first line, except for the G6 chord in measure two, and the G7III chord in measure four. Be sure to add in the F note on the 2nd string, 6th space at just the right moment. You could hammer it on if you want to. Audiences love it.
The GaddD chord in the first measure of the last line is not nearly as strange or difficult as it may appear from the name. Just barre the first two strings in the third space, and play the next two strings open. You don’t even have to move your hand out of the C position. Just barre the strings with the little finger and lift the rest of the fingers off the strings. As soon as the strings quit ringing, immediately move the left hand up the neck to the 8th fret.
The next measures are the only really difficult ones. They are going to require some practice, especially if you are not used to playing barre chords at the 8th fret. ALL the chords in the rest of the song are played with the barre at the 8th fret. There’s just no other way to do it that is any easier.
Play the CVIII. As you can see in the chord charts, this is just an E-shape chord barred at the 8th fret. All the following chords are based on this chord shape, and are played without moving the barre, so it’s important that you get comfortable playing CVIII. Your finger’s going to be there, without moving, for the next three measures.
You could play G11 by barring the first five strings at the 10th fret. If you are playing a steel-string guitar, or have a cut-away body, go right ahead and do it that way. If, like me, you have a classical guitar with the 12th fret at the body, you probably won’t be able to fit your hand into the narrow space between the 10th and 12th frets. My solution is to keep the barred E-shape at the 8th fret, but flatten the left hand against the neck, in effect fretting all of the first five strings at the 10th fret, as shown in the chord chart.
The next chord is actually a plain CVIII chord, with the high C added at the 12th fret. Hence, its name, CaddE. By returning to the CVIII , and playing only the first four strings, you should be able to stretch your hand far enough to hit the 12th space with your little finger. If your fingers are short and stubby like mine, you may need to cover the note on the 4th string with your ring finger, which would normally be covering the 5th string, if you were playing more than four strings. You may notice that this chord looks a lot like a normal F chord, only barred at the 8th fret. You are right, and you can play it that way if you wish. I find it easier to barre the first two strings with the first joint of the index finger, as I would do if barring all six strings. This allows me to stretch my little finger farther. I suggest you try it both ways, then do it the way that’s easiest for you. It’s probably going to be difficult no matter how you try. No pain, no gain!
Hold the final CVIII chord as long as you can. Check the position of your fingertips, to ensure each is as close to the “sweet spot” between the frets as possible. If your fretting technique is good, you should be able to hold the chord at least for a count of 3. If the chord won’t sustain, recheck your fretting technique. Best way to do this is by looking in a mirror. That way, you can see what your fingers are doing, without having to bend your wrist and mess up your finger position.
The lyrics to this song were written by a Church-sponsored committee, and the copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Used by permission. You may download it, copy it for your own or church use, and perform it, as long as you don’t distribute it or charge money for performing.
A Hungarian young woman named Nami Tóth requested this song. It’s from the French language version of the LDS hymnal, called “Cantiques”, which is French for “Hymns”. The music is based on the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak, which in turn was based on an American Negro spiritual called, “Steal Away to Jesus.” Some musicologists believe this to be one of the “code songs” used by the slaves to pass on the information that a “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” was in the area, and an escape was planned. I’m a sucker for the message of liberation, for the French language, and for requests from Saints in places where I’ve never been, especially if they are young people, and especially if I find the music unusual or interesting. How could I resist? Nami, this one’s for you!
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT an easy song to play. When I first transposed it, there were more chords in it than in any other hymn I’ve ever tabbed. There were more hard chords in it. There were more strange chords in it. I had to invent a couple of chord names. One was so long, I had to truncate it. Two chords were simply impossible to play for anyone with normal hands. I simplified one to make it playable, and left the other one out, replacing it with a single melody note. Other chords needed to have their notes rearranged. I maintained the melody notes as the treble note of each chord (the usual practice), rearranging the order of the other notes to make playable chords. It was still impossible, so I bit my lip, apologized to Dvorak, and re-wrote the whole song.
The result sounds very close to the original, but it contains thirteen fewer chords. At the cost of some very subtle (and very beautiful) harmonies, it is now merely difficult to play on the guitar, instead of impossible. If you are a regular on this blog, you will find nearly all the chords familiar.
Strum all the chords with the thumb or with a relatively soft pick. If thumb strumming, pluck the individual melody notes with the middle or ring finger. I find using the ring finger allows me to play with a rocking motion of the wrist.
In the third measure of the first line, you can leave the left ring finger on the second string, 5th space, which converts the GIII chord into a G6, for a nice, subtle harmony. I did not call for this in the tab, because I used it later in the fifth line, which is otherwise very similar.
The second line starts the same as the first, but don’t omit the G13→ Bdim→ Am chord progression. It’s beautiful. Your audience will love it, and it’s not hard. G13 may be unfamiliar to you, but it’s only a three finger chord. Bdim is even easier, being exactly the same as G13, except that you lift up the left ring finger. It can be a bit of a trick to get from there to Am quickly. I don’t know any special tricks for this. You just have to practice until you can do it fast. Be sure to play only the strings shown in the tablature, to bring out the melody notes. The chord charts show the standard fingering for the chords, but not all notes shown in the charts are used in the tablature every time.
The third and fourth lines are virtually identical, and contain only one chord. You may find it hard to hold the barred FI chord that long. Not to worry. There are a couple of spots in each line where you have to lift your fingers off the strings, to play the open notes on the 2nd and 3rd strings. It’s a good idea to lift off only the index and middle fingers, leaving the other two fingers in place, to facilitate your return to the full FI chord moments later.
The fifth line is very similar to the first line, except for the G6 chord in measure two, and the G7III chord in measure four. Be sure to add in the F note on the 2nd string, 6th space at just the right moment. You could hammer it on if you want to. Audiences love it.
The GaddD chord in the first measure of the last line is not nearly as strange or difficult as it may appear from the name. Just barre the first two strings in the third space, and play the next two strings open. You don’t even have to move your hand out of the C position. Just barre the strings with the little finger and lift the rest of the fingers off the strings. As soon as the strings quit ringing, immediately move the left hand up the neck to the 8th fret.
The next measures are the only really difficult ones. They are going to require some practice, especially if you are not used to playing barre chords at the 8th fret. ALL the chords in the rest of the song are played with the barre at the 8th fret. There’s just no other way to do it that is any easier.
Play the CVIII. As you can see in the chord charts, this is just an E-shape chord barred at the 8th fret. All the following chords are based on this chord shape, and are played without moving the barre, so it’s important that you get comfortable playing CVIII. Your finger’s going to be there, without moving, for the next three measures.
You could play G11 by barring the first five strings at the 10th fret. If you are playing a steel-string guitar, or have a cut-away body, go right ahead and do it that way. If, like me, you have a classical guitar with the 12th fret at the body, you probably won’t be able to fit your hand into the narrow space between the 10th and 12th frets. My solution is to keep the barred E-shape at the 8th fret, but flatten the left hand against the neck, in effect fretting all of the first five strings at the 10th fret, as shown in the chord chart.
The next chord is actually a plain CVIII chord, with the high C added at the 12th fret. Hence, its name, CaddE. By returning to the CVIII , and playing only the first four strings, you should be able to stretch your hand far enough to hit the 12th space with your little finger. If your fingers are short and stubby like mine, you may need to cover the note on the 4th string with your ring finger, which would normally be covering the 5th string, if you were playing more than four strings. You may notice that this chord looks a lot like a normal F chord, only barred at the 8th fret. You are right, and you can play it that way if you wish. I find it easier to barre the first two strings with the first joint of the index finger, as I would do if barring all six strings. This allows me to stretch my little finger farther. I suggest you try it both ways, then do it the way that’s easiest for you. It’s probably going to be difficult no matter how you try. No pain, no gain!
Hold the final CVIII chord as long as you can. Check the position of your fingertips, to ensure each is as close to the “sweet spot” between the frets as possible. If your fretting technique is good, you should be able to hold the chord at least for a count of 3. If the chord won’t sustain, recheck your fretting technique. Best way to do this is by looking in a mirror. That way, you can see what your fingers are doing, without having to bend your wrist and mess up your finger position.
The lyrics to this song were written by a Church-sponsored committee, and the copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Used by permission. You may download it, copy it for your own or church use, and perform it, as long as you don’t distribute it or charge money for performing.
God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son
As written in Hymns, this song is in 2/2 tempo; each measure consists of two half notes. It’s appropriate to a very slow, solemn song like this, but it makes counting really difficult, as there are numerous points where you have to play 16th notes. That’s not bad in standard music notation, but in a tab where everything is a fraction of a half-note, you’d end up counting something like: “and-a-one-uh and-a-two-uh,” etc. Clumsy and confusing. Much better to recast it as 4/4 and eliminate the 16th notes. Eighth notes are bad enough.
This song has been transposed to the key of C. I tried to transpose it to G, which is musically closer to the original, but it was impossible to play, so C it is. That does require the use of a few “unusual” chords, but they are not difficult ones. C/G (pronounced C over G) is just a normal C chord, with a G bass added on the #6 string.
C and Am are played normally, but GaddD is another interesting variation. It is played exactly like a normal G, except the #1 string is not played, and the ring finger frets the #2 or B string in the third space, instead of the #1 string. This chord is sometimes written as Gadd3, because D is the third note in the G scale. It is dead easy to play, even easier than a normal G.
The rest of the chords are all easy barre chords. GIII, CVIII, and FI are all barred E-shapes. The only difference is their position on the guitar neck. G7III is even easier, as it’s just a barred E7-shape.
The words to this hymn were written by Edward P. Kimball, who was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir organist for more than thirty years. He was the organist when Music and the Spoken Word was begun. His son, Ted Kimball, was the first announcer for the show. Edward P. Kimball also wrote the music to "Great God, To Thee My Evening Song" and "The Wintry Day Descending to a Close", two other hymns included in the “green”hymnal. He died in 1935.
The music for this hymn was written by Alexander b. Schreiner. Copyright is held by the LDS Church, Used by permission. This song is NOT in the Public Domain. You may use it for personal or church use, but may not distribute it or charge for it, without written permission of the copyright holder.
This song has been transposed to the key of C. I tried to transpose it to G, which is musically closer to the original, but it was impossible to play, so C it is. That does require the use of a few “unusual” chords, but they are not difficult ones. C/G (pronounced C over G) is just a normal C chord, with a G bass added on the #6 string.
C and Am are played normally, but GaddD is another interesting variation. It is played exactly like a normal G, except the #1 string is not played, and the ring finger frets the #2 or B string in the third space, instead of the #1 string. This chord is sometimes written as Gadd3, because D is the third note in the G scale. It is dead easy to play, even easier than a normal G.
The rest of the chords are all easy barre chords. GIII, CVIII, and FI are all barred E-shapes. The only difference is their position on the guitar neck. G7III is even easier, as it’s just a barred E7-shape.
The words to this hymn were written by Edward P. Kimball, who was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir organist for more than thirty years. He was the organist when Music and the Spoken Word was begun. His son, Ted Kimball, was the first announcer for the show. Edward P. Kimball also wrote the music to "Great God, To Thee My Evening Song" and "The Wintry Day Descending to a Close", two other hymns included in the “green”hymnal. He died in 1935.
The music for this hymn was written by Alexander b. Schreiner. Copyright is held by the LDS Church, Used by permission. This song is NOT in the Public Domain. You may use it for personal or church use, but may not distribute it or charge for it, without written permission of the copyright holder.
My Heavenly Father Loves Me
Like many hymns, this song is better known by its first line, “Whenever I Hear the Song of a Bird.” It has also been called, “The Beautiful World,” which is not its title at all.
The author/composer was Clara W. McMaster. As a member of the Primary Board of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for many years, she wrote many popular children’s songs, including “Teach Me to Walk in the Light,” “Reverently, Quietly” and “Kindness Begins with Me.” She was also a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 22 years.
Like many Primary songs, this one is more complex musically than it sounds, but it is not difficult to play, if you don’t mind barre chords. Half the chords in the song are barre chords, including CIII and FV, which many intermediate guitarists find difficult. They are worth learning, as they are used frequently in pattern picking and fingerstyle music of all sorts, as well as in much jazz guitar music. The solution, as usual, is plenty of practice.
If you just want to strum this song for accompaniment, you can use the more common chord voicings, but you will lose the lovely, high-pitched melody. If you do this, substitute G7 for all of the G chords, C for all the C chords, etc. This arrangement is intended as a guitar solo. A really cool way to use it is to strum the chords as accompaniment to a singer or vocal group, then play this solo as an instrumental bridge between verses. The last line of the tab, beginning with the last note in measure [13], makes a great instrumental introduction, too.
Begin measure [1] by fretting the single G note with your pinkie. The best way to do this is to pre-position your left hand for the CaddG chord, but only play the top note, changing to the C chord at the beginning of [2] by simply lifting the pinkie off the string. Replace it for the second half of the measure, to make the CaddG chord again.
The next two measures use partial and full chords to emphasize the melody line on the first two strings. Be sure to strum only the strings indicated. Because all chords are to be strummed, this is an easy song to flat-pick. I think it sounds better thumb-strummed, or you can use a very soft pick.
In measure [5], you can substitute an E chord for the E7 if you like. E7 gives a softer sound, and is called for in the original music. Sometimes, I like to play E in [5], and E7 in measure [13], to avoid excessive repetition.
Notice the slide up on the first string at the very end of measure [7]. There is no final note shown, as the slide is just an accent. This is called, slurring the note. It’s quite easy to do: just leave your index finger on the string as you slide up from the third fret to the fifth, then strum the chord normally. It sounds really cool, and takes absolutely no trouble at all to add. Just don’t get too carried away and do it all the time, or it will lose its impact.
There are a couple of tricky spots in measure [8]. If you are not completely easy with the barred-C chord shape, you’ll need to practice it until you can hit it reliably while sliding your hand up the neck from CaddG, a rather quick slide from first position to fifth position. There’s also a pull-off called for at the end of the measure. Making this pull-off while holding the chord can be tricky. You can either release the chord, to give your hand some extra room, or push the note off instead of pulling it.
Measures [10], [11], [12] and [13] are played exactly like [2], [3], [4] and [5], unless you choose to substitute an E chord for one of the E7 chords. Measure [14] is just a very slow, deliberate strum of an FI chord. Play each note separately.
In [15], you could substitute a CaddG for the CIII, if you find it easier to play. I use the CIII to ease the transitions from FI, and to the following CVIII, as all three are barre chords. Play the A note on the first string (fifth fret) by flattening the pinkie across the string, then play the B at the seventh fret by stretching the pinkie along the string, slurring the note. Slur the 5th note too, coming down from the twelfth fret to the tenth, at the end of the measure.
In measure [16], change hand position to GIII at the fourth note, where indicated, even though you don’t strum the chord until the last note of the measure. The change is not strictly necessary at the fourth note, as you can easily reach that note from the barre-A shape of the CIII chord, but this is the easiest place in the measure to make the change. Holding the CIII until the next-to-last note necessitates a rather quick and complex chord change (CIII to GIII to C/G) all within the span of three counts. The tempo is slow enough that you can make such a chord change, but why make things harder to no purpose? It sounds exactly the same either way.
This song is not in the public domain. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds the copyright, which allows you to use the song only for non-commercial, church and home use. Please abide by the terms of this copyright restriction.
The author/composer was Clara W. McMaster. As a member of the Primary Board of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for many years, she wrote many popular children’s songs, including “Teach Me to Walk in the Light,” “Reverently, Quietly” and “Kindness Begins with Me.” She was also a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 22 years.
Like many Primary songs, this one is more complex musically than it sounds, but it is not difficult to play, if you don’t mind barre chords. Half the chords in the song are barre chords, including CIII and FV, which many intermediate guitarists find difficult. They are worth learning, as they are used frequently in pattern picking and fingerstyle music of all sorts, as well as in much jazz guitar music. The solution, as usual, is plenty of practice.
If you just want to strum this song for accompaniment, you can use the more common chord voicings, but you will lose the lovely, high-pitched melody. If you do this, substitute G7 for all of the G chords, C for all the C chords, etc. This arrangement is intended as a guitar solo. A really cool way to use it is to strum the chords as accompaniment to a singer or vocal group, then play this solo as an instrumental bridge between verses. The last line of the tab, beginning with the last note in measure [13], makes a great instrumental introduction, too.
Begin measure [1] by fretting the single G note with your pinkie. The best way to do this is to pre-position your left hand for the CaddG chord, but only play the top note, changing to the C chord at the beginning of [2] by simply lifting the pinkie off the string. Replace it for the second half of the measure, to make the CaddG chord again.
The next two measures use partial and full chords to emphasize the melody line on the first two strings. Be sure to strum only the strings indicated. Because all chords are to be strummed, this is an easy song to flat-pick. I think it sounds better thumb-strummed, or you can use a very soft pick.
In measure [5], you can substitute an E chord for the E7 if you like. E7 gives a softer sound, and is called for in the original music. Sometimes, I like to play E in [5], and E7 in measure [13], to avoid excessive repetition.
Notice the slide up on the first string at the very end of measure [7]. There is no final note shown, as the slide is just an accent. This is called, slurring the note. It’s quite easy to do: just leave your index finger on the string as you slide up from the third fret to the fifth, then strum the chord normally. It sounds really cool, and takes absolutely no trouble at all to add. Just don’t get too carried away and do it all the time, or it will lose its impact.
There are a couple of tricky spots in measure [8]. If you are not completely easy with the barred-C chord shape, you’ll need to practice it until you can hit it reliably while sliding your hand up the neck from CaddG, a rather quick slide from first position to fifth position. There’s also a pull-off called for at the end of the measure. Making this pull-off while holding the chord can be tricky. You can either release the chord, to give your hand some extra room, or push the note off instead of pulling it.
Measures [10], [11], [12] and [13] are played exactly like [2], [3], [4] and [5], unless you choose to substitute an E chord for one of the E7 chords. Measure [14] is just a very slow, deliberate strum of an FI chord. Play each note separately.
In [15], you could substitute a CaddG for the CIII, if you find it easier to play. I use the CIII to ease the transitions from FI, and to the following CVIII, as all three are barre chords. Play the A note on the first string (fifth fret) by flattening the pinkie across the string, then play the B at the seventh fret by stretching the pinkie along the string, slurring the note. Slur the 5th note too, coming down from the twelfth fret to the tenth, at the end of the measure.
In measure [16], change hand position to GIII at the fourth note, where indicated, even though you don’t strum the chord until the last note of the measure. The change is not strictly necessary at the fourth note, as you can easily reach that note from the barre-A shape of the CIII chord, but this is the easiest place in the measure to make the change. Holding the CIII until the next-to-last note necessitates a rather quick and complex chord change (CIII to GIII to C/G) all within the span of three counts. The tempo is slow enough that you can make such a chord change, but why make things harder to no purpose? It sounds exactly the same either way.
This song is not in the public domain. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds the copyright, which allows you to use the song only for non-commercial, church and home use. Please abide by the terms of this copyright restriction.
We'll Bring the World His Truth ("Army of Helaman")
Yeah, I know: everyone calls this song, “The Army of Helaman.” Sorry, but that is not actually its title. The original name, according to Janice Kapp Perry, the composer and lyricist, is “We’ll Bring the World His Truth.” So many people called it “The Army of Helaman,” that the LDS Church, which is extremely careful about such things, had to append the alternate title, to avoid confusion. So did I.
Another shocker: the copyright date is 1983. The song is barely thirty years old. I thought it had been around forever. Instead, I find the original copyright date is still valid. It is NOT in the public domain. The Church website states,
© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
I would normally conclude from the double copyright that the Church had purchased limited rights from Sister Perry. However, Sister Perry’s own website has not responded to my request for reprint permission. I have waited months for a meaningful reply, and have received only spam. I conclude: either she does not care if I publish this song, or she no longer owns the rights. Nevertheless, I have removed the lyrics from the tab, which is my own work as the arranger. The lyrics are readily available HERE. Write them in if you wish. They are not needed for a strictly instrumental arrangement such as this.
Playing guide:
I have recast the time signature from 3/4 to 6/8, for simplicity. Nearly all the notes come out eighth notes, which is fine for guitar, and it’s much less confusing visually. I didn’t even have to transpose, as it was originally written in C. I did slow it down just a bit, from 116 quarter notes per minute to 100. Remember this when counting: TWO counts = ONE beat.
There are a few unusual (but easy) chords, and a few difficult barre chords. Before you panic, I have tried to leave plenty of time for chord changes. The hard chords make this piece more suitable for intermediate guitarists than for beginners, despite its simple sound. If you play through it, you may find it’s more sophisticated than it seems.
The first two measures are just arpeggios, and are only played once, as an introduction. The verses start with measure [3], where the melody begins. The melody is carried in the bass in this measure, with the rhythm in the treble, just the opposite of the usual arrangement.
Measure [4] is a treble pluck, followed by a rising arpeggio and ending with a descending note, a pattern repeated often in this song. Measure [5] abandons the pattern-picking, for a series of descending pinches. The rhythm is off the beat, but is carried in the bass.
There’s a bit of a tricky pull-off in measure [9]. The trick is pushing the finger off the string (toward the top of the guitar) instead of pulling it, which would be well nigh impossible to accomplish while holding the FI chord. It’s easy if you push it off, though this may seem a little odd, if you’re not used to the technique.
Measures [11] and [12] are the same as [3] and [4]. Measure [13] is nearly identical to [5], except that the first pinch of the measure is replaced by a full, strummed chord, and the rhythm is carried on the bass E string, instead of the A string.
Measures [16] and [17] end with a quarter note, or you can substitute an eighth note and a rest if you are having trouble sustaining these notes. You fret this note with your left pinkie. If you are not used to fretting bass strings with your pinkie, you may well have such trouble.
The next measure, [18] is the last measure of the verse, and is unique in several ways. First, there’s a tempo change to 8/8, just for this one measure. Also, it is contains multiple hammer-ons. Do not omit them. The phrase needs to be played with extreme fluidity. Remember, this eight-note measure should take no longer to play than the six-note measures that precede and follow it. A little practice should suffice; it’s not as hard as it looks. Do not hesitate, but go right into the next measure [19] without a break. I can’t stress this enough: fluidity and perfect timing here will make the song; variation in timing or hesitation will sound terribly amateurish to the audience. Practice playing measures [17] through [19] until you can’t muff them. Your audience will forgive a bobble in any other part of this song, but not here.
Measure [19] begins the chorus. Play the FI chord and then slide up the neck of the guitar to the III space while lifting the left pinkie off the string to make a very fast change to G7III. In measure [21], on the final pinch of the measure, you’ll need to add the F note on the 4th string with the left pinkie. Don’t forget it; it’s the melody note! Then, in [22], you have another one of those push-offs. If you’ll fret the final note of the measure (G on the 6th string) with your left pinkie again, it’ll position your left hand automatically for the FI chord that begins [23].
Measures [29] and [30] are played almost exactly like [21] and [22]. The only difference is in the final note of [30]. This is a melody note AND a transition to Dm7V. DON’T play it exactly the same as [22]! Measure [33] has another one of those push-offs. You can do this one as a pull-off if you wish, I just find it easier to push. Hammer on the F note on the 4th string, then lift the entire left hand from the strings as you do the pull-off or push-off to D (open). End the chorus with a C chord strum and go right into the next verse, starting with measure [3].
Since this is an instrumental solo, you don’t have to play all three verses. Or, if you wish, you can add additional ones. But on the final verse, skip directly from verse [32] to verse [35], play the Finale through ONCE, and stop. This finale is not part of the song as published in The Children’s Songbook. But I hope you’ll like it.
Measures [35] and [36] nearly reprise [33] and [34], with a couple of differences: the initial, two-note pinch in [33] becomes a three-note pinched chord in [35], and a G note is added on the open 3rd string at the end of [36]. This note is important, as it provides a transition to the following musical phrase comprising [37] through the initial chord of [40]. This phrase is the melody associated with the words, “to bring the world His truth,” and is repeated twice more. Note that the chords do not match those used in other parts of the song to accompany the same words, though the effect is similar. In measure [38], the G7* chord can be fretted by barring the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings with the index finger, bending it slightly backwards so as not to buzz on the 2nd string, which is played open. If, like me, your index finger does not bend backward, you’ll have to fret the 4th and 6th strings with the index and middle finger as shown in the chord charts.
The FV and GVII chords in measures [41] and [42] are not terribly hard to play as written. They normally would be played as five-string chords, which are difficult to play. As shown in the tab, you only have to bar the first three strings, but I recommend barring all six strings anyway if you can, as this greatly simplifies the transition to CVIII in the next measure.
Possibly the most technically difficult part of the song occurs right at the end, when you have to fret the 3rd string in the 10th space with the left pinkie, then slide it down to the 7th fret. Then, without a break, lift the fingers off the strings and continue along the guitar neck to the C chord in the first position. Try to do it all in one motion. Sustain the C chord as long as you can, and take your bows.
Another shocker: the copyright date is 1983. The song is barely thirty years old. I thought it had been around forever. Instead, I find the original copyright date is still valid. It is NOT in the public domain. The Church website states,
© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
I would normally conclude from the double copyright that the Church had purchased limited rights from Sister Perry. However, Sister Perry’s own website has not responded to my request for reprint permission. I have waited months for a meaningful reply, and have received only spam. I conclude: either she does not care if I publish this song, or she no longer owns the rights. Nevertheless, I have removed the lyrics from the tab, which is my own work as the arranger. The lyrics are readily available HERE. Write them in if you wish. They are not needed for a strictly instrumental arrangement such as this.
Playing guide:
I have recast the time signature from 3/4 to 6/8, for simplicity. Nearly all the notes come out eighth notes, which is fine for guitar, and it’s much less confusing visually. I didn’t even have to transpose, as it was originally written in C. I did slow it down just a bit, from 116 quarter notes per minute to 100. Remember this when counting: TWO counts = ONE beat.
There are a few unusual (but easy) chords, and a few difficult barre chords. Before you panic, I have tried to leave plenty of time for chord changes. The hard chords make this piece more suitable for intermediate guitarists than for beginners, despite its simple sound. If you play through it, you may find it’s more sophisticated than it seems.
The first two measures are just arpeggios, and are only played once, as an introduction. The verses start with measure [3], where the melody begins. The melody is carried in the bass in this measure, with the rhythm in the treble, just the opposite of the usual arrangement.
Measure [4] is a treble pluck, followed by a rising arpeggio and ending with a descending note, a pattern repeated often in this song. Measure [5] abandons the pattern-picking, for a series of descending pinches. The rhythm is off the beat, but is carried in the bass.
There’s a bit of a tricky pull-off in measure [9]. The trick is pushing the finger off the string (toward the top of the guitar) instead of pulling it, which would be well nigh impossible to accomplish while holding the FI chord. It’s easy if you push it off, though this may seem a little odd, if you’re not used to the technique.
Measures [11] and [12] are the same as [3] and [4]. Measure [13] is nearly identical to [5], except that the first pinch of the measure is replaced by a full, strummed chord, and the rhythm is carried on the bass E string, instead of the A string.
Measures [16] and [17] end with a quarter note, or you can substitute an eighth note and a rest if you are having trouble sustaining these notes. You fret this note with your left pinkie. If you are not used to fretting bass strings with your pinkie, you may well have such trouble.
The next measure, [18] is the last measure of the verse, and is unique in several ways. First, there’s a tempo change to 8/8, just for this one measure. Also, it is contains multiple hammer-ons. Do not omit them. The phrase needs to be played with extreme fluidity. Remember, this eight-note measure should take no longer to play than the six-note measures that precede and follow it. A little practice should suffice; it’s not as hard as it looks. Do not hesitate, but go right into the next measure [19] without a break. I can’t stress this enough: fluidity and perfect timing here will make the song; variation in timing or hesitation will sound terribly amateurish to the audience. Practice playing measures [17] through [19] until you can’t muff them. Your audience will forgive a bobble in any other part of this song, but not here.
Measure [19] begins the chorus. Play the FI chord and then slide up the neck of the guitar to the III space while lifting the left pinkie off the string to make a very fast change to G7III. In measure [21], on the final pinch of the measure, you’ll need to add the F note on the 4th string with the left pinkie. Don’t forget it; it’s the melody note! Then, in [22], you have another one of those push-offs. If you’ll fret the final note of the measure (G on the 6th string) with your left pinkie again, it’ll position your left hand automatically for the FI chord that begins [23].
Measures [29] and [30] are played almost exactly like [21] and [22]. The only difference is in the final note of [30]. This is a melody note AND a transition to Dm7V. DON’T play it exactly the same as [22]! Measure [33] has another one of those push-offs. You can do this one as a pull-off if you wish, I just find it easier to push. Hammer on the F note on the 4th string, then lift the entire left hand from the strings as you do the pull-off or push-off to D (open). End the chorus with a C chord strum and go right into the next verse, starting with measure [3].
Since this is an instrumental solo, you don’t have to play all three verses. Or, if you wish, you can add additional ones. But on the final verse, skip directly from verse [32] to verse [35], play the Finale through ONCE, and stop. This finale is not part of the song as published in The Children’s Songbook. But I hope you’ll like it.
Measures [35] and [36] nearly reprise [33] and [34], with a couple of differences: the initial, two-note pinch in [33] becomes a three-note pinched chord in [35], and a G note is added on the open 3rd string at the end of [36]. This note is important, as it provides a transition to the following musical phrase comprising [37] through the initial chord of [40]. This phrase is the melody associated with the words, “to bring the world His truth,” and is repeated twice more. Note that the chords do not match those used in other parts of the song to accompany the same words, though the effect is similar. In measure [38], the G7* chord can be fretted by barring the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings with the index finger, bending it slightly backwards so as not to buzz on the 2nd string, which is played open. If, like me, your index finger does not bend backward, you’ll have to fret the 4th and 6th strings with the index and middle finger as shown in the chord charts.
The FV and GVII chords in measures [41] and [42] are not terribly hard to play as written. They normally would be played as five-string chords, which are difficult to play. As shown in the tab, you only have to bar the first three strings, but I recommend barring all six strings anyway if you can, as this greatly simplifies the transition to CVIII in the next measure.
Possibly the most technically difficult part of the song occurs right at the end, when you have to fret the 3rd string in the 10th space with the left pinkie, then slide it down to the 7th fret. Then, without a break, lift the fingers off the strings and continue along the guitar neck to the C chord in the first position. Try to do it all in one motion. Sustain the C chord as long as you can, and take your bows.
I Know My Father Lives
Copyright LDS. Here’s another of those “simple-sounding” Primary songs that are anything but simple to play.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
This one has only five chords, and few chord changes-- more’s the pity, as some of those chords are physically quite demanding to hold! DO NOT attempt this song unless you are completely comfortable with barre chords. You’ll screw up the song, and maybe give yourself tendinitis.
This song uses the barred-E shape, the barred-C shape, and the barred-A shape. If you are not comfortable holding these shapes, please learn them perfectly before starting. You could injure your hand if you cannot relax it while holding them. I got tendinitis from playing wrong, and had to quit for two years. ‘Nuff said?
Actually, the hardest chord change in the whole piece uses the only NON-barre chord, and it happens in the worst possible spot: right at the end, when you must move from the tenth position to the first position, in the space of an eighth-note! To help with this transition, I’ve used the open e string for the preceding note. The advantage is obvious. The disadvantage is that it’s easy to buzz against the e-string with your hand, especially if you have short fingers like I do.
The solution is practice. Amateurs practice until they can hit the chord every time. Pros practice until they cannot miss. This chord change gives me trouble. Here’s the regimen I use:
PRACTICE TO PERFECTION
1. Practice the whole phrase at half speed, using a metronome, until you can do it perfectly ten times in a row. If you blow it even once, start over.
2. Repeat #1 at full speed. In this case, “full speed” is what sounds right to YOU.
3. Repeat #2, plus the preceding phrase, until you can do them both perfectly ten times in a row.
4. Repeat #2, with the following phrase, ten times in a row.
5. Repeat with the preceding AND following phrases together, ten times in a row.
6. Practice the whole song at full speed, without the metronome, until you can play the whole song without thinking about it. If you goof even once, you haven’t really learned it yet. Start over with #1. If you don’t goof, but you have to think about it, you haven’t really learned it yet. Keep practicing until the whole song is automatic. It’s automatic if you can do something else (like carry on a conversation or look around at your audience) while playing, without messing up.
This is a great method for memorizing ANYTHING. I used it as a Temple missionary, when I had to learn all the temple ordinances, word perfect, in four languages. It works. There are other methods of memorization, but this is the fastest way to perfection. You do want to be perfect, don’t you? Now, you know how. Yes, it’s a lot of drudgery. What did you expect, magic? The magic is what YOU DO with the piece, AFTER you have perfected it. THAT’S what makes the song sound simple.
Window to His Love
For my money, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I'm sure it was originally conceived as a song about the missionary experience, but in reality, it also applies to any disciple of Christ. We all need to make ourselves into “a window to His love.”
This song is an excellent example of how barre chords can actually make a song easier to play. Six of the ten chords used are actually just two barre chords, played at different frets. Even that doesn’t tell the whole story, as the barred E-shape, barred Am-shape, and barred Am7-shape are so similar that they might as well all be one chord, thus cutting the number of chords used in half. Even the barred A-shape found in the CIII chord, while more difficult than the other barre chords in this song, actually makes the transition from GIII easier and faster than it would be if you used a normal C chord. You can substitute the four-string F-shape played in the III and V spaces some of the time, which I admit is easier, but it doesn’t work all the time. If you’re going to have to learn to play the full-barre versions anyway, why not play all six strings all the time?
Unlike most of my other tabs, this one is meant to be played as an accompaniment to a singer. If the singer wants a break after the chorus following Verse 2, just go directly to the Intro before playing Verse 3. You may even decide to insert the extra Intro yourself, just to show off. It sounds really cool with all the ligados, but is not especially hard to do. Just be sure to warn the vocalist!
INTRO:
Played right, the Intro sounds lovely and delicate. To avoid confusion, I’m going to refer to the fingers of the RIGHT hand as T, I, M, and R (for Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring), and the fingers of the LEFT hand as numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 (for Index, Middle, Ring, and Pinkie, respectively). If you play left-handed, just reverse that. If you are a classical guitarist, and think I should stick to the Spanish p, i, m, a -- Sorry! Most of my readers don’t speak Spanish, and are not classically trained. That’s why the song is in tablature.
The lead finger in the first measure (and in most others) is the R finger. This begins a pattern-pick that continues throughout the Intro, and the brief reprises throughout the song. The first four notes of the measure are played normally, followed by a double-ligado: a hammer-on and immediate pull-off, counted as, “5-&-6”, using the #1 finger. The last two notes of the measure are counted and played normally, using the fingers specified in the tab.
The M finger leads in the second measure, and the double-ligado is done with the #2 or #3 finger, which ever is easiest for you. To do this, hold the barre with the #1 finger after the third note, but release the rest of the chord, to free the other fingers of the left hand. Release the barre after the double-ligado to play the open B string at the end of the measure. This kind of left hand finger-dancing only needs to be done when playing the full-barre F chord. If it seems excessive to you, you may find it easier to play the normal, (four-string) F chord, and fret the bass E string with the #4 finger briefly.
The third measure of the Intro is exactly like the first, and the final measure is played straight, holding the fifth note for three counts (5-6-7). Lead this final measure with the R finger again.
Measure [5] is also played straight. If you are not accompanying a singer, and you want a more delicate effect, just play the treble string of each chord, using an R finger lead, instead of the three-string pinches. These single notes will get lost if the vocalist has a strong voice. Measure [6] is fingered like measure [2], releasing the fingers first, then the barre at the end, for the note on the open string. Play measure [7] straight.
Measure [8] is not difficult, but watch out for the brief slide on the treble e-string. It’s just there for a bit of expression, and is not part of the count. You don’t even have to slide all the way down to the next note. In measure [9], hold the Am chord for 1-1/2 counts (one-and-two), then pick up the note on the open e-string with an upward picking motion, followed immediately by two downward strums of the whole chord, to the beat of “DUM, da-Dum, Dum”, like the word, “pumpernickle”.
Measure [10] is split between lines. Sorry, there just was no better way to print it, for various obscure, technical reasons. The last half of the measure has a downward T strum that stops at the 3rd string. Play the next note on the B string with the thumb. It’s much easier that way. Play measures [11], [12], and [13a] straight, then go back to begin the second verse with measure [5]. continue to measure [12] again, but the second time, continue with [13b] through [33a], while the singer sings the second verse and the chorus.
CHORUS:
Starting in measure [13b] through [31], the guitar will be the same for verses 2 and 3. Play the tremolo at the end of [13b] with the #3 finger, to ease the transition to the full barre in the V space. You can substitute a Dm chord for the Dm7v called out in measure [14] if it’s easier for you, but the Dm7v chord has a softer sound, which I find especially appropriate to underscore the word, “Love.” It’s actually slightly easier to play, too, as you are fretting one fewer string.
Through measure [28] the tab is straightforward, but in [29] you don’t actually play the full GIII chord. You only need to barre all the strings with the #1 finger, in the III space. Fret the notes in the V space with the #4 finger, and those in the IV space with the #3 finger. This may seem like doing it the hard way, but if you’re already able to play barre chords, you’ll probably find it easier than trying to hit all the notes rapidly by finger dancing.
The double-ligado in [30] is made by sliding the #4 finger up and down the neck one fret, in a move that is technically called a mordant. It doesn’t sound any better than the hammer-on/pull-off used in the rest of the song, but if you’ve been playing along with the tab, you’ll have run out of fingers, so the mordant is the only option.
Measures [31] through [33a] are played pretty much like the last three measures of the Intro, with only slight variation in the initial pinches of each measure. You can play them identically to the Intro, if you like, and most likely no one will know or care. Then go back and play the whole verse and chorus over again, while the singer sings the third verse and chorus, ending with measures [32b] through [34]. Measure [32b] is actually played the same as [32a], but the singer does not end the measure by singing the word “I.” The next measure is nearly identical to [6], and can be played that way if you like, but the pace is very different. You begin slowing in [32b], but in [33], you want to slow to half-speed by the end of the measure, then hold the final C chord in [34] as long as you can, and bask in the applause.
LEGAL STUFF:
This song is NOT in public domain! I’ve tried to contact Julie DeAzvedo repeatedly to ask about copyrights and permissions, but she has never answered me. I’ve had the song tabbed for years, but couldn’t include it here, without permission. Recently, I learned that the LDS Church owns the copyright, and since I have their permission to publish their copyrighted songs, for non-commercial, home and church use, and since the guitar arrangement is my own, I list it here. Please honor the Church’s standards, and refrain from circulating this piece or using it for commercial purposes of any kind, without written permission from the copyright holder.
This song is an excellent example of how barre chords can actually make a song easier to play. Six of the ten chords used are actually just two barre chords, played at different frets. Even that doesn’t tell the whole story, as the barred E-shape, barred Am-shape, and barred Am7-shape are so similar that they might as well all be one chord, thus cutting the number of chords used in half. Even the barred A-shape found in the CIII chord, while more difficult than the other barre chords in this song, actually makes the transition from GIII easier and faster than it would be if you used a normal C chord. You can substitute the four-string F-shape played in the III and V spaces some of the time, which I admit is easier, but it doesn’t work all the time. If you’re going to have to learn to play the full-barre versions anyway, why not play all six strings all the time?
Unlike most of my other tabs, this one is meant to be played as an accompaniment to a singer. If the singer wants a break after the chorus following Verse 2, just go directly to the Intro before playing Verse 3. You may even decide to insert the extra Intro yourself, just to show off. It sounds really cool with all the ligados, but is not especially hard to do. Just be sure to warn the vocalist!
INTRO:
Played right, the Intro sounds lovely and delicate. To avoid confusion, I’m going to refer to the fingers of the RIGHT hand as T, I, M, and R (for Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring), and the fingers of the LEFT hand as numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 (for Index, Middle, Ring, and Pinkie, respectively). If you play left-handed, just reverse that. If you are a classical guitarist, and think I should stick to the Spanish p, i, m, a -- Sorry! Most of my readers don’t speak Spanish, and are not classically trained. That’s why the song is in tablature.
The lead finger in the first measure (and in most others) is the R finger. This begins a pattern-pick that continues throughout the Intro, and the brief reprises throughout the song. The first four notes of the measure are played normally, followed by a double-ligado: a hammer-on and immediate pull-off, counted as, “5-&-6”, using the #1 finger. The last two notes of the measure are counted and played normally, using the fingers specified in the tab.
The M finger leads in the second measure, and the double-ligado is done with the #2 or #3 finger, which ever is easiest for you. To do this, hold the barre with the #1 finger after the third note, but release the rest of the chord, to free the other fingers of the left hand. Release the barre after the double-ligado to play the open B string at the end of the measure. This kind of left hand finger-dancing only needs to be done when playing the full-barre F chord. If it seems excessive to you, you may find it easier to play the normal, (four-string) F chord, and fret the bass E string with the #4 finger briefly.
The third measure of the Intro is exactly like the first, and the final measure is played straight, holding the fifth note for three counts (5-6-7). Lead this final measure with the R finger again.
Measure [5] is also played straight. If you are not accompanying a singer, and you want a more delicate effect, just play the treble string of each chord, using an R finger lead, instead of the three-string pinches. These single notes will get lost if the vocalist has a strong voice. Measure [6] is fingered like measure [2], releasing the fingers first, then the barre at the end, for the note on the open string. Play measure [7] straight.
Measure [8] is not difficult, but watch out for the brief slide on the treble e-string. It’s just there for a bit of expression, and is not part of the count. You don’t even have to slide all the way down to the next note. In measure [9], hold the Am chord for 1-1/2 counts (one-and-two), then pick up the note on the open e-string with an upward picking motion, followed immediately by two downward strums of the whole chord, to the beat of “DUM, da-Dum, Dum”, like the word, “pumpernickle”.
Measure [10] is split between lines. Sorry, there just was no better way to print it, for various obscure, technical reasons. The last half of the measure has a downward T strum that stops at the 3rd string. Play the next note on the B string with the thumb. It’s much easier that way. Play measures [11], [12], and [13a] straight, then go back to begin the second verse with measure [5]. continue to measure [12] again, but the second time, continue with [13b] through [33a], while the singer sings the second verse and the chorus.
CHORUS:
Starting in measure [13b] through [31], the guitar will be the same for verses 2 and 3. Play the tremolo at the end of [13b] with the #3 finger, to ease the transition to the full barre in the V space. You can substitute a Dm chord for the Dm7v called out in measure [14] if it’s easier for you, but the Dm7v chord has a softer sound, which I find especially appropriate to underscore the word, “Love.” It’s actually slightly easier to play, too, as you are fretting one fewer string.
Through measure [28] the tab is straightforward, but in [29] you don’t actually play the full GIII chord. You only need to barre all the strings with the #1 finger, in the III space. Fret the notes in the V space with the #4 finger, and those in the IV space with the #3 finger. This may seem like doing it the hard way, but if you’re already able to play barre chords, you’ll probably find it easier than trying to hit all the notes rapidly by finger dancing.
The double-ligado in [30] is made by sliding the #4 finger up and down the neck one fret, in a move that is technically called a mordant. It doesn’t sound any better than the hammer-on/pull-off used in the rest of the song, but if you’ve been playing along with the tab, you’ll have run out of fingers, so the mordant is the only option.
Measures [31] through [33a] are played pretty much like the last three measures of the Intro, with only slight variation in the initial pinches of each measure. You can play them identically to the Intro, if you like, and most likely no one will know or care. Then go back and play the whole verse and chorus over again, while the singer sings the third verse and chorus, ending with measures [32b] through [34]. Measure [32b] is actually played the same as [32a], but the singer does not end the measure by singing the word “I.” The next measure is nearly identical to [6], and can be played that way if you like, but the pace is very different. You begin slowing in [32b], but in [33], you want to slow to half-speed by the end of the measure, then hold the final C chord in [34] as long as you can, and bask in the applause.
LEGAL STUFF:
This song is NOT in public domain! I’ve tried to contact Julie DeAzvedo repeatedly to ask about copyrights and permissions, but she has never answered me. I’ve had the song tabbed for years, but couldn’t include it here, without permission. Recently, I learned that the LDS Church owns the copyright, and since I have their permission to publish their copyrighted songs, for non-commercial, home and church use, and since the guitar arrangement is my own, I list it here. Please honor the Church’s standards, and refrain from circulating this piece or using it for commercial purposes of any kind, without written permission from the copyright holder.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
It’s not really LDS, or even religious, but it’s such a pretty lovesong, and a chaste one at that, that I couldn’t resist including it as a Valentine’s Day treat. Yeah, I know, it’s barely New Years, but it might take you a while to get this one down pat, as the chord progressions, while beautiful, are a bit unusual. I’m including two versions. If you like instrumental guitar solos, play the tab version. If you’re intending to sing it to someone special, the cheat sheet is probably better. Or, you can do as I do most of the time -- play the chords and sing it, but include some finger-pickin’ as an interlude.
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
The “cheat” version is intended to be strummed, either with a soft, flat pick or with the thumb. Strum slowly and easily, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up, DOWN up-down-up. The song makes extensive use of barre chords, to bring out the melody, even when chording. They are not especially difficult ones, but you may find the use of the GVII chord (a barred C) difficult, if you are not used to it. I often play it as a four-string chord, which makes it much easier.
The transitions: CIII - B7II - Fm7sus & CIII - B7II - A7 are central to the song. The only really hard part of this is making the transition B7II - A7 quickly. I do it by just lifting the barre and sliding the whole chord two frets toward the nut. It may feel “wrong” to play A7 this way at first, but it’s lots faster than trying to change finger positions to play it the normal way, and it does pre-position your hand perfectly for the full-barre F which follows.
The song will sound LOTS better if you put in the melody notes on the F - Fm phrase. See the tab version for the exact notes to play. The AV - A6V - AV transition is even easier, as all you are doing is moving the little finger. You have to be quick to hit the following E7 and stay in the rhythm, but again, you can do it much faster if you just pick up the barring finger and move the whole hand, playing the chord with the “wrong” fingers. Try hard not to actually slide the chord. It sounds bad if you do, though sliding UP the bass string to the AV works really well. Barbara says it’s her favorite part of the song!
I wrote the tab version in 8/8 time, to make all the notes come out eighth notes, or very nearly all of them. I don’t know what the original time signature was-- 4/4, or even 2/4. I tried writing it as 4/4, and it just looked too “busy” to be easily readable. The hard thing is to make it sound slow and relaxed. It might take a month of practice, which is why I’m posting it now. If you haven’t been working on “Til There Was You” from last year, this makes an acceptable replacement, and it’s not nearly as hard. It even works well as a duet -- if one of you has a throaty, contralto voice like Mama Cass!
This is NOT in public domain, so -- SORRY! You don't get the full lyrics with the tab. I've included them with the cheat sheet, because you can't write a cheat sheet without the lyrics! The arrangements are all mine, including simplified (really!) chords. Papa Denny must be double-jointed, to play the chords he's written. I can't!
Play "Misty" for me!
NOT public domain, but I have permission of the copyright owner to publish this arrangement. More about this later.
I first fell in love with this tune in the 1960s. I could spend hours trying to hear when Johnny Mathis would start singing "Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn my own..." Never did. I always wanted to learn to play it. Couldn't find a guitar arrangement, so I eventually did my own. I didn't realize it at the time, but "Misty" was originally written as a jazz instrumental. This is the first solo instrumental arrangement I ever did "on my own." My daughter Amy loved it so much, I eventually gave her the rights to the arrangement one Birthday when I was too broke to buy anything suitable, hence the odd copyright notice. Amy very kindly gave me permission to publish "her" song here.
Though there are a lot of different chords listed in the charts, they are REALLY EASY. to play. They are not nearly as hard as they may seem from the odd names. Though there are eighteen different chords shown in the charts, eight of them are movable chords, the chief differences being the fret where the chord is played. Of the other ten, three are very common chords you almost certainly know already, six are slight and easy variations on common chords, and the other is played with all the strings open. What's not to love?
I wasn't as skilled twenty-five years ago, when I made this arrangement, so the transitions are easy. I was really proud of myself, and couldn't wait to show MY arrangement to my mom, who once played piano in Carnegie Hall. Her comment was, "It needs to be more legado." Trust Mom to take you down a peg when you need it.
At the time, I didn't know how to get that "legado" sound, but over the years I've learned a few tricks, like hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and right hand tapping, note-bending, etc. I've used them all in this piece, and it now sounds polished. Wish my mom had lived long enough to hear it!
There are a few unusual techniques. Quite a few of the hammer-ons and pull-offs are done with the little finger. Right in the first line, there's a riff involving both hands. You have to tap (hammer-on) in the VIII space with the index finger of the RIGHT hand, then do a pull-off with the same finger, followed immediately by a pull-off with the little finger of the LEFT hand. It's LOTS easier if you are already picking near the middle of the string, and gives a really mellow sound.
Go immediately to a C to A7 chord change, strumming one extra time while all the fingers of the left hand are off the strings. In other words, play: C - [off] - A7. The five-note run in the last measure of the line sounds great played VERY vast. It sounds MUCH harder than it actually is, thanks to the two hammer-ons.
In the second line, don't be freaked out by the F#7 to Fmaj7 transition. You just slide the whole chord to the nut, allowing the open first string to ring through the change. You may have to hold the chord a bit tighter than you are used to, to get it to sound throughout the change, without strumming again. After the tempo change, make each of the strums very definite.
Play to the end of the first verse, then go back to the beginning, excluding the half-measure of F9 at the beginning, and play the second verse. At the end of the second verse, go straight to the coda and play it. In the last line of the coda, there's a mordant on the B7 chord. This means you have to slide the whole chord down to the VI fret and back up again within ONE beat, producing a sort of a "WAH-ooo-WAH" sound. Or you can use a Wah-Wah pedal, if you've got one. Bend the A note on the second string by pulling it sideways. I wouldn't use electronics to simulate it-- they just don't sound the same.
At the end of the coda, return to the beginning again (minus the first half-measure) and play through the third verse, adding the tag line, "Look at me!" Add it, even if you're not singing, as it resolves beautifully to the Cmaj7. There are a few tricks in there, such as the bent E note on the second string, but the timing is critical, so I've included a line of counting numbers. Strum the Cmaj7 SLOWLY, but still within ONE beat, then tremolo the chord. This is easy, if your ax has a whammy bar. Mine does not, so I get the tremolo by flutter-fanning air into the sound hole with my cupped right hand. I'm not at all sure why it works, but it looks and sounds just like you're playing an invisible whammy bar. Brings down the house.
I first fell in love with this tune in the 1960s. I could spend hours trying to hear when Johnny Mathis would start singing "Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn my own..." Never did. I always wanted to learn to play it. Couldn't find a guitar arrangement, so I eventually did my own. I didn't realize it at the time, but "Misty" was originally written as a jazz instrumental. This is the first solo instrumental arrangement I ever did "on my own." My daughter Amy loved it so much, I eventually gave her the rights to the arrangement one Birthday when I was too broke to buy anything suitable, hence the odd copyright notice. Amy very kindly gave me permission to publish "her" song here.
Though there are a lot of different chords listed in the charts, they are REALLY EASY. to play. They are not nearly as hard as they may seem from the odd names. Though there are eighteen different chords shown in the charts, eight of them are movable chords, the chief differences being the fret where the chord is played. Of the other ten, three are very common chords you almost certainly know already, six are slight and easy variations on common chords, and the other is played with all the strings open. What's not to love?
I wasn't as skilled twenty-five years ago, when I made this arrangement, so the transitions are easy. I was really proud of myself, and couldn't wait to show MY arrangement to my mom, who once played piano in Carnegie Hall. Her comment was, "It needs to be more legado." Trust Mom to take you down a peg when you need it.
At the time, I didn't know how to get that "legado" sound, but over the years I've learned a few tricks, like hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and right hand tapping, note-bending, etc. I've used them all in this piece, and it now sounds polished. Wish my mom had lived long enough to hear it!
There are a few unusual techniques. Quite a few of the hammer-ons and pull-offs are done with the little finger. Right in the first line, there's a riff involving both hands. You have to tap (hammer-on) in the VIII space with the index finger of the RIGHT hand, then do a pull-off with the same finger, followed immediately by a pull-off with the little finger of the LEFT hand. It's LOTS easier if you are already picking near the middle of the string, and gives a really mellow sound.
Go immediately to a C to A7 chord change, strumming one extra time while all the fingers of the left hand are off the strings. In other words, play: C - [off] - A7. The five-note run in the last measure of the line sounds great played VERY vast. It sounds MUCH harder than it actually is, thanks to the two hammer-ons.
In the second line, don't be freaked out by the F#7 to Fmaj7 transition. You just slide the whole chord to the nut, allowing the open first string to ring through the change. You may have to hold the chord a bit tighter than you are used to, to get it to sound throughout the change, without strumming again. After the tempo change, make each of the strums very definite.
Play to the end of the first verse, then go back to the beginning, excluding the half-measure of F9 at the beginning, and play the second verse. At the end of the second verse, go straight to the coda and play it. In the last line of the coda, there's a mordant on the B7 chord. This means you have to slide the whole chord down to the VI fret and back up again within ONE beat, producing a sort of a "WAH-ooo-WAH" sound. Or you can use a Wah-Wah pedal, if you've got one. Bend the A note on the second string by pulling it sideways. I wouldn't use electronics to simulate it-- they just don't sound the same.
At the end of the coda, return to the beginning again (minus the first half-measure) and play through the third verse, adding the tag line, "Look at me!" Add it, even if you're not singing, as it resolves beautifully to the Cmaj7. There are a few tricks in there, such as the bent E note on the second string, but the timing is critical, so I've included a line of counting numbers. Strum the Cmaj7 SLOWLY, but still within ONE beat, then tremolo the chord. This is easy, if your ax has a whammy bar. Mine does not, so I get the tremolo by flutter-fanning air into the sound hole with my cupped right hand. I'm not at all sure why it works, but it looks and sounds just like you're playing an invisible whammy bar. Brings down the house.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)