Actually, the name of this hymn is “Hymn of Joy”, but everybody I know calls it, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”. There’s a long tradition of referring to hymns by their first line, instead of by the name of the hymn. In fact, many popular hymns don’t actually have names, but this one does.
The author, Henry van Dyke, originally wrote it as a poem, which he intended to be sung to the tune “Ode to Joy,” part of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, his last and greatest creation. Beethoven, in turn, composed the tune as a musical setting to a poem by the German poet, Friedrich Schiller, which Schiller called (surprise, surprise!), “Ode to Joy.” The symphony includes a choir singing the the poem, but with some of the words changed or omitted.
Some people think it was shabby of Beethoven to steal the title and alter the words of the great poet, but Schiller got his revenge, two centuries late, when the European Union adopted the tune, with different words, as their Union anthem, without giving credit to either the poet OR the composer! Now, every schoolchild in Europe will grow up thinking of Beethoven’s masterpiece as, “that stupid song we had to sing in school!”
At the end of this post, you will find Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics. They have been altered by various churches to fit their own theology in detail, but are all pretty much the same. I am not including Schiller’s original poem, because it is quite lengthy, and I can’t read German, anyway.
Performance notes:
Not much to tell, the tab is really very simple. Only three chords, and they are dead easy: G, D7, and a slightly unusual version of D7 called D7/A. Don’t let the complex name scare you, it’s fretted EXACTLY like a regular D7, only you play the open A string too. Strum the chords where marked with a wiggly, vertical line, and pinch the others where not marked.
Playing the melody is truly easy, if you remember a couple of things:
LEFT HAND: fret the notes in the first space (between the nut and the first fret) with the index finger, the second space with the middle finger, etc., regardless of which string they are on. This does not apply to chords, just to the melody line. Strum all chords with the thumb, where marked.
RIGHT HAND: pluck the first string with the ring finger, the second string with the middle finger, the third string with the index finger, and the bass string (whichever it is) with the thumb. When two or more notes in succession fall on the same string, alternate fingers. Don’t try to pluck the same string twice in a row with the same finger-- it’ll ruin your timing!
Pinch chords involving one of the 3 bass strings and one or more of the three treble strings by plucking the bass string with your thumb and simultaneously plucking the treble string(s) with the appropriate finger(s). Pinch chords involving only treble strings using the appropriate fingers of the right hand simultaneously.
Hammer-ons are shown with an underscore between the notes. Play them by playing the open second string normally, then immediately hammering the index finger of the left hand down into the first space on the same string. This allows you to play two notes in succession very rapidly, and also gives you time to play the next note with the same right-hand finger if you wish, without ruining your timing. The two notes will sound smoothly connected to each other, so this technique is also called a ligado, Spanish for “tied”. Hammer-ons also sound way cool.
That’s it!
Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics:
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,
hail Thee as the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,
stars and angels sing around Thee,
center of unbroken praise:
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
blossoming meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother,—
all who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the Joy Divine.
Mortals join the mighty chorus,
which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward
in the triumph song of life.
Showing posts with label really easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label really easy. Show all posts
When I Am Baptized
I have recently received several requests for this Primary song. It was played at my grandson’s recent baptism. Another grandson will be baptized soon, so I couldn’t resist these requests.
It’s an easy song, too, with only one barre chord, a few pull-offs, and a slide. If you don’t like barre chords, you can substitute GaddD for GIII. The pull-offs can also be eliminated, too, if they give you trouble, and you can simply leave out the slide, making this a very easy, beginner level song.
Tips:
In measure [3], if you fret the D note in the third fret, second string with your ring finger, you’ll be all set up for the GIII chord (or the GaddD chord, if you choose to substitute) in the next measure. The pull-off in [5] is tricky, if you try to hold the other two notes while doing the pull-off. I just release the whole chord, sort of nicking the third string as I do, to make the pull-off.
The second line is a virtual duplicate of measures [2] - [5], except for an extra D note in [7].
In the Chorus, the D chords are for reference only. You don’t actually fret a full chord; just fret the D note on the second string with your index finger. This makes it possible to play the D/F# which follows by fretting the fourth string with the ring finger. That sets up the left hand to barre the first four strings in the fourth fret with the ring finger, in preparation for the slide in [12]. You can certainly omit the slide if you wish, but it sounds really neat.
Measure [14] is identical to [10], and [15] is very similar. You don’t have to fret either the D or the C chord. Just fret the second string with the index finger in the first space, and with the ring finger in the third space, as needed. The pull-off in [16] is easy, or it can be played normally, as desired. Repeat for a second verse if you wish. Many of the chords shown are for reference only, and may not go well with a singer or piano accompaniment, if you try to strum them.
It’s an easy song, too, with only one barre chord, a few pull-offs, and a slide. If you don’t like barre chords, you can substitute GaddD for GIII. The pull-offs can also be eliminated, too, if they give you trouble, and you can simply leave out the slide, making this a very easy, beginner level song.
Tips:
In measure [3], if you fret the D note in the third fret, second string with your ring finger, you’ll be all set up for the GIII chord (or the GaddD chord, if you choose to substitute) in the next measure. The pull-off in [5] is tricky, if you try to hold the other two notes while doing the pull-off. I just release the whole chord, sort of nicking the third string as I do, to make the pull-off.
The second line is a virtual duplicate of measures [2] - [5], except for an extra D note in [7].
In the Chorus, the D chords are for reference only. You don’t actually fret a full chord; just fret the D note on the second string with your index finger. This makes it possible to play the D/F# which follows by fretting the fourth string with the ring finger. That sets up the left hand to barre the first four strings in the fourth fret with the ring finger, in preparation for the slide in [12]. You can certainly omit the slide if you wish, but it sounds really neat.
Measure [14] is identical to [10], and [15] is very similar. You don’t have to fret either the D or the C chord. Just fret the second string with the index finger in the first space, and with the ring finger in the third space, as needed. The pull-off in [16] is easy, or it can be played normally, as desired. Repeat for a second verse if you wish. Many of the chords shown are for reference only, and may not go well with a singer or piano accompaniment, if you try to strum them.
The Lord Is My Shepherd
If you're a beginner, don't let the tab scare you. There's a very easy, strummed version shown as a cheat sheet at the end of the tab. Both are in the key of A, so you can play them as alternate verses, or as a duet, if you like.
To make this a bit easier, I've tried to use chords that lend themselves to easy changes. For example, you can easily change from Av to Dv by just flattening the fingers of the left hand across the strings. Same for D6v. To get from the (unbarred) A to the (barred) Av at the end of the song, use the first joint of the index finger (the one closest to the palm) to fret the first string, as it's already in position over the string, and just needs to be slid up to the IV space. Then, it's easy to hit the barre in the v space for the full-barre Av.
Counting this song is easy, if you remember that every two notes equal one count! I routinely recast 3/4 time songs like this as 6/8, as it rarely makes a difference. This is one of the rarelies, so I left it in 3/4. But remember the metronome setting of 70 is for two notes, not one, or the song will really drag.
I have to confess, I'm not entirely happy with this arrangement, but audiences seem to like it. If anyone knows a better one, I'd love to see it.
The cheat sheet at the end of the tab is for strumming, to accompany a singer. The chords are much easier, and you can even play it with a pick, if you want. I usually replace the high A note at the end with an Av chord, but if you aren't up to playing full barre chords, you can just tremolo the last note, and it'll sound great. Virtually any guitarist can play this version. My seven year old student Meilin picked it up and started playing it (while singing!) the first time she heard it.
To make this a bit easier, I've tried to use chords that lend themselves to easy changes. For example, you can easily change from Av to Dv by just flattening the fingers of the left hand across the strings. Same for D6v. To get from the (unbarred) A to the (barred) Av at the end of the song, use the first joint of the index finger (the one closest to the palm) to fret the first string, as it's already in position over the string, and just needs to be slid up to the IV space. Then, it's easy to hit the barre in the v space for the full-barre Av.
Counting this song is easy, if you remember that every two notes equal one count! I routinely recast 3/4 time songs like this as 6/8, as it rarely makes a difference. This is one of the rarelies, so I left it in 3/4. But remember the metronome setting of 70 is for two notes, not one, or the song will really drag.
I have to confess, I'm not entirely happy with this arrangement, but audiences seem to like it. If anyone knows a better one, I'd love to see it.
The cheat sheet at the end of the tab is for strumming, to accompany a singer. The chords are much easier, and you can even play it with a pick, if you want. I usually replace the high A note at the end with an Av chord, but if you aren't up to playing full barre chords, you can just tremolo the last note, and it'll sound great. Virtually any guitarist can play this version. My seven year old student Meilin picked it up and started playing it (while singing!) the first time she heard it.
How Gentle God's Commands
Two versions -- an easy one in A, that uses only TWO chords (E and A), and a harder one in C that requires barre chords and harder techniques. Both are in public domain.
First, the easy version. The first verse uses pinched chords, and there are only two measures in the whole verse that require more than one pinch. Easy. It's in 3/4 time, and all the notes are quarter-notes. There are a couple of measures where only two of the three beats are shown. In both cases, that's the first and third beats. You can let the first beat ring for two counts (a half-note), or damp the first beat to a quarter-note and insert a quarter-rest. Or, you can mix and match. It's a simple tune to learn, but still sounds good. If you're playing steel strings, you might try using finger-picks on this one. If you're playing nylon strings, use your fingernails, for a crisp, "classical guitar" sound, or use your fingertips, if you want a mellow tone.
In the fifth measure, the A chord is slightly changed. Note the F# played on the third string at the fourth fret. It's just a bit of a stretch, but don't leave it out or substitute another note for it; it's necessary to carry the melody. It also provides a nice contrast with the normal A chord in the next measure.
The second verse is in 6/8 time, so all the notes are eighth-notes. The chording is the same as the first verse, but the chords are all "broken chords". A lot of "extra" drone notes on the open A string and E string are set in, to fill out the bass. Rock the right hand, playing the bass notes with the thumb, and the melody notes with the fingers. The audience will think it sounds much more difficult than the first verse, but it's actually very nearly as easy. If you're comfortable with barre chords, substitute a barred Av for the last note, for a dynamite finale.
First, the easy version. The first verse uses pinched chords, and there are only two measures in the whole verse that require more than one pinch. Easy. It's in 3/4 time, and all the notes are quarter-notes. There are a couple of measures where only two of the three beats are shown. In both cases, that's the first and third beats. You can let the first beat ring for two counts (a half-note), or damp the first beat to a quarter-note and insert a quarter-rest. Or, you can mix and match. It's a simple tune to learn, but still sounds good. If you're playing steel strings, you might try using finger-picks on this one. If you're playing nylon strings, use your fingernails, for a crisp, "classical guitar" sound, or use your fingertips, if you want a mellow tone.
In the fifth measure, the A chord is slightly changed. Note the F# played on the third string at the fourth fret. It's just a bit of a stretch, but don't leave it out or substitute another note for it; it's necessary to carry the melody. It also provides a nice contrast with the normal A chord in the next measure.
The second verse is in 6/8 time, so all the notes are eighth-notes. The chording is the same as the first verse, but the chords are all "broken chords". A lot of "extra" drone notes on the open A string and E string are set in, to fill out the bass. Rock the right hand, playing the bass notes with the thumb, and the melody notes with the fingers. The audience will think it sounds much more difficult than the first verse, but it's actually very nearly as easy. If you're comfortable with barre chords, substitute a barred Av for the last note, for a dynamite finale.
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.
Ayiti cheri (Haiti Cherie)
One of my favorite creole songs from Haiti. It has no hard chords, no barre chords, no special techniques, besides the Calypso strum, and is in the key of C. It's REALY EASY, except for the strum, and the lyrics, which are entirely in kreyòl, the spoken dialect of Haiti. For those of you who may not be fluent in kreyòl, I've included a pronouncing, etymological, kreyòl-English vocabulary on the last page.
The first page is a cheat sheet, with the kreyòl words on one line, the approximate pronunciation on the second line, and an English translation on the third. You will notice that the words do not mean exactly what Harry Belafonte sang in the English version, but they're mostly fairly close, allowing for "poetic licence."
The next two pages are another cheat sheet, but with the Calypso strum and counting numbers included, and the pronunciation and translation left out. I had some room, so I included chord charts and some notes about kreyòl.
Page Four is a detailed explanation of how to play the Calypso strum, for those who don't already know how. It's tricky to explain, but not so tricky to do, so I'm planning to video it and post the video here soon. I haven't done this before, so it's new ground for me. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
The first page is a cheat sheet, with the kreyòl words on one line, the approximate pronunciation on the second line, and an English translation on the third. You will notice that the words do not mean exactly what Harry Belafonte sang in the English version, but they're mostly fairly close, allowing for "poetic licence."
The next two pages are another cheat sheet, but with the Calypso strum and counting numbers included, and the pronunciation and translation left out. I had some room, so I included chord charts and some notes about kreyòl.
Page Four is a detailed explanation of how to play the Calypso strum, for those who don't already know how. It's tricky to explain, but not so tricky to do, so I'm planning to video it and post the video here soon. I haven't done this before, so it's new ground for me. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
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