I REALLY HATE splitting measures up between lines, like the green hymnal does but I had to to, to get it all on one page. I held it to a minimum-- just one measure split. This hymn is in public domain, so enjoy!
I've also tried to keep the "extra" notes to a minimum. The few I have put in, I have set in light face type. You can substitute "normal" chords for the barre chords in the refrain, but you will find that the melody doesn't work very well. Fortunately, the barre chords are easy to play.
Play the first part lyrically, strumming all the chords, then play the refrain more tutti, so it sounds about twice as fast, and quite stacatto, for contrast.
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
This is not in the LDS hymnal, but it used to be. I wish it still was. I have not been able to determine exactly why it was removed, but I have my own ideas. It's in the public domain, so it wasn't because of copyright problems, nor do the lyrics contradict LDS theoology, and it's been a popular hymn for ages.
There is a discrepancy in attributing the music to John Wyeth. Other sources attribute the tune to Asahel Nettleton, but it was published in a collection of hymns by Wyeth. If the tune reminds you of "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer," you're not alone; they're close enough that you could easily confuse them.
I've tried my best to keep the song as simple as possible, even retaining the 3/4 time signature of the original. Tablature does not provide any way to know the relative lengths of the notes. In most hymns, you'd be safe just playing every note as an eighth note, but that won't help you here. So I've added a line of counting numbers below the lyrics, to show where the notes actually fall.
This song is very easy to play, if you leave out the bridge and just play the verses. I've included optional chords for those who just want to strum along while singing. If you want to make a guitar solo of it, play the bridge, too. You'll need to play a few of those pesky barre chords, if you want to do that. Optional chords are shown in light face type, while everything else is in bold face.
I only included my favorite two verses. There are several others, and they vary with the book you consult. I especially dislike the verse that goes,
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
I have nothing against the sentiment, but the rhymes seem forced, and I have never met any normal person who could tell me what an Ebenezer* is, or why, exactly, a body would want to raise one. I prefer to leave out the verse entirely, substituting the more modern
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Purists will hate me for throwing out the Ebenezer, of course. So I usually just sing the first and last verses, and raise the guitar solo instead of the Ebenezer, which I cannot say without laughing, anyway. No one laughs when I play the guitar.
* Ebenezer comes from two Hebrew words meaning "a stone of help", and raising one can refer to testifying of anything that reminds us of God's miraculous assistance to His saints.
There is a discrepancy in attributing the music to John Wyeth. Other sources attribute the tune to Asahel Nettleton, but it was published in a collection of hymns by Wyeth. If the tune reminds you of "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer," you're not alone; they're close enough that you could easily confuse them.
I've tried my best to keep the song as simple as possible, even retaining the 3/4 time signature of the original. Tablature does not provide any way to know the relative lengths of the notes. In most hymns, you'd be safe just playing every note as an eighth note, but that won't help you here. So I've added a line of counting numbers below the lyrics, to show where the notes actually fall.
This song is very easy to play, if you leave out the bridge and just play the verses. I've included optional chords for those who just want to strum along while singing. If you want to make a guitar solo of it, play the bridge, too. You'll need to play a few of those pesky barre chords, if you want to do that. Optional chords are shown in light face type, while everything else is in bold face.
I only included my favorite two verses. There are several others, and they vary with the book you consult. I especially dislike the verse that goes,
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
I have nothing against the sentiment, but the rhymes seem forced, and I have never met any normal person who could tell me what an Ebenezer* is, or why, exactly, a body would want to raise one. I prefer to leave out the verse entirely, substituting the more modern
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Purists will hate me for throwing out the Ebenezer, of course. So I usually just sing the first and last verses, and raise the guitar solo instead of the Ebenezer, which I cannot say without laughing, anyway. No one laughs when I play the guitar.
* Ebenezer comes from two Hebrew words meaning "a stone of help", and raising one can refer to testifying of anything that reminds us of God's miraculous assistance to His saints.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Public domain. This is a beautiful piece for classical guitar, but you don't have to be a classical guitarist to play it. There are a few advanced techniques, such as ligados (hammer-ons, pull-offs,), slides, and multiple ligados. When playing one of these double or triple ligados, you may have to hammer the last hammer-on very hard to make it sound as loud as the first one.
This piece does contain one relatively hard barre chord: Fv. It's a normal C chord, barred at the fifth fret. You'll need to practice it a bit if you're not used to playing this chord, as it uses all the fingers of the left hand, and stretches your hand, to boot. A good loosening-up exercise is to press all four fingers of the right hand between each pair of left-hand fingers, to stretch them. Hold the exercise just short of the point of pain, then go to the next pair of fingers.
There are a couple of other, easy chords you may not be familiar with. CIII / G is a normal C III chord. Read the name as, "C, with a G bass." Play it by barring an A chord in the third space, but fret the bass string in the third space and let it sound. G7add5, is really just a normal G7, with the fifth note of the scale (D) added on the second string, third fret, using the little finger. You should find it rather easy to do.
I included the grace notes shown in light face type, because they are in the hymnal, but I don't think they add much to the song, and they make it significantly harder to play. I don't play them when performing, and I have deliberately chosen chord inversions that are easiest to play without the grace notes. Consider them optional.
That's a lot of notations for a song that's really not that hard to play. Enjoy!
This piece does contain one relatively hard barre chord: Fv. It's a normal C chord, barred at the fifth fret. You'll need to practice it a bit if you're not used to playing this chord, as it uses all the fingers of the left hand, and stretches your hand, to boot. A good loosening-up exercise is to press all four fingers of the right hand between each pair of left-hand fingers, to stretch them. Hold the exercise just short of the point of pain, then go to the next pair of fingers.
There are a couple of other, easy chords you may not be familiar with. CIII / G is a normal C III chord. Read the name as, "C, with a G bass." Play it by barring an A chord in the third space, but fret the bass string in the third space and let it sound. G7add5, is really just a normal G7, with the fifth note of the scale (D) added on the second string, third fret, using the little finger. You should find it rather easy to do.
I included the grace notes shown in light face type, because they are in the hymnal, but I don't think they add much to the song, and they make it significantly harder to play. I don't play them when performing, and I have deliberately chosen chord inversions that are easiest to play without the grace notes. Consider them optional.
That's a lot of notations for a song that's really not that hard to play. Enjoy!
Carry On
Well, the reason I've been carrying on about barre chords is to prepare you for this song. Now that the Mission website is back up, we can carry on as usual. There are lots and lots of barre chords in Carry On-- all easy ones. Just the regular, old, barred E, Em, E7, A, Am, and A7. The only hard chord in the song is Cadd5, which is NOT a barre chord! (It's actually not that hard, either.)
You COULD play this song using only the non-barre versions of these chords. This would be OK if you were just strumming accompaniment for a singer, but for a guitar solo, it sounds terrible, as the melody would often be going down, when it's supposed to go up.
This piece does require a reasonably high-quality instrument, where the high notes are not grossly out of tune with the low notes on the same string. On nearly all guitars, as you play higher and higher up the neck, the the notes sound progressively more out of tune. This happens because you have to exert more pressure on the strings to fret them, stretching them and making them play sharper than intended.
If your high notes and chords seem excessively sharp, try using less pressure on the strings. If this doesn't help, change to high-tension strings. The extra pressure needed to fret the high notes is a smaller fraction of the total string tension, with high-tension strings. Besides, there's hardly a guitar in the world that can't be improved by putting new strings on it. If that's not good enough, have a professional luthier (guitar technician) look at your guitar. There are modifications that are relatively easy and cheap for a luthier to make, that can help a lot. Most good guitar stores have a luthier on staff. If he can't fix it, it's probably time to upgrade your guitar. This song is a good one to use when trying out new guitars.
Carry on!
You COULD play this song using only the non-barre versions of these chords. This would be OK if you were just strumming accompaniment for a singer, but for a guitar solo, it sounds terrible, as the melody would often be going down, when it's supposed to go up.
This piece does require a reasonably high-quality instrument, where the high notes are not grossly out of tune with the low notes on the same string. On nearly all guitars, as you play higher and higher up the neck, the the notes sound progressively more out of tune. This happens because you have to exert more pressure on the strings to fret them, stretching them and making them play sharper than intended.
If your high notes and chords seem excessively sharp, try using less pressure on the strings. If this doesn't help, change to high-tension strings. The extra pressure needed to fret the high notes is a smaller fraction of the total string tension, with high-tension strings. Besides, there's hardly a guitar in the world that can't be improved by putting new strings on it. If that's not good enough, have a professional luthier (guitar technician) look at your guitar. There are modifications that are relatively easy and cheap for a luthier to make, that can help a lot. Most good guitar stores have a luthier on staff. If he can't fix it, it's probably time to upgrade your guitar. This song is a good one to use when trying out new guitars.
Carry on!
For Beginners -- Why barre chords?
While my archive site is down, I thought I'd share my thoughts on barre chords. Some call them, "bar chords." Either is correct, but I like to spell it, "barre" so as not to confuse it with the other musical "bar," which means a measure of written music.
Learning barre chords will increase your choice of keys available, increase the range of notes available in any given chord, make it easier to learn new chords, and allow faster and easier chord changes. Barre chords can even be easier to play than their "regular" equivalents. Really. Let's take these advantages one at a time.
CHOICE OF KEYS:
Each key is based on the first note of the scale in that key. The key of A major is based on the scale that begins with the note A. Within each key, there's a group of "basic" chords that are the most commonly played. In the key of G, these are G, C, D7, and Em, all easy to play. The trouble is, there are some chords that just can't be played without using a barre, such as F#m. If you transpose the basic chords for G into the key of A, you have to play A, D, E7, and F#m, so you wouldn't be able to play most music written in that key. Eliminating all the keys that require the use of barre chords (just for the "basic four") eliminates about 75% of all keys. Or, in a more positive light, learn to play barre chords, and you can quadruple your repertoire.
RANGE:
If you play an F chord the "normal" way, you can only play the first four strings, but if you play it as an E chord, barred at the first fret, you can play the low F on the bass E string, thus adding an entire octave to the notes available while playing F. But that's not all. You can also play F by playing a C chord-shape, barred at the fifth fret. This allows you to reach notes five frets higher than you could do while playing a "normal" F. Learning barre chords allows you to increase your range in both the bass and the treble.
LEARNING NEW CHORDS:
If you barre an E chord-shape in the first space, it becomes an F. Barre it in the third space, and it's a G, etc. For every new barre chord you learn, you are actually learning twelve or more different chords, depending on where you put the barre on the guitar neck. Barre chords are just the same, simple chords you already know, such as E, Em, A, Am, C, etc., played with a barre. You probably already know how to play Am, Dm, and E7, the most important chords in the key of Am. By barring them, you can play the same three chords at a different fret, and you've learned a whole new key! But it gets even better, 'cause you can play that key at any of the twelve frets, so by learning one group of three chords, you've added twelve entire keys to your repertoire.
LIGHTNING CHORD CHANGES:
With barre chords, the ONLY difference between an F, a G, an A, a Bb, etc. is which fret is barred. This means you can change chords just by sliding the left hand up and down the neck, which is much faster and easier than actually changing finger positions. Or you can switch back and forth between the barred E-shape and the barred Am-shape, while sliding your hand up or down the neck of the guitar one fret at a time. This is exactly what Bob Dylan did in "Lay Lady, Lay", beginning at the fifth fret with a barred E-shape, then the fourth fret with a barred Am-shape, then a barred E-shape again in the third fret, then a barred Am again in the second fret, creating a chord progression of unsurpassed beauty (A-C#m-G-Bm) without working up a sweat.
EASIER TO PLAY?
That's right! Once you learn to barre all six strings with the index finger, that part of all barre chords is the same. Always. But as you play further and further up the neck, the frets get closer together. Some chords that require you to stretch when played normally, are lots easier to play when playing in higher positions. Want proof? Play a normal C chord, then put a capo at the fourth or fifth fret and play the same chord. Which is easier?
SO, WHAT'S THE TRICK?
PRACTICE! You didn't learn the chords you already know all at once. You had to practice. But little by little, you got better, until it became easy. Persevere. If Django Reinhardt, who invented modern jazz guitar technique, could still play after losing three of the fingers on his left hand, you can learn to play barre chords.
Learning barre chords will increase your choice of keys available, increase the range of notes available in any given chord, make it easier to learn new chords, and allow faster and easier chord changes. Barre chords can even be easier to play than their "regular" equivalents. Really. Let's take these advantages one at a time.
CHOICE OF KEYS:
Each key is based on the first note of the scale in that key. The key of A major is based on the scale that begins with the note A. Within each key, there's a group of "basic" chords that are the most commonly played. In the key of G, these are G, C, D7, and Em, all easy to play. The trouble is, there are some chords that just can't be played without using a barre, such as F#m. If you transpose the basic chords for G into the key of A, you have to play A, D, E7, and F#m, so you wouldn't be able to play most music written in that key. Eliminating all the keys that require the use of barre chords (just for the "basic four") eliminates about 75% of all keys. Or, in a more positive light, learn to play barre chords, and you can quadruple your repertoire.
RANGE:
If you play an F chord the "normal" way, you can only play the first four strings, but if you play it as an E chord, barred at the first fret, you can play the low F on the bass E string, thus adding an entire octave to the notes available while playing F. But that's not all. You can also play F by playing a C chord-shape, barred at the fifth fret. This allows you to reach notes five frets higher than you could do while playing a "normal" F. Learning barre chords allows you to increase your range in both the bass and the treble.
LEARNING NEW CHORDS:
If you barre an E chord-shape in the first space, it becomes an F. Barre it in the third space, and it's a G, etc. For every new barre chord you learn, you are actually learning twelve or more different chords, depending on where you put the barre on the guitar neck. Barre chords are just the same, simple chords you already know, such as E, Em, A, Am, C, etc., played with a barre. You probably already know how to play Am, Dm, and E7, the most important chords in the key of Am. By barring them, you can play the same three chords at a different fret, and you've learned a whole new key! But it gets even better, 'cause you can play that key at any of the twelve frets, so by learning one group of three chords, you've added twelve entire keys to your repertoire.
LIGHTNING CHORD CHANGES:
With barre chords, the ONLY difference between an F, a G, an A, a Bb, etc. is which fret is barred. This means you can change chords just by sliding the left hand up and down the neck, which is much faster and easier than actually changing finger positions. Or you can switch back and forth between the barred E-shape and the barred Am-shape, while sliding your hand up or down the neck of the guitar one fret at a time. This is exactly what Bob Dylan did in "Lay Lady, Lay", beginning at the fifth fret with a barred E-shape, then the fourth fret with a barred Am-shape, then a barred E-shape again in the third fret, then a barred Am again in the second fret, creating a chord progression of unsurpassed beauty (A-C#m-G-Bm) without working up a sweat.
EASIER TO PLAY?
That's right! Once you learn to barre all six strings with the index finger, that part of all barre chords is the same. Always. But as you play further and further up the neck, the frets get closer together. Some chords that require you to stretch when played normally, are lots easier to play when playing in higher positions. Want proof? Play a normal C chord, then put a capo at the fourth or fifth fret and play the same chord. Which is easier?
SO, WHAT'S THE TRICK?
PRACTICE! You didn't learn the chords you already know all at once. You had to practice. But little by little, you got better, until it became easy. Persevere. If Django Reinhardt, who invented modern jazz guitar technique, could still play after losing three of the fingers on his left hand, you can learn to play barre chords.
Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is Calling
By Will Thompson, but in public domain. One of the best-beloved hymns of the English-speaking world.
The Legend:
When world-renowned evangelist Michael Moody lay on his death-bed, he called his friend Will Thompson to his side, and whispered, "Will, I would rather have written "Softly and Tenderly" than anything I have done." The song holds a prominent place in nearly every Protestant hymnal in the world, and has been translated into many languages. Nearly every Gospel recording artist has covered it, but perhaps the best-known version (and my personal favorite) was done by Elvis Presley.
The Tablature:
Play this song SLOWLY! The melodies and harmonies are sweet, but if the bar chords are too much for you, play just the first 4 strings, and it'll still sound good. You can also leave out the ligados (hammer-ons and pull-offs) and the tremolo at the end, if you don't know how to do them. For those who just want the absolute basics, you can also leave out the last three notes in the first line, holding the G chord for two measures, to compensate.
This song sounds good on any kind of guitar, from classical to electric. You can play the tab as a solo by itself, or as an introduction or a bridge if accompanying a singer. For accompaniment, I have found it very effective to just strum the chords at the beginning of each measure, holding each chord for a full count of 3, while letting the voice carry the melody. I also like to use the guitar solo for a fourth verse, or sometimes let the guitar solo carry one or more of the choruses. This song has lots of possibilities!
The Legend:
When world-renowned evangelist Michael Moody lay on his death-bed, he called his friend Will Thompson to his side, and whispered, "Will, I would rather have written "Softly and Tenderly" than anything I have done." The song holds a prominent place in nearly every Protestant hymnal in the world, and has been translated into many languages. Nearly every Gospel recording artist has covered it, but perhaps the best-known version (and my personal favorite) was done by Elvis Presley.
The Tablature:
Play this song SLOWLY! The melodies and harmonies are sweet, but if the bar chords are too much for you, play just the first 4 strings, and it'll still sound good. You can also leave out the ligados (hammer-ons and pull-offs) and the tremolo at the end, if you don't know how to do them. For those who just want the absolute basics, you can also leave out the last three notes in the first line, holding the G chord for two measures, to compensate.
This song sounds good on any kind of guitar, from classical to electric. You can play the tab as a solo by itself, or as an introduction or a bridge if accompanying a singer. For accompaniment, I have found it very effective to just strum the chords at the beginning of each measure, holding each chord for a full count of 3, while letting the voice carry the melody. I also like to use the guitar solo for a fourth verse, or sometimes let the guitar solo carry one or more of the choruses. This song has lots of possibilities!
For Rank Beginners
The best posting on learning to play the guitar that I have ever seen is Steve Krenz's on Perseverance. I teach my own students to practice for just a few minutes, five times a day. Most of guitar learning is done not with the mind, but with the muscles. Real guitarists don't just practice a lick or a piece until they get it right, they practice until they can't get it wrong. For this kind of muscle learning, minimizing forgetting time is much more effective than increasing learning time. I'd much rather see my students practice for five minutes, five times a day, than for an hour, once a day. Every one of my students who has ever done this has progressed from rank beginner to advanced guitarist in one year or less, without exception.
O My Father
Here it is, just in time for Father's Day! The beautiful lyrics by Eliza R. Snow are in the public domain. It's a bit late for Sister Snow to object, but I doubt she would mind. Don't let the unusual tempo throw you. The music is easy to play.
The time signature of the original, as published in the old, blue hymnal, was 9/8, a difficult tempo for pianists to read, though not really difficult to play. For those who are purists, it should be counted something like this:
ONE, two, three; FOUR, five, six; SEVEN, eight, nine. The major accent falls on the first note of the measure, with minor accents on the fourth and seventh notes.
In the new, green hymnal, it was rewritten in 3/4 time, with a triplet at the end of virtually every measure. This may make it easier for pianists, but all the triplets are confusing in guitar tab. I have divided each measure of the original 9/8 score into three measures of 3/8 tempo for clarity. It sounds just like regular, old 3/4 time, except twice as fast. All the notes are eighth notes, which makes it very easy for guitarists to play.
The downbeat begins at the word, “father.” Thereafter, every three measures of 3/8 time equals one of the original 9/8 measures. Every syllable that begins one of the original 9/8 measures is printed in bold face type. Emphasize these notes just a little stronger than the lead notes of the other measures, to restore the subtle rhythm of the original 9/8 tempo.
Use strong tremolo on the final note. It'll sound gorgeous.
The time signature of the original, as published in the old, blue hymnal, was 9/8, a difficult tempo for pianists to read, though not really difficult to play. For those who are purists, it should be counted something like this:
ONE, two, three; FOUR, five, six; SEVEN, eight, nine. The major accent falls on the first note of the measure, with minor accents on the fourth and seventh notes.
In the new, green hymnal, it was rewritten in 3/4 time, with a triplet at the end of virtually every measure. This may make it easier for pianists, but all the triplets are confusing in guitar tab. I have divided each measure of the original 9/8 score into three measures of 3/8 tempo for clarity. It sounds just like regular, old 3/4 time, except twice as fast. All the notes are eighth notes, which makes it very easy for guitarists to play.
The downbeat begins at the word, “father.” Thereafter, every three measures of 3/8 time equals one of the original 9/8 measures. Every syllable that begins one of the original 9/8 measures is printed in bold face type. Emphasize these notes just a little stronger than the lead notes of the other measures, to restore the subtle rhythm of the original 9/8 tempo.
Use strong tremolo on the final note. It'll sound gorgeous.
Called to Serve
Public domain. This is about as close to the version in the hymnal as I can get it, with no extra notes. It's a fun tune to play! Written in the key of C major, too, so the chords are easy, too. Sounds good on an electric guitar, with lots of fuzz.
Upon the Cross of Calvary
Public Domain. I transposed it into C, because it's hard for me to play in G. I got tendinitis in my left hand from playing with a bent wrist. That's why your guitar teacher won't let you look at your guitar while playing-- it makes you bend your wrist, and causes tendinitis, down the road. Now, my ring finger tends to lock when I play too many G chords. So I use a lot of barred Gs, which don't make my finger lock up. My cross to bear. But this song is about the real cross, borne by the Savior.
I've written it three ways, which can be used as separate versions, or combined as verses. The first, mostly chords, sounds good on a flat-top guitar, played with a pick, or on a classical guitar, strummed with the thumb. The second one cannot be played with a pick, but sounds really "classical" when pinched, especially if you use the fingernails or finger picks. Play it near the bridge for an even more brilliant sound.
The third verse includes lots of "extra" notes to emphasize the 8/8 tempo. I like playing in 8/8, as all the notes are the same length. The "extra" notes are mostly drones in the bass. You can leave out any of them you like, but remember to lengthen the other notes, or the tempo will suffer.
If all you want is the melody, play the 3rd version, except:
1. Leave out all the notes on the 4th, 5th and 6th strings (the drones)
2. Play only the 1st and 7th notes in the 5th measure (GIII)
3. In the next-to-last measure, play only the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes
4. In the final measure, play only the 1st note.
This is actually a pretty easy hymn to play. If the CIII chord gives you trouble, you can substitute a regular C chord, but it'll make the transition to the next chord harder-- that's why I used the barre chord.
I've written it three ways, which can be used as separate versions, or combined as verses. The first, mostly chords, sounds good on a flat-top guitar, played with a pick, or on a classical guitar, strummed with the thumb. The second one cannot be played with a pick, but sounds really "classical" when pinched, especially if you use the fingernails or finger picks. Play it near the bridge for an even more brilliant sound.
The third verse includes lots of "extra" notes to emphasize the 8/8 tempo. I like playing in 8/8, as all the notes are the same length. The "extra" notes are mostly drones in the bass. You can leave out any of them you like, but remember to lengthen the other notes, or the tempo will suffer.
If all you want is the melody, play the 3rd version, except:
1. Leave out all the notes on the 4th, 5th and 6th strings (the drones)
2. Play only the 1st and 7th notes in the 5th measure (GIII)
3. In the next-to-last measure, play only the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes
4. In the final measure, play only the 1st note.
This is actually a pretty easy hymn to play. If the CIII chord gives you trouble, you can substitute a regular C chord, but it'll make the transition to the next chord harder-- that's why I used the barre chord.
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