No, I didn't add this just for General Conference, though I did love the way the Tabernacle Choir sang it! I've been working on it for weeks.
This is not an easy song to play on the guitar. It uses LOTS of barre chords, and relies heavily on some of the more difficult ones. My only excuse is that it's beautiful. I have tried to arrange it so that the chord transitions come as naturally as possible, which you may think isn't very. I won't argue. It's in C, so you could dumb it down and just strum C, F, and G7, if you only want to accompany a singer, but you won't get any of the melody notes that way.
On my classical guitar, it sounds way better if you finger-pick the chords as arpeggios, than simply strumming the chords, as shown in the first verse, but I've included both ways, as the left hand is a bit different if you're finger-picking. You can leave out some of the harder chords that way, especially some of the Fv's, which I find hard to fret well. In this way, the arpeggio version is actually easier!
No bar-by-bar explanation on this one. If you're good enough to play it, you won't need it, and if you're a beginner, the explanations won't help.
Be Still, My Soul
My daughter Amy requested this hymn. If I’ve got it right, [NOT QUITE! See Amy's comment.] her best friend had just died suddenly, her husband was recovering from a triple stroke, and she also had to cope with her three-year-old, autistic son, while holding down a major ward calling. One of her Relief Society sisters sang this hymn to her. It was the first time she had heard it. The message, the melody, and the gorgeous harmonies really impressed her. They’ll impress nearly anyone, but they were perfect for her at that moment. This is for you, Amy.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
PRACTICE NOTES:
This is NOT a song for beginners! Even though it's all strummed, and slowly at that, with no arpeggios or melody notes, the chords are not easy. For those who are not afraid of barre chords, it's not too bad, but there are a few unusual ones. The harmonies and gorgeous chord progressions make it worthwhile to learn them, though.
It's in the key of F. No, it's not any better if you transpose it. The first line is the easiest, containing only normal C and F chords, plus a Cmaj7, which is an easy chord to play, and sounds great. If you have trouble changing from F to C and back, you'll want to get some help before you tackle the rest of the song, as these are about the easiest changes in the song. Don't say I didn't warn you. It's not easy, just worth it.
The next line basically repeats the chord progressions of the first line, but one octave higher. Instead of Cmaj7, there's a Bb, for a slightly different harmony. It's just a barred A. If you're still with me, you've pretty much got it licked. The rest of the barre chords are just variations of the barred E and barred A, played at different frets.
The Dm/Av in the third line is only unusual in that you DO play the bass string. This is necessary for the melody. Read the name of this chord, "D minor with an A bass, barred 5th fret." Don't let the Roman numerals throw you, they only describe where the barre goes. Play the rest of the chords as shown in the chord charts.
COUNTING
The count is mostly a straightforward 4/4, but it's syncopated, because each verse begins on the SECOND count of the measure. I have put in underscores to show how the notes are extended over several counts. For example, the chord played for the word "soul" in the second measure is extended for three counts, while the chord for the word "on" in the next measure is held for one-and-a-half counts. Thus, the bold face & under the word "thy", to show it is only half a count. Trust me, it comes out even. If this does not make sense to you, click HERE to listen to an a capella version. After you hear it once, you should have no trouble. You'll want to get the beat right, as this combination repeats in every line.
At the end of the song, I have included the finale, but also the repeat sign. You can either repeat from the next-to-last verse, or play the final measure and stop.
Comments from beginners
I welcome comments, if they pertain to the music. I get a lot from beginning guitarists. If you have a question or comment that's too long or that you don't want to share with everyone, email me HERE. Here's a response I wrote to Melissa, who asked about the difference between strumming and picking:
IN GENERAL, tabs are for picking, and cheat sheets are for strumming. To see the difference, check out both links to "Dream a Little Dream of Me", which I have posted in both forms. Some of my tabs are arranged for strumming AND picking. They will say at the top of the first page, "Strum all chords." In other tabs, where some chords are to be picked and others strummed, the strummed chords are indicated by a wiggly line at the left of the chord. In all cases, though, it is possible to strum any of the chords, whether so marked or not. All of these tabs are my own arrangements, and I've written them the way I like to play them. You may have different preferences.
If you just want to accompany singing, by all means, just strum the chords, and disregard the tab. Usually this will work fine, but sometimes I leave out a chord, when I only need a single note from it, and that note is covered in the tab. I never mention this, either in the tab or in the posting about the tab, because the songs on this blog are intended for instrumental guitar solos.
A good source for those who want to accompany singers is the book, Hymns, Simplified, published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's arranged for easy piano, but also contains guitar chords, with chord charts at the back of the book.
If I had unlimited time, I would add a section of cheat sheets to the blog, but I also have a full-time job, two major callings, and a HUGE family. If you would like to write cheat sheets for the blog, send me a couple to review!
IN GENERAL, tabs are for picking, and cheat sheets are for strumming. To see the difference, check out both links to "Dream a Little Dream of Me", which I have posted in both forms. Some of my tabs are arranged for strumming AND picking. They will say at the top of the first page, "Strum all chords." In other tabs, where some chords are to be picked and others strummed, the strummed chords are indicated by a wiggly line at the left of the chord. In all cases, though, it is possible to strum any of the chords, whether so marked or not. All of these tabs are my own arrangements, and I've written them the way I like to play them. You may have different preferences.
If you just want to accompany singing, by all means, just strum the chords, and disregard the tab. Usually this will work fine, but sometimes I leave out a chord, when I only need a single note from it, and that note is covered in the tab. I never mention this, either in the tab or in the posting about the tab, because the songs on this blog are intended for instrumental guitar solos.
A good source for those who want to accompany singers is the book, Hymns, Simplified, published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's arranged for easy piano, but also contains guitar chords, with chord charts at the back of the book.
If I had unlimited time, I would add a section of cheat sheets to the blog, but I also have a full-time job, two major callings, and a HUGE family. If you would like to write cheat sheets for the blog, send me a couple to review!
For new readers
All the tabs were arranged and tabbed (and copyrighted) by me. They are hosted on my "mission" website, so I can keep control, hence the links. Any that are based on music not in public domain say so in the related posting. I have permission from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to publish hymns with their copyright, under the same rules as the hymnal: they are for "incidental home or church use." You can print them, copy them, and play them, but not for money or for public distribution. Please follow these rules; I DON'T want to lose the Church's permission to publish their hymns!
Most of the tabs are intended to be used for instrumental solos in church. Contrary to popular opinion, there is nothing in the Bishop's Handbook forbidding the use of guitars for music in church, even in Sacrament Meeting, according to Elder Moody, who wrote the relevent parts of that handbook. He said, "We are a worldwide church, and do not discriminate against any musical tradition or instrument, as long as the music played is in keeping with the sacred character of the meeting." The bishop decides what is in keeping and what is not. I have heard brass, and even bagpipes, used for special numbers in Sacrament meetings; there is no reason why a guitar cannot also be used the same way. I have done so many times, sometimes playing hymns to accompany singers, and sometimes as an instrumental solo.
For those new to my tabs, please do not let the Roman numerals after some of the chords scare you off. That's just my way of indicating where the barre goes when playing barre chords. It's based on the way barres are indicated in classical guitar music. I believe you'll find it handy and intuitive. If so, please spread the word. At present, there is no standardized way in tablature to indicate when a chord is a barre chord, and where on the neck it is to be played. I'm hoping this way of notating barre chords will catch on. All other chord symbols follow standard notation.
Most of the tabs are intended to be used for instrumental solos in church. Contrary to popular opinion, there is nothing in the Bishop's Handbook forbidding the use of guitars for music in church, even in Sacrament Meeting, according to Elder Moody, who wrote the relevent parts of that handbook. He said, "We are a worldwide church, and do not discriminate against any musical tradition or instrument, as long as the music played is in keeping with the sacred character of the meeting." The bishop decides what is in keeping and what is not. I have heard brass, and even bagpipes, used for special numbers in Sacrament meetings; there is no reason why a guitar cannot also be used the same way. I have done so many times, sometimes playing hymns to accompany singers, and sometimes as an instrumental solo.
For those new to my tabs, please do not let the Roman numerals after some of the chords scare you off. That's just my way of indicating where the barre goes when playing barre chords. It's based on the way barres are indicated in classical guitar music. I believe you'll find it handy and intuitive. If so, please spread the word. At present, there is no standardized way in tablature to indicate when a chord is a barre chord, and where on the neck it is to be played. I'm hoping this way of notating barre chords will catch on. All other chord symbols follow standard notation.
High on the Mountain Top in G (for beginners)
Actually, it's played a lot like the version in C. Most beginners find it easier to play in the key of G than in C, as there are no barre chords. This version includes a couple of minor chords, where the other version only has single notes, but they are very easy, common chords. If you already know them, you may find it easier to play the chord than to learn the melody line. The tab is simpler, too, without split measures, metronome count, etc. In the second line, there is one pull-off and one slide, but you can just play the notes without using those techniques, and it'll still sound good. No special instructions are needed to play this version, just play the tab as it is written.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
High on the Mountain Top in C (intermediate version)
Actually, it's easy, if you can do the barre chords. Much as I hate to split measures between two lines, I've done so on every line, as that's the way it's written in the hymnal. About the only changes I've made from the hymnal have to do with the tempo. If you try playing this as a guitar solo at the speed called for in the hymnal, it will really drag, so I've specified a much faster beat. I've also recast it in 4/4 instead of 2/2. The difference is almost imperceptible, and I find it easier to count "1-2-3-4" than "1-&-2-&". If you want to be perfectly faithful to the original, emphasize the #3 beat, so it's equal to the #1. That's the only difference.
In some ways, this song is easier than the "beginner" version in G, as there are no minor chords, and all the transitions are straightforward, if you are comfortable with barre chords. The only remotely difficult transitions are in the 5th - 6th measures and 9th - 10th measures, where you have to slide the whole GIII chord down to GbII to catch the F# on the first string with the index finger, then back again immediately to GIII for the chord. This may seem a bit odd to you, but it's one of the things barre chords were invented for.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
In some ways, this song is easier than the "beginner" version in G, as there are no minor chords, and all the transitions are straightforward, if you are comfortable with barre chords. The only remotely difficult transitions are in the 5th - 6th measures and 9th - 10th measures, where you have to slide the whole GIII chord down to GbII to catch the F# on the first string with the index finger, then back again immediately to GIII for the chord. This may seem a bit odd to you, but it's one of the things barre chords were invented for.
High on the Mountain Top is in the public domain. The patriotic lyrics were taken from a poem by Joel Hills Johnson. Click HERE for the story of how this poem came to be written, including the fifth and sixth verses, which do not appear in the hymnal.
How Gentle God's Commands, again
As promised, here's the C version. Actually, it's played very much like the A version, but uses more chords and a slightly different pattern pick. For a really dynamite sound, start with the A version, play through the first verse, then do a key change by switching to the first verse of the C version, then switch back to the second verse of the A version, play the arpeggios in A, minus the final chord, and then change keys back to C again, for the last verse. Switching keys three times makes it sound hard, but it really is no harder than playing the whole song through once in each key.
A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief MP3
A really nice guy named MJ Hufford has offered to create automated MP3 files of some of my tabs, so you can hear them exactly as written. This is his first one. I hope he does lots more! MJ is also the creator and guiding light of an entire online guitar community called, http://www.guitarvoice.com [Insert shameless plug!] Actually, it's a great site for all kinds of guitarists, but especially those who don't like nasty stuff. MJ is a cool dude. If you like the idea of more MP3s, leave a comment on this post, or email me, especially if you have a particular favorite that you'd like to hear.
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.
Praise to the Man
This is about as easy as it gets! The only thing even faintly scary about this song is the F/C chord. Read that, "F with a C bass," and you won't be scared. It's just a normal F chord, but you add the C on the 5th string, third space, with your pinkie, to follow the melody. Or, if you are already comfortable with barre chords, just play the full-barre F, but avoid the #6 string. If you really are a beginner, just play a regular, four-string F, but it won't sound quite as good.
There are also pull-offs in measures # 3, 11, and 27. These are easy to do. Fret the second string in the first space (C) with your index finger, and simultaneously in the third space (D) with your pinkie. When you pluck the string with your right hand, only the D will sound, of course. Leaving the index finger in place, pull the pinkie off the string, so it plucks the string again, sounding the C. This produces a legato sound, (search "ligado" on this blog), and also allows you to play the two-note sequence much faster than you otherwise could.
The song was originally written in 2/4 time, but I have re-cast it in 4/8. There is actually no difference, except that it's easier to count in eighth notes. The metronome setting has therefore been increased to 132. To be perfectly faithful to the piano music in the hymnal, it should have been somewhere between 152 - 192, but this just sounds too fast to me. If you are accompanying a singer, 132 would probably be too slow, but if you are playing it as a guitar solo, the speed is not terribly important, anyway.
Both the tune and the lyrics are in the public domain.
There are also pull-offs in measures # 3, 11, and 27. These are easy to do. Fret the second string in the first space (C) with your index finger, and simultaneously in the third space (D) with your pinkie. When you pluck the string with your right hand, only the D will sound, of course. Leaving the index finger in place, pull the pinkie off the string, so it plucks the string again, sounding the C. This produces a legato sound, (search "ligado" on this blog), and also allows you to play the two-note sequence much faster than you otherwise could.
The song was originally written in 2/4 time, but I have re-cast it in 4/8. There is actually no difference, except that it's easier to count in eighth notes. The metronome setting has therefore been increased to 132. To be perfectly faithful to the piano music in the hymnal, it should have been somewhere between 152 - 192, but this just sounds too fast to me. If you are accompanying a singer, 132 would probably be too slow, but if you are playing it as a guitar solo, the speed is not terribly important, anyway.
Both the tune and the lyrics are in the public domain.
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