Christmas IS coming, and SOON! I was going to put up a poll asking which Christmas carols you wanted me to post next, but the poll gadget seems to have disappeared. So, if there's a special Christmas carol you'd like me to post, you have two options:
1. You can comment on this post.
2. You can send me a message, if you are a follower, by clicking on my thumbnail photo. If you are not a follower, you can easily become one.
I'll do my best, but please allow me some time, as I may not already have your favorite carol tabbed.
Stats
For all those who think there are more folks viewing this blog than shown as Followers -- you are right! Thanks to those who recommended that I get a counter. Blogger now provides one. Here are the lifetime stats for this blog: (stats do not include my own visits)
Average usage: about 2900 visits per month
Nearly all are from the United States and Canada, but also from the Netherlands, Mexico, the UK, Australia, Honduras, Germany, Ireland, and Russia. There are others, but those are the top ten countries.
Top ten all-time favorite posts*:
# 1 I Am A Child of God 1001 page views
# 2 A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief 509 page views
# 3 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing 313 page views
# 4 Lead Kindly Light 255 page views
# 5 I Know That My Redeemer Lives 235 page views
# 6 A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief MP3 101 page views
# 7 O Holy Night 98 page views
# 8 Softly and Tenderly, Jesus Is Calling 90 page views
# 9 Praise to the Man 88 page views
# 10 Teach Me to Walk in the Light 87 page views
* Sorry! I can't track downloads, as they are link visits to my hosting website, which is not equipped. I'm working on it.
About 80% of the searches that resulted in hits on this blog included the words "Mormon" or "LDS" and "guitar" in the search terms. About 80% of the searches were in some form of Google.
Your favorite operating systems were: Windows, Macintosh, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Linnux, Unix, Blackberry, Danger, and Nintendo Wii. Whoever you are out there who is reading the tabs on a Blackberry, your nickname ought to be "Hawkeye!"
Average usage: about 2900 visits per month
Nearly all are from the United States and Canada, but also from the Netherlands, Mexico, the UK, Australia, Honduras, Germany, Ireland, and Russia. There are others, but those are the top ten countries.
Top ten all-time favorite posts*:
# 1 I Am A Child of God 1001 page views
# 2 A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief 509 page views
# 3 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing 313 page views
# 4 Lead Kindly Light 255 page views
# 5 I Know That My Redeemer Lives 235 page views
# 6 A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief MP3 101 page views
# 7 O Holy Night 98 page views
# 8 Softly and Tenderly, Jesus Is Calling 90 page views
# 9 Praise to the Man 88 page views
# 10 Teach Me to Walk in the Light 87 page views
* Sorry! I can't track downloads, as they are link visits to my hosting website, which is not equipped. I'm working on it.
About 80% of the searches that resulted in hits on this blog included the words "Mormon" or "LDS" and "guitar" in the search terms. About 80% of the searches were in some form of Google.
Your favorite operating systems were: Windows, Macintosh, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Linnux, Unix, Blackberry, Danger, and Nintendo Wii. Whoever you are out there who is reading the tabs on a Blackberry, your nickname ought to be "Hawkeye!"
Now Let Us Rejoice
At last, a relatively easy one! It's in the key of A, too, which many guitarists find easier than C. You'll have to play the Av, which is just an E barred at the fifth fret. C#m7IV and EIV are actually barred versions of Am7 and C, barred at the fourth fret. C#m7IV is actually one of the easiest barre chords to play. EIV is a bit harder, but if your fingers won't stretch that far, you can substitute C#m7IV. You can also use a regular E, though the melody line will suffer, as it will be going down when it should go up.
For those who do not like the "extra" notes, I've printed them in light face type, while all the others are in bold face. For those who like them, don't forget to put them in, just because they are printed in light face type! If you have trouble seeing them, let me know and I'll correct the problem in a future posting. The song was originally written in 3/4 time, but I've re-cast it in 6/8, to make counting easier.
The hardest part of the song is the slide-to-pull-off progression: -4-\-2_0- which occurs twice in each verse. It starts with a full-barre Av chord, so you only have to slide down one fret to hit the -4-. It's a bit tricky sliding down to the -2- while also shifting the index finger noiselessly across the strings, so you can do the pull-off. I have found that the easiest way for me to do this is to NOT slide across the strings, but to do the pull-off with the third joint of my left index finger. My third joint is rather fat, and provides enough of a "hook" to do an acceptable pull-off. If you have skinny fingers, I recommend ignoring either the slide or the pull-off.
Another place you might have trouble is in the next-to-last measure of the finale. You'll have to stretch the little finger of the left hand to hit the G# in the ninth fret on the second string. Alternatively, you can just hit the same note at the fourth fret on the first string, which requires a rather fast transition to get back to Av. My fingers are stretched out, so I find stretching easier, but you may not agree.
This song is in the public domain. It was included in the first LDS hymnal.
For those who do not like the "extra" notes, I've printed them in light face type, while all the others are in bold face. For those who like them, don't forget to put them in, just because they are printed in light face type! If you have trouble seeing them, let me know and I'll correct the problem in a future posting. The song was originally written in 3/4 time, but I've re-cast it in 6/8, to make counting easier.
The hardest part of the song is the slide-to-pull-off progression: -4-\-2_0- which occurs twice in each verse. It starts with a full-barre Av chord, so you only have to slide down one fret to hit the -4-. It's a bit tricky sliding down to the -2- while also shifting the index finger noiselessly across the strings, so you can do the pull-off. I have found that the easiest way for me to do this is to NOT slide across the strings, but to do the pull-off with the third joint of my left index finger. My third joint is rather fat, and provides enough of a "hook" to do an acceptable pull-off. If you have skinny fingers, I recommend ignoring either the slide or the pull-off.
Another place you might have trouble is in the next-to-last measure of the finale. You'll have to stretch the little finger of the left hand to hit the G# in the ninth fret on the second string. Alternatively, you can just hit the same note at the fourth fret on the first string, which requires a rather fast transition to get back to Av. My fingers are stretched out, so I find stretching easier, but you may not agree.
This song is in the public domain. It was included in the first LDS hymnal.
I Am A Child of God MP3
Another MJ Hufford MP3! And this time, it's even better than the last one. My stats show this is your all-time favorite of the tabs on this site, accounting for literally thousands of hits per month, so enjoy!
For those who wonder why I put in all those "extra" notes, this MP3 will show you why. About half the notes in the song are bass drones-- the same note repeated over and over-- done in counterpoint to the melody. They are easy to play, as they seldom change, and they add a richness to the sound that just makes the song.
A few words of warning:
1. Due to an apparent glitch in the program, some of the strummed chords may sound louder than the rest of the notes, depending on your computer. They are NOT supposed to be louder. This does not happen when playing an actual guitar, so not to worry.
2. I neglected to write instructions to slow down a bit for the finale, so MJ programmed the song exactly the way I wrote it. Trouble is, I can't play it that fast! It definitely sounds good that way, but don't worry if you have to slow down a bit at the end. Just don't slow down so much that it drags, and you'll be fine. MJ tells me he can't play it that fast, either. Hooray for computers!
3. Remember, this is not supposed to be an easy song to play, so don't feel bad if you don't get it down perfectly, right away. But do practice until you can make it sound easy-- audiences love it.
Go ahead and comment if you like the MP3, especially if it helps you learn the song. MJ is programming these MP3s for free, and I really want him to know how much his efforts are appreciated.
For those who wonder why I put in all those "extra" notes, this MP3 will show you why. About half the notes in the song are bass drones-- the same note repeated over and over-- done in counterpoint to the melody. They are easy to play, as they seldom change, and they add a richness to the sound that just makes the song.
A few words of warning:
1. Due to an apparent glitch in the program, some of the strummed chords may sound louder than the rest of the notes, depending on your computer. They are NOT supposed to be louder. This does not happen when playing an actual guitar, so not to worry.
2. I neglected to write instructions to slow down a bit for the finale, so MJ programmed the song exactly the way I wrote it. Trouble is, I can't play it that fast! It definitely sounds good that way, but don't worry if you have to slow down a bit at the end. Just don't slow down so much that it drags, and you'll be fine. MJ tells me he can't play it that fast, either. Hooray for computers!
3. Remember, this is not supposed to be an easy song to play, so don't feel bad if you don't get it down perfectly, right away. But do practice until you can make it sound easy-- audiences love it.
Go ahead and comment if you like the MP3, especially if it helps you learn the song. MJ is programming these MP3s for free, and I really want him to know how much his efforts are appreciated.
The Day Dawn Is Breaking
There are no hard chords in this song. Although G7addF may look odd, it's rather easy to play. It's just like a normal G7, except you have to add the F note on the fourth string, with your little finger. The only really difficult part is getting the whole song up to speed. It sounds OK played slowly, so you can play it anywhere from half speed to as posted, if you are playing it as an instrumental solo. If you intend to sing it or accompany singers, the guitar part needs to be played at the metronome speed listed on the tab.
This is the same speed called for in the hymnal, and it IS fast. I recommend that you practice it at half speed until you can play it perfectly, before attempting to increase the speed. That's how I learned it.
If you have trouble with barre chords, you may be tempted to substitute the regular F and G chords for the barred FI and GIII. If you do, the chords may not follow the melody, and, at the end of the verse, the alternate transition: F - G - C will actually be slower than the FI - GIII - C as written. An acceptable compromise, if you just cannot do barre chords at all, is to play the regular F, then slide it up two frets for an alternative G, thus: F = xx3211, G = xx5433. While this does not give as full a sound, or follow the melody perfectly, it is as fast as using the full barre chords, and does give an idea of the melody.
This song is in the public domain.
This is the same speed called for in the hymnal, and it IS fast. I recommend that you practice it at half speed until you can play it perfectly, before attempting to increase the speed. That's how I learned it.
If you have trouble with barre chords, you may be tempted to substitute the regular F and G chords for the barred FI and GIII. If you do, the chords may not follow the melody, and, at the end of the verse, the alternate transition: F - G - C will actually be slower than the FI - GIII - C as written. An acceptable compromise, if you just cannot do barre chords at all, is to play the regular F, then slide it up two frets for an alternative G, thus: F = xx3211, G = xx5433. While this does not give as full a sound, or follow the melody perfectly, it is as fast as using the full barre chords, and does give an idea of the melody.
This song is in the public domain.
For those who do not speak Spanish
The previous post was written in Spanish for the benefit of my many Latino readers. It tells them how to use this site to find the Spanish lyrics to the hymns published here. English is still the normal language of this blog, but I want to recognize that more than half of Church members worldwide speak Spanish. Rather than clutter the blog with links to each tab in both languages, I wrote a translation table. If you want to know the Spanish name of any of the hymns in the Spanish-language version of Hymns, you can look it up in the link, "Himnos y Hymns," or just click here. You may not find the hymn you are looking for, as over a hundred of the English hymns have not been translated, while 21 appear only in Spanish.
Himnos y Hymns
¡Bienvenidos! mís amigos hispanohablantes.
La mayoría de los himnos que les escriben en este sitio les escriben en inglés, pero la música no cambia mucho de una idioma a la otra. Pero, la programa buscadora de este sitio les buscara solo por sus nombres ingleses. Entonces, he provecho una lista de los nombres de los himnos en todos los dos idiomas. Para verla haz click aquí, o busca el link que se llama “Himnos y Hymns.”
La lista esta en dos partes: ordenado alfabeticamente por el nombe español, y también por el numero del himno.
Para el guitarista, se debe cambiar los nombres de las acuerdas de las letras (del estilo inglés) por los nombres del estilo español, de la siguente forma:
do = C, re = D, mi = E, fa = F, sol = G, la = A, ti = B
Todas las otras partes de los nombres de las acuerdas no cambian:
Do#m7 = C#m7, etc.
La mayoría de los himnos que les escriben en este sitio les escriben en inglés, pero la música no cambia mucho de una idioma a la otra. Pero, la programa buscadora de este sitio les buscara solo por sus nombres ingleses. Entonces, he provecho una lista de los nombres de los himnos en todos los dos idiomas. Para verla haz click aquí, o busca el link que se llama “Himnos y Hymns.”
La lista esta en dos partes: ordenado alfabeticamente por el nombe español, y también por el numero del himno.
Para el guitarista, se debe cambiar los nombres de las acuerdas de las letras (del estilo inglés) por los nombres del estilo español, de la siguente forma:
do = C, re = D, mi = E, fa = F, sol = G, la = A, ti = B
Todas las otras partes de los nombres de las acuerdas no cambian:
Do#m7 = C#m7, etc.
Sing We Now At Parting
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.
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!
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