Let Us All Press On -- 2nd Tali update
Well, she's had her second lesson. Even though she is not really up to speed on the "rank beginner" version, I've started her on a modification of the regular version. She's learning the chords and ligadoes, but I'm not insisting that she play hammer-ons from a pinch, as her little finger isn't really strong enough yet. But she picked up the hammer-ons and pull-offs right away, and is learning the chords. She'll have a much easier time playing chords when she buys her own guitar. She has extremely short fingers, not the best with my old flamenco guitar. The soft tension is great for a beginner, and the tone is not bad, but it has the widest neck of any guitar I've ever owned! I'm letting her use it, because I don't want her to go out and buy a guitar until she can play well enough to know when a guitar feels "right" for her. Today, she asked to borrow my Cervantes, to see if she likes it better--and she does, of course! Small wonder-- it cost about ten times as much!
Let Us All Press On-- for absolute beginners
“Easy” doesn’t even begin to describe this song. It’s the easiest hymn I’ve ever arranged. As I was working on this hymn, and noticing how easy it is to play, my daughter Tali called to ask if I would teach her to play the guitar. She mentioned that she is particularly interested in “eventually” learning to play the hymns. I don’t believe in coincidences.
Since Tali has never played the guitar at all, or any other stringed instrument, I decided to see just how simple I could make it. With very little effort, I was able to eliminate not only all the barre chords, but all chords entirely! There are a couple of pinches, and that’s it. So, this will be Tali’s very first song to learn on the guitar. How’s that for easy?
To make the song playable by a brand-new guitarist, I also left out all advanced techniques, such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. This does make the song sound a bit choppy, so I am including my original version, with chords and ligadoes. The melody is the same for either version. There are a few “extra” bass notes in both versions, but they are included in the original arrangement, as found in Hymns.
The original is already in the key of C, so I didn’t even have to transpose it. I left out some of the harmony notes, and recast the tempo as 8/8, to simplify counting. It almost seems like it was written for guitar on purpose. This hymn was in the public domain, so copyright was not a problem. I’m including links for both versions, but the Study guide is only for the beginner’s version. The other is easy enough for most beginners, without special instructions.
Study guide (beginner’s version)
This guide is meant to be read one measure at a time, while playing the notes on the guitar. Trying to just read through it, without playing the guitar, will likely confuse you if you are a beginner. If you are not a beginner, why are you playing this simplified version?
The song begins with a partial-measure lead-in. A hammer-on sounds really good here. Get someone to show you how to do one, if you are not an absolute beginner. The metronome setting of 100 will show you how fast to play the song, once you have it memorized. Don’t try to play it that fast initially! Start slow, then build up speed later. Each metronome tick equals two counts.
The first three notes in measure [1] take two counts each, but the last two notes take only one each. Notes that take two counts are called quarter-notes, while those that take only one count are called eighth-notes. The two eighth-notes at the end of the measure lead into measure [2], which is nearly all eighth-notes. When finger-picking successive notes on the same string, as in measure [2], it is useful to play them with alternating fingers of the right hand, for speed. If you are playing them with a pick, alternate down-strokes and up-strokes of the pick.
Measures [3] and [4] repeat this pattern of one measure of nearly all quarter-notes, followed by a measure of nearly all eighth-notes. Measures [5] and [6] repeat it again, as do [7] and [8]. Measure [6] contains a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the index finger, and the third space on the 4th string (the D string), with the ring finger. Play the pinch in measure [8] similarly, but notice that the ring finger will be fretting the third space on the 5th string (the A string).
The first measure of the chorus is a bit tricky. It begins with a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the ring finger, and the third space on the 6th string (the E string), with the middle finger. This pinch, and the next note, are quarter-notes, but the rest are eighth-notes. Those “extra” notes on the D string are not part of the melody as sung, but they are called out in the hymnal, for the instrument to play. I recommend that you count this measure out loud, until you can play it fluently.
Measure [10] is much easier, but you will have to alternate the right-hand fingers (or up-down pick strokes) as you did in measure [2]. Measure [11] contains no surprises, and [12] is all eighth-notes. Measure [13] and [14] repeat this pattern, and [15] is all eighth-notes, too. Again, the two bass notes on the 5th string (the A string) in measure [15] may seem like they don’t belong, as they are not part of the melody, but they do appear in Hymns.
The last measure is a little bit different. It begins with a pinch, and the tempo slows down, so you have to hold the pinched notes a bit longer than usual, even though they are eighth-notes. Then play the final four notes of the measure on the 4th (D) string, and hold the final quarter-note as long as you can. The last two counts of the measure are in parentheses, because you do not count them if you are going to play a second verse. Instead, substitute the first two notes of the lead-in at the beginning of the song. That’s why the notes of the lead-in are counted “7, 8” instead of “1, 2”. Only the last time around do you continue the count to the end of measure [15].
Since Tali has never played the guitar at all, or any other stringed instrument, I decided to see just how simple I could make it. With very little effort, I was able to eliminate not only all the barre chords, but all chords entirely! There are a couple of pinches, and that’s it. So, this will be Tali’s very first song to learn on the guitar. How’s that for easy?
To make the song playable by a brand-new guitarist, I also left out all advanced techniques, such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. This does make the song sound a bit choppy, so I am including my original version, with chords and ligadoes. The melody is the same for either version. There are a few “extra” bass notes in both versions, but they are included in the original arrangement, as found in Hymns.
The original is already in the key of C, so I didn’t even have to transpose it. I left out some of the harmony notes, and recast the tempo as 8/8, to simplify counting. It almost seems like it was written for guitar on purpose. This hymn was in the public domain, so copyright was not a problem. I’m including links for both versions, but the Study guide is only for the beginner’s version. The other is easy enough for most beginners, without special instructions.
Study guide (beginner’s version)
This guide is meant to be read one measure at a time, while playing the notes on the guitar. Trying to just read through it, without playing the guitar, will likely confuse you if you are a beginner. If you are not a beginner, why are you playing this simplified version?
The song begins with a partial-measure lead-in. A hammer-on sounds really good here. Get someone to show you how to do one, if you are not an absolute beginner. The metronome setting of 100 will show you how fast to play the song, once you have it memorized. Don’t try to play it that fast initially! Start slow, then build up speed later. Each metronome tick equals two counts.
The first three notes in measure [1] take two counts each, but the last two notes take only one each. Notes that take two counts are called quarter-notes, while those that take only one count are called eighth-notes. The two eighth-notes at the end of the measure lead into measure [2], which is nearly all eighth-notes. When finger-picking successive notes on the same string, as in measure [2], it is useful to play them with alternating fingers of the right hand, for speed. If you are playing them with a pick, alternate down-strokes and up-strokes of the pick.
Measures [3] and [4] repeat this pattern of one measure of nearly all quarter-notes, followed by a measure of nearly all eighth-notes. Measures [5] and [6] repeat it again, as do [7] and [8]. Measure [6] contains a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the index finger, and the third space on the 4th string (the D string), with the ring finger. Play the pinch in measure [8] similarly, but notice that the ring finger will be fretting the third space on the 5th string (the A string).
The first measure of the chorus is a bit tricky. It begins with a pinch. Fret the third space on the 2nd string (the B string) with the ring finger, and the third space on the 6th string (the E string), with the middle finger. This pinch, and the next note, are quarter-notes, but the rest are eighth-notes. Those “extra” notes on the D string are not part of the melody as sung, but they are called out in the hymnal, for the instrument to play. I recommend that you count this measure out loud, until you can play it fluently.
Measure [10] is much easier, but you will have to alternate the right-hand fingers (or up-down pick strokes) as you did in measure [2]. Measure [11] contains no surprises, and [12] is all eighth-notes. Measure [13] and [14] repeat this pattern, and [15] is all eighth-notes, too. Again, the two bass notes on the 5th string (the A string) in measure [15] may seem like they don’t belong, as they are not part of the melody, but they do appear in Hymns.
The last measure is a little bit different. It begins with a pinch, and the tempo slows down, so you have to hold the pinched notes a bit longer than usual, even though they are eighth-notes. Then play the final four notes of the measure on the 4th (D) string, and hold the final quarter-note as long as you can. The last two counts of the measure are in parentheses, because you do not count them if you are going to play a second verse. Instead, substitute the first two notes of the lead-in at the beginning of the song. That’s why the notes of the lead-in are counted “7, 8” instead of “1, 2”. Only the last time around do you continue the count to the end of measure [15].
Joseph Smith's First Prayer (Oh How Lovely Was the Morning)
An EASY and BEAUTIFUL arrangement. EASY and BEAUTIFUL don’t often coincide, but this time, they do. Of the six chords in the charts, three are C, A, and G7. The others are easier than normal, because no notes are found on the #1 string when these chords are played. There are NO BARRE CHORDS at all, not even the F/C.
Because it’s so easy, you may be tempted to play it faster than specified. Trust me; it sounds better slow. Remember, that’s 80 quarter-notes per minute, so each beat of the metronome equals two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. In the hymnal, this song is listed as 4/4 tempo, but I have recast it as 8/8, to simplify the counting. As tabbed, all notes are eighth-notes.
You may wish to add other verses, with chords, key changes, and reprises, as in Dennis Crocket’s lovely piano arrangement. You can do what you like; the hymn’s in public domain.
Complete, line-by-line instructions:
Begin with a partial measure lead-in. If you’re counting measures, begin with the first complete measure. The lead-in consists of a hammer-on on the fourth string. Position your fingers for the C chord, then perform the hammer-on with the pinkie. This sets up your hand perfectly for the following measure. You can play the lead-in as two separate notes, if the hammer-on is hard for you. In fact, you can treat all of the hammer-ons in the song as separate notes if you wish, but they’ll sound better as hammer-ons.
Continue to hold this chord shape with the left hand until it is time to change to G7 in measure [2]. You’ll have plenty of time to make the chord change, as the last note in C and the first note in G7 are both played on open (un-fretted) strings. Release the G7 while playing the open notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, setting up the hammer-on that ends the measure. This eases the transition to the GaddD chord in measure [3]. The change back to G7 is a bit fast, but it’s not difficult, and the switch back to C is easy, as you are playing on open strings during the change.
The end of this measure and all of measure [5] duplicate the lead-in and measure [1], and measure [6] is almost the same as measure [2]. The bass strings are played in order (6-5-4), and it’s easy to play all three with the thumb, in a slow strum, rather than playing just the 6th string with the thumb and plucking the others with the fingers, as would normally be done.
All this repetition makes the first two lines really easy to play, and you’ll notice that many other riffs, and even entire measures, are repeated throughout the song. Measures [7] and [8], are the almost the only unique ones in the song. I strongly recommend that you play the hammer-on in [7] as a hammer-on, even if you avoid all the others in the song.
In measures [9] and [11], you don’t actually have to play an A-shape to play the A chord. Just flatten the middle finger across the 3rd and 4th strings, briefly, then lift the finger off the strings and play them again, open, giving plenty of time to switch to the following C. The rhythm of measure [12] is very similar to that of [5], even though the actual notes are different.
Measure [13] is a new form, with a five-string run from the 1st string to the 5th. If you try to pluck the strings with your fingers, you will run out of fingers before you run out of strings, as the right hand pinky is not used. If you strum the strings UP, your hand will be out of place for the last two notes of the measure. The solution is to strum UP the first three strings with the middle finger, reserving the index and thumb for the 4th and 5th strings respectively. Then you can play the whole measure without a break.
Measure [14] is one of only two “difficult” measures in the song, as there’s a quick chord change from G7 to F/C. The good news is that the 1st string is not played for either of these chords, and the 2nd string is played open until the last note, which is a hammer-on. Since you are only actually fretting three strings, a bit of practice should get this transition smooth.
Measure [15] is very similar to [13]. Since only four strings are involved, simply pluck each string separately: ring finger - middle finger - index finger - thumb. You don’t have to play the G7-shape, as there are only two notes, and one of them is on a open string. I just fret the 6th string with my pinkie, then slow-strum the five-string run in the last measure.
There’s a quick movement of the left hand required between the third and fourth notes of the final measure, which may take a bit of practice. I barre the 1st and 2nd strings with my left pinkie. It’s a bit of a quick reach to the eighth fret, but the 3rd string is played open, which gives a bit more time for the movement. It’s not really a chord change, as the notes are included in the C chord, just one octave higher.
There are only six notes in this measure, but the 8/8 time signature remains unchanged. The two-note lead-in will be the last two notes of the final measure, if you play a second verse. That’s why the time in the lead-in measure is counted, “7, 8” even though it begins the song.
These instructions are rather detailed, but the playing goes quickly. I recommend that you play several verses, altering the tempo for emphasis, and reprise the last five measures.
Because it’s so easy, you may be tempted to play it faster than specified. Trust me; it sounds better slow. Remember, that’s 80 quarter-notes per minute, so each beat of the metronome equals two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. In the hymnal, this song is listed as 4/4 tempo, but I have recast it as 8/8, to simplify the counting. As tabbed, all notes are eighth-notes.
You may wish to add other verses, with chords, key changes, and reprises, as in Dennis Crocket’s lovely piano arrangement. You can do what you like; the hymn’s in public domain.
Complete, line-by-line instructions:
Begin with a partial measure lead-in. If you’re counting measures, begin with the first complete measure. The lead-in consists of a hammer-on on the fourth string. Position your fingers for the C chord, then perform the hammer-on with the pinkie. This sets up your hand perfectly for the following measure. You can play the lead-in as two separate notes, if the hammer-on is hard for you. In fact, you can treat all of the hammer-ons in the song as separate notes if you wish, but they’ll sound better as hammer-ons.
Continue to hold this chord shape with the left hand until it is time to change to G7 in measure [2]. You’ll have plenty of time to make the chord change, as the last note in C and the first note in G7 are both played on open (un-fretted) strings. Release the G7 while playing the open notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, setting up the hammer-on that ends the measure. This eases the transition to the GaddD chord in measure [3]. The change back to G7 is a bit fast, but it’s not difficult, and the switch back to C is easy, as you are playing on open strings during the change.
The end of this measure and all of measure [5] duplicate the lead-in and measure [1], and measure [6] is almost the same as measure [2]. The bass strings are played in order (6-5-4), and it’s easy to play all three with the thumb, in a slow strum, rather than playing just the 6th string with the thumb and plucking the others with the fingers, as would normally be done.
All this repetition makes the first two lines really easy to play, and you’ll notice that many other riffs, and even entire measures, are repeated throughout the song. Measures [7] and [8], are the almost the only unique ones in the song. I strongly recommend that you play the hammer-on in [7] as a hammer-on, even if you avoid all the others in the song.
In measures [9] and [11], you don’t actually have to play an A-shape to play the A chord. Just flatten the middle finger across the 3rd and 4th strings, briefly, then lift the finger off the strings and play them again, open, giving plenty of time to switch to the following C. The rhythm of measure [12] is very similar to that of [5], even though the actual notes are different.
Measure [13] is a new form, with a five-string run from the 1st string to the 5th. If you try to pluck the strings with your fingers, you will run out of fingers before you run out of strings, as the right hand pinky is not used. If you strum the strings UP, your hand will be out of place for the last two notes of the measure. The solution is to strum UP the first three strings with the middle finger, reserving the index and thumb for the 4th and 5th strings respectively. Then you can play the whole measure without a break.
Measure [14] is one of only two “difficult” measures in the song, as there’s a quick chord change from G7 to F/C. The good news is that the 1st string is not played for either of these chords, and the 2nd string is played open until the last note, which is a hammer-on. Since you are only actually fretting three strings, a bit of practice should get this transition smooth.
Measure [15] is very similar to [13]. Since only four strings are involved, simply pluck each string separately: ring finger - middle finger - index finger - thumb. You don’t have to play the G7-shape, as there are only two notes, and one of them is on a open string. I just fret the 6th string with my pinkie, then slow-strum the five-string run in the last measure.
There’s a quick movement of the left hand required between the third and fourth notes of the final measure, which may take a bit of practice. I barre the 1st and 2nd strings with my left pinkie. It’s a bit of a quick reach to the eighth fret, but the 3rd string is played open, which gives a bit more time for the movement. It’s not really a chord change, as the notes are included in the C chord, just one octave higher.
There are only six notes in this measure, but the 8/8 time signature remains unchanged. The two-note lead-in will be the last two notes of the final measure, if you play a second verse. That’s why the time in the lead-in measure is counted, “7, 8” even though it begins the song.
These instructions are rather detailed, but the playing goes quickly. I recommend that you play several verses, altering the tempo for emphasis, and reprise the last five measures.
Why the new look?
I didn't want it, but Blogger changed everything, for some reason, and this is the closest I could get to the old blog. The functionality, as far as the user is concerned, remains the same, but there's a new learning curve for me. I don't like companies that pull the rug out from under you with no warning, explanation, or apology, and am investigating other options. For now tho, I'll try to keep everything as close to the same as I can. Don
Love Me Tender
No, it’s not a hymn, nor even a religious song. But it is about eternal love, and that is also Gospel-friendly. It’s been a long time since I’ve included a love song. My excuse for this one is that it was first performed 55 years ago this week.
Let’s get this straight: I am an Elvis fan, but I must tell the truth. Despite his name in the credits, Elvis Presley did not write this song. The tune was first published in 1861, as a Civil War ballad called Aura Lea, by George R. Poulton, with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. Over the next hundred years, it generated several popular versions with different lyrics. In 1956, songwriter Ken Darby created yet another set of lyrics to the old tune, for the 20th Century Fox movie, The Reno Brothers, in which the young Elvis Presley played a part. Elvis first performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show, on September 9, 1956, as a plug for his upcoming movie. He was not yet known for singing ballads, and neither the movie trailer nor the advance copies of the record had yet been released. So popular was his crooning, however, that one day later the record had sold a million reserved copies, earning a gold record in a single day's sales, before even one copy was released! 20th Century Fox changed the title of the movie to Love Me Tender, to take advantage of this astounding publicity, but still killed off Elvis’ character in the last act.
Although Elvis had no part in writing the lyrics, and the music was in the public domain, he was given equal credit as co-writer, because his contract required it. (Elvis did not actually write any of the songs he recorded.) In a fit of pique, Darby transferred his part of the credit to his wife, Vera Matson, “because she didn’t write it either.” Elvis was well-known as a tyrant in the recording studio, too. Ironically, he made so many last-minute changes to the arrangement and the lyrics of this song, that his credits as songwriter may have been partially justified after all.
PLAYING THE SONG
The metronome setting is for quarter-notes, but I have recast the piece in 8/8 time, instead of 4/4, to make the counting easier. So remember, each tick of the metronome represents two counts.
Nearly all the chords in this song are variants of D, E, and A. If you wish, you can just play those three chords, and it’ll sound okay, but you’ll miss all the cool harmonies. If even “The King,” with his gorgeous voice, needed to add bass and harmony, the rest of us will need to also. Unlike 99 percent of the songs on this blog, this one is intended to accompany a singer. If you don’t have the voice for it, find someone who does.
Strum all the chords with your thumb, or with a soft flat-pick, for the mellowest sound you can get. If you have looked up the chords to this song on other Internet sites, you will notice I have included several additional chords. If you listen to any of Elvis’ actual recordings, you will note that HE always included the “extra” chords too. You can dumb it down if you want to, but it will show. Elvis used the barre chords, which you’ll see if you watch him play this piece on any You-Tubes of his early TV appearances. Or, listen to the chords played by his backup musicians. Like many other really beautiful songs, this one sounds a lot simpler than it really is.
The song is played in a hesitation rhythm: / one-and-two-(and)-three-and-four-(and)- /. The second and fourth notes of each measure are accented, and the intermediate notes following them are not played at all. True, it would be simpler to play this in straight 4/4 time, with an alternating bass note, and that’s how most guitarists do it, but it’s NOT how Elvis or his sidemen played it! I tried writing out the count as / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / but it got too confusing, so I recast it as 8/8 instead. Purists may grumble, but it’s lots easier to figure out that way.
All the chords are quite ordinary for any intermediate guitarist who is used to playing barre chords, with the possible exception of the DII in the second finale. You may find this chord difficult, though it’s just a barred C-shape. If you like, just play the normal D in Finale 1, then repeat and fade. That’s how Elvis’ sidemen did it, while he held the last note with his voice. This emphasizes the voice, at the expense of the guitar, and is great, IF, like Elvis, you have the voice for it. I don’t, so I use Finale 2 to cover.
Let’s get this straight: I am an Elvis fan, but I must tell the truth. Despite his name in the credits, Elvis Presley did not write this song. The tune was first published in 1861, as a Civil War ballad called Aura Lea, by George R. Poulton, with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. Over the next hundred years, it generated several popular versions with different lyrics. In 1956, songwriter Ken Darby created yet another set of lyrics to the old tune, for the 20th Century Fox movie, The Reno Brothers, in which the young Elvis Presley played a part. Elvis first performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show, on September 9, 1956, as a plug for his upcoming movie. He was not yet known for singing ballads, and neither the movie trailer nor the advance copies of the record had yet been released. So popular was his crooning, however, that one day later the record had sold a million reserved copies, earning a gold record in a single day's sales, before even one copy was released! 20th Century Fox changed the title of the movie to Love Me Tender, to take advantage of this astounding publicity, but still killed off Elvis’ character in the last act.
Although Elvis had no part in writing the lyrics, and the music was in the public domain, he was given equal credit as co-writer, because his contract required it. (Elvis did not actually write any of the songs he recorded.) In a fit of pique, Darby transferred his part of the credit to his wife, Vera Matson, “because she didn’t write it either.” Elvis was well-known as a tyrant in the recording studio, too. Ironically, he made so many last-minute changes to the arrangement and the lyrics of this song, that his credits as songwriter may have been partially justified after all.
PLAYING THE SONG
The metronome setting is for quarter-notes, but I have recast the piece in 8/8 time, instead of 4/4, to make the counting easier. So remember, each tick of the metronome represents two counts.
Nearly all the chords in this song are variants of D, E, and A. If you wish, you can just play those three chords, and it’ll sound okay, but you’ll miss all the cool harmonies. If even “The King,” with his gorgeous voice, needed to add bass and harmony, the rest of us will need to also. Unlike 99 percent of the songs on this blog, this one is intended to accompany a singer. If you don’t have the voice for it, find someone who does.
Strum all the chords with your thumb, or with a soft flat-pick, for the mellowest sound you can get. If you have looked up the chords to this song on other Internet sites, you will notice I have included several additional chords. If you listen to any of Elvis’ actual recordings, you will note that HE always included the “extra” chords too. You can dumb it down if you want to, but it will show. Elvis used the barre chords, which you’ll see if you watch him play this piece on any You-Tubes of his early TV appearances. Or, listen to the chords played by his backup musicians. Like many other really beautiful songs, this one sounds a lot simpler than it really is.
The song is played in a hesitation rhythm: / one-and-two-(and)-three-and-four-(and)- /. The second and fourth notes of each measure are accented, and the intermediate notes following them are not played at all. True, it would be simpler to play this in straight 4/4 time, with an alternating bass note, and that’s how most guitarists do it, but it’s NOT how Elvis or his sidemen played it! I tried writing out the count as / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / but it got too confusing, so I recast it as 8/8 instead. Purists may grumble, but it’s lots easier to figure out that way.
All the chords are quite ordinary for any intermediate guitarist who is used to playing barre chords, with the possible exception of the DII in the second finale. You may find this chord difficult, though it’s just a barred C-shape. If you like, just play the normal D in Finale 1, then repeat and fade. That’s how Elvis’ sidemen did it, while he held the last note with his voice. This emphasizes the voice, at the expense of the guitar, and is great, IF, like Elvis, you have the voice for it. I don’t, so I use Finale 2 to cover.
Abide With Me!
Originally, I tabbed this as all chords, but soon found that playing the chords as a modified pattern-pick was much easier. For this reason, the chords called out in the tab are for reference only. Do not strum them. Play only the individual notes as shown. There are only two strummed chords, toward the very end of the song, as shown by the wiggly line to the left of each chord.
The song is written in 4/4 time, but I have recast it as 8/8, to make counting easier. The metronome count is still listed for quarter-notes, as is standard. That is, each tick of the metronome counts for two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. If you find this confusing, practice without the metronome. Since this is a guitar solo, it won’t matter if your timing is imperfect.
In classical guitar, the fingers of the right hand are labelled p-i-m-a, for the initials of the Spanish words, Pulgar, Indicio, Medio, and Anulario. (“Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring”) The p-i-m-a notations below the lyrics tell you which finger of the right hand to use when you play each note. Most measures begin with the ring finger (“a”), then play the bass note with the thumb (“p”). The next two strings are played with the m and a fingers respectively. So the pattern is not only which strings are played, but also which fingers are used: a-p-i-m-a-i-m-i in the first measure.
The pattern is modified in the next measure: a-p-i-m-a-p-i-m, and again in the third verse: a-i-m-i-m-i-m-i. So the finger pattern and the string pattern are both constantly changing. It makes the song harder to learn (if you are not used to playing fingerstyle or classical guitar), but it actually makes the song easier to perform. I don’t normally specify the right hand fingering, figuring that each guitarist has his or her own preferences. You don’t have to use my fingering, but it’s the easiest way I have found to play the notes called out in this tab.
In the third measure, you need only play the first three strings, which makes the Fv chord much easier to play. You only have to barre three strings, and you can play the chord without stretching your hand. Unfortunately, the Fv in the sixth measure is not nearly so easy to play. You have to play all five strings, using all four fingers, and it’s a stretch to reach the F note on the fifth string with the little finger, especially if you have short fingers, as I do. But the note is necessary for the melody, and the chord shape allows for a quick change to the following CIII.
At the end of the second line, the “7th” note of the G7III chord is fretted with the little finger, producing a sound often found in the Blues. You can even bend the note a bit, if you wish, by stretching the string slightly, to make it sound even more “Blues-y”. This same chord shows up again in the third measure of the next line, where it’s even easier to play. This second time, you only have to play the 1st, 2nd, and 6th strings. If you have a narrow-neck guitar, you can wrap your hand around the neck and fret the 6th string with your thumb, eliminating the barre altogether.
I play a classical guitar, and my fingers are short, so I use the barre version, which makes it super simple to change to the following G7III chord. Hold this chord with the left hand until the last two measures of the song. You don’t actually have to change for the CIII chord, as you can just flatten your fingers briefly to fret the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings.
Play ALL the notes in the next-to-last measure with the thumb (p), as a slow strum, on just the strings indicated. Then, strum all six strings and let it ring. It will sound like a chord change, even though you have not moved your left hand at all!
This song is in the public domain.
The song is written in 4/4 time, but I have recast it as 8/8, to make counting easier. The metronome count is still listed for quarter-notes, as is standard. That is, each tick of the metronome counts for two of the eighth-notes shown in the tab. If you find this confusing, practice without the metronome. Since this is a guitar solo, it won’t matter if your timing is imperfect.
In classical guitar, the fingers of the right hand are labelled p-i-m-a, for the initials of the Spanish words, Pulgar, Indicio, Medio, and Anulario. (“Thumb, Index, Middle, and Ring”) The p-i-m-a notations below the lyrics tell you which finger of the right hand to use when you play each note. Most measures begin with the ring finger (“a”), then play the bass note with the thumb (“p”). The next two strings are played with the m and a fingers respectively. So the pattern is not only which strings are played, but also which fingers are used: a-p-i-m-a-i-m-i in the first measure.
The pattern is modified in the next measure: a-p-i-m-a-p-i-m, and again in the third verse: a-i-m-i-m-i-m-i. So the finger pattern and the string pattern are both constantly changing. It makes the song harder to learn (if you are not used to playing fingerstyle or classical guitar), but it actually makes the song easier to perform. I don’t normally specify the right hand fingering, figuring that each guitarist has his or her own preferences. You don’t have to use my fingering, but it’s the easiest way I have found to play the notes called out in this tab.
In the third measure, you need only play the first three strings, which makes the Fv chord much easier to play. You only have to barre three strings, and you can play the chord without stretching your hand. Unfortunately, the Fv in the sixth measure is not nearly so easy to play. You have to play all five strings, using all four fingers, and it’s a stretch to reach the F note on the fifth string with the little finger, especially if you have short fingers, as I do. But the note is necessary for the melody, and the chord shape allows for a quick change to the following CIII.
At the end of the second line, the “7th” note of the G7III chord is fretted with the little finger, producing a sound often found in the Blues. You can even bend the note a bit, if you wish, by stretching the string slightly, to make it sound even more “Blues-y”. This same chord shows up again in the third measure of the next line, where it’s even easier to play. This second time, you only have to play the 1st, 2nd, and 6th strings. If you have a narrow-neck guitar, you can wrap your hand around the neck and fret the 6th string with your thumb, eliminating the barre altogether.
I play a classical guitar, and my fingers are short, so I use the barre version, which makes it super simple to change to the following G7III chord. Hold this chord with the left hand until the last two measures of the song. You don’t actually have to change for the CIII chord, as you can just flatten your fingers briefly to fret the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings.
Play ALL the notes in the next-to-last measure with the thumb (p), as a slow strum, on just the strings indicated. Then, strum all six strings and let it ring. It will sound like a chord change, even though you have not moved your left hand at all!
This song is in the public domain.
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Here it is, just in time for Pioneer Day!
The fanfare is really one of the easiest parts of the song to play, if the CVIII chord doesn’t bother you. It’s just a barred-E shape-- the most common barre chord and probably the easiest to play. Here’s a trick for playing the fanfare fast: for the first measure, play the fourth, third, and second strings with the index, middle, and ring fingers respectively. Then switch and for the rest of the pattern, play the third, second, and first strings with the index, middle, and ring fingers. Use the thumb to play the bass notes of each pinch, regardless of which string it’s on. Repeat the whole pattern. Practice it slowly at first, using a metronome (HERE) until you get it right, then work up to speed, or the rhythm will suffer, and it’ll never sound right at speed. Played fast and in perfect rhythm, the fanfare sounds awesome. That’s why the Tabernacle Choir uses it. If you have trouble with the timing, listen to their version a few times (HERE). You will notice that my version of the fanfare is simpler.
For the verse, I use the timing of the hymnal, not the Choir’s “hesitation” version, which doesn’t sound so good on the guitar. There’s a tempo change from 6/8 to 8/8. But I have left out the counting numbers. It’s just too confusing with all the dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes. You know how it’s supposed to sound. For the same reason, I do NOT advise practicing the rest of this piece with a metronome-- you’ll be off rhythm half the time.
All three of the verses can be played the same, but it sounds way better if you make the following changes: for the first verse (and chorus), play as written, ignoring the light-face notes in parentheses. Exception: DO play the boldface notes in parentheses in measure [16]. For the second verse, strum some or all of the chords that you pinched in the first verse, but otherwise play it exactly the same. On the final verse, DO play the lightface notes (except in measure [16]), and follow the instructions for “last time”. The instruction to use “lots of expression” means to use lots of tremolo, changes in speed and volume, and pauses for emphasis, to express the way you are feeling when you play it.
The last time through, on the chorus, be sure to put in the notes for “truth is march-ing.” In measure [10], do NOT play the boldface note on the second string. In measure [12], DO play the boldface note on the fourth string. I know it’s confusing, but I couldn’t think of any other way to tab it without tabbing the whole third chorus separately. I could have done that, of course, but then the tab wouldn’t fit on a standard music stand. Repeat measure [12] for emphasis. It’ll remind the audience of the Tabernacle Choir version again. It’ll lose effectiveness if you do it every time, so only repeat this measure on the last chorus.
The final “A-men” is also borrowed from the Tabernacle Choir; it’s not in the hymnal. You can play it as written, but an interesting variation is to strum the chords using the tremolo strum. Strum down with the middle finger (or middle and ring fingers), then up with the thumb, rotating the wrist back and forth rapidly for speed. Done rapidly, this sounds like a continuous drum roll. It's not technically difficult, but sustaining it requires practice. Instead of playing the single note between the two syllables of "A - men," tremolo-strum the FI chord on all strings except the #1 string. Then shift the strum to include the #1 string, and omit the #6 string. Then slide the whole chord quickly to the VIII fret, for the final CVIII chord, without pausing or slowing the strum. Continue the tremolo-strum for an additional few counts, if you like. Don't miss any beats, as they will be terribly obvious to the audience, and there's no recovery.
For those who don’t like barre chords, you can play this hymn easily without them, by making a few, easy substitutions. Wherever you see a barre chord, just substitute the regular chord of the same name. Leave out the bass notes of each of the pinches in the fanfare, and play only the treble notes of the “A-men.” Play them with LOTS of left-hand tremolo, by wiggling your finger along the length of the fretboard. Stay within the fret, and wiggle rapidly. This will also help to sustain the final note, which you want to hold as long as you can.
The fanfare is really one of the easiest parts of the song to play, if the CVIII chord doesn’t bother you. It’s just a barred-E shape-- the most common barre chord and probably the easiest to play. Here’s a trick for playing the fanfare fast: for the first measure, play the fourth, third, and second strings with the index, middle, and ring fingers respectively. Then switch and for the rest of the pattern, play the third, second, and first strings with the index, middle, and ring fingers. Use the thumb to play the bass notes of each pinch, regardless of which string it’s on. Repeat the whole pattern. Practice it slowly at first, using a metronome (HERE) until you get it right, then work up to speed, or the rhythm will suffer, and it’ll never sound right at speed. Played fast and in perfect rhythm, the fanfare sounds awesome. That’s why the Tabernacle Choir uses it. If you have trouble with the timing, listen to their version a few times (HERE). You will notice that my version of the fanfare is simpler.
For the verse, I use the timing of the hymnal, not the Choir’s “hesitation” version, which doesn’t sound so good on the guitar. There’s a tempo change from 6/8 to 8/8. But I have left out the counting numbers. It’s just too confusing with all the dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes. You know how it’s supposed to sound. For the same reason, I do NOT advise practicing the rest of this piece with a metronome-- you’ll be off rhythm half the time.
All three of the verses can be played the same, but it sounds way better if you make the following changes: for the first verse (and chorus), play as written, ignoring the light-face notes in parentheses. Exception: DO play the boldface notes in parentheses in measure [16]. For the second verse, strum some or all of the chords that you pinched in the first verse, but otherwise play it exactly the same. On the final verse, DO play the lightface notes (except in measure [16]), and follow the instructions for “last time”. The instruction to use “lots of expression” means to use lots of tremolo, changes in speed and volume, and pauses for emphasis, to express the way you are feeling when you play it.
The last time through, on the chorus, be sure to put in the notes for “truth is march-ing.” In measure [10], do NOT play the boldface note on the second string. In measure [12], DO play the boldface note on the fourth string. I know it’s confusing, but I couldn’t think of any other way to tab it without tabbing the whole third chorus separately. I could have done that, of course, but then the tab wouldn’t fit on a standard music stand. Repeat measure [12] for emphasis. It’ll remind the audience of the Tabernacle Choir version again. It’ll lose effectiveness if you do it every time, so only repeat this measure on the last chorus.
The final “A-men” is also borrowed from the Tabernacle Choir; it’s not in the hymnal. You can play it as written, but an interesting variation is to strum the chords using the tremolo strum. Strum down with the middle finger (or middle and ring fingers), then up with the thumb, rotating the wrist back and forth rapidly for speed. Done rapidly, this sounds like a continuous drum roll. It's not technically difficult, but sustaining it requires practice. Instead of playing the single note between the two syllables of "A - men," tremolo-strum the FI chord on all strings except the #1 string. Then shift the strum to include the #1 string, and omit the #6 string. Then slide the whole chord quickly to the VIII fret, for the final CVIII chord, without pausing or slowing the strum. Continue the tremolo-strum for an additional few counts, if you like. Don't miss any beats, as they will be terribly obvious to the audience, and there's no recovery.
For those who don’t like barre chords, you can play this hymn easily without them, by making a few, easy substitutions. Wherever you see a barre chord, just substitute the regular chord of the same name. Leave out the bass notes of each of the pinches in the fanfare, and play only the treble notes of the “A-men.” Play them with LOTS of left-hand tremolo, by wiggling your finger along the length of the fretboard. Stay within the fret, and wiggle rapidly. This will also help to sustain the final note, which you want to hold as long as you can.
Beautiful Savior
ABOUT THE SONG:
For such a well-beloved old hymn, there is remarkably little agreement about any part of this song. The title, lyrics, composer(s), lyricist(s), English translator(s), even the authenticity of the score are all hotly disputed. Legend has it The Crusaders’ Hymn was sung by German Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. But no one has established which of the nine Crusades (spanning three centuries) is meant, much less documented the legend. Others attribute the original German lyrics to 17th Century German Jesuits, three or four centuries later.
Most Protestants call it Fairest Lord Jesus, and most Catholics call it The Crusaders’ Hymn, but Lutherans and Mormons call it Beautiful Savior, and use different lyrics. All versions refer to the Son of God and Son of Man, whose beauty and purity exceed those of all natural phenomena. But there is little or no agreement on specifics. Due to the multiplicity of “original German sources,” it is perfectly possible that all those claiming to be the “original” translator are correct!
The music itself is cited as an old, Silesian folksong, in a German text published in 1842, while the Crusades lasted from 1095 to 1291. Eight centuries is plenty of time for a hymn to give rise to a folksong, or vice-versa. No one truly knows which came first. To further muddy the water, the first English translation was published in 1677, almost two centuries before the “original” German text that it was translated from! Nevertheless, we know that the English version is not the original, as it is listed as a translation in its earliest extant version. That may be the only fact about this beautiful, old hymn that can be stated without dispute.
ABOUT THE CHORDS:
I arranged this song at the request of my daughter Thora. It will stretch your hands. If you are not up to that, you can dumb it down and sing the melody. To facilitate this, I’ve left it in the key of D, as published in The Children’s Songbook. If you are accompanying vocalists, substitute D, A, and G for the relevant barre chords, and it becomes a very easy song to play. You can strum the chords, or use a pattern pick. Play all the chords listed, including those in brackets.
To include the melody and all the cool harmonies in your solo, play it as written. Played this way, it is not a song for beginners, but it’s not as hard as it looks. True, there are seventeen chords, and some of them look rather strange, but five are common chords you already know, or very slight variations. For example, D/A is just a regular D chord, but you play the open A string, too. Read it as, “D, A bass.”
Of the rest, nine are slight variations of barred E, barred A, and barred Am, chord shapes you probably already know if you are used to playing barre chords. A#dim and A7II are less common, but are simple, two-finger chords. There is really only one difficult chord, called DII, but also called D/F#II. Read these as D (barred at the second fret), and D, F# bass (barred at the second fret). They are really the same chord; the only difference being whether or not you play the #6 string. This chord is a barred C shape, which is a tough chord shape for many people to master. It is not by any means impossible, though, and its full, rich sound makes it very important in nearly all music genres.
PLAYING INSTRUCTIONS:
To minimize finger dancing, I begin the Intro by barring at the tenth fret, but you don’t have to if it’s not comfortable. Steel-string guitars have two “extra” frets on the neck, which makes this much easier. If you have large hands and a classical guitar, it may be easier to play the notes as written, or invent an intro of your own. There is nothing “official” about introductions; you can use whatever you like. You may even wish to use the coda (the underlined measures on the last page) as an introduction. If you do, the actual coda at the end becomes a reprise of the intro, which is a cool way to end a song.
At the end of the second line, after playing A7II, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the open E string. This gives you time to move up the neck for the upcoming DX. This chord makes the fingering way easy: all changes can be made by flattening and un-flattening the pinky. There are other ways to play these notes, but this way minimizes chord changes. The last measure of the third line includes an [A] in lightface type. If you are playing the tab, just ignore it, as the necessary notes are in the tab. But if you are strumming accompaniment, you should play the [A], and the following [A7], or it will sound wrong.
At the end of the line, lift the whole left hand from the strings while playing the open E string. This gives you more time to move to the fifth fret, easing the chord change to AV. The mordant (--5_7_5--) in the next measure sets up the transition to the following DV. There’s no slick way to make the change to EmVII in the middle of the next measure, but the change from a barred A shape to a barred Am shape is not a difficult one. The only tricky part is doing so while moving up the neck two frets. Remember to lift the fingers from the fretboard slightly while changing, or the slide will be audible.
In the first line of page two, make the same changes in reverse, ending the line with a regular D. I tried using DV, to minimize the change from AV, but it just doesn’t sound the same. D also eases the chord changes at the beginning of the next line. The D probably will not sustain for the full measure, unless you are playing an electric guitar. Use the [rest] at the end of the measure to start the change to D/F#II. This chord is a barred C shape, played at the second fret, allowing the #6 string to sound. Read it as, “D, F# bass”. You can substitute a D/AV (DV, allowing the open A string to sound), which many find easier, and sounds almost as good. Try it both ways, and decide for yourself. The barred C shape is a difficult one to master, but worth the effort. This song is all about gorgeous harmonies; if you dumb it down, you cheat yourself and your audience.
At the beginning of the fourth line, hold the AV as long as possible, while fretting the G note on the 2nd string with the pinky. That converts the chord into an A7, an interesting resolve to the preceding phrase. Starting in the next measure, there's another one of those barred C shapes. This time, it actually makes the transition to the following BmII easier. I have added arpeggios between the next, strummed chords. Playing the arpeggios with the thumb gives a soft sound. Slow down a bit for emphasis.
The coda (the underlined measures) will sound faster, because you are playing eight notes to the bar, but the tempo doesn’t really change at all. Play the chord and the first two notes at the beginning of each measure with the thumb, then pluck the treble strings with the fingers. The slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs add even more variety. You could play all the D chords in the coda the same way, as a regular D, but starting at the fifth fret and working down to the regular D lends a sense of closure that would otherwise be lacking. In the next-to-last measure, you will have to release the A chord to do the hammer-ons. Slow down for emphasis, and hold the final D chord as long as you can. Stunning!
For such a well-beloved old hymn, there is remarkably little agreement about any part of this song. The title, lyrics, composer(s), lyricist(s), English translator(s), even the authenticity of the score are all hotly disputed. Legend has it The Crusaders’ Hymn was sung by German Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. But no one has established which of the nine Crusades (spanning three centuries) is meant, much less documented the legend. Others attribute the original German lyrics to 17th Century German Jesuits, three or four centuries later.
Most Protestants call it Fairest Lord Jesus, and most Catholics call it The Crusaders’ Hymn, but Lutherans and Mormons call it Beautiful Savior, and use different lyrics. All versions refer to the Son of God and Son of Man, whose beauty and purity exceed those of all natural phenomena. But there is little or no agreement on specifics. Due to the multiplicity of “original German sources,” it is perfectly possible that all those claiming to be the “original” translator are correct!
The music itself is cited as an old, Silesian folksong, in a German text published in 1842, while the Crusades lasted from 1095 to 1291. Eight centuries is plenty of time for a hymn to give rise to a folksong, or vice-versa. No one truly knows which came first. To further muddy the water, the first English translation was published in 1677, almost two centuries before the “original” German text that it was translated from! Nevertheless, we know that the English version is not the original, as it is listed as a translation in its earliest extant version. That may be the only fact about this beautiful, old hymn that can be stated without dispute.
ABOUT THE CHORDS:
I arranged this song at the request of my daughter Thora. It will stretch your hands. If you are not up to that, you can dumb it down and sing the melody. To facilitate this, I’ve left it in the key of D, as published in The Children’s Songbook. If you are accompanying vocalists, substitute D, A, and G for the relevant barre chords, and it becomes a very easy song to play. You can strum the chords, or use a pattern pick. Play all the chords listed, including those in brackets.
To include the melody and all the cool harmonies in your solo, play it as written. Played this way, it is not a song for beginners, but it’s not as hard as it looks. True, there are seventeen chords, and some of them look rather strange, but five are common chords you already know, or very slight variations. For example, D/A is just a regular D chord, but you play the open A string, too. Read it as, “D, A bass.”
Of the rest, nine are slight variations of barred E, barred A, and barred Am, chord shapes you probably already know if you are used to playing barre chords. A#dim and A7II are less common, but are simple, two-finger chords. There is really only one difficult chord, called DII, but also called D/F#II. Read these as D (barred at the second fret), and D, F# bass (barred at the second fret). They are really the same chord; the only difference being whether or not you play the #6 string. This chord is a barred C shape, which is a tough chord shape for many people to master. It is not by any means impossible, though, and its full, rich sound makes it very important in nearly all music genres.
PLAYING INSTRUCTIONS:
To minimize finger dancing, I begin the Intro by barring at the tenth fret, but you don’t have to if it’s not comfortable. Steel-string guitars have two “extra” frets on the neck, which makes this much easier. If you have large hands and a classical guitar, it may be easier to play the notes as written, or invent an intro of your own. There is nothing “official” about introductions; you can use whatever you like. You may even wish to use the coda (the underlined measures on the last page) as an introduction. If you do, the actual coda at the end becomes a reprise of the intro, which is a cool way to end a song.
At the end of the second line, after playing A7II, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the open E string. This gives you time to move up the neck for the upcoming DX. This chord makes the fingering way easy: all changes can be made by flattening and un-flattening the pinky. There are other ways to play these notes, but this way minimizes chord changes. The last measure of the third line includes an [A] in lightface type. If you are playing the tab, just ignore it, as the necessary notes are in the tab. But if you are strumming accompaniment, you should play the [A], and the following [A7], or it will sound wrong.
At the end of the line, lift the whole left hand from the strings while playing the open E string. This gives you more time to move to the fifth fret, easing the chord change to AV. The mordant (--5_7_5--) in the next measure sets up the transition to the following DV. There’s no slick way to make the change to EmVII in the middle of the next measure, but the change from a barred A shape to a barred Am shape is not a difficult one. The only tricky part is doing so while moving up the neck two frets. Remember to lift the fingers from the fretboard slightly while changing, or the slide will be audible.
In the first line of page two, make the same changes in reverse, ending the line with a regular D. I tried using DV, to minimize the change from AV, but it just doesn’t sound the same. D also eases the chord changes at the beginning of the next line. The D probably will not sustain for the full measure, unless you are playing an electric guitar. Use the [rest] at the end of the measure to start the change to D/F#II. This chord is a barred C shape, played at the second fret, allowing the #6 string to sound. Read it as, “D, F# bass”. You can substitute a D/AV (DV, allowing the open A string to sound), which many find easier, and sounds almost as good. Try it both ways, and decide for yourself. The barred C shape is a difficult one to master, but worth the effort. This song is all about gorgeous harmonies; if you dumb it down, you cheat yourself and your audience.
At the beginning of the fourth line, hold the AV as long as possible, while fretting the G note on the 2nd string with the pinky. That converts the chord into an A7, an interesting resolve to the preceding phrase. Starting in the next measure, there's another one of those barred C shapes. This time, it actually makes the transition to the following BmII easier. I have added arpeggios between the next, strummed chords. Playing the arpeggios with the thumb gives a soft sound. Slow down a bit for emphasis.
The coda (the underlined measures) will sound faster, because you are playing eight notes to the bar, but the tempo doesn’t really change at all. Play the chord and the first two notes at the beginning of each measure with the thumb, then pluck the treble strings with the fingers. The slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs add even more variety. You could play all the D chords in the coda the same way, as a regular D, but starting at the fifth fret and working down to the regular D lends a sense of closure that would otherwise be lacking. In the next-to-last measure, you will have to release the A chord to do the hammer-ons. Slow down for emphasis, and hold the final D chord as long as you can. Stunning!
Secret Prayer
To play this song in the key of D, as printed in Hymns, you will need to tune DOWN two frets. This won’t make any difference if you are not playing with another instrument, as practically no one in your audience will be able to tell the difference.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Like many beautiful songs, it is not easy to play, even though it sounds simple. There are ten chords, and you need to use all of them, or it won’t sound right. Most of them are easy, but there are a few difficult barre chords, notably CIII and FV. There are also a few fast chord changes that need to be nailed right on, or the rhythm will suffer badly. Sorry, but there’s just no way around these problems. Just practice each bit that’s difficult for you, until you can get it right. There is no substitute for practice. If I haven’t scared you off yet, the rest of the song is a piece of cake.
There’s no introduction. Just start right in playing. You don’t have to use the hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, but they add a lot to the song, and are not hard. If you nail the first one, you’ll be ahead of the audience throughout the song, and everyone will think you’re wonderful. Cadd5 is just a regular C chord, with the left pinkie adding the G on the 1st string. The odd chord name means you’re playing a regular C major chord, but adding the fifth note in the C scale, which is G. (C-D-E-F-G) The only hard part in the first line comes right at the end. Catch the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the left pinkie, then lifting it immediately, to clear the 2nd string so you can play the D. Go right on to the next measure without pausing or emphasizing how tough this is in any way, or it’ll sound phony.
The second line has good news and bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to actually play the FI, only the #1 and #6 strings, and you’ve got plenty of time to move your hand up the neck of the guitar, as the notes are all quarter-notes. The bad news is, you DO have to play the FV, and you have to hit the chord with all the strings at once. This can be tough, especially if you are used to laying your fingers down one at a time. If that’s the case, now is the time to start practicing getting the whole chord at once. This is a very hard one to do that way, but the reward is that you end up learning twelve new chords at once (ten if your guitar is a classical style), as you can play this chord shape on any fret. For this reason, it’s really important in many different kinds of music, including Latin, Jazz, Hawaiian, and Blues, Country, and Rock.
Play the last measure with the thumb, as a slow strum. Continue this pattern through most of the Chorus. Do the slide in the first measure with your pinkie, but use the ring finger on the second string in the third measure. You can then just flatten the ring finger to catch the G note on the 1st string, without actually changing to the GIII chord. Makes the following pull-off much easier, too. You may be tempted to use the pinkie instead of the ring finger. It seems more natural to me, too, but it makes the pull-off almost impossible.
In the next line, the C/G chord is just a C chord with a G bass. Hit the bass note with the pinkie. No sweat. Then, you’ve got another of those pesky FV chords again, strummed this time. Notice how the chord shape makes the melody line seem to rise? That’s why this shape is so important to so many kinds of music.
The last line is relatively simple. The CVIII is just a barred E, played exactly like the FI or GIII, except that the barre is in the VIII fret. This chord shape is actually easier to play up high, where the frets are closer together. You may have trouble with the tremolo, if you try to do it with the barring index finger. The trick is to rock your hand, lifting ALL the fingers up off of the other strings, leaving ONLY the index finger touching the #1 string. Then, you should be able to do a slow tremolo by moving the whole hand back-and-forth along the length of the neck. The notes and lyrics given in light face type are in case you want to include the second verse. Leave them out when you play the Chorus for the final time.
All the chords in the second verse are strummed. They are the same chords as in the first verse, but may need to be treated differently, as you always have to play the whole chord. In some ways, the second verse is easier, as all of those strummed chords are actually quarter-notes, which makes the second verse sound slower, though the tempo does not actually change at all!
You can also vary the sound of the verses by playing the chords of the second verse as pinches, instead of strums, by repeating the first verse as a finale, or by combining strums, pinches, and the finger-picking style of the first verse. This song is in the public domain.
Heark, All Ye Nations
This song is in the public domain, which is good, as it’s a sprightly song that’s fun to play. The tempo is fast, the chord changes are fast, and there are a few interesting chords, but none that are especially difficult for intermediate guitarists who can cope with normal barre chords. There are a few minor challenges, though.
The first occurs right in the very first measure. The ligado --2__0-- on the third string is nearly impossible to do well, if you do it as a normal pull-off. But it’s easy if you treat it as a “push-off” instead. Push the string toward you and away from the fretboard, plucking the string with the back of the fingertip, instead of the front edge, as in a normal pull-off. This is still called a pull-off, but the motion is the exact opposite to what you’re used to. It may seem odd at first, but is much easier and faster than pulling, at least in this circumstance. Other pull-offs and hammer-ons are done normally.
The first measure of the fourth line also has a few tricky spots. If you leave the left hand fingers in the C chord shape, and just fret the D on the 2nd string with the pinky, you are actually forming a C9 chord, so there’s no reason to change your hand position. For this reason, I have shown the index finger position in the chord chart for C9 in lightface type. It’s not actually part of the chord, but there’s no reason to remove it. Hit the A on the 3rd string by flattening the middle finger while releasing all the other fingers, preparatory to moving the hand up to the III position for the GIII chord.
Play the G6III in the next measure by moving the pinky from the 4th string to the 2nd string. This is really easy, because it’s still in the same fret. Hold the other notes of the chord while doing the pull-off that converts it back to GIII. Technically, it’s really a G7III, but since you’re not playing the F on the 4th string, but only letting it ring, the difference is academic.
Hit the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the ring finger. Hit the A note on the same string by moving the barring index finger to the II position. From here, it’s just about as easy to slide up the neck to the III position and play a CIII, as it is to continue down the neck and play the C/G as written. I like the sound of the C/G better, so I have called it out in the tab, but you can play it either way, as all the notes of the two chords are identical. Just the order is different.
CIII = G-C-G-C-E-G
C/G = G-C-E-G-C-E
The first measure on the second page contains another one of those “push-offs” again, exactly like the first measure of the song. The next measure shows an FI chord, though it’s actually a continuation of the C chord from the previous measure. But the last chord of the measure is an FI. Since only the 2nd and 5th strings are being played at the beginning of the measure, and the notes are the same in FI as in C, there’s no reason not to make the change at the beginning of the measure, where you have more time to do it.
In the next-to-last measure of the line, you may have trouble with the double hammer-on:
--0__1__3--. If you cannot do both, just do whichever is easier for you, or sounds better to you.
Play as many or as few verses as you like, then substitute the last two measures as shown. Each triplet takes the same time as a single count of the other measures, so practice until you can get them very fast. Do the quick changes between the GIII and the CIII by flattening the pinky across the strings briefly, then "unflattening" it. Then slide quickly up the neck to the VIII fret for the final riff. Sometimes I strum the entire CVIII chord instead of playing the final note, for a fuller sound.
The first occurs right in the very first measure. The ligado --2__0-- on the third string is nearly impossible to do well, if you do it as a normal pull-off. But it’s easy if you treat it as a “push-off” instead. Push the string toward you and away from the fretboard, plucking the string with the back of the fingertip, instead of the front edge, as in a normal pull-off. This is still called a pull-off, but the motion is the exact opposite to what you’re used to. It may seem odd at first, but is much easier and faster than pulling, at least in this circumstance. Other pull-offs and hammer-ons are done normally.
The first measure of the fourth line also has a few tricky spots. If you leave the left hand fingers in the C chord shape, and just fret the D on the 2nd string with the pinky, you are actually forming a C9 chord, so there’s no reason to change your hand position. For this reason, I have shown the index finger position in the chord chart for C9 in lightface type. It’s not actually part of the chord, but there’s no reason to remove it. Hit the A on the 3rd string by flattening the middle finger while releasing all the other fingers, preparatory to moving the hand up to the III position for the GIII chord.
Play the G6III in the next measure by moving the pinky from the 4th string to the 2nd string. This is really easy, because it’s still in the same fret. Hold the other notes of the chord while doing the pull-off that converts it back to GIII. Technically, it’s really a G7III, but since you’re not playing the F on the 4th string, but only letting it ring, the difference is academic.
Hit the C note on the 3rd string by flattening the ring finger. Hit the A note on the same string by moving the barring index finger to the II position. From here, it’s just about as easy to slide up the neck to the III position and play a CIII, as it is to continue down the neck and play the C/G as written. I like the sound of the C/G better, so I have called it out in the tab, but you can play it either way, as all the notes of the two chords are identical. Just the order is different.
CIII = G-C-G-C-E-G
C/G = G-C-E-G-C-E
The first measure on the second page contains another one of those “push-offs” again, exactly like the first measure of the song. The next measure shows an FI chord, though it’s actually a continuation of the C chord from the previous measure. But the last chord of the measure is an FI. Since only the 2nd and 5th strings are being played at the beginning of the measure, and the notes are the same in FI as in C, there’s no reason not to make the change at the beginning of the measure, where you have more time to do it.
In the next-to-last measure of the line, you may have trouble with the double hammer-on:
--0__1__3--. If you cannot do both, just do whichever is easier for you, or sounds better to you.
Play as many or as few verses as you like, then substitute the last two measures as shown. Each triplet takes the same time as a single count of the other measures, so practice until you can get them very fast. Do the quick changes between the GIII and the CIII by flattening the pinky across the strings briefly, then "unflattening" it. Then slide quickly up the neck to the VIII fret for the final riff. Sometimes I strum the entire CVIII chord instead of playing the final note, for a fuller sound.
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