Lost this post from last February, so here it is again:
Summertime
It’s a beautiful, clear, winter day; the temperature is 11º Fahrenheit (that’s -11º Celsius), and I can’t go anywhere. I dropped my car key in the snow yesterday, and now the ignition lock has frozen solid. Great day to stay home and work on this song.
Just about every vocalist who ever lived has recorded this song-- it may be the most-covered song of all time. Lots of instrumentalists have covered it too. I think it sounds especially nice on an acoustic guitar. Here’s my version of the aria from George Gershwin’s jazz opera, Porgy and Bess.
Summertime is not an especially hard song to play, but it does require barre chords, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and bending notes. I would call it intermediate level. None of these techniques are especially tricky, but there are a couple of fast chord changes, so you simply must nail the barre chords every time, with no messing around. If you cannot do this, download the song anyway and prepare for some serious practicing.
Practice guide:
Set your metronome for 76 quarter-notes per minute. I originally tabbed it in 4/4 time, which doubled the number of measures, but made the beat easier to figure out. Then I found that the time signature had to be changed a lot, to accommodate the bluesy nature of the song, so I gave up and tabbed it in 8/8. It’s lots easier to read that way, but you’ll find that most of the measures will actually sound more like two measures of 4/4 than one of 8/8. Let me know if this bothers you. If your playing is sufficiently relaxed, no one will notice.
The Intro is a measure and a half long. Accent the second note of each phrase: da-DUM-da, da-DUM-da, da-DUM-da, da-DUM. Do the double slide at the beginning of the third measure with your barring finger, and you’ll be all ready for the Amv chord. Done right, it sounds like you are sliding the whole chord, but don’t actually slide the whole chord. It’ll make scratching noises with your fingers on the strings you’re not playing.
The next measure is a bit tricky, as you need to bend the D on the second string, then pull it off to the C. It’s actually not hard to do, but it sounds wonderful. Make the bend fairly deep, about half a fret. You can bend it either by pushing the string or pulling it. The underline shows that you have to ligado directly from the bent note to the C. Again, you can do this as a pull-off or a push-off. Either will work fine, as long as you do the ligado the same direction as the bend! I can get a deeper bend by pushing, so I do the ligado as a push-off, but if you can’t get a clear ligado this way, then pull the bend and do a pull-off.
The bend at the end of the measure should be a bit more subtle, about half as deep. I show bent notes as italics, but they can be hard to notice with everything else happening in the tab, so I also write the word bend in light-face italics above the line, to make it more obvious. Please do not omit these bent notes. They add lots of expression and lustre to the song.
The third line consists of a downward-running chord sequence that is one of the coolest parts of the song. Strongly accent the first note of each phrase: DUM-dum-dada DUM-dum-dada, repeated three times. Change from the Dm to the Dmaj7 by sliding the ring finger from the III space to the II space. The whole progression goes very easily, especially if you start with a short barre on the first two strings, even in the Dm, where it isn’t necessary. The E7 chord is easy to do, and provides a very subtle change to the EaddD chord in the next measure. Actually, EaddD is just another way of playing an E7, and is usually just called E7. The notes are identical, but they are in a different order, which gives a slightly different sound. Pianists refer to chords like this as different inversions of the same chord, while to guitarists, they are different chord shapes.
I had to change the time signature for the next measure, to accommodate the triplets, as there is no way to divide 12 notes into eighths and have it come out even. The tempo does not really change at all, but it sounds like it, as you are cramming half-again as many notes into a measure of the same length. Strongly accent the first note of each triplet: ONE-and-a TWO-and-a THREE-and-a FOUR-and-a. You’ll have to play the notes somewhat faster than you have been playing, to make the measure the same length as the other measures. Practicing with a metronome can really help here, if you set it to 76 beats per minute. Then, in every measure, there will be four ticks of the metronome, regardless of whether you are playing eighth notes or twelfth notes.
The hardest part of the whole song (for me) is changing from 4/4 triplets back to 8/8 eighth notes, while moving from EaddD to Amv with a double slide, all at the same time, and QUICKLY. That’s one reason I play the open G note on the last triplet. It sounds good, and gives me a slightly longer time to let go of the EaddD and get my barring finger up to the IV fret. Admittedly, a twelfth note is not a whole lot of extra time, but I need all the help I can get! Don’t give up! You may have to practice this change a lot before it becomes smooth.
The first measure on the fifth line (“an’ yo’ mama’s good-lookin’”) is played almost exactly like measure 4, only without the bends. You can put the bends in if you like, but I think leaving them out adds variety in a way the audience is likely to find subtle. Translation: they’ll hear the difference, but they won’t know they’ve heard it. Since the whole song is repeated at least once, there will be some times when the bends are used, and others when they aren’t. Keep ‘em guessing.
Second time around, I like to hold the following BmVII chord a bit, for emphasis. Then, in the sixth line, I like to strum the runs in the first and third measures with my thumb for variety. Some guitarists don’t like switching back and forth between strums and pinches, but I like the sound. Don’t forget the bends in the second measure.
The first measure of the last line continues right back to the end of the Intro. Play the whole song over again. After the last verse, add the Finale and take your bows. There are words to the second verse, often changed for political correctness. Since this is a guitar solo, and the lyrics are not going to be sung at all, no one should be offended. Here’s what Gershwin wrote:
One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky
But until that morning
There's a'nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing by.
Come, Follow Me
This is a really pretty song, with lots of cool chords. I love the lyrics, too, except for the second verse. If anyone who reads this can define the word “effulgent” or use it in a sentence in such a way as to indicate the meaning, WITHOUT looking it up first, please email me or comment on this post. The other five verses are wonderful, and can get along just fine without verse two. Maybe even better.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
This is intended as a guitar solo, but can be used to back up singers or a lead instrument. I have arranged it as one verse of mostly chords, in 3/4 tempo, for an introduction or accompaniment, and a second verse of more lyrical playing in 6/8, which could be used as a bridge between sung verses. [That’s an excuse. I really just couldn’t decide which version I liked better.--Don]
Both versions use lots of barre chords, even some unusual ones. The trick is to practice until you can make it sound easy. The first verse is very straightforward. Just strum the chords and pluck the individual notes as tabbed. It may not be easy to hit all the chords as quickly as called for, but there is nothing complicated about the tab. If you find it hard to play the descending chord progression BVII - CVIII - GVII - AmV smoothly or rapidly enough, try substituting the 3-string version Bvii* - CVIII* - GVII* - AmV* from the second verse. It’ll be much easier, and will sound nearly as good to the audience (because they won’t know what they are missing).
The second verse involves pattern picks, whic are a little more elaborate than strummed chords, but the chords are almost exactly the same. The only differences are in the second line of each verse. I have chosen to use the full, five- or six-string versions of the chords in the descending chord progression in the last line of the first verse, and the three- or four-string versions in the second verse, but they need not be played like that. Either way will work just fine in either place.
If you are playing this as a solo instrumental, two verses will likely not be enough, as they are very short. You may want to create a third verse by combining the other two verses. You can base it on the second verse, but with added chords. One good way to do this is to play the chords as pinches, instead of strumming them, at least part of the time. Or, you can base an extra verse on the first verse, but with some pattern picking added for variety. Once you have mastered the two verses shown here, it’s not difficult to combine them.
Today, While the Sun Shines
This song has a rather quick tempo, though not as fast as the SATB version in Hymns. But it should not be too difficult to play-- if you memorize it first. The lines of music are rather short, and if you try to play at speed from the tab, you’ll spend lots of time hesitating between the end of one line and the beginning of the next, giving the piece a very choppy sound. Practice it that way, and that’s how you’ll learn it.
The solution is to play the song at about half speed at first. Practice until you can play the whole piece at a regular tempo from memory. THEN work on speed. Please trust me on this. You really need to go slowly at first on this piece, even though many parts may seem simple and easy.
I have tabbed some of the chords as pinches, and others as strums, but there’s no specific rule about this. If you feel like playing all pinches, all strums, or changing them up differently than the way I have tabbed them, go ahead.
The last two measures in the first line are a little bit “tricky”. To get the melody notes out of the F chord, you have to lift the middle finger and replace it, then lift the barring index finger in the last measure, and replace it. With a bit of practice, you should be able to do it quite fast, and in perfect tempo, but it does feel a bit odd at first.
The second note in the second line is a grace note (not part of the melody). It is inserted to help the rhythm. Fret the next note, on the 3rd string, by briefly flattening the left pinkie while playing the note. You must immediately correct this flattened condition, in order to play the next note, on the 2nd string. Fret the last note of the second measure (E) on the 2nd string, 5th fret, with the left pinkie. I know, it’s easier to just play the 1st string open, but that makes for a significantly harder transition to the next note played on the 2nd string, 6th fret. You’re going to have to fret that one with the pinkie anyway-- no other way to do it. So, you might as well play the E with the pinkie too. You can leave out the following pull-off if you want, and just play the notes separately, but it sounds way better with the pull-off.
The third line is played almost exactly like the first, with the exception of a few melody notes. What a difference a couple of notes can make! When you play the song at speed, the audience will most likely have no idea you are just repeating the first line, even if they are seasoned guitarists.
The first half of the fourth line is very similar to the first half of the second line. Lift the middle finger and then hammer it on in the 4th space. Play the C note on the third string by flattening the pinkie. The pull-off that bridges the last two measures is very important. If you leave it out, and play the two notes separately, they will sound much too staccato. Also, they will be harder to play quickly in the right tempo.
The Chorus has a lively, up-tempo melody-- so lively in fact, that it seems to go faster than the verse. It’s an illusion. Both are played at exactly the same speed. The second and third notes of the first six measures are grace notes, forming a counterpoint to the melody and giving it drive.
In the fourth measure of the chorus’ first line, switch to a GIII chord, even though you’re only playing a single note. There’s a reason for this. It’s easier to make the change from the C chord here than in the beginning of the next measure, giving just a bit more time to reach the full barre chord.
In the next line, the C/GIII is played exactly like a normal CIII, except that the bass string is fretted by the barring index finger, and the resulting G note is allowed to sound. You could play it as a normal, five-string chord, but the lead note would not be a G. This is not exactly vital, but it’s so easy to do it right. The only difficulty is a rather weird-looking chord name. Read it as, “C with a G bass, barre three.” Some prefer to call it, “C over G,” or even “C slash G.” There are other ways to play this chord, but they don’t sound right, in this spot.
Hold that chord for four measures. This would be difficult if you really had to barre all six strings, but in fact, only the first string and the last two strings actually need to be barred. The rest are part of a barred A-shape, so you’re never actually barring more than three strings at a time. Finger pick the second string notes with the middle finger, and the first string notes with the ring finger of the right hand, and play the notes on the sixth and fifth strings with the thumb. Not only is this the easiest way to play it, but it accents the counterpoint.
The chord change to GIII is easy. Just leave the barre in place and change from an A-shape to an
E-shape. In the last measure of the line, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the first string open, and then fret the F in the first space lightly with the index finger. The idea is to be ready for the quick chord change to C in the next measure.
In the second measure of the last line, the notes on the fifth and fourth strings (C and E) are grace notes. The final note is a repeat of the partial measure that begins the song. When you return to the beginning of the song for the next verse, ignore that partial measure, and go right into the second measure of the first line.
Play as many verses and you like, but on the last time around, use the final two measures. You’ll have to fret the D in the third space, second string with the pinkie, then quickly move it to the sixth string, third space. Omit the pull-off on the second string. Strumming the C/G chord UP gives you a little more time for the finger dancing, resolves with a bass note, and just sounds all-around cool.
The solution is to play the song at about half speed at first. Practice until you can play the whole piece at a regular tempo from memory. THEN work on speed. Please trust me on this. You really need to go slowly at first on this piece, even though many parts may seem simple and easy.
I have tabbed some of the chords as pinches, and others as strums, but there’s no specific rule about this. If you feel like playing all pinches, all strums, or changing them up differently than the way I have tabbed them, go ahead.
The last two measures in the first line are a little bit “tricky”. To get the melody notes out of the F chord, you have to lift the middle finger and replace it, then lift the barring index finger in the last measure, and replace it. With a bit of practice, you should be able to do it quite fast, and in perfect tempo, but it does feel a bit odd at first.
The second note in the second line is a grace note (not part of the melody). It is inserted to help the rhythm. Fret the next note, on the 3rd string, by briefly flattening the left pinkie while playing the note. You must immediately correct this flattened condition, in order to play the next note, on the 2nd string. Fret the last note of the second measure (E) on the 2nd string, 5th fret, with the left pinkie. I know, it’s easier to just play the 1st string open, but that makes for a significantly harder transition to the next note played on the 2nd string, 6th fret. You’re going to have to fret that one with the pinkie anyway-- no other way to do it. So, you might as well play the E with the pinkie too. You can leave out the following pull-off if you want, and just play the notes separately, but it sounds way better with the pull-off.
The third line is played almost exactly like the first, with the exception of a few melody notes. What a difference a couple of notes can make! When you play the song at speed, the audience will most likely have no idea you are just repeating the first line, even if they are seasoned guitarists.
The first half of the fourth line is very similar to the first half of the second line. Lift the middle finger and then hammer it on in the 4th space. Play the C note on the third string by flattening the pinkie. The pull-off that bridges the last two measures is very important. If you leave it out, and play the two notes separately, they will sound much too staccato. Also, they will be harder to play quickly in the right tempo.
The Chorus has a lively, up-tempo melody-- so lively in fact, that it seems to go faster than the verse. It’s an illusion. Both are played at exactly the same speed. The second and third notes of the first six measures are grace notes, forming a counterpoint to the melody and giving it drive.
In the fourth measure of the chorus’ first line, switch to a GIII chord, even though you’re only playing a single note. There’s a reason for this. It’s easier to make the change from the C chord here than in the beginning of the next measure, giving just a bit more time to reach the full barre chord.
In the next line, the C/GIII is played exactly like a normal CIII, except that the bass string is fretted by the barring index finger, and the resulting G note is allowed to sound. You could play it as a normal, five-string chord, but the lead note would not be a G. This is not exactly vital, but it’s so easy to do it right. The only difficulty is a rather weird-looking chord name. Read it as, “C with a G bass, barre three.” Some prefer to call it, “C over G,” or even “C slash G.” There are other ways to play this chord, but they don’t sound right, in this spot.
Hold that chord for four measures. This would be difficult if you really had to barre all six strings, but in fact, only the first string and the last two strings actually need to be barred. The rest are part of a barred A-shape, so you’re never actually barring more than three strings at a time. Finger pick the second string notes with the middle finger, and the first string notes with the ring finger of the right hand, and play the notes on the sixth and fifth strings with the thumb. Not only is this the easiest way to play it, but it accents the counterpoint.
The chord change to GIII is easy. Just leave the barre in place and change from an A-shape to an
E-shape. In the last measure of the line, lift the whole hand off the strings when you play the first string open, and then fret the F in the first space lightly with the index finger. The idea is to be ready for the quick chord change to C in the next measure.
In the second measure of the last line, the notes on the fifth and fourth strings (C and E) are grace notes. The final note is a repeat of the partial measure that begins the song. When you return to the beginning of the song for the next verse, ignore that partial measure, and go right into the second measure of the first line.
Play as many verses and you like, but on the last time around, use the final two measures. You’ll have to fret the D in the third space, second string with the pinkie, then quickly move it to the sixth string, third space. Omit the pull-off on the second string. Strumming the C/G chord UP gives you a little more time for the finger dancing, resolves with a bass note, and just sounds all-around cool.
LDS Composers Directory.com
Next week I will be the featured composer on the new website, LDScomposersdirectory.com (see the link in the FAVORITE LINKS section below the Tabs column at right). Each week they feature a Tuesday Talk with a different LDS composer. Several of the composers mention free sheet music, and some even play guitar. Check out my interview there starting next Tuesday, and while you are there, look around the site.
Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
Abide with Me; ’Tis Eventide post
A funny thing happened on the way to this website. I was unable to find a single YouTube or MP3 guitar solo of this popular hymn. Nor could I find a tab listed anywhere. I checked twenty pages deep, and found not a one! There are lots of other versions of this song, but not guitar solos. Part of the problem undoubtedly comes from the fact that the search terms, “abide with me” and “eventide” are also shared by the hymn “Abide with Me.” But the bottom line is, if you learn this song and publish it on the web, you will receive instant, worldwide recognition, because you will be the only one on the web doing it. Chance of a lifetime.
Not much seems to be known about the song itself. WikiPedia contains only an entry of one brief paragraph. Same for HymnWiki, and all other web-based song engines I could find. Hardly anyone has covered it. It’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful song. And it's in the Public Domain.
Actually, the song is musically rather simple, if you are not afraid of a few barre chords. You don't even have to finger-pick it. The whole song can be thumb strummed, pinched, or played with a flat pick. It appears in the key of Eb in the LDS hymnal, but I have transposed it into the keys of A and C, because they are MUCH easier to play. For similar reasons, I have recast it into 6/8 time instead of 3/4, as published in Hymns. Remember that the metronome tempo refers to quarter-notes, so each metronome beat equals two counts.
In the first line, notes # 2 & 3 of the second and fourth measures are not actually part of the melody, but are included to help with the timing and to keep the song from dragging. You can leave them out if you wish, but the song sounds more finished with them in. The final measure of the line is a partial measure, concluded at the beginning of the next line. I don’t usually use partial measures, but in this case, they make the tab easier to follow. Line two is an exact duplicate of the first line, except for notes 5 and 6 of the fourth measure. It’s important to play the E7 chords as written, and not substitute the easier, two-finger version, which will not work.
In the third line, I like to keep my middle finger on the #1 string, and just slide it up to the fifth fret and back down again. I haven’t marked it as a slide, because you still have to pluck the string to get the note, unlike a true slide, where you are sliding instead of plucking. Following the E chord, fret the 2nd string, 4th fret with the ring finger, and the next note, 1st string, 2nd fret, with the index finger. This makes the transition to the following E7 chord easier.
The fourth line contains the only difficult chords in the song. Both the EIV and DII are barred C-shapes. I’ve tried to keep this part as easy as possible by putting them together, so you can just slide from one to the other. Don’t neglect the pull-off in the second measure. It actually makes this difficult chord change easier. Do the pull-off with your pinkie. A/E is just a normal A chord, but let the bass E string sound. You can also let the high E string sound if you wish, but I think it detracts from the melody note, which is found on the #2 string.
The last line recaps the words of the fourth line, but the melody is very different, as you can easily see from the chord structure. Please do not substitute the unbarred A chord for the barred version called for in the tab. The melody note is on the first string, 5th fret, which is quite a reach unless you play it as a barred E-shape, as indicated.
You can play as many verses of this song as you like; you don’t have to stick to three, though the audience may expect it. Verse 2: The chords are exactly the same as the first verse. The only difference is that in the first two lines, the chords are pinched instead of plucked. It sounds very different, though.
Verse 3: BIG difference, beginning with a key change to the key of C. The first two lines do not need any special instructions, but the first note of the third line is fretted at the 5th fret. This is a hard stretch from a C position, so it’s easier to release the C chord and fret the note by barring at the 5th fret with the index finger. It also makes the transition to FV in the second measure much easier. In the same measure, you can easily hit the C at the 8th fret, first string by briefly flattening the pinkie. It’s lots easier than moving the pinkie tip to the first string and back again for successive eighth-notes.
Play the CIII in the third measure as marked. Don’t try to substitute a normal C chord, or you’ll miss the melody note. In the fourth measure, you’ll probably need to release the GIII to play the melody notes, then quickly hit the chord again. If you can’t do this, practice this transition over and over until you can nail the chord all at once. In fact, this song makes a pretty good etude for learning barre chords really well.
The G7V and F7III are D7 chord shapes, something you don’t see much. Nevertheless, they are not hard to play. You don’t even really have to barre them, as you’re only playing one of the four “barred” strings. I find it easier to barre five or six strings, even though I don’t need to, than to bend my fingers so much. You’ll probably need to release the CIII to play the open first string, but don’t move the barring finger much, as you just have to put it right back for the following GIII.
You could substitute the E on the second string, fifth fret for the open first string. This would allow you to leave the barre in place for the chord change. I find it easier the way I have written it. Similarly, you could substitute a G7III for the G7 called out in the tab. This makes the GIII to G7III chord change really easy, but at the cost of a slower change back to C at the end of the line. I think the way I have written it is marginally easier and faster overall.
Notice the slide at the beginning of line 5. Hold your index finger in barring position, and slide from the third fret up to the seventh. You can pull your barring finger slightly off the string as you slide, producing a blurred sound called a slur. The second and third notes of each measure in this line are not part of the melody, but are inserted to bring out the rhythm. Unlike all previous lines, this one ends in a complete measure. The chord which occupies the final, partial measure in each of the previous lines is here replaced by the finale, shown at the beginning of the last line.
The broken chord at the beginning of the final line consists of six notes, perfect for 6/8 time. The two single notes in the next measure also perfectly fit the time signature. Hold each for three counts, then immediately play the final C/G. This may be the most difficult chord change in the piece, just because of the need to traverse the entire length of the fretboard in such a short length of time, and hit a six-string chord. If you just cannot do it, substitute a regular C chord, but it won’t sound as full.
This hymn sounds especially good if you strum the first and third verses with a soft flat-pick, and finger-pick the second verse. (It helps to hold the pick in your mouth while finger-picking.) If you do this, you'll want to strum the final chord UP, treble to bass. Sounds way cool.
A funny thing happened on the way to this website. I was unable to find a single YouTube or MP3 guitar solo of this popular hymn. Nor could I find a tab listed anywhere. I checked twenty pages deep, and found not a one! There are lots of other versions of this song, but not guitar solos. Part of the problem undoubtedly comes from the fact that the search terms, “abide with me” and “eventide” are also shared by the hymn “Abide with Me.” But the bottom line is, if you learn this song and publish it on the web, you will receive instant, worldwide recognition, because you will be the only one on the web doing it. Chance of a lifetime.
Not much seems to be known about the song itself. WikiPedia contains only an entry of one brief paragraph. Same for HymnWiki, and all other web-based song engines I could find. Hardly anyone has covered it. It’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful song. And it's in the Public Domain.
Actually, the song is musically rather simple, if you are not afraid of a few barre chords. You don't even have to finger-pick it. The whole song can be thumb strummed, pinched, or played with a flat pick. It appears in the key of Eb in the LDS hymnal, but I have transposed it into the keys of A and C, because they are MUCH easier to play. For similar reasons, I have recast it into 6/8 time instead of 3/4, as published in Hymns. Remember that the metronome tempo refers to quarter-notes, so each metronome beat equals two counts.
In the first line, notes # 2 & 3 of the second and fourth measures are not actually part of the melody, but are included to help with the timing and to keep the song from dragging. You can leave them out if you wish, but the song sounds more finished with them in. The final measure of the line is a partial measure, concluded at the beginning of the next line. I don’t usually use partial measures, but in this case, they make the tab easier to follow. Line two is an exact duplicate of the first line, except for notes 5 and 6 of the fourth measure. It’s important to play the E7 chords as written, and not substitute the easier, two-finger version, which will not work.
In the third line, I like to keep my middle finger on the #1 string, and just slide it up to the fifth fret and back down again. I haven’t marked it as a slide, because you still have to pluck the string to get the note, unlike a true slide, where you are sliding instead of plucking. Following the E chord, fret the 2nd string, 4th fret with the ring finger, and the next note, 1st string, 2nd fret, with the index finger. This makes the transition to the following E7 chord easier.
The fourth line contains the only difficult chords in the song. Both the EIV and DII are barred C-shapes. I’ve tried to keep this part as easy as possible by putting them together, so you can just slide from one to the other. Don’t neglect the pull-off in the second measure. It actually makes this difficult chord change easier. Do the pull-off with your pinkie. A/E is just a normal A chord, but let the bass E string sound. You can also let the high E string sound if you wish, but I think it detracts from the melody note, which is found on the #2 string.
The last line recaps the words of the fourth line, but the melody is very different, as you can easily see from the chord structure. Please do not substitute the unbarred A chord for the barred version called for in the tab. The melody note is on the first string, 5th fret, which is quite a reach unless you play it as a barred E-shape, as indicated.
You can play as many verses of this song as you like; you don’t have to stick to three, though the audience may expect it. Verse 2: The chords are exactly the same as the first verse. The only difference is that in the first two lines, the chords are pinched instead of plucked. It sounds very different, though.
Verse 3: BIG difference, beginning with a key change to the key of C. The first two lines do not need any special instructions, but the first note of the third line is fretted at the 5th fret. This is a hard stretch from a C position, so it’s easier to release the C chord and fret the note by barring at the 5th fret with the index finger. It also makes the transition to FV in the second measure much easier. In the same measure, you can easily hit the C at the 8th fret, first string by briefly flattening the pinkie. It’s lots easier than moving the pinkie tip to the first string and back again for successive eighth-notes.
Play the CIII in the third measure as marked. Don’t try to substitute a normal C chord, or you’ll miss the melody note. In the fourth measure, you’ll probably need to release the GIII to play the melody notes, then quickly hit the chord again. If you can’t do this, practice this transition over and over until you can nail the chord all at once. In fact, this song makes a pretty good etude for learning barre chords really well.
The G7V and F7III are D7 chord shapes, something you don’t see much. Nevertheless, they are not hard to play. You don’t even really have to barre them, as you’re only playing one of the four “barred” strings. I find it easier to barre five or six strings, even though I don’t need to, than to bend my fingers so much. You’ll probably need to release the CIII to play the open first string, but don’t move the barring finger much, as you just have to put it right back for the following GIII.
You could substitute the E on the second string, fifth fret for the open first string. This would allow you to leave the barre in place for the chord change. I find it easier the way I have written it. Similarly, you could substitute a G7III for the G7 called out in the tab. This makes the GIII to G7III chord change really easy, but at the cost of a slower change back to C at the end of the line. I think the way I have written it is marginally easier and faster overall.
Notice the slide at the beginning of line 5. Hold your index finger in barring position, and slide from the third fret up to the seventh. You can pull your barring finger slightly off the string as you slide, producing a blurred sound called a slur. The second and third notes of each measure in this line are not part of the melody, but are inserted to bring out the rhythm. Unlike all previous lines, this one ends in a complete measure. The chord which occupies the final, partial measure in each of the previous lines is here replaced by the finale, shown at the beginning of the last line.
The broken chord at the beginning of the final line consists of six notes, perfect for 6/8 time. The two single notes in the next measure also perfectly fit the time signature. Hold each for three counts, then immediately play the final C/G. This may be the most difficult chord change in the piece, just because of the need to traverse the entire length of the fretboard in such a short length of time, and hit a six-string chord. If you just cannot do it, substitute a regular C chord, but it won’t sound as full.
This hymn sounds especially good if you strum the first and third verses with a soft flat-pick, and finger-pick the second verse. (It helps to hold the pick in your mouth while finger-picking.) If you do this, you'll want to strum the final chord UP, treble to bass. Sounds way cool.
I Feel My Savior's Love
Merry Christmas from Jason Booth!
Just in time for Christmas, Jason emailed me and offered this tab and video. I think you'll agree that both are fantastic. Here's the tab, and Jason's comments, both published with his permission. There's also a video of Jason playing the piece [HERE]. This arrangement is NOT in the Public Domain, but Jason has generously offered them to the blog. Same rules apply as for my tabs. Thank you, Jason.
Jason describes himself thus: I'm a married, father of four, mechanical engineer, who loves all things guitar related. I've been playing for about 17 years. I've accompanied people in talent shows and at different church functions. I just think the guitar is wonderful. I actually am in the process of building my own acoustic guitar, but since I work on it when I'm not busy with my kids the process is a couple of years in the works so far.
The song is originally written in the key of F. This arrangement is in the key of D, to get
to F you just need to put a capo on the 3rd fret. In my video I have the capo on the 2nd
fret because that’s the range that fit my daughter’s voice the best. The tab is written for a guitar tuned to
DADGBE, regular tuning with the low E string dropped to a D. [This is often called, "drop D tuning"-- Don]
The song requires the use of the barred C-form chord. Because the low string is dropped to a D it makes a couple of strange barred chords that take a bit of practice to be able to go to smoothly, like the G in measure 10 and the F#m in measure 11. Because the song is finger picked you can cheat a little bit though. You don’t have to have all of your fingers in place at the beginning of the measure, just the ones that are needed for the first note. Then the fingers in place act as an anchor to help the others land in the correct position. That’s the technique I use going from the D5 in measure 9 to the G in measure 10. I make sure my 1st finger is on the 6th string at the 5th fret and my 3rd finger is on the 1st sting at the 7th fret at the start of the measure then I have a whole extra beat to get my other two in place. I do the same thing for the F#m in the 11th measure.
I added a couple of beats to measures 13 and 17 to account for a couple of notes that are usually held longer by the person singing the song and I liked the way it sounded. If you end up playing along with someone who is playing on the piano you’ll need to make some adjustments there. To start the song I play the end of the song starting on the last note of measure 13 as an intro. I end the song with a slow strum of the full D chord, ending on the 2nd string, a D.
Just in time for Christmas, Jason emailed me and offered this tab and video. I think you'll agree that both are fantastic. Here's the tab, and Jason's comments, both published with his permission. There's also a video of Jason playing the piece [HERE]. This arrangement is NOT in the Public Domain, but Jason has generously offered them to the blog. Same rules apply as for my tabs. Thank you, Jason.
Jason describes himself thus: I'm a married, father of four, mechanical engineer, who loves all things guitar related. I've been playing for about 17 years. I've accompanied people in talent shows and at different church functions. I just think the guitar is wonderful. I actually am in the process of building my own acoustic guitar, but since I work on it when I'm not busy with my kids the process is a couple of years in the works so far.
I wrote a couple of paragraphs about playing the song. That was
harder than I thought it would be. Let me know if something doesn't
make sense. Here they are:
The song requires the use of the barred C-form chord. Because the low string is dropped to a D it makes a couple of strange barred chords that take a bit of practice to be able to go to smoothly, like the G in measure 10 and the F#m in measure 11. Because the song is finger picked you can cheat a little bit though. You don’t have to have all of your fingers in place at the beginning of the measure, just the ones that are needed for the first note. Then the fingers in place act as an anchor to help the others land in the correct position. That’s the technique I use going from the D5 in measure 9 to the G in measure 10. I make sure my 1st finger is on the 6th string at the 5th fret and my 3rd finger is on the 1st sting at the 7th fret at the start of the measure then I have a whole extra beat to get my other two in place. I do the same thing for the F#m in the 11th measure.
I added a couple of beats to measures 13 and 17 to account for a couple of notes that are usually held longer by the person singing the song and I liked the way it sounded. If you end up playing along with someone who is playing on the piano you’ll need to make some adjustments there. To start the song I play the end of the song starting on the last note of measure 13 as an intro. I end the song with a slow strum of the full D chord, ending on the 2nd string, a D.
Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd
Another beautiful, easy one, and one of my favorites, though it's not very popular in English-speaking congregations. I almost published it in Spanish, where it's called, Ama el Pastor las ovejas, as it seems to be a perennial favorite in Spanish-speaking congregations. I didn't do that, because most of my English-speaking readers probably are not fluent in Spanish, and any Spanish-speaker who reads this blog must be bilingual anyway. Nor am I fluent with the Latin system of chord and note names. This song is so simple and easy, assuming you can play a few barre chords, that it would be a shame to clutter it up with chords like do/sol or la menor. (C/G or Am). I have included the Spanish lyrics, in italics, as an apology to my Spanish-speaking friends.
I set the metronome time signature at 92 eighth-notes per minute, NOT quarter-notes, as is more usual. If you try to play it at 46 quarter-notes per minute, you'll know why. It's true, 46 quarter-notes should be equal to 96 eighth-notes, but there is such a long time between beats that it's impossible to follow. I could have cut each measure in half and made quarter-notes of them, which is musically correct, but looks way too busy, and it would push the ends of the second phrase onto the next line. You can't have everything, so I opted for ease of playing.
The chords called out in the tab are often just to position the left-hand fingers. If you try to strum the song as a sing-along, you'll find there are chords missing, and others in the wrong place. Only strum the chords when a strum is indicated.
There's a pattern to the song. The first measure of each line is a strummed chord, followed by a little melody. The second measure is two strummed chords, held for three beats each. (Sometimes, it's easier to make the second chord a single note.) The third measure is similar to the first, and the fourth measure is a single strum, held for all six counts. The only exception is in the fifth line, where there are three grace notes constituting a a bass run down the strings. I might have left it out, but it's in the original music as composed by William James Kirkpatrick, and I wanted to stick as closely to the original score as I could. Besides, it's a nice touch.
This is one of the most straightforward tabs you’ll find on this blog. There are practically no instructions needed. Strum the chords where indicated. All other notes are to be plucked or pinched. You could play the whole piece with a flat-pick without any changes.
All notes on the second string (the B string) at or above the IV fret should be fretted with the left pinkie. If your pinkie isn’t up to it-- practice! You’ll be glad you did, as it’s just not convenient to play these notes any other way, and it’s easy to fret them with the pinkie, once your pinkie is strong enough.
You don’t have to play all (or any) of the pull-offs as pull-offs. You may find it easier to pluck them with the right fingers or pick them individually, but I think the ligado effect of the pull-off adds a nice touch, and is really easy to do.
Nearly all the chords are played as full, five- or six-string chords, except where the tab calls out a “short” chord to emphasize the melody. Even in these, “short” chords, it’s easiest to fret the full chord with the left hand, but only strum the strings indicated with the right hand or pick. One way to accomplish this easily is to stop the strum after playing the last string, allowing the thumb or ball of the hand to rest on the strings NOT played, damping them in case of accidental contact.
Easy as this song looks, you may be tempted to substitute easy, “basic” C, G, G7, and F chords for C/G, GIII, G7III, and the full-barred F. DON’T DO IT! Even if you’re just accompanying a singer, the music will not follow the melody, and the song will sound way over-simplified. That’s why this is not listed as beginner level.
I set the metronome time signature at 92 eighth-notes per minute, NOT quarter-notes, as is more usual. If you try to play it at 46 quarter-notes per minute, you'll know why. It's true, 46 quarter-notes should be equal to 96 eighth-notes, but there is such a long time between beats that it's impossible to follow. I could have cut each measure in half and made quarter-notes of them, which is musically correct, but looks way too busy, and it would push the ends of the second phrase onto the next line. You can't have everything, so I opted for ease of playing.
The chords called out in the tab are often just to position the left-hand fingers. If you try to strum the song as a sing-along, you'll find there are chords missing, and others in the wrong place. Only strum the chords when a strum is indicated.
There's a pattern to the song. The first measure of each line is a strummed chord, followed by a little melody. The second measure is two strummed chords, held for three beats each. (Sometimes, it's easier to make the second chord a single note.) The third measure is similar to the first, and the fourth measure is a single strum, held for all six counts. The only exception is in the fifth line, where there are three grace notes constituting a a bass run down the strings. I might have left it out, but it's in the original music as composed by William James Kirkpatrick, and I wanted to stick as closely to the original score as I could. Besides, it's a nice touch.
This is one of the most straightforward tabs you’ll find on this blog. There are practically no instructions needed. Strum the chords where indicated. All other notes are to be plucked or pinched. You could play the whole piece with a flat-pick without any changes.
All notes on the second string (the B string) at or above the IV fret should be fretted with the left pinkie. If your pinkie isn’t up to it-- practice! You’ll be glad you did, as it’s just not convenient to play these notes any other way, and it’s easy to fret them with the pinkie, once your pinkie is strong enough.
You don’t have to play all (or any) of the pull-offs as pull-offs. You may find it easier to pluck them with the right fingers or pick them individually, but I think the ligado effect of the pull-off adds a nice touch, and is really easy to do.
Nearly all the chords are played as full, five- or six-string chords, except where the tab calls out a “short” chord to emphasize the melody. Even in these, “short” chords, it’s easiest to fret the full chord with the left hand, but only strum the strings indicated with the right hand or pick. One way to accomplish this easily is to stop the strum after playing the last string, allowing the thumb or ball of the hand to rest on the strings NOT played, damping them in case of accidental contact.
Easy as this song looks, you may be tempted to substitute easy, “basic” C, G, G7, and F chords for C/G, GIII, G7III, and the full-barred F. DON’T DO IT! Even if you’re just accompanying a singer, the music will not follow the melody, and the song will sound way over-simplified. That’s why this is not listed as beginner level.
Testimony
This is another of those simple little tunes that are SO HARD to play! The big problem, for most, will be the extensive use of barre chords, especially in the barred A-form and the barred C-form. These forms often give troubles to those who are not completely comfortable with barring. I have tried to keep this song as playable as possible, while staying true to the music. You’ll know how well I did when you play the song.
I generally just hate to split a measure between lines, and also dislike splitting a lligado between two measures, yet I have done both simultaneously in this piece. My only excuse is, I couldn't find a better way to write it. I guess the editors of Hymns couldn't either, as they did the same thing in the same place. There are several places where you have to move fast to get from one chord to the next. All I can suggest is, practice the transitions until you can do them fluently, then worry about how they relate to the rest of the song.
The first one comes at the end of the second measure, where you have to go from the 2nd string, 1st space, to the FV chord, which is a C-shape barred in the 5th space. To make it easier, I’ve elected to use only the first four strings of the FV chord, so you only have to barre three strings. Still, this may be an unfamiliar shape to you, and you have to move from the 1st position to the 5th position in a heartbeat, and nail the FV chord all at once. Practice, practice, practice! You need to get this down pat, as there’s a far worse transition coming in the second line.
The chord change from FV to CIII is also not easy, especially if you are not comfortable with barred A-shape chords. CIII is one of the most common variants of this shape, so you may already be familiar with it. I use it here for two reasons: it enhances the melody line, and, by adding an intermediate step between the FV and the following C chord, it actually makes that transition easier.
The C - FI - GIII chord progression should be easy enough for anyone using this blog, as it is basic to better than 90% of the tabs here. But don’t get too complacent. The second line is harder, though I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible.
The biggest jump in the song comes right at the end of the second measure, when you have to slide all the way from 1st position to eighth position to hit the FVIII, a barred A-shape in the eighth space. In reality, it’s no worse than hitting any other A-shape barre chord, you just have to move your hand up the neck a bit faster. Actually, it may even be easier than the CIII you played in the first line, because the frets are closer together at the high end of the fretboard.
The change from FVIII to CVIII is actually one of the easier changes in the piece. Just leave the barre where it is, and change from an A-shape to an E-shape. I have elected to use the E on the open 1st string, instead of the same note on the 4th string, 10th space, which is already being fretted, because it forces you to release the barre, giving you a full quarter-note beat to move back to first position.
The pull-off in the penultimate (next-to-last) measure has a similar function, easing the transition to GaddD. This is actually a very easy chord to play, being based on the standard, first position G chord. In fact, it’s even easier than a standard G chord, because your fingers don’t have to stretch as far. Just remember not to play the 1st string, as the open E will sound discordant.
The transition to the following C/G (C, with a G bass), is very nearly a standard C chord, with the addition of the G on the bass string. This gives the chord a fuller sound, but you can play a regular C if your hand is tired.
I like to repeat the last phrase, “O Father of my soul,” as a brief coda after the last full verse. You can also use it as an introduction, if you wish, though I think it’s a bit too much, considering the brevity of the song. If you do use it as a coda, I recommend playing GIII, in place of the GaddD, for it’s fuller sound, and slightly different harmony.
Copyrights to this song are held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please respect them. There are other verses, but since this intended as a guitar solo, you can repeat as many times (or as few) as you like. I think this song would make a dynamite duet with a bowed instrument such as a violin or cello, but have not tried it. If you do play it as a duet, email me and let me know how it goes. A digital recording would be even better.
I generally just hate to split a measure between lines, and also dislike splitting a lligado between two measures, yet I have done both simultaneously in this piece. My only excuse is, I couldn't find a better way to write it. I guess the editors of Hymns couldn't either, as they did the same thing in the same place. There are several places where you have to move fast to get from one chord to the next. All I can suggest is, practice the transitions until you can do them fluently, then worry about how they relate to the rest of the song.
The first one comes at the end of the second measure, where you have to go from the 2nd string, 1st space, to the FV chord, which is a C-shape barred in the 5th space. To make it easier, I’ve elected to use only the first four strings of the FV chord, so you only have to barre three strings. Still, this may be an unfamiliar shape to you, and you have to move from the 1st position to the 5th position in a heartbeat, and nail the FV chord all at once. Practice, practice, practice! You need to get this down pat, as there’s a far worse transition coming in the second line.
The chord change from FV to CIII is also not easy, especially if you are not comfortable with barred A-shape chords. CIII is one of the most common variants of this shape, so you may already be familiar with it. I use it here for two reasons: it enhances the melody line, and, by adding an intermediate step between the FV and the following C chord, it actually makes that transition easier.
The C - FI - GIII chord progression should be easy enough for anyone using this blog, as it is basic to better than 90% of the tabs here. But don’t get too complacent. The second line is harder, though I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible.
The biggest jump in the song comes right at the end of the second measure, when you have to slide all the way from 1st position to eighth position to hit the FVIII, a barred A-shape in the eighth space. In reality, it’s no worse than hitting any other A-shape barre chord, you just have to move your hand up the neck a bit faster. Actually, it may even be easier than the CIII you played in the first line, because the frets are closer together at the high end of the fretboard.
The change from FVIII to CVIII is actually one of the easier changes in the piece. Just leave the barre where it is, and change from an A-shape to an E-shape. I have elected to use the E on the open 1st string, instead of the same note on the 4th string, 10th space, which is already being fretted, because it forces you to release the barre, giving you a full quarter-note beat to move back to first position.
The pull-off in the penultimate (next-to-last) measure has a similar function, easing the transition to GaddD. This is actually a very easy chord to play, being based on the standard, first position G chord. In fact, it’s even easier than a standard G chord, because your fingers don’t have to stretch as far. Just remember not to play the 1st string, as the open E will sound discordant.
The transition to the following C/G (C, with a G bass), is very nearly a standard C chord, with the addition of the G on the bass string. This gives the chord a fuller sound, but you can play a regular C if your hand is tired.
I like to repeat the last phrase, “O Father of my soul,” as a brief coda after the last full verse. You can also use it as an introduction, if you wish, though I think it’s a bit too much, considering the brevity of the song. If you do use it as a coda, I recommend playing GIII, in place of the GaddD, for it’s fuller sound, and slightly different harmony.
Copyrights to this song are held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please respect them. There are other verses, but since this intended as a guitar solo, you can repeat as many times (or as few) as you like. I think this song would make a dynamite duet with a bowed instrument such as a violin or cello, but have not tried it. If you do play it as a duet, email me and let me know how it goes. A digital recording would be even better.
I Stand All Amazed
This is a beautiful song, and one of the most beautiful things about it is that it is much easier to play than it seems-- if you play it in the right key. The original is in Bb, which is really hard to play on the guitar, and not much better on the piano. I play it in C, which is much easier, and sounds better on the guitar, anyway. If you must have it in Bb, tune all six strings down two frets and play it as written, and it’ll come out in Bb.
You can really make people cry with this song if you play it as a duet with a violin. To do that, you must both be playing in the same key. Either tune the guitar down two frets, or the violinist will have to transpose into C. LDS.org has a transposer for this song, located HERE. Open the link, open the "Key" drop-down menu in the left-hand column,and type in, C. The ap will do the rest for you. A good violinist may be able to play it without the sheet music.
[FOR THE VIOLINIST: there are a few F chords in the piece, that are not called out in the guitar tab, as no actual chords are played, only single notes. F is considered a hard chord to play by some guitarists.]
Nearly the whole song is played from some variant of a C or G chord. Of the 22 strums in the song, 21 are either a variation of the basic C chord, or the G or G7. The other is a simple Dm. Don’t let the unusual names of these chords discourage you. They are all played as a normal C chord, with one additional note added with the little finger. There are a few transitions that can be tricky if you don’t play them right, but they are not hard if you know the trick.
It took me less than 24 hours to tab the whole song, including creating the guitar arrangement. There are no barre chords. There are a few ligados, but all can be played as straight notes if you have trouble with hammer-ons or pull-offs. Nevertheless, the piece does not sound over-simplified.
Study notes:
Strum the chords with the thumb, or with a flat pick. You can pick out the melody notes the same way. A flat pick makes a twangy sound, which gives the piece a bit of a “Country Gospel” feeling, while using the thumb gives a mellower, semi-classical sound.
In the first line, all of the 2nd fret notes are fretted by flattening the middle finger of the left hand, briefly, without releasing the chord. Since all but the last chord in the line are versions of C, this allows the other strings to continue ringing while the melody is picked out in individual notes-- a beautiful technique. That last chord is a G7, which is not much of a change from a C shape--a really easy transition.
Don’t try to hold the G7 throughout the second line. You’ll need to release the chord and just concentrate on picking out the melody. Remember, fret the notes in the first fret with the index finger, the second fret with the middle finger, and the third fret with the ring finger, and it’ll make the notes just naturally fall into place with very little practice.
The first two measures of the third line are identical to the corresponding measures of the first line, but the melody is different in the last two measures. You will need to fret the notes not found in the C chord with the little finger, again. The GaddD chord is played very much like a normal G, except that the ring finger goes on the second string instead of the first string, which is not played. If anything, it’s even easier to play than a normal G, because you don’t have to stretch as far.
Maintain the GaddD into the fourth line, then release it and fret the melody notes with the “proper” fingers, as in line 2. The only remotely difficult transition in the whole song comes at the end of this line, when you have to change from the A note (2nd fret, 3rd string) to the G7 chord in the space of an eighth-note. The trick is to co-ordinate the right and left hand so the note is damped by the left finger coming off the string, just an instant after the right hand plucks it. This technique, called, “finger-damping,” is used in a lot of blues guitar playing, as well as in classical guitar. It produces a short, staccato effect, but here, it is used more to get you out of the note and into the chord quickly and harmoniously, than for the sound.
The last two lines reprise the techniques of the first and third lines: hold the C-shape chords and allow the strings to ring while playing the following melody notes. There are no difficult transitions in these lines, but remember that most of the notes are actually eighth-notes. Counting numbers are provided if you are not completely familiar with the song.
When sung as a vocal piece, this hymn has three verses, but that doesn’t mean you have to play it through three times, if you don’t want to. Once, twice, or even four times may sound better to you. Since this is intended as an instrumental solo, you can also play around with the rhythm in the last two lines, holding some of the notes extra long for emphasis. I like to hold the Dm, especially the last time around, then play the last measure in half-time. That gives the chord progression a really cool sound.
About the song:
There does not seem to be a cool back-story to this hymn-- not surprising, considering that the songwriter and lyricist, Charles H. Gabriel, wrote 7000 or 8000 others. He was a professional hymn writer, who published his works under many pseudonyms. Not all those aliases are known with equal certainty, hence the uncertainty about the number of his creations. He also wrote the music to many other familiar songs, including, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” "I Stand All Amazed" is in the public domain.
You can really make people cry with this song if you play it as a duet with a violin. To do that, you must both be playing in the same key. Either tune the guitar down two frets, or the violinist will have to transpose into C. LDS.org has a transposer for this song, located HERE. Open the link, open the "Key" drop-down menu in the left-hand column,and type in, C. The ap will do the rest for you. A good violinist may be able to play it without the sheet music.
[FOR THE VIOLINIST: there are a few F chords in the piece, that are not called out in the guitar tab, as no actual chords are played, only single notes. F is considered a hard chord to play by some guitarists.]
Nearly the whole song is played from some variant of a C or G chord. Of the 22 strums in the song, 21 are either a variation of the basic C chord, or the G or G7. The other is a simple Dm. Don’t let the unusual names of these chords discourage you. They are all played as a normal C chord, with one additional note added with the little finger. There are a few transitions that can be tricky if you don’t play them right, but they are not hard if you know the trick.
It took me less than 24 hours to tab the whole song, including creating the guitar arrangement. There are no barre chords. There are a few ligados, but all can be played as straight notes if you have trouble with hammer-ons or pull-offs. Nevertheless, the piece does not sound over-simplified.
Study notes:
Strum the chords with the thumb, or with a flat pick. You can pick out the melody notes the same way. A flat pick makes a twangy sound, which gives the piece a bit of a “Country Gospel” feeling, while using the thumb gives a mellower, semi-classical sound.
In the first line, all of the 2nd fret notes are fretted by flattening the middle finger of the left hand, briefly, without releasing the chord. Since all but the last chord in the line are versions of C, this allows the other strings to continue ringing while the melody is picked out in individual notes-- a beautiful technique. That last chord is a G7, which is not much of a change from a C shape--a really easy transition.
Don’t try to hold the G7 throughout the second line. You’ll need to release the chord and just concentrate on picking out the melody. Remember, fret the notes in the first fret with the index finger, the second fret with the middle finger, and the third fret with the ring finger, and it’ll make the notes just naturally fall into place with very little practice.
The first two measures of the third line are identical to the corresponding measures of the first line, but the melody is different in the last two measures. You will need to fret the notes not found in the C chord with the little finger, again. The GaddD chord is played very much like a normal G, except that the ring finger goes on the second string instead of the first string, which is not played. If anything, it’s even easier to play than a normal G, because you don’t have to stretch as far.
Maintain the GaddD into the fourth line, then release it and fret the melody notes with the “proper” fingers, as in line 2. The only remotely difficult transition in the whole song comes at the end of this line, when you have to change from the A note (2nd fret, 3rd string) to the G7 chord in the space of an eighth-note. The trick is to co-ordinate the right and left hand so the note is damped by the left finger coming off the string, just an instant after the right hand plucks it. This technique, called, “finger-damping,” is used in a lot of blues guitar playing, as well as in classical guitar. It produces a short, staccato effect, but here, it is used more to get you out of the note and into the chord quickly and harmoniously, than for the sound.
The last two lines reprise the techniques of the first and third lines: hold the C-shape chords and allow the strings to ring while playing the following melody notes. There are no difficult transitions in these lines, but remember that most of the notes are actually eighth-notes. Counting numbers are provided if you are not completely familiar with the song.
When sung as a vocal piece, this hymn has three verses, but that doesn’t mean you have to play it through three times, if you don’t want to. Once, twice, or even four times may sound better to you. Since this is intended as an instrumental solo, you can also play around with the rhythm in the last two lines, holding some of the notes extra long for emphasis. I like to hold the Dm, especially the last time around, then play the last measure in half-time. That gives the chord progression a really cool sound.
About the song:
There does not seem to be a cool back-story to this hymn-- not surprising, considering that the songwriter and lyricist, Charles H. Gabriel, wrote 7000 or 8000 others. He was a professional hymn writer, who published his works under many pseudonyms. Not all those aliases are known with equal certainty, hence the uncertainty about the number of his creations. He also wrote the music to many other familiar songs, including, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” "I Stand All Amazed" is in the public domain.
Danny Boy-- guitar/mandolin duet
This is a great tune for a duet, but each of the parts can be played alone, too. I know it's not really Gospel-related, and is rather Catholic in tone, referring as it does to "saying an ave" (pronounced AH-vay), which is how some Catholics refer to the prayer which in Latin begins, "Ave Maria". In English, it's called a "Hail Mary."
Actually, the tune is far older than the words associated with it, and makes a really lovely instrumental duet. The tune was collected in County Londonderry (or Derry) in what is now Northern Ireland, in the mid-1800s, and was so old even then that no one even knew its name, so the collector just referred to it as "The Londonderry Air." The tune is in the public domain. The lyrics were written by Frederic Weatherly, and originally set to a completely different tune. In 1913, he adapted it to fit the Londonderry Air, so the song Danny Boy, as we now know it, is only 100 years old. But in that century, it has become so popular that hardly anyone remembers the previous version or name.
The mandolin is tuned exactly like the violin, so you could substitute a violin for the mandolin part. Or you could, if I had used mandolin musical notation instead of tablature. But there are countless violin versions available in sheet music, and I couldn't find any in tab. If you're an accomplished mandolin player, you're doubtless used to reading sheet music, but for those who, like me, are not accomplished, I've provided tab. Either part can also be played separately as a solo.
The piece is actually not difficult for the guitarist who can play standard barre chords. It uses only barred E-shape chords, except for CaddE and CaddD near the end. Both are based on the CVIII chord, and can be played that way, if your fingers are long, or your guitar is small. Otherwise, just play the first four strings of those chords, as written. I have a 3/4 size classical guitar which I use for teaching very young students, and it works perfectly for me to play the full chords (all six strings), and still reach the 12th fret with my little finger.
I've added a reprise of the last line, as a finale, ending with CVIII. I like to end on a rising note, but you can leave off the finale if you prefer the C/G resolution.
Actually, the tune is far older than the words associated with it, and makes a really lovely instrumental duet. The tune was collected in County Londonderry (or Derry) in what is now Northern Ireland, in the mid-1800s, and was so old even then that no one even knew its name, so the collector just referred to it as "The Londonderry Air." The tune is in the public domain. The lyrics were written by Frederic Weatherly, and originally set to a completely different tune. In 1913, he adapted it to fit the Londonderry Air, so the song Danny Boy, as we now know it, is only 100 years old. But in that century, it has become so popular that hardly anyone remembers the previous version or name.
The mandolin is tuned exactly like the violin, so you could substitute a violin for the mandolin part. Or you could, if I had used mandolin musical notation instead of tablature. But there are countless violin versions available in sheet music, and I couldn't find any in tab. If you're an accomplished mandolin player, you're doubtless used to reading sheet music, but for those who, like me, are not accomplished, I've provided tab. Either part can also be played separately as a solo.
The piece is actually not difficult for the guitarist who can play standard barre chords. It uses only barred E-shape chords, except for CaddE and CaddD near the end. Both are based on the CVIII chord, and can be played that way, if your fingers are long, or your guitar is small. Otherwise, just play the first four strings of those chords, as written. I have a 3/4 size classical guitar which I use for teaching very young students, and it works perfectly for me to play the full chords (all six strings), and still reach the 12th fret with my little finger.
I've added a reprise of the last line, as a finale, ending with CVIII. I like to end on a rising note, but you can leave off the finale if you prefer the C/G resolution.
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