Meditation (Meditaçao)
This post was posted some time ago, but the link failed, and never posted. Just scroll down for the post. The link is working now. Sorry!
Rock of Ages
Short, easy, beautiful piece. Only twelve full measures, only three chords, all easy. No barre chords. No hard or fast changes. Lots of fun expression-- it can make people weep. And it’s in the public domain. What’s not to love?
Tempo is approximate; don’t even try to use a metronome. You’ll find yourself wanting to adjust the tempo throughout the song, as you speed up and slow down for emphasis. The count is approximate, too, as I found it confusing to try to put in sixteenth notes.
I recommend you try to stick with the chord strums and pinches as tabbed, as well as the slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, at least until you get a feel for the arrangement. Yeah, it’s easier without all that expression, but it’s not nearly as beautiful. Done correctly, after three verses, you should see members of the congregation dabbing their eyes.
There are two ways to make a tremolo, and this piece requires both, depending on fretboard position. For notes at the fifth fret and above, make the tremolo by vibrating the fretting finger along the string. For notes below the fifth fret, vibrate across the string, or the tremolo will be weak, or even inaudible.
A few of the slides and changes require you to use specific fingers:
In the last two measures of the second line, use the middle finger for the slide, leaving the index finger free to fret the G on the 6th string in the last measure. The ring finger then plays the B in the IV space of the third string, pulling off to G. It’s not difficult at all, just unusual.
For similar reasons, in the second measure of the last line, I like to use the middle finger for the double slide on the 4th string. In the next measure, the second note is actually part of the strummed chord, but is a quarter note, for emphasis, while the rest of the chord receives a standard strum.
Try to hold the tremolo in the penultimate (next to last) measure as long as you can. You can slide down to the D on the 2nd string if you wish, or play it separately as shown. The rest of the song need not be played very deliberately for the first two verses, but the last time, play at half speed as shown, with great deliberation, emphasizing each chord separately.
The final chord may be played as a standard C if desired, but I think adding the G bass note with the little finger gives a fuller sound. Tip: Play the standard C for the first two verses, reserving the C/G for the final resolve of the song. This chord is properly called, "C with a G bass," but guitarists often call it "C-slash-G," or "C-over-G." Whatever you call it, it's a strong way to end a beautiful song.
Tempo is approximate; don’t even try to use a metronome. You’ll find yourself wanting to adjust the tempo throughout the song, as you speed up and slow down for emphasis. The count is approximate, too, as I found it confusing to try to put in sixteenth notes.
I recommend you try to stick with the chord strums and pinches as tabbed, as well as the slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, at least until you get a feel for the arrangement. Yeah, it’s easier without all that expression, but it’s not nearly as beautiful. Done correctly, after three verses, you should see members of the congregation dabbing their eyes.
There are two ways to make a tremolo, and this piece requires both, depending on fretboard position. For notes at the fifth fret and above, make the tremolo by vibrating the fretting finger along the string. For notes below the fifth fret, vibrate across the string, or the tremolo will be weak, or even inaudible.
A few of the slides and changes require you to use specific fingers:
In the last two measures of the second line, use the middle finger for the slide, leaving the index finger free to fret the G on the 6th string in the last measure. The ring finger then plays the B in the IV space of the third string, pulling off to G. It’s not difficult at all, just unusual.
For similar reasons, in the second measure of the last line, I like to use the middle finger for the double slide on the 4th string. In the next measure, the second note is actually part of the strummed chord, but is a quarter note, for emphasis, while the rest of the chord receives a standard strum.
Try to hold the tremolo in the penultimate (next to last) measure as long as you can. You can slide down to the D on the 2nd string if you wish, or play it separately as shown. The rest of the song need not be played very deliberately for the first two verses, but the last time, play at half speed as shown, with great deliberation, emphasizing each chord separately.
The final chord may be played as a standard C if desired, but I think adding the G bass note with the little finger gives a fuller sound. Tip: Play the standard C for the first two verses, reserving the C/G for the final resolve of the song. This chord is properly called, "C with a G bass," but guitarists often call it "C-slash-G," or "C-over-G." Whatever you call it, it's a strong way to end a beautiful song.
Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
I haven’t been able to learn much about the history of the lyrics, other than the author was John Fawcett, a British-born Baptist theologian, pastor, and hymn writer. The music has been attributed to the XVIII Century, French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who apparently was something of a polymath (multiple genius). Besides writing on philosophy, religion, and various works of literature, he wrote the constitutions of two countries (neither his own), influenced the political thinkers of the day in favor of democracy, and taught music and music theory. He also gave music lessons, wrote an opera, and wrote the tune (Greenville) for this hymn.
The hymn itself originally had three verses, and is still listed that way in many Protestant hymnals, though the LDS hymnal only lists two of them. Since this intended as an instrumental solo, you can play as many verses as you like. I have included a key change, from D to C, which is not in the music, but adds to the variety of the piece. If you are going to play three verses, you can change back to D for the third verse, or you can start in C, then change to D and back to C for the third verse.
Either way, the music is played almost exactly the same in both keys, the main difference being which frets are barred. There’s lots of repetition, making the piece much easier than it sounds. For example, the first two lines within each verse are nearly identical, and the last four lines of the second verse are played exactly the same as the corresponding lines of the first verse, except for the barre position. Most of the tab is based on simple chords known to even beginning guitarists: D, A, and C. Between them, they account for nearly half of the measures. Four of the remaining seven chords are either barred A-shapes or barred E-shapes, the easiest barre chords there are. Of the other three chords, two consist of just the first four strings of a barred C-shape. The only other chord is a slight modification of a basic C chord, formed by adding the G on the first string, third space.
Other than the barre chords, the only thing that might give you trouble in this song are the numerous slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs, most of which need to be done with the left pinkie. Please do not leave them out; they are the melody notes. You can pick the notes individually, instead of doing the ligado techniques, but that actually makes the song harder. As written, the whole song can be done by strumming with the thumb, a thumb-pick, or a flat pick. For variety, or for emphasis, you can finger-pick or pinch the chords in the choruses, except for the final chords in each line. This is not a hard song. The whole arrangement and tab took me less than one day.
Naturally, this one is in the public domain. Enjoy!
The hymn itself originally had three verses, and is still listed that way in many Protestant hymnals, though the LDS hymnal only lists two of them. Since this intended as an instrumental solo, you can play as many verses as you like. I have included a key change, from D to C, which is not in the music, but adds to the variety of the piece. If you are going to play three verses, you can change back to D for the third verse, or you can start in C, then change to D and back to C for the third verse.
Either way, the music is played almost exactly the same in both keys, the main difference being which frets are barred. There’s lots of repetition, making the piece much easier than it sounds. For example, the first two lines within each verse are nearly identical, and the last four lines of the second verse are played exactly the same as the corresponding lines of the first verse, except for the barre position. Most of the tab is based on simple chords known to even beginning guitarists: D, A, and C. Between them, they account for nearly half of the measures. Four of the remaining seven chords are either barred A-shapes or barred E-shapes, the easiest barre chords there are. Of the other three chords, two consist of just the first four strings of a barred C-shape. The only other chord is a slight modification of a basic C chord, formed by adding the G on the first string, third space.
Other than the barre chords, the only thing that might give you trouble in this song are the numerous slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs, most of which need to be done with the left pinkie. Please do not leave them out; they are the melody notes. You can pick the notes individually, instead of doing the ligado techniques, but that actually makes the song harder. As written, the whole song can be done by strumming with the thumb, a thumb-pick, or a flat pick. For variety, or for emphasis, you can finger-pick or pinch the chords in the choruses, except for the final chords in each line. This is not a hard song. The whole arrangement and tab took me less than one day.
Naturally, this one is in the public domain. Enjoy!
Meditation (Meditaçao)
Don’t let the weird chord names throw you, or prevent you from learning this song. It’s actually not very hard. In fact, it’s the very first Bossa Nova song I ever learned, strumming it softly, before I ever learned to finger-pick. I’ve included the lyrics to all the verses, and a cheat sheet at the end, for those who prefer to strum it and sing the melody. (The cheat sheet chords are even easier!) If, like me, your fingers work better than your voice, you may want to pick it as a guitar solo instead. It sounds great either way. “Lovely” is about the only word to describe it. If you don’t know the piece, see the guitar version by Antonio “Tom” Jobim HERE. I don’t know if this is the original composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim, who also went by the name Tom Jobim, or a wonderful guitarist with a similar name. As you can see, my chords are lots easier, but his are LOTS prettier! Or check out the melody as originally performed by Astrud Gilberto in 1967 HERE.
In tabbing this piece, I have tried something new. There are several places where a barre is indicated, to make the left hand fingering easier, but the indicated note is not actually played. Where this occurs, I have marked the string with a capital X in lightface type, in place of the usual boldface 0. The chords are A9IV, G9II, and especially Fmaj7I, in which the 5th string isn’t even part of the chord, but must be barred in order to ease the transition from C.
On the Coda, just barre the first five strings in the indicated space and slide from one chord to the next, sustaining each chord for just a moment, so the whole slide takes six beats. If your guitar won’t sustain this long (few acoustic guitars will), try playing it as three separate two-chord slides, or play each chord separately as a finger-stopped thumb strum. Finger-stop the chords (except for the last one) by quickly easing the barring finger pressure against the strings just slightly, just enough to damp the strings so they quit sounding, before moving to the next chord. After finger-damping the chord, be sure to lift the finger completely off the strings while moving to the next chord, or the strings may sound. This will not sound like a cool slide, but rather like a muffed transition. Either make the slide definite, or make the stop definite. Let the final Cmaj7 chord ring, and take your bows. I just love a Major Seventh resolve. Your audience will, too.
If you play around on YouTube, you’ll find that every artist who covers this piece does it differently. It’s JAZZ. There’s no “right” way to play it, just so it sounds good to you. A nice thing about this song is that it sounds equally good as a simple melody, or tricked up with all kinds of fancy riffs. Play around with it. Have fun. That’s what jazz is all about.
In tabbing this piece, I have tried something new. There are several places where a barre is indicated, to make the left hand fingering easier, but the indicated note is not actually played. Where this occurs, I have marked the string with a capital X in lightface type, in place of the usual boldface 0. The chords are A9IV, G9II, and especially Fmaj7I, in which the 5th string isn’t even part of the chord, but must be barred in order to ease the transition from C.
On the Coda, just barre the first five strings in the indicated space and slide from one chord to the next, sustaining each chord for just a moment, so the whole slide takes six beats. If your guitar won’t sustain this long (few acoustic guitars will), try playing it as three separate two-chord slides, or play each chord separately as a finger-stopped thumb strum. Finger-stop the chords (except for the last one) by quickly easing the barring finger pressure against the strings just slightly, just enough to damp the strings so they quit sounding, before moving to the next chord. After finger-damping the chord, be sure to lift the finger completely off the strings while moving to the next chord, or the strings may sound. This will not sound like a cool slide, but rather like a muffed transition. Either make the slide definite, or make the stop definite. Let the final Cmaj7 chord ring, and take your bows. I just love a Major Seventh resolve. Your audience will, too.
If you play around on YouTube, you’ll find that every artist who covers this piece does it differently. It’s JAZZ. There’s no “right” way to play it, just so it sounds good to you. A nice thing about this song is that it sounds equally good as a simple melody, or tricked up with all kinds of fancy riffs. Play around with it. Have fun. That’s what jazz is all about.
Guitar strings...
I was reading a blog thread about guitar string brands, and noted several comments from players whose "body chemistry" caused their strings to go dead quickly. Or so they said. My Classical teacher taught me to always wash my hands with soap and water before touching the guitar, to remove finger oils. The oil gets into the windings of the bass strings and attracts and holds dirt particles, tiny bits of dead skin, etc., which can deaden a string literally overnight. Finger oil and dirt also coat the mono-filament strings (the treble strings), which deadens them as well, though not as quickly. Some people have oilier skin than others. If you have oily hands, try washing them with soap, or even detergent, particularly the finger ends, right before playing. Unless you LIKE restringing your guitar, of course! Anybody have any other ideas on how to make strings last longer?
We'll Bring the World His Truth ("Army of Helaman")
Yeah, I know: everyone calls this song, “The Army of Helaman.” Sorry, but that is not actually its title. The original name, according to Janice Kapp Perry, the composer and lyricist, is “We’ll Bring the World His Truth.” So many people called it “The Army of Helaman,” that the LDS Church, which is extremely careful about such things, had to append the alternate title, to avoid confusion. So did I.
Another shocker: the copyright date is 1983. The song is barely thirty years old. I thought it had been around forever. Instead, I find the original copyright date is still valid. It is NOT in the public domain. The Church website states,
© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
I would normally conclude from the double copyright that the Church had purchased limited rights from Sister Perry. However, Sister Perry’s own website has not responded to my request for reprint permission. I have waited months for a meaningful reply, and have received only spam. I conclude: either she does not care if I publish this song, or she no longer owns the rights. Nevertheless, I have removed the lyrics from the tab, which is my own work as the arranger. The lyrics are readily available HERE. Write them in if you wish. They are not needed for a strictly instrumental arrangement such as this.
Playing guide:
I have recast the time signature from 3/4 to 6/8, for simplicity. Nearly all the notes come out eighth notes, which is fine for guitar, and it’s much less confusing visually. I didn’t even have to transpose, as it was originally written in C. I did slow it down just a bit, from 116 quarter notes per minute to 100. Remember this when counting: TWO counts = ONE beat.
There are a few unusual (but easy) chords, and a few difficult barre chords. Before you panic, I have tried to leave plenty of time for chord changes. The hard chords make this piece more suitable for intermediate guitarists than for beginners, despite its simple sound. If you play through it, you may find it’s more sophisticated than it seems.
The first two measures are just arpeggios, and are only played once, as an introduction. The verses start with measure [3], where the melody begins. The melody is carried in the bass in this measure, with the rhythm in the treble, just the opposite of the usual arrangement.
Measure [4] is a treble pluck, followed by a rising arpeggio and ending with a descending note, a pattern repeated often in this song. Measure [5] abandons the pattern-picking, for a series of descending pinches. The rhythm is off the beat, but is carried in the bass.
There’s a bit of a tricky pull-off in measure [9]. The trick is pushing the finger off the string (toward the top of the guitar) instead of pulling it, which would be well nigh impossible to accomplish while holding the FI chord. It’s easy if you push it off, though this may seem a little odd, if you’re not used to the technique.
Measures [11] and [12] are the same as [3] and [4]. Measure [13] is nearly identical to [5], except that the first pinch of the measure is replaced by a full, strummed chord, and the rhythm is carried on the bass E string, instead of the A string.
Measures [16] and [17] end with a quarter note, or you can substitute an eighth note and a rest if you are having trouble sustaining these notes. You fret this note with your left pinkie. If you are not used to fretting bass strings with your pinkie, you may well have such trouble.
The next measure, [18] is the last measure of the verse, and is unique in several ways. First, there’s a tempo change to 8/8, just for this one measure. Also, it is contains multiple hammer-ons. Do not omit them. The phrase needs to be played with extreme fluidity. Remember, this eight-note measure should take no longer to play than the six-note measures that precede and follow it. A little practice should suffice; it’s not as hard as it looks. Do not hesitate, but go right into the next measure [19] without a break. I can’t stress this enough: fluidity and perfect timing here will make the song; variation in timing or hesitation will sound terribly amateurish to the audience. Practice playing measures [17] through [19] until you can’t muff them. Your audience will forgive a bobble in any other part of this song, but not here.
Measure [19] begins the chorus. Play the FI chord and then slide up the neck of the guitar to the III space while lifting the left pinkie off the string to make a very fast change to G7III. In measure [21], on the final pinch of the measure, you’ll need to add the F note on the 4th string with the left pinkie. Don’t forget it; it’s the melody note! Then, in [22], you have another one of those push-offs. If you’ll fret the final note of the measure (G on the 6th string) with your left pinkie again, it’ll position your left hand automatically for the FI chord that begins [23].
Measures [29] and [30] are played almost exactly like [21] and [22]. The only difference is in the final note of [30]. This is a melody note AND a transition to Dm7V. DON’T play it exactly the same as [22]! Measure [33] has another one of those push-offs. You can do this one as a pull-off if you wish, I just find it easier to push. Hammer on the F note on the 4th string, then lift the entire left hand from the strings as you do the pull-off or push-off to D (open). End the chorus with a C chord strum and go right into the next verse, starting with measure [3].
Since this is an instrumental solo, you don’t have to play all three verses. Or, if you wish, you can add additional ones. But on the final verse, skip directly from verse [32] to verse [35], play the Finale through ONCE, and stop. This finale is not part of the song as published in The Children’s Songbook. But I hope you’ll like it.
Measures [35] and [36] nearly reprise [33] and [34], with a couple of differences: the initial, two-note pinch in [33] becomes a three-note pinched chord in [35], and a G note is added on the open 3rd string at the end of [36]. This note is important, as it provides a transition to the following musical phrase comprising [37] through the initial chord of [40]. This phrase is the melody associated with the words, “to bring the world His truth,” and is repeated twice more. Note that the chords do not match those used in other parts of the song to accompany the same words, though the effect is similar. In measure [38], the G7* chord can be fretted by barring the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings with the index finger, bending it slightly backwards so as not to buzz on the 2nd string, which is played open. If, like me, your index finger does not bend backward, you’ll have to fret the 4th and 6th strings with the index and middle finger as shown in the chord charts.
The FV and GVII chords in measures [41] and [42] are not terribly hard to play as written. They normally would be played as five-string chords, which are difficult to play. As shown in the tab, you only have to bar the first three strings, but I recommend barring all six strings anyway if you can, as this greatly simplifies the transition to CVIII in the next measure.
Possibly the most technically difficult part of the song occurs right at the end, when you have to fret the 3rd string in the 10th space with the left pinkie, then slide it down to the 7th fret. Then, without a break, lift the fingers off the strings and continue along the guitar neck to the C chord in the first position. Try to do it all in one motion. Sustain the C chord as long as you can, and take your bows.
Another shocker: the copyright date is 1983. The song is barely thirty years old. I thought it had been around forever. Instead, I find the original copyright date is still valid. It is NOT in the public domain. The Church website states,
© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
I would normally conclude from the double copyright that the Church had purchased limited rights from Sister Perry. However, Sister Perry’s own website has not responded to my request for reprint permission. I have waited months for a meaningful reply, and have received only spam. I conclude: either she does not care if I publish this song, or she no longer owns the rights. Nevertheless, I have removed the lyrics from the tab, which is my own work as the arranger. The lyrics are readily available HERE. Write them in if you wish. They are not needed for a strictly instrumental arrangement such as this.
Playing guide:
I have recast the time signature from 3/4 to 6/8, for simplicity. Nearly all the notes come out eighth notes, which is fine for guitar, and it’s much less confusing visually. I didn’t even have to transpose, as it was originally written in C. I did slow it down just a bit, from 116 quarter notes per minute to 100. Remember this when counting: TWO counts = ONE beat.
There are a few unusual (but easy) chords, and a few difficult barre chords. Before you panic, I have tried to leave plenty of time for chord changes. The hard chords make this piece more suitable for intermediate guitarists than for beginners, despite its simple sound. If you play through it, you may find it’s more sophisticated than it seems.
The first two measures are just arpeggios, and are only played once, as an introduction. The verses start with measure [3], where the melody begins. The melody is carried in the bass in this measure, with the rhythm in the treble, just the opposite of the usual arrangement.
Measure [4] is a treble pluck, followed by a rising arpeggio and ending with a descending note, a pattern repeated often in this song. Measure [5] abandons the pattern-picking, for a series of descending pinches. The rhythm is off the beat, but is carried in the bass.
There’s a bit of a tricky pull-off in measure [9]. The trick is pushing the finger off the string (toward the top of the guitar) instead of pulling it, which would be well nigh impossible to accomplish while holding the FI chord. It’s easy if you push it off, though this may seem a little odd, if you’re not used to the technique.
Measures [11] and [12] are the same as [3] and [4]. Measure [13] is nearly identical to [5], except that the first pinch of the measure is replaced by a full, strummed chord, and the rhythm is carried on the bass E string, instead of the A string.
Measures [16] and [17] end with a quarter note, or you can substitute an eighth note and a rest if you are having trouble sustaining these notes. You fret this note with your left pinkie. If you are not used to fretting bass strings with your pinkie, you may well have such trouble.
The next measure, [18] is the last measure of the verse, and is unique in several ways. First, there’s a tempo change to 8/8, just for this one measure. Also, it is contains multiple hammer-ons. Do not omit them. The phrase needs to be played with extreme fluidity. Remember, this eight-note measure should take no longer to play than the six-note measures that precede and follow it. A little practice should suffice; it’s not as hard as it looks. Do not hesitate, but go right into the next measure [19] without a break. I can’t stress this enough: fluidity and perfect timing here will make the song; variation in timing or hesitation will sound terribly amateurish to the audience. Practice playing measures [17] through [19] until you can’t muff them. Your audience will forgive a bobble in any other part of this song, but not here.
Measure [19] begins the chorus. Play the FI chord and then slide up the neck of the guitar to the III space while lifting the left pinkie off the string to make a very fast change to G7III. In measure [21], on the final pinch of the measure, you’ll need to add the F note on the 4th string with the left pinkie. Don’t forget it; it’s the melody note! Then, in [22], you have another one of those push-offs. If you’ll fret the final note of the measure (G on the 6th string) with your left pinkie again, it’ll position your left hand automatically for the FI chord that begins [23].
Measures [29] and [30] are played almost exactly like [21] and [22]. The only difference is in the final note of [30]. This is a melody note AND a transition to Dm7V. DON’T play it exactly the same as [22]! Measure [33] has another one of those push-offs. You can do this one as a pull-off if you wish, I just find it easier to push. Hammer on the F note on the 4th string, then lift the entire left hand from the strings as you do the pull-off or push-off to D (open). End the chorus with a C chord strum and go right into the next verse, starting with measure [3].
Since this is an instrumental solo, you don’t have to play all three verses. Or, if you wish, you can add additional ones. But on the final verse, skip directly from verse [32] to verse [35], play the Finale through ONCE, and stop. This finale is not part of the song as published in The Children’s Songbook. But I hope you’ll like it.
Measures [35] and [36] nearly reprise [33] and [34], with a couple of differences: the initial, two-note pinch in [33] becomes a three-note pinched chord in [35], and a G note is added on the open 3rd string at the end of [36]. This note is important, as it provides a transition to the following musical phrase comprising [37] through the initial chord of [40]. This phrase is the melody associated with the words, “to bring the world His truth,” and is repeated twice more. Note that the chords do not match those used in other parts of the song to accompany the same words, though the effect is similar. In measure [38], the G7* chord can be fretted by barring the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings with the index finger, bending it slightly backwards so as not to buzz on the 2nd string, which is played open. If, like me, your index finger does not bend backward, you’ll have to fret the 4th and 6th strings with the index and middle finger as shown in the chord charts.
The FV and GVII chords in measures [41] and [42] are not terribly hard to play as written. They normally would be played as five-string chords, which are difficult to play. As shown in the tab, you only have to bar the first three strings, but I recommend barring all six strings anyway if you can, as this greatly simplifies the transition to CVIII in the next measure.
Possibly the most technically difficult part of the song occurs right at the end, when you have to fret the 3rd string in the 10th space with the left pinkie, then slide it down to the 7th fret. Then, without a break, lift the fingers off the strings and continue along the guitar neck to the C chord in the first position. Try to do it all in one motion. Sustain the C chord as long as you can, and take your bows.
In Our Lovely Deseret
THE HISTORY:
Eliza R. Snow wrote the lyrics to this popular Nineteenth Century tune to convert it into a Latter-Day Saint hymn, but it began as a quite secular march. George F. Root composed the tune and wrote the original lyrics to a song called, “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! The Boys Are Marching.” Published in 1864, it was one of the most popular songs of the American Civil War. In fact, it was so popular that, though it was written originally to console Union POWs, it was adopted by the Confederacy, with altered lyrics, and was sung by both sides as a marching song.
The tune became so popular that parodies were inevitable. It bears the distinction of being the basis of two different popular children’s hymns, “In Our Lovely Deseret,” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children”.) The Mormon lyrics were written by Eliza R. Snow, acerbic wife of Brigham Young, who never had any children of her own, but did spend much of her life surrounded by “a multitude of children,” who learned to dread their rather strict “Aunt Eliza.”
There are many stories about Eliza Snow’s volatile relationship with her step-children. My favorite is the one that tells how Aunt Eliza spotted some of her step-daughters wearing colorful sashes and took “those worldly things” away from them. It turned out they had been gifts from their father, the prophet, and Eliza had to suffer the embarrassment of being openly chastised by her husband, who told her not to deny his children the gifts he saw fit to give them. Although this was done en famille, the children gleefully repeated it, and it soon became public knowledge.
Eliza fancied herself quite a poet, and no fewer than ten of her works are still found in the current LDS hymnal. “In Our Lovely Deseret” holds the distinction of being the only LDS hymn that specifically mentions the Word of Wisdom.
THE MUSIC:
The tune is meant to be a sprightly march, and should be played quite fast, and with perfect regularity. The only way to learn this is to practice with a metronome, slowly (45 - 70), until you can play it correctly, then try for speed. This will not be easy if you are not used to practicing with a metronome. For this reason, I have classified the tune as Intermediate level, even though there are only four fairly common chords.
Because the tune is a march, I have elected to keep the 4/4 time signature, even though nearly all the notes are eighth-notes. I tried putting “&s” in the count, to show this, but they made the count line so cluttered that it became confusing, so I left them out. If you are not familiar with the song, go to lds.org and listen to it.
There are a few fast transitions involving barre chords. If you are a beginner, you may need to practice them for speed, or you’ll never get the tempo right. Please do not substitute non-barre chords for the barre chords, or you will lose the melody entirely.
There are a few spots where I have called for a chord, but only a single note, or a two-note pinch, is actually played. There’s a reason for this. The following notes can be played quickly and easily if your left hand is already in position. In cases like this, I have tried to put the chord changes for the left hand where you have the most time to make them. This means the changes don’t always fall on the downbeat. Hence, the count line.
Specifically:
In the first (lead-in) measure, fret a normal C chord, adding the F on the D-string in the third space with the pinkie, lifting it quickly for the rest of the measure. Do the pull-off in measure [4] with the pinkie, too. It’s going to be your “finger-dancing” finger for the rest of the song.
When playing the hammer-on in measure [3], lift the barring index finger of the F chord, then hammer it back down to make the hammer-on. This works best with high-tension strings. Do the same thing in measures [6] and [15].
In measure [5], the last two notes are musically the same as the first two note of the song, but I have put them in as a slide to ease the transition from the GIII chord back to C. This works best if you use the ring finger to do the slide. Also, the slide adds variety to a musical phrase that is otherwise a simple repeat of the first four measures.
For similar reasons, I have called for some of the chords to be strummed in one part of the song, and pinched in others. If you have trouble keeping the rhythm while switching from pinches to strums, you might try making all the chords pinches, or even leave out all but the melody notes.
Measure [8] requires some finger dancing. The easy way to hit the fifth note of the measure is to flatten the hand so the pinky frets the G-string at the fifth fret briefly. Just arch the finger so you can play the D note on the B-string. Use the tip of the little finger to fret the G string normally, at the sixth fret, then lift it from the strings to get the D again. Lift the whole hand to play the E-string open, while moving the left hand to First Position for the C chord. Meanwhile, the right hand will have to play the same string with the same finger, twice in succession. There’s no easy way around it.
In Measure [10], catch the A on the G-string by flattening the middle finger, then releasing the entire hand for the open note that begins [11]. This gives you time to change to the C/G chord. I have written in the chord name with a one beat delay to allow time for the transition. You're actually playing some of the notes of that chord while making the chord change. It's easier than it sounds. The last note of [12] is fretted by briefly flattening the pinkie again.
The last three measures recap measures [7], [8], and [9] nearly exactly, with only a slight difference in the melody notes in [16].
THE LYRICS:
I have only included the lyrics for the first verse. The other verses are:
2. That the children may live long
And be beautiful and strong,
Tea and coffee and tobacco they despise,
Drink no liquor, and they eat
But a very little meat;
They are seeking to be great and good and wise.
3. They should be instructed young
How to watch and guard the tongue,
And their tempers train and evil passions bind;
They should always be polite,
And treat ev’rybody right,
And in ev’ry place be affable and kind.
4. They must not forget to pray,
Night and morning ev’ry day,
For the Lord to keep them safe from ev’ry ill,
And assist them to do right,
That with all their mind and might
They may love him and may learn to do his will.
Baptist minister Clare Herbert Woolston wrote a different set of lyrics, calling the song, “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” Woolston wrote three verses and a refrain, but the refrain is all that most people know. Even professional music ministers may not know that there are verses, which follow the same music lines as “In Our Lovely Deseret.” You get two songs for the price of one, both in the public domain!
1. Jesus calls the children dear,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
2. Jesus is the Shepherd true,
And He’ll always stand by you,
For He loves the little children of the world;
He’s a Savior great and strong,
And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
For He loves the little children of the world.
Refrain
3. I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
And Your soldier I will be,
For You love the little children of the world;
And Your cross I’ll always bear,
And for You I’ll do and dare,
For You love the little children of the world.
Refrain
Eliza R. Snow wrote the lyrics to this popular Nineteenth Century tune to convert it into a Latter-Day Saint hymn, but it began as a quite secular march. George F. Root composed the tune and wrote the original lyrics to a song called, “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! The Boys Are Marching.” Published in 1864, it was one of the most popular songs of the American Civil War. In fact, it was so popular that, though it was written originally to console Union POWs, it was adopted by the Confederacy, with altered lyrics, and was sung by both sides as a marching song.
The tune became so popular that parodies were inevitable. It bears the distinction of being the basis of two different popular children’s hymns, “In Our Lovely Deseret,” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children”.) The Mormon lyrics were written by Eliza R. Snow, acerbic wife of Brigham Young, who never had any children of her own, but did spend much of her life surrounded by “a multitude of children,” who learned to dread their rather strict “Aunt Eliza.”
There are many stories about Eliza Snow’s volatile relationship with her step-children. My favorite is the one that tells how Aunt Eliza spotted some of her step-daughters wearing colorful sashes and took “those worldly things” away from them. It turned out they had been gifts from their father, the prophet, and Eliza had to suffer the embarrassment of being openly chastised by her husband, who told her not to deny his children the gifts he saw fit to give them. Although this was done en famille, the children gleefully repeated it, and it soon became public knowledge.
Eliza fancied herself quite a poet, and no fewer than ten of her works are still found in the current LDS hymnal. “In Our Lovely Deseret” holds the distinction of being the only LDS hymn that specifically mentions the Word of Wisdom.
THE MUSIC:
The tune is meant to be a sprightly march, and should be played quite fast, and with perfect regularity. The only way to learn this is to practice with a metronome, slowly (45 - 70), until you can play it correctly, then try for speed. This will not be easy if you are not used to practicing with a metronome. For this reason, I have classified the tune as Intermediate level, even though there are only four fairly common chords.
Because the tune is a march, I have elected to keep the 4/4 time signature, even though nearly all the notes are eighth-notes. I tried putting “&s” in the count, to show this, but they made the count line so cluttered that it became confusing, so I left them out. If you are not familiar with the song, go to lds.org and listen to it.
There are a few fast transitions involving barre chords. If you are a beginner, you may need to practice them for speed, or you’ll never get the tempo right. Please do not substitute non-barre chords for the barre chords, or you will lose the melody entirely.
There are a few spots where I have called for a chord, but only a single note, or a two-note pinch, is actually played. There’s a reason for this. The following notes can be played quickly and easily if your left hand is already in position. In cases like this, I have tried to put the chord changes for the left hand where you have the most time to make them. This means the changes don’t always fall on the downbeat. Hence, the count line.
Specifically:
In the first (lead-in) measure, fret a normal C chord, adding the F on the D-string in the third space with the pinkie, lifting it quickly for the rest of the measure. Do the pull-off in measure [4] with the pinkie, too. It’s going to be your “finger-dancing” finger for the rest of the song.
When playing the hammer-on in measure [3], lift the barring index finger of the F chord, then hammer it back down to make the hammer-on. This works best with high-tension strings. Do the same thing in measures [6] and [15].
In measure [5], the last two notes are musically the same as the first two note of the song, but I have put them in as a slide to ease the transition from the GIII chord back to C. This works best if you use the ring finger to do the slide. Also, the slide adds variety to a musical phrase that is otherwise a simple repeat of the first four measures.
For similar reasons, I have called for some of the chords to be strummed in one part of the song, and pinched in others. If you have trouble keeping the rhythm while switching from pinches to strums, you might try making all the chords pinches, or even leave out all but the melody notes.
Measure [8] requires some finger dancing. The easy way to hit the fifth note of the measure is to flatten the hand so the pinky frets the G-string at the fifth fret briefly. Just arch the finger so you can play the D note on the B-string. Use the tip of the little finger to fret the G string normally, at the sixth fret, then lift it from the strings to get the D again. Lift the whole hand to play the E-string open, while moving the left hand to First Position for the C chord. Meanwhile, the right hand will have to play the same string with the same finger, twice in succession. There’s no easy way around it.
In Measure [10], catch the A on the G-string by flattening the middle finger, then releasing the entire hand for the open note that begins [11]. This gives you time to change to the C/G chord. I have written in the chord name with a one beat delay to allow time for the transition. You're actually playing some of the notes of that chord while making the chord change. It's easier than it sounds. The last note of [12] is fretted by briefly flattening the pinkie again.
The last three measures recap measures [7], [8], and [9] nearly exactly, with only a slight difference in the melody notes in [16].
THE LYRICS:
I have only included the lyrics for the first verse. The other verses are:
2. That the children may live long
And be beautiful and strong,
Tea and coffee and tobacco they despise,
Drink no liquor, and they eat
But a very little meat;
They are seeking to be great and good and wise.
3. They should be instructed young
How to watch and guard the tongue,
And their tempers train and evil passions bind;
They should always be polite,
And treat ev’rybody right,
And in ev’ry place be affable and kind.
4. They must not forget to pray,
Night and morning ev’ry day,
For the Lord to keep them safe from ev’ry ill,
And assist them to do right,
That with all their mind and might
They may love him and may learn to do his will.
Baptist minister Clare Herbert Woolston wrote a different set of lyrics, calling the song, “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” Woolston wrote three verses and a refrain, but the refrain is all that most people know. Even professional music ministers may not know that there are verses, which follow the same music lines as “In Our Lovely Deseret.” You get two songs for the price of one, both in the public domain!
1. Jesus calls the children dear,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
2. Jesus is the Shepherd true,
And He’ll always stand by you,
For He loves the little children of the world;
He’s a Savior great and strong,
And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
For He loves the little children of the world.
Refrain
3. I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
And Your soldier I will be,
For You love the little children of the world;
And Your cross I’ll always bear,
And for You I’ll do and dare,
For You love the little children of the world.
Refrain
May guitars be used in sacrament meeting?
Some Church members, including some who should know better, still occasionally repeat the old Mormon myth that guitars in sacrament meeting are forbidden. Let me set the record straight. According to Handbook 2, Administering the Church ("the red handbook") Section 14.4.3, Special Musical Selections, page 116, "Musical selections may be presented by choirs, vocal and instrumental soloists, and small groups. Hymns and other appropriate selections may be used (see 14.4.2)."
Section 14.4.2, "Guidelines for Choosing Appropriate Music for Church Worship Services," is lengthy, but contains the following citation relating to musical instruments used (emphasis added):
"Music in Church meetings should not draw attention to itself or be for demonstration. This music is for worship, not performance. Organs and pianos, or their electronic equivalents, are the standard instruments used in Church meetings. If other instruments are used, their use should be in keeping with the spirit of the meeting. Instruments with a prominent or less worshipful sound, such as most brass and percussion, are not appropriate for sacrament meeting."
These two citations are the only ones relating to permitted instruments in the entire handbook. Not a word about guitars, though I suspect that electric guitars, with heavy distortion, would probably be disqualified as having "a prominent or less worshipful sound."
I have played my classical guitar in sacrament meeting many times, as well as in two different Missionary Training Centers, including the Provo MTC. No one has ever claimed that my music was inappropriate, after hearing it. If anyone challenges the appropriateness of your playing a guitar in church, challenge them to back up their assertion with a quotation from the official Church leadership handbook. It is available online through lds.org.
Section 14.4.2, "Guidelines for Choosing Appropriate Music for Church Worship Services," is lengthy, but contains the following citation relating to musical instruments used (emphasis added):
"Music in Church meetings should not draw attention to itself or be for demonstration. This music is for worship, not performance. Organs and pianos, or their electronic equivalents, are the standard instruments used in Church meetings. If other instruments are used, their use should be in keeping with the spirit of the meeting. Instruments with a prominent or less worshipful sound, such as most brass and percussion, are not appropriate for sacrament meeting."
These two citations are the only ones relating to permitted instruments in the entire handbook. Not a word about guitars, though I suspect that electric guitars, with heavy distortion, would probably be disqualified as having "a prominent or less worshipful sound."
I have played my classical guitar in sacrament meeting many times, as well as in two different Missionary Training Centers, including the Provo MTC. No one has ever claimed that my music was inappropriate, after hearing it. If anyone challenges the appropriateness of your playing a guitar in church, challenge them to back up their assertion with a quotation from the official Church leadership handbook. It is available online through lds.org.
Summertime
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.
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.
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