I had thought to fancy this up, with cool chords and lots of fill, but after trying to do so, I decided this simple and easy version sounds better. This is one of the easiest hymns I've ever published. It's in the key of C, so you can easily transpose it into D, as shown in the hymnal, just by using a capo in the 2nd space, which makes it even easier to play. There are no barre chords, and only three basic chords, though a couple of times you'll want to alter the C chord to a C/G by adding the G note on the #6 (bass) string with your pinkie.
There's also an alternate G7 chord voicing labelled G7*, which requires you to add the F note on the 4th string, III fret. If you're not used to it, and you're not using a capo, this may be slightly difficult for you. If so, you can play it as a three-finger chord by not playing the #1 string, which isn't needed for the melody at that time anyway. In the chord diagram, I have shown this by printing the 0 on the first string in light-face type, and placing an X above the nut over that string. Musically, there is no difference between the two ways of playing this chord; use whichever is easiest for you.
Other than those two slight differences, there are no unusual chords at all. My only other departure from my usually tabbing is to list "strum all chords" at the beginning of the tab, then leave off all the "strum" signs as unnecessary. Let's keep it simple!
There are a couple of techniques that make the song easier to play and nicer to hear. There are a few slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. These are not strictly necessary to play the melody. You could play them as individual notes, but they sound very much nicer as written. And, unless the techniques are just impossible for you, they actually make the song easier to play. One is written a little strangely. In the first measure of the Refrain, the second note (over the word, "to") is plucked and allowed to ring briefly, before hammering-on the next note. This follows the normally sung rhythm,
"Hold__to__the-rod__...." It shouldn't take much practice for you to get it right, as even children have been singing that rhythm for years.
Baptism (Jesus Came to John the Baptist)
Don’t let the chord names fool you! This is not a particularly hard song. In fact, there are really only four chords: a couple of barred E-shapes, a couple of barred A-shapes, C, and G7. There are some quick chord changes, but the barre chords make them really easy. Just move your hand along the neck without changing the chord shape. (Lift your fingers completely off the strings to avoid that annoying scraping noise.)
The pattern pick is also easy: groups of three notes, with lots of repetition. Yes, it’s fairly fast, and there are lots of fill notes, but they are all in the original music as published in The Children’s Songbook.
The time signature is also unususal, but is also in the original, and actually makes the playing easier for the guitar. I could have recast it as 6/8, 3/8, or even as 4/4, with four triplets per measure. All would have been more confusing than the 12/8 tempo as originally written. Just remember that each measure contains four groups of three notes each, with the stress on the first note of each group, and you’ll do fine. The lyrics naturally stress the lines properly.
I have replaced the introduction in the book with my own. If you don’t like it, you are free to replace my introduction with whatever you feel works better. My intro is just arpeggios in C. It’s brief, to give the audience just enough time to get used to the rhythm, without overwhelming the rather simple melody line. The only difficult part of the introduction comes right at the end, when you have to switch from leading with your right thumb to leading with your right middle finger, ring finger, etc. (bass lead to treble lead).
The tab is straightforward and needs no explanation, for the most part. An exception is at the end of the third line. I have specified the GIII chord, rather than the normal G, because it makes for a very fast chord change to the CVIII chord that starts the next phrase. Both chords are just barred E-shapes, so all you have to do is move your hand from the III position to the VIII position. This would be a much harder chord change if you also had to change fingering at the same time.
In the first measure of the fourth line, you’‘ll have to stretch your left pinkie two frets up the neck to hit the high B at the 12th fret. Don’t worry, the frets are really close together in this part of the neck, and the stretch isn’t difficult.
The FVIII in the next measure is just a barred A-shape, one of the most standard barre chords around. Fret it the same way you would fret an A-shape in the III space, because you’ll be going there soon. The FVIII to CIII transition is accomplished by maintaining the finger shape and moving the entire hand along the neck, similar to the E-shape transition in the third line.
There’s another pinkie stretch in the first measure of the finale. This time, it’s only one fret, so even though the frets are farther apart near the nut, it’s not as great a stretch as the one at the 12th fret. You will have to switch back to thumb lead in the next measure. The arpeggios which make up the last 1-1/2 measures of the verse are all exactly the same. Then go right to the beginning of the first measure in the next verse, skipping the Introduction.
The finale of the last verse is NOT the same. The first measure is identical to the corresponding measures of Verses 1 and 2, but the arpeggios are different, as is the ending. Slow down for the final three notes and chord. You may substitute a C/G chord final C, if you wish, by fretting the #6 string with your pinkie in the 3rd space while playing the C chord. This gives it a fuller sound.
This song is not in the public domain. The copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The guitar arrangement and tablature are mine.
The pattern pick is also easy: groups of three notes, with lots of repetition. Yes, it’s fairly fast, and there are lots of fill notes, but they are all in the original music as published in The Children’s Songbook.
The time signature is also unususal, but is also in the original, and actually makes the playing easier for the guitar. I could have recast it as 6/8, 3/8, or even as 4/4, with four triplets per measure. All would have been more confusing than the 12/8 tempo as originally written. Just remember that each measure contains four groups of three notes each, with the stress on the first note of each group, and you’ll do fine. The lyrics naturally stress the lines properly.
I have replaced the introduction in the book with my own. If you don’t like it, you are free to replace my introduction with whatever you feel works better. My intro is just arpeggios in C. It’s brief, to give the audience just enough time to get used to the rhythm, without overwhelming the rather simple melody line. The only difficult part of the introduction comes right at the end, when you have to switch from leading with your right thumb to leading with your right middle finger, ring finger, etc. (bass lead to treble lead).
The tab is straightforward and needs no explanation, for the most part. An exception is at the end of the third line. I have specified the GIII chord, rather than the normal G, because it makes for a very fast chord change to the CVIII chord that starts the next phrase. Both chords are just barred E-shapes, so all you have to do is move your hand from the III position to the VIII position. This would be a much harder chord change if you also had to change fingering at the same time.
In the first measure of the fourth line, you’‘ll have to stretch your left pinkie two frets up the neck to hit the high B at the 12th fret. Don’t worry, the frets are really close together in this part of the neck, and the stretch isn’t difficult.
The FVIII in the next measure is just a barred A-shape, one of the most standard barre chords around. Fret it the same way you would fret an A-shape in the III space, because you’ll be going there soon. The FVIII to CIII transition is accomplished by maintaining the finger shape and moving the entire hand along the neck, similar to the E-shape transition in the third line.
There’s another pinkie stretch in the first measure of the finale. This time, it’s only one fret, so even though the frets are farther apart near the nut, it’s not as great a stretch as the one at the 12th fret. You will have to switch back to thumb lead in the next measure. The arpeggios which make up the last 1-1/2 measures of the verse are all exactly the same. Then go right to the beginning of the first measure in the next verse, skipping the Introduction.
The finale of the last verse is NOT the same. The first measure is identical to the corresponding measures of Verses 1 and 2, but the arpeggios are different, as is the ending. Slow down for the final three notes and chord. You may substitute a C/G chord final C, if you wish, by fretting the #6 string with your pinkie in the 3rd space while playing the C chord. This gives it a fuller sound.
This song is not in the public domain. The copyright is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The guitar arrangement and tablature are mine.
My all-time favorites
A baker’s dozen of the songs you are most likely to hear me play around the house, just because they are so much FUN to play, or because they sound so great. As if there’s a difference... .
A-Soulin’
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Choukoun
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Greensleeves
He Is Risen
How Great Thou Art
Meditation (Meditaçao)
Misty
Old Rugged Cross
Summer Time
Til There Was You
Window to His Love
A-Soulin’
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Choukoun
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Greensleeves
He Is Risen
How Great Thou Art
Meditation (Meditaçao)
Misty
Old Rugged Cross
Summer Time
Til There Was You
Window to His Love
Choukoun (also called Choucoune)
Complete instructions, chords, complete lyrics, pronouncing guide & translation, plus poetic analysis by me are included with the tab. There's also instructions on how to do the Calypso strum, and a discussion of the political and literary significance of this masterpiece, little known outside of Haiti.
The lyrics alone are nearly impossible to find on the Internet, let alone a reasonable tab. I'm hoping to soon put up a video; until then, this will have to do. It's one of my two or three favorite songs. But it's so well-known in Haiti that no one performs it in it's "pure" version any more. All that can be found on the Internet are "jazzed-up" versions that don't show what the original song was like.
The closest to the original version I have found was performed by Nancy Ames in the 1960s, and released on her album This Is the Girl That Is, under the title "Choucoune". Musically, it's perfect, and her kreyòl isn't bad, but the lyrics aren't right-- she leaves out some of the verses, as do all modern Haitian recordings. That's not surprising. How often do you hear all the verses of The Star-Spangled Banner? Out of respect for a work of true genius, I have included ALL the words.
The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Haitian poet Durand Oswald* in 1883, inspired by actual events in his life. "Choukoun" was a real woman, though we do not know her true name. The word, "choukoun" means "like a cukoo," a bird which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, and therefore symbolizes both infidelity and interracial sex. Ten years later, in 1893, the poem was set to music by Haitian pianist/composer Mauleart Monton Michel*, and became an instant hit. In the 1930s, with the popularity of folk music in the United States, it became the basis for several popular tunes, including "Yellow Bird" and "Don't Ever Love Me."
linguistic notes:
1. NAMES: Traditionally, Haitians give their family name first, and given name last. Thus, the poet would be called Oswald Duran in most Western cultures, and the composer, Michel Mauleart-Monton. Knowing this, educated Haitians habitually give their given name first when speaking to foreigners. Unfortunately, many Haitian family names sound like given names to English-speakers, and vice-versa. If the foreigners are sophisticated and know about Haitian name order, this can cause even more confusion. To avoid such confusion, I give Haitian names in Haitian order, and add an asterix (*) after the name to show it is family-name-first.
2. CAPITALIZATION: You will notice that I fail to capitalize many words in kreyòl, such as the names of countries, languages, etc. These are not errors. In kreyòl, only the names of people are capitalized, and sometimes, the first word of a sentence. Many kreyòl-speakers, even highly educated ones who speak, read, and write English, French, and Spanish, never capitalize anything in kreyòl. To make life easier for the majority of my readers, I have capitalized the beginning of sentences and the first word in each line of the lyrics, as well as the kreyòl word for French-- "Franse"-- even though they would not normally be capitalized in kreyòl. For my kreyòl-speaking friends, I beg your forgiveness. My purpose is not to teach the language, which I am not qualified to do, but just to give my English-speaking readers a "taste" of the masterpiece that this song is.
The lyrics alone are nearly impossible to find on the Internet, let alone a reasonable tab. I'm hoping to soon put up a video; until then, this will have to do. It's one of my two or three favorite songs. But it's so well-known in Haiti that no one performs it in it's "pure" version any more. All that can be found on the Internet are "jazzed-up" versions that don't show what the original song was like.
The closest to the original version I have found was performed by Nancy Ames in the 1960s, and released on her album This Is the Girl That Is, under the title "Choucoune". Musically, it's perfect, and her kreyòl isn't bad, but the lyrics aren't right-- she leaves out some of the verses, as do all modern Haitian recordings. That's not surprising. How often do you hear all the verses of The Star-Spangled Banner? Out of respect for a work of true genius, I have included ALL the words.
The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Haitian poet Durand Oswald* in 1883, inspired by actual events in his life. "Choukoun" was a real woman, though we do not know her true name. The word, "choukoun" means "like a cukoo," a bird which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, and therefore symbolizes both infidelity and interracial sex. Ten years later, in 1893, the poem was set to music by Haitian pianist/composer Mauleart Monton Michel*, and became an instant hit. In the 1930s, with the popularity of folk music in the United States, it became the basis for several popular tunes, including "Yellow Bird" and "Don't Ever Love Me."
linguistic notes:
1. NAMES: Traditionally, Haitians give their family name first, and given name last. Thus, the poet would be called Oswald Duran in most Western cultures, and the composer, Michel Mauleart-Monton. Knowing this, educated Haitians habitually give their given name first when speaking to foreigners. Unfortunately, many Haitian family names sound like given names to English-speakers, and vice-versa. If the foreigners are sophisticated and know about Haitian name order, this can cause even more confusion. To avoid such confusion, I give Haitian names in Haitian order, and add an asterix (*) after the name to show it is family-name-first.
2. CAPITALIZATION: You will notice that I fail to capitalize many words in kreyòl, such as the names of countries, languages, etc. These are not errors. In kreyòl, only the names of people are capitalized, and sometimes, the first word of a sentence. Many kreyòl-speakers, even highly educated ones who speak, read, and write English, French, and Spanish, never capitalize anything in kreyòl. To make life easier for the majority of my readers, I have capitalized the beginning of sentences and the first word in each line of the lyrics, as well as the kreyòl word for French-- "Franse"-- even though they would not normally be capitalized in kreyòl. For my kreyòl-speaking friends, I beg your forgiveness. My purpose is not to teach the language, which I am not qualified to do, but just to give my English-speaking readers a "taste" of the masterpiece that this song is.
INDEX
By popular demand, and with the help of Johan Rune, who actually did all the work, here is an index of all the songs published on this blog (as of May 16, 2014), arranged by level of difficulty. It includes comments by him and by me, concerning the songs. It also includes an index of songs with special themes, such as holidays and love songs. Thank you, Johan!
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Actually, the name of this hymn is “Hymn of Joy”, but everybody I know calls it, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”. There’s a long tradition of referring to hymns by their first line, instead of by the name of the hymn. In fact, many popular hymns don’t actually have names, but this one does.
The author, Henry van Dyke, originally wrote it as a poem, which he intended to be sung to the tune “Ode to Joy,” part of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, his last and greatest creation. Beethoven, in turn, composed the tune as a musical setting to a poem by the German poet, Friedrich Schiller, which Schiller called (surprise, surprise!), “Ode to Joy.” The symphony includes a choir singing the the poem, but with some of the words changed or omitted.
Some people think it was shabby of Beethoven to steal the title and alter the words of the great poet, but Schiller got his revenge, two centuries late, when the European Union adopted the tune, with different words, as their Union anthem, without giving credit to either the poet OR the composer! Now, every schoolchild in Europe will grow up thinking of Beethoven’s masterpiece as, “that stupid song we had to sing in school!”
At the end of this post, you will find Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics. They have been altered by various churches to fit their own theology in detail, but are all pretty much the same. I am not including Schiller’s original poem, because it is quite lengthy, and I can’t read German, anyway.
Performance notes:
Not much to tell, the tab is really very simple. Only three chords, and they are dead easy: G, D7, and a slightly unusual version of D7 called D7/A. Don’t let the complex name scare you, it’s fretted EXACTLY like a regular D7, only you play the open A string too. Strum the chords where marked with a wiggly, vertical line, and pinch the others where not marked.
Playing the melody is truly easy, if you remember a couple of things:
LEFT HAND: fret the notes in the first space (between the nut and the first fret) with the index finger, the second space with the middle finger, etc., regardless of which string they are on. This does not apply to chords, just to the melody line. Strum all chords with the thumb, where marked.
RIGHT HAND: pluck the first string with the ring finger, the second string with the middle finger, the third string with the index finger, and the bass string (whichever it is) with the thumb. When two or more notes in succession fall on the same string, alternate fingers. Don’t try to pluck the same string twice in a row with the same finger-- it’ll ruin your timing!
Pinch chords involving one of the 3 bass strings and one or more of the three treble strings by plucking the bass string with your thumb and simultaneously plucking the treble string(s) with the appropriate finger(s). Pinch chords involving only treble strings using the appropriate fingers of the right hand simultaneously.
Hammer-ons are shown with an underscore between the notes. Play them by playing the open second string normally, then immediately hammering the index finger of the left hand down into the first space on the same string. This allows you to play two notes in succession very rapidly, and also gives you time to play the next note with the same right-hand finger if you wish, without ruining your timing. The two notes will sound smoothly connected to each other, so this technique is also called a ligado, Spanish for “tied”. Hammer-ons also sound way cool.
That’s it!
Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics:
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,
hail Thee as the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,
stars and angels sing around Thee,
center of unbroken praise:
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
blossoming meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother,—
all who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the Joy Divine.
Mortals join the mighty chorus,
which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward
in the triumph song of life.
The author, Henry van Dyke, originally wrote it as a poem, which he intended to be sung to the tune “Ode to Joy,” part of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, his last and greatest creation. Beethoven, in turn, composed the tune as a musical setting to a poem by the German poet, Friedrich Schiller, which Schiller called (surprise, surprise!), “Ode to Joy.” The symphony includes a choir singing the the poem, but with some of the words changed or omitted.
Some people think it was shabby of Beethoven to steal the title and alter the words of the great poet, but Schiller got his revenge, two centuries late, when the European Union adopted the tune, with different words, as their Union anthem, without giving credit to either the poet OR the composer! Now, every schoolchild in Europe will grow up thinking of Beethoven’s masterpiece as, “that stupid song we had to sing in school!”
At the end of this post, you will find Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics. They have been altered by various churches to fit their own theology in detail, but are all pretty much the same. I am not including Schiller’s original poem, because it is quite lengthy, and I can’t read German, anyway.
Performance notes:
Not much to tell, the tab is really very simple. Only three chords, and they are dead easy: G, D7, and a slightly unusual version of D7 called D7/A. Don’t let the complex name scare you, it’s fretted EXACTLY like a regular D7, only you play the open A string too. Strum the chords where marked with a wiggly, vertical line, and pinch the others where not marked.
Playing the melody is truly easy, if you remember a couple of things:
LEFT HAND: fret the notes in the first space (between the nut and the first fret) with the index finger, the second space with the middle finger, etc., regardless of which string they are on. This does not apply to chords, just to the melody line. Strum all chords with the thumb, where marked.
RIGHT HAND: pluck the first string with the ring finger, the second string with the middle finger, the third string with the index finger, and the bass string (whichever it is) with the thumb. When two or more notes in succession fall on the same string, alternate fingers. Don’t try to pluck the same string twice in a row with the same finger-- it’ll ruin your timing!
Pinch chords involving one of the 3 bass strings and one or more of the three treble strings by plucking the bass string with your thumb and simultaneously plucking the treble string(s) with the appropriate finger(s). Pinch chords involving only treble strings using the appropriate fingers of the right hand simultaneously.
Hammer-ons are shown with an underscore between the notes. Play them by playing the open second string normally, then immediately hammering the index finger of the left hand down into the first space on the same string. This allows you to play two notes in succession very rapidly, and also gives you time to play the next note with the same right-hand finger if you wish, without ruining your timing. The two notes will sound smoothly connected to each other, so this technique is also called a ligado, Spanish for “tied”. Hammer-ons also sound way cool.
That’s it!
Henry van Dyke’s original lyrics:
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,
hail Thee as the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,
stars and angels sing around Thee,
center of unbroken praise:
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
blossoming meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother,—
all who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the Joy Divine.
Mortals join the mighty chorus,
which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward
in the triumph song of life.
Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Another one by Charles Wesley. If the name sounds familiar to you, it should. He also wrote five other hymns in the hymnal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as six thousand others not found in the LDS hymn book. The five are:
Jesus, Lover of My Soul,
Ye Simple Souls Who Stray,
Christ the Lord is Risen Today,
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,
Come Let Us Anew.
The guy’s a heavyweight poet and lyricist for sure. Not only that, he was also an Anglican minister, a contemporary of George Washington, and his big brother John was the founder of the Methodist church. Not surprisingly, Charles grew up to be a minister, like his father and his brothers. So did his son, and grandson. How would you like to grow up in a family like that?
Rejoice, the Lord is King! was written as a poem, to celebrate the kingship of Jesus, as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, the only books of scripture available to Wesley at that time. We don’t know exactly when it was written, but it was first published in Wesley’s book, Moral and Sacred Poems, in 1744, and had been set to music as a hymn by 1770. It has since become a favorite of Christians around the world.
As the hymn gained in popularity, it attracted other composers including George Handel and William E. Fischer. Different churches have standardized on three separate tunes. The one most Mormons are familiar with is called, “Jubilate,” and was written in 1894 by Horatio W. Parker, an American organist, choirmaster, and composer who began composing at age 15. He composed “Jubilate” when he was 21, and already successful on both sides of the Atlantic.
Play this song rapidly. The metronome setting shows 160 eighth-notes per minute, but you may wish to count it in quarter-notes, as written in Hymns. I recast it in 8/8 time, to simplify the counting of sixteenth-notes. It was written in the key of C, which makes it easy to play. Only one chord is played in an unusual way.
Play the Dm as it is shown in the chord chart, to ease the transition to the following notes. Instead of showing the position of the left-hand fingers in the chord chart with zeros, as usual, I have used the numbers 1 - 4, to show which finger goes where, with 1 = index finger, 2 = middle finger, 3 = ring finger, and 4 = little finger. As a rule, I just use zeros, as it doesn’t really matter which finger goes in which spot as long as you are comfortable, and using finger numbers gets confusing. But this time it’s important, so I have broken my rule. Fret the Dm in the refrain the same way, but play it as a broken chord. Do not strum or pinch it. That is why it is shown in lightface, italic type.
In the next-to-last measure, hold the single D note with lots of tremolo. Since this note is found at the third fret, you can get a much better tremolo effect by vibrating the string across the neck, rather than along it, as you normally would. Notes fretted in the first three frets require this technique to achieve a strong tremolo.
This song is in the public domain.
Jesus, Lover of My Soul,
Ye Simple Souls Who Stray,
Christ the Lord is Risen Today,
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,
Come Let Us Anew.
The guy’s a heavyweight poet and lyricist for sure. Not only that, he was also an Anglican minister, a contemporary of George Washington, and his big brother John was the founder of the Methodist church. Not surprisingly, Charles grew up to be a minister, like his father and his brothers. So did his son, and grandson. How would you like to grow up in a family like that?
Rejoice, the Lord is King! was written as a poem, to celebrate the kingship of Jesus, as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, the only books of scripture available to Wesley at that time. We don’t know exactly when it was written, but it was first published in Wesley’s book, Moral and Sacred Poems, in 1744, and had been set to music as a hymn by 1770. It has since become a favorite of Christians around the world.
As the hymn gained in popularity, it attracted other composers including George Handel and William E. Fischer. Different churches have standardized on three separate tunes. The one most Mormons are familiar with is called, “Jubilate,” and was written in 1894 by Horatio W. Parker, an American organist, choirmaster, and composer who began composing at age 15. He composed “Jubilate” when he was 21, and already successful on both sides of the Atlantic.
Play this song rapidly. The metronome setting shows 160 eighth-notes per minute, but you may wish to count it in quarter-notes, as written in Hymns. I recast it in 8/8 time, to simplify the counting of sixteenth-notes. It was written in the key of C, which makes it easy to play. Only one chord is played in an unusual way.
Play the Dm as it is shown in the chord chart, to ease the transition to the following notes. Instead of showing the position of the left-hand fingers in the chord chart with zeros, as usual, I have used the numbers 1 - 4, to show which finger goes where, with 1 = index finger, 2 = middle finger, 3 = ring finger, and 4 = little finger. As a rule, I just use zeros, as it doesn’t really matter which finger goes in which spot as long as you are comfortable, and using finger numbers gets confusing. But this time it’s important, so I have broken my rule. Fret the Dm in the refrain the same way, but play it as a broken chord. Do not strum or pinch it. That is why it is shown in lightface, italic type.
In the next-to-last measure, hold the single D note with lots of tremolo. Since this note is found at the third fret, you can get a much better tremolo effect by vibrating the string across the neck, rather than along it, as you normally would. Notes fretted in the first three frets require this technique to achieve a strong tremolo.
This song is in the public domain.
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
I would like to dedicate this tab to my guitar-picking buddy, Dalin Bird, who just recently “discovered” it in the LDS hymnal. I was surprised he’d never heard it before, as it is one of the best known melodies in all of Christian musical tradition. This is for you, Dalin.
In most English-speaking, Protestant churches, this hymn is called, “The Doxology.” A doxology (from Greek doxa “glory” and -logia “saying”) is a short hymn of praises to God, typically an expression of praise sung to the Holy Trinity. “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” is in widespread use in English language, Protestant churches. It is usually sung to the tune “Old Hundredth,” also called “Old 100th,” because of its association with Psalm 100. In Menonite tradition, the hymn is often called, “606,” it’s number in their hymnal. Students at Goshen College traditionally stand and sing “The Doxology” when 6:06 remains in a soccer game— but (so I’m told) only if Goshen is winning.
The tune is usually attributed to the French Calvinist composer Loys (or Louis) Bourgeois, who lived about 1510 – 1560. Ironically, it was not originally used as a setting for Psalm 100, but rather for Psalm 134, and is listed that way in the Geneva Psalter published in 1551. That is the earliest extant published version of the tune, but, like many other old hymns, there are unsubtantiated rumors that it is older still.
Virtually all published versions of this tune are in “Long Meter,” a poetic convention consisting of four lines of eight syllables, which is shown in the LDS hymnal as (LM) 8888. Naturally, this works well in 4/4 time, which consists of four beats per measure. A similar poetic convention, called “Common Meter,” abbreviated (CM) 8686, consists of four lines alternating between eight and six syllables each. This works very well for music set to 6/8 time. This tune works well in either meter, so I have tabbed it with a second verse in 6/8. Lest you object to changing the meter of a hymn, the Tabernacle Choir does exactly that in their version of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
In 6/8 time, the accents are on the 1st and 4th beats: 1 2 3 4 5 6, giving each measure two main beats, just like 4/4 time, but with each half of the measure divided into three notes instead of two. If you don’t like the 6/8 time, just play the first verse. One common use of doxologies is as a sort of a coda, tacked onto the end of another hymn. If you wish to use “The Doxology” this way, just use one verse. Use the first verse for hymns in 2/4, 4/4, or 8/8 time, and the second verse for hymns in 3/4 or 6/8.
Only one part of this tab requires explanation. The slide right at the end of the song is done very quickly. It does not actually have to reach all the way to the 7th fret. Use the slide as a sort of a light accent, before playing the final, high C at the 8th fret, then hold the C with lots of tremolo.
In most English-speaking, Protestant churches, this hymn is called, “The Doxology.” A doxology (from Greek doxa “glory” and -logia “saying”) is a short hymn of praises to God, typically an expression of praise sung to the Holy Trinity. “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” is in widespread use in English language, Protestant churches. It is usually sung to the tune “Old Hundredth,” also called “Old 100th,” because of its association with Psalm 100. In Menonite tradition, the hymn is often called, “606,” it’s number in their hymnal. Students at Goshen College traditionally stand and sing “The Doxology” when 6:06 remains in a soccer game— but (so I’m told) only if Goshen is winning.
The tune is usually attributed to the French Calvinist composer Loys (or Louis) Bourgeois, who lived about 1510 – 1560. Ironically, it was not originally used as a setting for Psalm 100, but rather for Psalm 134, and is listed that way in the Geneva Psalter published in 1551. That is the earliest extant published version of the tune, but, like many other old hymns, there are unsubtantiated rumors that it is older still.
Virtually all published versions of this tune are in “Long Meter,” a poetic convention consisting of four lines of eight syllables, which is shown in the LDS hymnal as (LM) 8888. Naturally, this works well in 4/4 time, which consists of four beats per measure. A similar poetic convention, called “Common Meter,” abbreviated (CM) 8686, consists of four lines alternating between eight and six syllables each. This works very well for music set to 6/8 time. This tune works well in either meter, so I have tabbed it with a second verse in 6/8. Lest you object to changing the meter of a hymn, the Tabernacle Choir does exactly that in their version of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
In 6/8 time, the accents are on the 1st and 4th beats: 1 2 3 4 5 6, giving each measure two main beats, just like 4/4 time, but with each half of the measure divided into three notes instead of two. If you don’t like the 6/8 time, just play the first verse. One common use of doxologies is as a sort of a coda, tacked onto the end of another hymn. If you wish to use “The Doxology” this way, just use one verse. Use the first verse for hymns in 2/4, 4/4, or 8/8 time, and the second verse for hymns in 3/4 or 6/8.
Only one part of this tab requires explanation. The slide right at the end of the song is done very quickly. It does not actually have to reach all the way to the 7th fret. Use the slide as a sort of a light accent, before playing the final, high C at the 8th fret, then hold the C with lots of tremolo.
Roxanne Sloan, composer
My grand-daughter, Roxanne Sloan, is seven years old. This is her first composition. She is taking piano lessons, but has never been taught to compose, nor to write music. She composed this in her head, without using a piano or other musical instrument. When asked, she said she could hear the notes in her head. I promised her that if she would write out her composition, I would post it. Click HERE to see it. --Proud Grandpa Don
Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains
“Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains” may be the only popular Christmas carol originally composed for a Mormon choir. It got its start in 1869, when John Menzies Macfarlane composed it for the St. George, Utah choir, which he directed. It was first published in the December 15, 1889 issue of the Juvenile Instructor, ancestor to today’s New Era magazine. Brother Macfarlane also composed the tune. The song has achieved acceptance in the Christian community at large. Few who sing it realize it is not a traditional Christmas carol.
Merry Christmas!
This song contains a lot of dotted eighth-notes and sixteenth-notes. I haven’t put them in. You know the song anyway. Remember that the metronome count is for quarter-notes. Play it fast.
The entire first line is fretted from the basic C-shape. CaddG is just a normal C chord with the G added on the first string, to bring out the melody. The bass note C on the fifth string forms a drone that helps to keep the rhythm steady. Don’t leave it out-- it will help your audience follow the rhythm too. The notes on the bass strings in the next two measures serve the same purpose.
Similarly, the second line is played (mostly) from the GIII position. The exception is a very brief excursion into the CIII position. You don’t even have to move the barre. Just switch from the barred E-shape to the barred A-shape, and then right back.
The first line of the chorus is played from the C-shape again, but the second line is different. FV is normally played as a C-shape barred at the 5th fret. Since many guitarists have a hard time reaching this chord quickly, I have modified it to a four-string chord. This also eases the transition to the following CIII chord. The arpeggios at the ends of measure 5 and 6 are for time-keeping, similar to the drones in the first line of the verse. You can hold the G7III briefly for emphasis, if you wish.
The arpeggio at the beginning of the last line is another one for time-keeping, but the ones in the next measure are not. They are part of the melody. Do not leave them out! The C/G in the last measure is just another variation on the basic C-shape. Just add the bass G note with the left pinkie and strum all six strings. The full sound gives a better resolution for the end of the song.
You can play as many verses as you like. You may want to alternate pinching and strumming the chords from verse to verse, or change the tempo, for variety. This song is in the public domain.
Merry Christmas!
This song contains a lot of dotted eighth-notes and sixteenth-notes. I haven’t put them in. You know the song anyway. Remember that the metronome count is for quarter-notes. Play it fast.
The entire first line is fretted from the basic C-shape. CaddG is just a normal C chord with the G added on the first string, to bring out the melody. The bass note C on the fifth string forms a drone that helps to keep the rhythm steady. Don’t leave it out-- it will help your audience follow the rhythm too. The notes on the bass strings in the next two measures serve the same purpose.
Similarly, the second line is played (mostly) from the GIII position. The exception is a very brief excursion into the CIII position. You don’t even have to move the barre. Just switch from the barred E-shape to the barred A-shape, and then right back.
The first line of the chorus is played from the C-shape again, but the second line is different. FV is normally played as a C-shape barred at the 5th fret. Since many guitarists have a hard time reaching this chord quickly, I have modified it to a four-string chord. This also eases the transition to the following CIII chord. The arpeggios at the ends of measure 5 and 6 are for time-keeping, similar to the drones in the first line of the verse. You can hold the G7III briefly for emphasis, if you wish.
The arpeggio at the beginning of the last line is another one for time-keeping, but the ones in the next measure are not. They are part of the melody. Do not leave them out! The C/G in the last measure is just another variation on the basic C-shape. Just add the bass G note with the left pinkie and strum all six strings. The full sound gives a better resolution for the end of the song.
You can play as many verses as you like. You may want to alternate pinching and strumming the chords from verse to verse, or change the tempo, for variety. This song is in the public domain.
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