Melodies with Chords
Beautiful Brown Eyes - C-major. 3/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 2 strings.
When the Saints Go Marching In - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 2 strings.
Tanz - C-major. 3/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Alphabet Song, Baa Baa Black Sheep - C-major. 4/4. 12 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Oh! Susanna - C-major. 2/2. 17 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Happy Birthday - C-major. 3/4. 8 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Aura Lee - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Song of the Wind - G-major. 4/4. 7ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
New World Symphony - C-major. 4/4. 26 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
The Heavens Are Telling - C-major. 4/4. 18 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
You Are My Sunshine - G-major. 4/4. 20 ms. 1st position. 1st 3 strings.
Rigadoon - C-major. 4/4. 20 ms. 1st Position. 1st 4 strings.
Yankee Doodle - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st position. 1st 4 strings.
French Folk Song - C-major. 3/4. 20 ms. 1st Position. 1st 5 strings.
In the Hall of the Mountain King - A-minor. 4/4. 13 ms. 1st Position.
Ashoken Farewell - Key of D-major. 3/4. 35 ms. 2nd position.
Chanson Triste - P.I. Tchaikovski - Key of G-minor. 4/4. 20 ms. Mostly in 1st position, with a little bit of 3rd. A nice easy melody with 2 flats.
Kemps Jig - Anon. - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. 1st & 2nd position. Just a couple of dotted-quarter to 8th passages. Besides that it is all paired 8ths or simpler. Nice lively renaissance dance!
March in D - J.S. Bach - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. Mostly in 2nd position, with a little bit o' 5th. The 3 notes at the beginning of ms. 17 are played by just using the fingering for an open D-major chord, but up at the 7th fret. Also, watch out at the end of ms. 6 and 14. Those 8th notes need to start with an up-stroke!
Mazurka in C - Frederic Chopin - Key of C-major. 3/4. 25 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position, except for the high A. There are lots of sharps to deal with, lots of 4th finger, and lot’s of dotted-quarter to 8th rhythms.
Minuet in G - J.S. Bach - Key of G-Major. 3/4. 32 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position, though the B section does start out with 2 measures in 7th. Very easy-to-read rhythms, with nothing more complex than pairs of 8th notes. A very well-known classical melody.
Minuet in G - J.S. Bach - Key of G-major. 3/4. 40 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position with just 1 measure in 2nd. Good introduction to the triplet. The first measure is the trickiest part, watch the fingerings carefully!
Sonatina in C, 1. Allegretto - Muzio Clementi - Key of C-major. 4/4. 15 ms. Starts in 1st position, but moves up through the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th. This piece is a good intro to these higher positions because the reading is very straight-forward scales with some simple arpeggios.
When the Saints Go Marching In - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 2 strings.
Tanz - C-major. 3/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Alphabet Song, Baa Baa Black Sheep - C-major. 4/4. 12 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Oh! Susanna - C-major. 2/2. 17 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Happy Birthday - C-major. 3/4. 8 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Aura Lee - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
Song of the Wind - G-major. 4/4. 7ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
New World Symphony - C-major. 4/4. 26 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
The Heavens Are Telling - C-major. 4/4. 18 ms. 1st Position. 1st 3 strings.
You Are My Sunshine - G-major. 4/4. 20 ms. 1st position. 1st 3 strings.
Rigadoon - C-major. 4/4. 20 ms. 1st Position. 1st 4 strings.
Yankee Doodle - C-major. 4/4. 16 ms. 1st position. 1st 4 strings.
French Folk Song - C-major. 3/4. 20 ms. 1st Position. 1st 5 strings.
In the Hall of the Mountain King - A-minor. 4/4. 13 ms. 1st Position.
Ashoken Farewell - Key of D-major. 3/4. 35 ms. 2nd position.
Chanson Triste - P.I. Tchaikovski - Key of G-minor. 4/4. 20 ms. Mostly in 1st position, with a little bit of 3rd. A nice easy melody with 2 flats.
Kemps Jig - Anon. - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. 1st & 2nd position. Just a couple of dotted-quarter to 8th passages. Besides that it is all paired 8ths or simpler. Nice lively renaissance dance!
March in D - J.S. Bach - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. Mostly in 2nd position, with a little bit o' 5th. The 3 notes at the beginning of ms. 17 are played by just using the fingering for an open D-major chord, but up at the 7th fret. Also, watch out at the end of ms. 6 and 14. Those 8th notes need to start with an up-stroke!
Mazurka in C - Frederic Chopin - Key of C-major. 3/4. 25 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position, except for the high A. There are lots of sharps to deal with, lots of 4th finger, and lot’s of dotted-quarter to 8th rhythms.
Minuet in G - J.S. Bach - Key of G-Major. 3/4. 32 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position, though the B section does start out with 2 measures in 7th. Very easy-to-read rhythms, with nothing more complex than pairs of 8th notes. A very well-known classical melody.
Minuet in G - J.S. Bach - Key of G-major. 3/4. 40 ms. Almost entirely in 1st position with just 1 measure in 2nd. Good introduction to the triplet. The first measure is the trickiest part, watch the fingerings carefully!
Sonatina in C, 1. Allegretto - Muzio Clementi - Key of C-major. 4/4. 15 ms. Starts in 1st position, but moves up through the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th. This piece is a good intro to these higher positions because the reading is very straight-forward scales with some simple arpeggios.
Duos/Trios/Quartets
Aura Lee (For 3 Guitars) - A nice easy trio with all 3 parts able to be played in open position.
Bouree - J.S. Bach (for 2 guitars) - Key of E-minor. 4/4. 26ms. Part 1 is mostly in 1st position, with a little 2nd and a few measures up in 7th/8th. Part 2 is entirely in 1st position. Both parts opportunities to work on the “finger roll” technique of rolling from one string to the next with the same finger (part1 - The G-D in ms 10, and the B-F# in ms 17. Part 2 - B-E in ms 16, F#-B in ms 20-21). Also, be careful with the alternate picking! There are quite a few passages with bad string-crossings, or picking “inside” the strings, meaning your picking is moving away from the next note (Part 1, ms 21-23 is especially nasty).
Chorale #1 (for 2 guitars) - Key of G major. 3/4. 20 ms. Part 1 - 1st position, 1st 3 strings. Part 2 - 1st position, 6 strings.
Chorale #5 (for 2 guitars) - Key of G major. 3/4. 20 ms. Part 1 - 1st position. 1st 3 strings.
Kemps Jig - Anon. (for 2 guitars) - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. Part 1 is 1st & 2nd position. Part 2 is entirely 1st position. Just a couple of dotted-quarter to 8th passages in guitar 1. Besides that, part 1 is all paired 8ths or simpler, part 2 is all quarter, half and whole notes. Nice lively Renaissance dance!
Bouree - J.S. Bach (for 2 guitars) - Key of E-minor. 4/4. 26ms. Part 1 is mostly in 1st position, with a little 2nd and a few measures up in 7th/8th. Part 2 is entirely in 1st position. Both parts opportunities to work on the “finger roll” technique of rolling from one string to the next with the same finger (part1 - The G-D in ms 10, and the B-F# in ms 17. Part 2 - B-E in ms 16, F#-B in ms 20-21). Also, be careful with the alternate picking! There are quite a few passages with bad string-crossings, or picking “inside” the strings, meaning your picking is moving away from the next note (Part 1, ms 21-23 is especially nasty).
Chorale #1 (for 2 guitars) - Key of G major. 3/4. 20 ms. Part 1 - 1st position, 1st 3 strings. Part 2 - 1st position, 6 strings.
Chorale #5 (for 2 guitars) - Key of G major. 3/4. 20 ms. Part 1 - 1st position. 1st 3 strings.
Kemps Jig - Anon. (for 2 guitars) - Key of D-major. 4/4. 24 ms. Part 1 is 1st & 2nd position. Part 2 is entirely 1st position. Just a couple of dotted-quarter to 8th passages in guitar 1. Besides that, part 1 is all paired 8ths or simpler, part 2 is all quarter, half and whole notes. Nice lively Renaissance dance!
Christmas/Holiday Music
Jingle Bells (with lyrics) - Key of G-major. 2/2. 32 ms. All in open position, 1st 4 strings. Such a well-known melody, it’s perfect for learning the dotted-quarter to 8th rhythm.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (with lyrics) - Key of C-major. 3/4. 16 ms. All in open position on the first 3 strings. Lots of pairs of 8th notes. Good practice for alternate picking!
Silent Night - Key of C-major. 3/4. 24 ms. Open Position. Good practice for the dotted-quarter to 8th rhythm.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (with lyrics) - Key of C-major. 3/4. 16 ms. All in open position on the first 3 strings. Lots of pairs of 8th notes. Good practice for alternate picking!
Silent Night - Key of C-major. 3/4. 24 ms. Open Position. Good practice for the dotted-quarter to 8th rhythm.
