Guitar chords are groups of three or more notes that you can strum together. Beginning guitarists usually learn an open string C chord; as their skills advance they begin learning major and minor triads as well as dominant seventh chords.
Black dots on a guitar chord diagram represent frets you need to press with your fingers, sometimes marked by letters (index finger = 1, middle finger = 2, and ring finger = 3).
Chorus
The chorus of Hallelujah is one of the easiest songs to learn on guitar, especially for beginners trying to finger pick. Strumming patterns work best; alternatively you could try my Beginner’s Course fingerstyle patterns as an introduction.
Hallelujah features vivid imagery and references to Biblical scripture, making its lyrics instantly iconic. Additionally, its themes of sadness, hope and love make this song relatable for people from diverse backgrounds. This song has gained so much fame it has even inspired several movies!
“Hallelujah” took several years to become a timeless classic, but once it did so it quickly became part of music collections everywhere. First made popular after being recorded by John Cale for his Different Positions album in 1991 and later revamped by Jeff Buckley on Grace, both versions have since become beloved standards in our musical libraries.
One distinctive element of Cohen’s chord progression in the chorus is the minor fall and major lift – this clever bit of writing highlights how music can simultaneously be beautiful and discordant, suggesting both divine and human elements to its composition.
Verse 1
Hallelujah is one of the songs everyone knows – used in movies and television shows as well as performed by musicians of various styles – but despite this widespread awareness, much about this piece remains unknown to many people.
People may not realize that the song’s lyrics are based on an actual biblical passage; conversely, Cohen made the decision for this particular chord progression to occur only at “the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and major lift,” not elsewhere in the song.
Beginners may find it challenging to play this chord, especially as it utilizes a barred C (a combination of notes which is traditionally played using a bar). To perform it properly, place your index finger on the second string third fret, middle finger on fourth string third fret and ring finger on third string second fret before starting your solo performance.
Another unique aspect of this song is its distinctive time signature. Each chord takes up half a measure instead of half, which may make keeping up with its beat difficult. To assist, try counting each beat as a three-count instead of a two-count beat.
Verse 2
As we learn new songs, it’s essential to keep the relationships between chords in mind, in order to understand how they relate to the overall key of the song. For Hallelujah this means moving from G to C (and back again). To accomplish this, use a capo on the fifth fret to transition into this key without changing chord progressions – just use a different capo!
Transitioning from G to C may seem intimidating at first, but all it requires is shifting your fingers in different ways to create the sound you’re after. Once mastered, switching back and forth should become much simpler when playing songs with similar progressions.
Once you’ve learned these basic chords, it’s time to try strumming! This song lends itself well to finger picking but can also be strung like any rock song – just make sure that the dynamics vary so it stays interesting by accentuating two pulses per measure, this will create a nice rhythm without making the song slow or dull! So start strumming, and don’t forget to check out all of its amazing covers!