Standard tuning (with or without capo) offers numerous guitar chord shapes and voicings to accompany a hallelujah chorus, including several combinations of notes – predominantly triads – at either 1, 3 or 5 note intervals above the bass notes.
Cohen’s original version of Hallelujah had a religious bent, with references to King David and Bathsheba (“The secret chord that David played”). But Cale’s intimate interpretation, followed by Buckley’s wounded-angel performance would become the definitive version.
1. E minor triad
The E minor triad is our starting point; it is a diminished chord made up of F# – A – C notes. Although similar, there is one note, just one semitone away that makes an important difference between them.
The E minor triad can be played in different inversions, each offering distinct tonal qualities and nuances. One such inversion raises its root note (E) an octave higher so that G becomes the lowest note in this version of the triad.
The second inversion of this triad can be achieved by raising the root note an octave higher, so that B becomes the lowest note in its inversion. This variation has its own distinct tonal character, and may serve as another element to add contrast within compositions written in E minor. Furthermore, this chord can be played both openly or barre chord-style as demonstrated in our next example.
2. C major triad
The C major triad is one of the primary chords heard throughout Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah song, both at its opening and during verses. You can find examples of its use throughout various covers of this track such as Pentatonix.
The C triad shape is very straightforward and straightforward, and learning it should not take more than five minutes. Simply find the root note of the chord on your thinnest string and place a triad shape over it – then simply move your fingers along the fretboard to add additional notes that complete your chord.
Remembering the characteristics of triads is key, since you can quickly tell whether the chord is minor or major by counting half-tones between each note of a triad. A minor triad has an emotionally sad sound while major ones can sound upbeat and cheerful; also remembering that its third interval (m3) can help determine its relative major or minor nature – you can learn more by clicking here!
3. G major triad
The G major triad can be found in many popular songs and has an above average chord complexity, chord bass melody and progression novelty score in Theorytab database. Singer-songwriters frequently employ this chord because of its bittersweet sound which fits well with lyrics of Hallelujah.
This triad is set with its root note on the thinnest string, making it easy to play open position. However, you can also alter its second inversion; to do this simply move its lowest note up one fret onto its thickest string for playing it as second inversion.
Note when learning triad shapes that they all share the same root notes; therefore it doesn’t matter which note you begin from. This can be especially helpful when playing in a band context, where bass or another instrument will handle providing bass notes for you.
4. F major triad
When first hearing Hallelujah, it might sound like it’s composed of minor chords; however, upon closer listen, you can hear that it actually contains major triads – making an immense difference in terms of sound and emotion; minor chords can sound saddened and depressing while major triads offer hopefulness and brightness.
The F major triad is an easy chord to play on guitar. There are various fingering techniques, but I will demonstrate one which doesn’t require too much stretching and should make playing easier for beginners.
This fingering technique employs a mini barre across the first two strings with your index finger for less challenging playing of an F major triad. Keep in mind, however, that arching your fingers is still necessary as is making sure second and third fingers don’t touch other strings – check out this video for more information about playing this version of F major triads!