Hallelujah (pronounced ha-lay-LOO-yah) is an expression of worship dating back to biblical times and serves as an indication that you’re praise God or thanking him.
“Funk” refers to both a genre of music and Leonard Cohen’s iconic 1984 track with this name; over the years it has been covered by many artists and musicians worldwide.
1. C Major Chord
C major is typically one of the first chords new guitarists learn, as it forms an essential building block in many songs and serves as an ideal foundation for understanding other musical concepts such as scales and intervals.
C major guitar chord is a basic open chord, meaning it doesn’t use barred fingers to play it. This makes it easier for beginners to practice this song and familiarize themselves with chord shapes without too much focus on finger placement. However, keep in mind that open versions sound different than barred versions on 8th fret; open versions tend to sound richer due to being closer to skin of fingers than barred versions on 8th fret.
As soon as an open chord has been set up, it’s time to start strumming! This song has a two-beat rhythm which may prove challenging for beginners who are new to strumming. One way of working around this issue is arpeggiating each chord individually or arpeggiating all at the same time.
2. G Major Chord
G Major chord is an open chord with its root note of G, and can be played openly or inverted using any number of fingering techniques to alter its sound. In music theory, inversions refer to changing finger placement on guitar strings to alter chord sound.
Add some depth to the sound of your acoustic guitar with this second inversion of G. This version shifts the bass note from D to G and changes fingering on your left hand, as well as changing bass note fingerings.
If you possess the necessary skills, another technique to try is a third inversion on this chord. This involves using the same fingerings but replacing your third finger with your pinkie; adding subtle but significant differences to its sound and making your Hallelujah truly distinctive.
3. E Major Chord
E Major is one of the easiest chords to learn on guitar, comprised of just three notes – E, G# and B. To play this chord, place your index finger on the first fret of the sixth string and middle finger on second fret of fifth string; then strum all six strings simultaneously until you achieve an E Major chord!
Practice these chords so they become second nature; once mastered, you’ll be surprised how quickly they can become part of your repertoire.
Once you’ve mastered the standard E major chord, try adding some variation with it. For instance, using your left hand, try adding bass notes with your left hand to give the chord more of an overall fuller sound and to experiment with inversions for different sounds! To find your bass note simply move two black keys up from E; it should be one of the last notes on the scale.
4. F Major Chord
F major is an intimidating chord for beginners to tackle; its bigness can cause fret buzz and sore fingers, leaving many frustrated. Many guitarists find F major to be difficult or intimidating at first sight.
Thank goodness there are stepping-stone versions of this chord available for those who may struggle with it. One approach is using a capo at the fifth fret to help play this chord without its complexity becoming as daunting.
Another technique is inversion – which involves flipping over the lower note (in this instance F), so it becomes the top note (F/A).
Add power to your chord by including an additional note seven semitones above its root (F). Doing this will add extra punch to Hallelujah chords.