Discover how to play jingle bells on an acoustic guitar with just basic knowledge of chords and an acoustic instrument.
Beginner guitarists often have difficulty switching between chords. To make it simpler to play these chords, use a capo on your guitar; this will also keep your singing tempo consistent.
C Major
C major is one of the first chords most guitarists learn to play, making it ideal for beginner guitarists and making any rhythm feel good.
To create this chord, start by positioning your index finger on the second string at its first fret and move up the neck until your other fingers can land on its third and fourth strings respectively. An open sixth string may help maintain consistency when playing chords.
Once you have mastered these basic chords, it’s time to combine them to make the song Jingle Bells! Begin slowly with a simple down strum; as your comfort level grows, switch between these chords faster while employing strumming patterns. Our website provides printable PDF copies of these lyrics and chords for this popular holiday tune!
F Major
Jingle Bells is one of the most beloved Christmas songs across English-speaking cultures and Western societies. Playing it can be great fun and provides your fingers a good workout on the fretboard!
F major is home to seven chords, each of which is distinct in sound and feel from its neighbors. Furthermore, these chords work seamlessly with other scales such as G major and C major major scales.
One effective approach is to start with the open F chord and then add your pointer finger (5), moving up one string and fret to cover all thinnest strings without altering your left-hand pattern; this way it remains simple yet effective.
Noting that F major has one flat: Bb is important when playing music in this key, as this will help prevent accidentals when changing keys of music.
G Major
Jingle Bells is an iconic Christmas classic, making it a wonderful choice for beginners learning guitar in December. Additionally, this song can also serve as an entertaining home or public performance song; check with local nursing homes, children’s programs or day cares, senior centers/residencies and pubs/bars to see if any would like you perform for their holiday activities!
C, F, G and D7 chords make this song simple to play on guitar. For beginners, I recommend starting off slowly using simple down strums between chords; this allows you to focus on getting them right before adding strumming patterns. G major is used as the key of both New Zealand’s national anthem (God Save The Queen) and country music as it contains only one sharp.
D7
D7 guitar chords, also known as D dominant seventh chords, are an essential element in many blues and country songs. This chord can provide an upbeat sound to these sometimes melancholic genres; for instance, “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees uses it to add energy and zest to its joyful melody while more recently this chord was featured prominently by Paolo Nutini in “Candy”.
James Lord Pierpont first wrote Jingle Bells in 1850s and it has become an essential component of winter holidays and Thanksgiving in America ever since. The lyrics describe riding an open sleigh on one horse. Jingle Bells is an ideal beginner guitar song to learn; all it requires to play it are a guitar and some understanding of chord formation.