Chords for Amazing Grace dobro lesson part 1: the melody

_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [G] _ _ [F] _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [Cm] _ _ [C] _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [C] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ [A] _
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Hello, I'm Pat and this is part 1 of my 2 part series about the classic song Amazing Grace.
In this first part, we're checking out an easy stripped down version which is all about the melody.
And I did this on [N] purpose, because I really want to stress the importance and power of
the melody, which should always be your main focus when you're arranging a song.
Then when you get that done, you can spend more time making it more fancy with licks
and fills, which is what we do in part 2.
So for now, we're gonna learn a nice easy harmonized melody, and we're gonna try to
make it sing as much as possible.
So I think it's a great one for beginners as well as intermediate players to really
work on your vibrato, intonation and tone.
Also, I've got a cool backing track for you that I made with Ben and Bugs, as well as
2 pages of tablature, so make sure to print that out first so that you can follow along.
And now, let's get started!
Amazing Grace part 1, the melody.
Ok, so my dobro is tuned to Gbd Gbd tuning, from the thickest to [G] the thinnest string.
_ Gbd Gbd.
For those of you who don't know [C] how to tune a dobro to Gbd Gbd tuning, I've got a free
lesson on [Ab] my site which explains all of that, so make sure to check it out first.
[C] And before we get started with the melody, I want to show you 2 things.
First, the chord progression.
What we've got here is a 16 bar chord progression, and you can repeat over and over if you like.
And the chords start measure 2.
We've got a C, _ _ then C again, _ _ then [F] F, _ _ _ [C]
then C, _ _ _ _ C, _ C again, _ [G] G, _ _ G7, _ _ _ [C] C, _ _ C again, _ [F]
F, _ [C] C, G7,
C, C _ _ again, [G]
G, _ _ [C] C. _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ For those of you who don't know how to play G7, you tilt your bar on [G] the 3rd fret 4th
string, _ you [Bb] can also tilt your bar on the 3rd [G] fret 1st string.
It's also G7.
So what you can do to memorize the chord progression is to play the chords while singing the melody
on top of it.
It's a good [C] way to memorize the chord progression. _ _
C, _ _ _ to [F] _ F, [C] to C, _ to _ C, _ C, _ [G] goes to G, _ _ G7, _ goes [C] to C, _ then C again, then F, F, F, F, F, F,
[F] then F, [C] then C, _ then C, _ [G] goes to a G, then [C] C, _ C. _ _ _
_ _ The second thing [N] I want to talk about is a time signature.
As you can see, measure 1 of your tab, the song is in 12'8", which sounds like a fancy
word but it's not complicated.
That just means that there are 12'8'' within the bar.
So the way you count this is 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
Just a triplet feel, nothing fancy.
Triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
Just like that.
Ok?
Now let's check out how to play the melody.
_ _ As I've said before, our main focus in part 1 is the melody.
The melody in the song is the most important thing and whenever you're arranging a song
or working on a new tune, you should always spend a lot of time on the melody because
that's the first thing that the listener hears and hopefully what you remember too.
So if you want to dive more into the subject, I've written an article on my site which talks
about how to arrange a song and the importance of the melody.
So those of you interested might want to check that out too.
Ok so starting measure 1, we've got this.
_ 1, 2, [G] 3, _ [C] 4. _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ Ok so let's check out this for now.
Again, just to get it in your head. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ [B] _ _ [C] _ _ _
[G] So remember, you count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
So measure 1, you've got your bar pulled back to the 3rd string and your bar is on the 5th
fret and you play 1, 2, 3, 4, [C] 1.
So your index [G] finger plays the _ 4th string.
_ _ [C] Then you roll your thumb, index and middle on the 6th, 4th and 3rd string with some nice vibrato.
Don't forget to put some vibrato in this song because that's what will make it come to life
[Db] and sound beautiful.
_ [G] _ _ [C] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ Then on beat 4, _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ you've got your bar tilted up on the 2nd string, 5th fret.
You play thumb, index and middle on [F] the 4th, 3rd and 2nd string.
So your strings here are muted.
You [E] roll and _
_ _ _ [G] _ you slide from the 5th to the 3rd fret and _
_ _ [D] _ _ [Cm] _
then your bar is on the _ _ 3rd string
this time and you play with your index finger.
[Em] Tilt it up again.
_ [C] And the rhythm is 4 and. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _