“Silent Night” is a timeless Christmas carol, beloved for its peaceful melody and simple yet profound message. For guitarists, it’s also a fantastic song to learn, especially when you’re just starting out. The beauty of “Silent Night” lies in its simplicity – built upon just a few basic chords, it’s incredibly accessible for beginners while still offering room for experienced players to add their own touch. This lesson will guide you through playing “Silent Night” on guitar using an easy fingerstyle arrangement in G major, perfect for solo performances or accompanying carols around the holidays.
Understanding Basic Chords for Silent Night
The original article correctly points out that “Silent Night” is traditionally a three-chord song, utilizing the I-IV-V chords in any key. In the key of G major, these chords are G (I), C (IV), and D (V). These are foundational chords in guitar playing, making “Silent Night” an excellent choice for practice and skill-building. We’ll also incorporate the relative minor seventh chord, Em7, and the dominant 7th chord, D7, to add a bit more color and richness to our arrangement, as suggested in the original lesson.
Playing in G major is particularly well-suited for solo guitar because it allows for a resonant and full sound. The chords G, C, and D are all comfortable and commonly used in guitar fingerstyle arrangements.
Silent Night Guitar Chords in G Major: Fingerstyle Arrangement
This arrangement focuses on fingerstyle guitar, which means you’ll be plucking the strings with your fingers instead of using a pick. Fingerstyle allows for a more nuanced and expressive sound, perfect for the gentle nature of “Silent Night.” The key to a good fingerstyle arrangement is to create three layers: the melody, the bass line, and the accompaniment.
- Melody: The recognizable tune of “Silent Night” should be clear and prominent.
- Bass Line: A steady bass note provides the harmonic foundation.
- Accompaniment: Arpeggiated chords (playing the notes of a chord individually) fill out the sound and add texture.
Let’s look at the complete arrangement in G major. The following diagrams show the chord voicings and tab notation for each line of the song.
Silent Night Chord Sheet for Guitar in G Major
A complete chord sheet for Silent Night guitar arrangement in G major, displaying chords and notation.
Line-by-Line Breakdown
Let’s break down each line of the song to understand the fingerpicking pattern and chord changes.
Line 1 & 2: “Silent night, holy night”
These first two lines are identical musically, making them easy to learn. We start with a G6 chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 1, measures 1 and 2
Guitar tab notation for the first line of Silent Night, measures one and two, showing G6 chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 2, measures 3 and 4
Guitar tab notation for the second line of Silent Night, measures three and four, repeating measures one and two.
For the G6 chord (320030), focus on letting the melody notes on the first and second strings ring clearly. The bass note on the 6th string should be played with a bit more emphasis to create a solid foundation. Think of a gentle, harp-like sound.
Line 3: “All is calm, all is bright”
This line introduces a D chord and then transitions back to G. We’ll use a D chord voicing higher up the neck (557775) initially, then switch to a more common open D chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 3, measures 5 and 6 – D chord variations
Guitar tab notation for measures five and six of Silent Night, showcasing an example of D chord variation.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 3, measures 5 and 6 – D7 chord variation
Alternative guitar tab notation for measures five and six, demonstrating a D7 chord variation.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 3, measures 5 and 6 – D to Dmaj7 to D7 progression
Another guitar tab notation option for measures five and six, presenting a D to Dmaj7 to D7 chord progression.
The higher D voicing adds a richer sound. You can also experiment with adding a D7 chord to measure six for a slightly jazzier feel, or even try a D – Dmaj7 – D7 progression for a more sophisticated harmonic movement.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 3, measure 7 – G chord
Guitar tab notation for measure seven of Silent Night, featuring a G chord.
For the G chord in measure seven, the arrangement suggests avoiding striking the A string (5th string). This simplifies the fingerpicking and allows for quicker chord changes.
Line 4: “Round yon Virgin Mother and Child”
This line uses a C chord and a descending melody line.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 4, measure 8 – C chord with descending pattern
Guitar tab notation for measure eight of Silent Night, showing a C chord with a descending musical pattern.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 4, measure 9 – C to G transition
Guitar tab notation for measure nine of Silent Night, illustrating the transition from C to G chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 4, measure 10 – G chord with F# bass note
Guitar tab notation for measure ten of Silent Night, demonstrating a G chord with an F# bass note.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 4, measure 11 – Em7 chord
Guitar tab notation for measure eleven of Silent Night, featuring an Em7 chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 4, measure 12 – D7 chord
Guitar tab notation for measure twelve of Silent Night, showcasing a D7 chord.
The C chord in measure eight is followed by a move to G in measure nine. Measure ten introduces a slight variation by changing the bass note of the G chord to F#, creating a smoother transition to the Em7 chord in measure eleven. The line ends with a D7, setting up the return to G for the final line.
Line 5 & 6: “Silent night, holy night”
These lines musically repeat lines 1 and 2, bringing us back to the familiar G6 and G chords.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 5, measures 13 and 14 – repeat of line 1
Guitar tab notation for the fifth line of Silent Night, measures thirteen and fourteen, which are a repeat of line one.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 6, measures 15 and 16 – repeat of line 2
Guitar tab notation for the sixth line of Silent Night, measures fifteen and sixteen, which are a repeat of line two.
Line 7 & 8: “Shepherds quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar”
These lines use similar chord patterns to previous sections, reinforcing the simple harmonic structure.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 7, measures 17 and 18 – D chord and C chord
Guitar tab notation for the seventh line of Silent Night, measures seventeen and eighteen, showing D and C chords.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 8, measures 19 and 20 – G to Em7 progression
Guitar tab notation for the eighth line of Silent Night, measures nineteen and twenty, illustrating a G to Em7 chord progression.
Line 9 & 10: “Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born”
These lines build towards the climax with a C chord and then resolve back to G.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 9, measures 21 and 22 – C and G chords
Guitar tab notation for the ninth line of Silent Night, measures twenty-one and twenty-two, featuring C and G chords.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 10, measures 23 and 24 – G chord repeat
Guitar tab notation for the tenth line of Silent Night, measures twenty-three and twenty-four, repeating the G chord.
Line 11 & 12: “Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light.”
These final lines bring the song to a peaceful close, returning to the opening melody and chords, and ending on a sustained G chord.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 11, measures 25 and 26 – repeat of line 1
Guitar tab notation for the eleventh line of Silent Night, measures twenty-five and twenty-six, a repeat of line one.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 12, measures 27 and 28 – final G chord arpeggio
Guitar tab notation for the twelfth and final line of Silent Night, measures twenty-seven and twenty-eight, ending with a G chord arpeggio.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 12, measures 27 and 28 – harmonic ending
Alternative guitar tab notation for the final line of Silent Night, measures twenty-seven and twenty-eight, suggesting a harmonic ending.
Guitar Tab for Silent Night line 12, measures 27 and 28 – final G chord with harmonics
Another guitar tab notation option for the concluding line of Silent Night, measures twenty-seven and twenty-eight, demonstrating a final G chord with harmonics.
For the ending, you can create a beautiful final touch by adding harmonics on the G chord, as shown in the last example. This involves lightly touching the strings at the 12th fret while plucking them to create bell-like tones.
Tips for Playing Silent Night Fingerstyle
- Listen to the Melody: Familiarize yourself with the melody of “Silent Night.” Sing it or listen to recordings to internalize the tune.
- Practice Slowly: Start slowly to get the fingerpicking pattern and chord changes smooth. Gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
- Focus on Clarity: Ensure the melody notes ring out clearly above the bass and accompaniment.
- Experiment with Dynamics: Use dynamics to add expression. Play softer during the verses and build slightly during the chorus or key phrases.
- Use a Metronome: Practice with a metronome to develop good timing and rhythm.
Conclusion
“Silent Night” is a wonderful song to add to your guitar repertoire. This simple fingerstyle arrangement using basic guitar chords makes it accessible for players of all levels. By practicing this lesson, you’ll not only learn to play a beautiful Christmas carol but also develop essential fingerstyle techniques and chord vocabulary. Download the MP3 to hear how it should sound and guide your practice. Enjoy playing “Silent Night” and sharing the peace and joy of this classic carol!
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