Category: Canjos and Diddleybows

All things one-string.

" I T V [

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen – Tablature for One-String Diatonic Canjos

This free One-String Diatonic Canjo tab is for Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. If you haven’t used this type of tablature before, each number indicates a fret on the fretboard of your instrument, as shown in the diagram above.

You may also wish to listen to the song while learning it, if you don’t know the tune too well.

2    4     4     4   4 5  5   5                
I've heard there was a secret chord
2    4 4   4       4   4  5       5   5         
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
4   5   5     5   5  5    4   4  3    4  4     
But you don't really care for mu-sic, do you?
2  4    4    4     4   5       5   7           
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
4   8     8     5   8 8   9                     
The minor fall, the major lift
8   9   9   9    9  10 10   10  9  9    8       
The baffled king compo-sing Hal-le-lu---jah

2   4  5  5    5   4  2  2                     
Hal-le-lu-jah, Hal-le-lu-jah,
2   4  5  5    5   4  2 3  2 1  2 1  0         
Hal-le-lu-jah, Hal-le-lu-------------jah

2    4     4   4      4   4   5  5   5         
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
2   4   4   4  4    5  5   5                   
You saw her bathing on the roof
4   5   5  5   5   5   4     4  3  4     4     
Her beauty and the moonlight over--threw you
2   4    4   4  4  5   5   7                   
She tied you to a  kitchen chair
4   8     8    8       5   8   8    9          
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
8   9    9    9    9   10   10  10  9  9  8 8  
And from your lips she drew the Hal-le-lu---jah

4  4  4 4   4     5    5  5                    
Maybe I have been here be-fore
2 4    4    4     4    5      5    5           
I know this room, I've walked this floor
4 5    5  5    5  5  4 4    3  4    4          
I used to live alone before I  knew you
2    4    4    4    4  4   5  5   7            
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
8    8  8   5  8  8    9                       
Love is not a  victory march
8    8 9    9   9    9  10 10  10  9  9  8 8   
It's a cold and it's a  broken Hal-le-lu---jah

 

Amazing Grace – Traditional

This song was first published in 1779 and is known throughout the western world. If you only learn one Christian spiritual, this should probably be it. Thankfully, it is very easy to play on the canjo! View the full text of this entry by clicking the “Read More” link below for the formatted canjo tab…

Learn how to play the melody of Amazing Grace on your one-string Canjo!

Continue reading “Amazing Grace – Traditional”

CIGAR BOX GUITAR VIDEO LESSON: Howlin’ Wolf “Asked Her for Water”

Shane Speal explores the classic Howlin’ Wolf song, “I Asked Her for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)” and arranges the riff for a 3-string slide cigar box guitar. The classic blues song was first recorded by Howlin’ Wolf for Chess Records in 1956. Shane Speal is the author of Making Poor Man’s Guitars (Fox Chapel Publishing, 2018)

Shane Speal explores the classic Howlin’ Wolf song,  “I Asked Her for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline).”  The drone blues song was first recorded in 1956. Here is the original recording for reference.

In the lesson, Speal shows the riff in open G (GDG) and then explains how to re-tune the cigar box guitar to a rumblin’ Open E (EBE) tuning.


Official Shane Speal: http://shanespeal.com

Strings & tuner from the video at http://cbgitty.com

CIGAR BOX GUITAR VIDEO LESSON: “I Ain’t Superstitious” by Howlin’ Wolf

Shane Speal breaks down Howlin’ Wolf’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” into a version playable on 3-string cigar box guitar. Video lesson, step-by-step.

Shane Speal explores the deep blues of Howlin’ Wolf (aka Chester Burnett) by combining the three guitar parts of “I Ain’t Superstitious” into a 3-string cigar box guitar version.  Speal’s version utilizes an Open G tuning (GDG) for this blues song that is played in the key of D. Continue reading “CIGAR BOX GUITAR VIDEO LESSON: “I Ain’t Superstitious” by Howlin’ Wolf”

I’ll Fly Away – Alfred E. Brumley for One-String Diatonic Canjos

As performed in O Brother Where Art Thou, as well as by Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson and a host of other artists. View the full text of this entry by clicking the “Read More” link below for the formatted canjo tab…

Now you can learn one of the most recorded Gospel songs on your One-String Canjo!

American Canjo Company

Arrangement courtesy of C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, intended for playing on American Canjo Company™ brand one-string canjos with dulcimer-style fretting, with fret numberings as shown below. The open unfretted string is notated as “0″.

Canjo Diagram

I’ll Fly Away – Alfred E. Brumley

5    3    0   3    5    4    5    6  5 4   3    1   1 0
Some glad morning, when this life is o’er, I’ll fly away
5  3 0    3  5     4  5  6   5      5    4   4 3
To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away.

Chorus
8    5   5 8  5  4  3   3    1   1 0   0  0   1   0
I’ll fly away oh glory, I’ll fly away (in the morning)
0    1 3    3 4 5 4    5  6   5   5    4   4  3
When I die, hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

To learn more about this classic American song, and to find more verses, check out this Wikipedia article.

Arrangement by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply
Words and Music Copyright: Glad Music Co., Albert E Brumley & Sons, Bridge Building Music