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When the Saints Go Marching In: guitar chords and tab for beginners

United States, early 1900s

When the Saints Go Marching In

by Traditional

Tempo
116beats per minute
Count
4beats in each bar
Key
C majorthe home note
Level
1 of 3easiest
Bar 1:1 of 13Tap play to turn sound on
Key C major
0
Higher or lower, to match a voice.
Tempo116beats per minute right now

Level 1. Strum one chord per beat. Start here.

Chord names above, strum arrows below. Down arrow = strum down toward the floor, up arrow = back up.

01020304050607080910111213CCCG7CCFCG7CC7FCG7C
Where your fingers go press here · the number is which finger
EADGBeopen12345678910111232010

Hold this chord

C×321EADGBe

Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky.

Space bar plays and pauses. Left and right arrows jump a bar.

The chords

The chords in When the Saints Go Marching In

4 chords, all open shapes: C, G7, F, C7. 4 beats in each bar, 116 beats per minute, in C major.

About the song

A gospel hymn that became the anthem of New Orleans jazz. The melody is built from one four-note climb, C E F G, repeated with small changes. Learn that climb and you have most of the song.

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