Frère Jacques chords & tab
French traditional · 18th c.
Round
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines.
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.
Guitar Tab
Key of C, standard tuning. Read the high e string at the top.
Melody, first four bars (key of C): e|---------0----------|--------0----------|0----1----3-----|0----1----3-----| B|-1----3-------1-----|1----3-------1-----|----------------|----------------| G|--------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------| D|--------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------| A|--------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------| E|--------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------| Frè- re Jac- ques, Frè- re Jac- ques, dor- mez- vous? Dor- mez- vous?
About this song
A French round from the 1700s, known in English as 'Are You Sleeping, Brother John?'. Up to four people can sing it, each starting two bars after the last, and it all fits over one C chord.
How to play it: The whole round sits on C, so focus on steady time. For more movement, alternate the C bass note and a strum on each beat.
Lead: C major (C D E F G A B). The 'Ding, dang, dong' line drops to the G below middle C, the lowest note in the song.
Chord Diagrams
No capoC
Chord Info
- Notes
- C – E – G
- Intervals
- 1 – 3 – 5
- Fingers
- 123
- Difficulty
- Easy
Strumming Pattern
- ↓1
- ·&
- ↓2
- ↑&
- ·3
- ↑&
- ↓4
- ↑&
The whole round sits on C, so focus on steady time. For more movement, alternate the C bass note and a strum on each beat.
Play with Beats
Fretboard View
C as you fret it in open position.