Silent Night chords & tab
Franz Xaver Gruber · 1818
Verse 1
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Verse 2
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Verse 3
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Guitar Tab
Key of C, standard tuning. Read the high e string at the top.
Melody, key of C (3/4). One box per bar; the high e string is on top. C e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| G|-0------2----0-----|-------------------|-0------2----0-----|-------------------| D|-------------------|-2-----------------|-------------------|-2-----------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| Si- lent night, ho- ly night, G7 C e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B|-3-----------3-----|-0-----------------|-1-----------1-----|-------------------| G|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-0-----------------| D|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| All is calm, all is bright, F C e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B|-------------------|-1------0----------|-------------------|-------------------| G|-2-----------2-----|-------------2-----|-0------2----0-----|-------------------| D|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-2-----------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| Round yon vir- gin mo- ther and child. F C e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B|-------------------|-1------0----------|-------------------|-------------------| G|-2-----------2-----|-------------2-----|-0------2----0-----|-------------------| D|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-2-----------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| Ho- ly in- fant so ten- der and mild, G7 C e|-------------------|-1-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------| B|-3-----------3-----|--------3----0-----|-1-----------------|-------------------| G|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| D|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| Sleep in heav- en- ly peace, C G7 C e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B|-1-----------------|-------------------|-------------------| G|-------0-----------|-0-----------------|-------------------| D|-------------2-----|--------3----0-----|-------------------| A|-------------------|-------------------|-3-----------------| E|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------| Sleep in heav- en- ly peace.
About this song
Franz Xaver Gruber's 1818 carol to Joseph Mohr's words, first sung in Oberndorf, Austria; the English words are John Freeman Young's (1859). Three chords (C, F and G7) in a slow 3/4, and a melody that stays in first position.
How to play it: Slow waltz feel: a full down-strum on beat 1, then light down-ups on beats 2 and 3. Let the C ring under each 'night'.
Lead: C major (C D E F G A B). The tune lives on the G and B strings in first position; only the last line climbs to F and E on the high e string.
Chord Diagrams
No capoC
Chord Info
- Notes
- C – E – G
- Intervals
- 1 – 3 – 5
- Fingers
- 123
- Difficulty
- Easy
Strumming Pattern
- ↓1
- ·&
- ↓2
- ↑&
- ↓3
- ↑&
Slow waltz feel: a full down-strum on beat 1, then light down-ups on beats 2 and 3. Let the C ring under each 'night'.
Play with Beats
Fretboard View
C as you fret it in open position.