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“What Child Is This?” (Greensleeves) Guitar Lesson – EP232

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson you’ll learn how to play the Christmas classic “What Child Is This?”, which is the melody of the song “Greensleeves”. I’ll show you how to play this solo guitar (no accompaniment) with a pick.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  3. JohnStrat says

    Ah now you have picked one of the most wonderful pieces of music. Funnily enough I have had it in mind to learn this many times and finally picked up on it about 3 weeks ago and downloaded a finger picking tab and made a start. So this will make an goody to play in addition .
    Thank you and i love the approach of this lesson.

    JohnStrat

  7. brian-belsey says

    Good choice of song and very nice arrangement. It feels unfamiliar to me to play this with a pick and looking up the version of Greensleeves which I first played I see that this was from William Ballet’s Lute Book of 1580! I think the Greensleeves song and music are hauntingly moving and beautiful.

  8. SugarmillMan says

    Wonderful lesson, Brian. I’ve been working this song out on my own for the past couple of weeks but it was great to see some better enhancements I never thought about. Thanks for keeping it mostly about flat picking, too.

    Dan

  10. Don D. says

    Beautiful song, thanks Brian!

    Here’s John Coltrane’s version in D minor, instead of going to F major, he went to A minor then Bb major in that same spot (I have the fake book in front of me).

    If anyone is interested, I’ll transpose his chords up a fifth to start in A minor, and post them in the Forum, if you want additional possibilities for harmonizing.
    https://youtu.be/4JEU3iPGMT8

    • brian-belsey says

      Interesting stuff, John! I see that the William Ballet Lute Book is now available online from the Trinity College Library, Dublin but has long been a source for simple versions of Elizabethan popular tunes. As you say, Henry V111 was long believed to be the composer of Greensleeves, but this is now doubtful.

  18. Ian C says

    Beautiful. And a real contrast to what we have been working on lately. I have been getting more and more from every lesson and am really looking forward to working through this.
    Thanks Brian.

  23. Brent N says

    Great lesson Brian. Interestingly it’s not a Xmas song here in New Zealand, in fact we all know it from “Mr Whippy” ice cream trucks that drive around the suburbs selling ice creams. They play this tune as a call to action , to children the trucks are like a 4 wheeled pied piper. I think we copied it from the Brits.
    So as I study your latest lesson all I can think of is “mmmmm ice cream”

    • Brian says

      Interesting to hear that. I’ve had a few others say that they don’t know this as a Christmas song as well. Fortunately, no matter where you are in the world, you know the melody – all though knowing it as a song from an ice cream truck is kind of hilarious. Show’s how powerful this melody is I guess 🙂

    • sundown says

      Brent, it is sung as “What Child is this?” in New Zealand and I have played it a number of times either at Community Carol Events or at Christmas Church Services. Granted not one of the top 10 carols and as you say the tune is better known as the Mr Whippy tune.

  24. sunburst says

    Powerful is those who acknowledge the true meaning of such a Christmas tune, I played right along..nice melody indeed! Thought to myself, an easy tune to learn towards the end eom November challenge,, I’m going to start on it soon..have a few days to picks an artist for this challenge .. it is fun because I’m reviewing all the old stuff I did that was so cool many moons go! This is a cool site indeed!

  25. strattastic says

    Sorry Brian I’m filling this under Bummer. But the good news is it’s the only one there. Best known as the ice cream van melody here also. Not one for me I’m afraid but glad some folk like it.

    Still an A+ for the site.

    Happy Christmas to you and yours.

  28. 153776 says

    Brian,
    Thank you for Greensleeves! Too many confusing lessons out there for an intermediate (at best) player like me, (but improving thanks to your lessons). This is great!! Happy Holidays…..

  29. Daniel B says

    Great lesson Brian…I am not a fingerstyle player but the bit you did at the end of the first video sounded great.

    Do you mind adding a small fingerstyle tab? Not the whole thing, but maybe just the first few chords and I’ll figure out the pattern from there?

    Thanks!

  30. Dennis O says

    Brian,

    Yes, while you’ve likely been asked and responded to this question before, like Zeke W. asked, can you list the model # of your Martin?

    Btw, Love, Love, Love the Muddy Waters—style song & lessons.

  31. Alistair says

    Great Video! Is there an alternative to the the F bar chord though? I’ve tried using the standard F chord but it doesn’t seem to sound right because it means there is a double up in the arrangement which wouldn’t otherwise occur.

  32. james s says

    cracking lesson, after 30 years of on of playing i still cant play G with my pinky . So on the first verse im doing the G shape with my index middle and ring , This does not affect going into the next part (just incase anyone out there with the same issue) ,
    or should i really be percefeering with playing it using my pinky ? sorry for spelling , thanks for the awesome lessons

  33. james s says

    Brian ive just looked up the martin CEO-7 , it appears to be an acoustic not semi acoustic ,, did you put your own after market electrics . Just curious ( im selling my motorbike and hopefully purchasing a Taylor 512 CE V class . Thes are around 2,500 english pounds the same as a Martin ,, If im going to spend that amount which would you recomend ,,, Thanks for your time

  35. Mark says

    I almost skipped this lesson thinking it was too easy until I saw your little 30 second fingerpicking version! That short example you provided gave me soo many ideas! I have been working on the chord progression for few days now and came up with a way to slowly build complexity into it and it sounds amazing. Thank you for including that fingerpicking example 🙂

  36. Adam M says

    Hello Brian,

    There is a finger style/classical version of this song in “Solo Guitar Playing” by Frederick Noad that I have been playing, but I like this one better because you use full chords and it sounds much richer.

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