O Canada
Calixa Lavallée
- Starts on
- G string, open
- This excerpt
- First 8 bars
- Strings used
- G, D, A
- Written in
- Open-string version
The tab
Tab is short for tablature: a picture of the strings. Numbers are frets. 0 means play the string open.
Computer notes — not the original recording.
O Canada
G
middle-thin
D
middle-thick
A
2nd thickest
Our home and native land
G
middle-thin
D
middle-thick
A
2nd thickest
True patriot love
G
middle-thin
D
middle-thick
A
2nd thickest
In all of us command
G
middle-thin
D
middle-thick
A
2nd thickest
Rhythm in words
O Ca-na-daaa. Our home and na-tive laaand. True pa-triot looove…
How to play this
- 1“O Canada” is open G, fret 2 on D, then two 3s on A.
- 2Then walk on the D string — 0, 2, 4 — and land on open G.
- 3“True patriot love” climbs D, F♯, hold A — it goes up, not down.
Practice slowly
If a stretch feels far, freeze on the last note you played, then find the next fret with your eyes first. Start with Hear the notes at full speed or slower, then copy on the guitar. If a note buzzes, press a little closer to the fret wire — not in the middle of the space.
This arrangement is a simplified educational excerpt for learning. Playback is a computer playing the tab notes, not the original recording. It is not a full transcription and is not affiliated with Calixa Lavallée.
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