You Are My Sunshine
Traditional
- Starts on
- B string, 1st fret
- This excerpt
- Chorus melody
- Strings used
- B, High e
- 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.
You are my sunshine
High e
thinnest string
B
2nd thinnest
My only sunshine
High e
thinnest string
B
2nd thinnest
Rhythm in words
You are my sun-shine. My on-ly sun-shine.
How to play this
- 1This chorus is in C. Start on B string fret 1 — that is C.
- 2“You are my sunshine” is C, E, G, hold G (B 1, high e 0, high e 3, hold 3).
- 3“My only sunshine” walks A, G, E, hold C (high e 5, 3, 0, then B fret 1).
Practice slowly
Sing the words. The held notes are both “shine.” 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 Traditional.
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