Although it’s easy to find chords for your favorite songs by searching on the Internet, you may still need help learning how to strum and sing them. Or, you may be able to find the chords to songs by ear, but feel unclear about how to fit the melodic rhythm to the pulse. Writing a chart for the song will help you solve these problems.
Start your chart by writing the lyrics and then place the chord changes above the appropriate words. Next, line by line, count the beats (use your fingers!) as you sing the song. Immediately to the left of the word or syllable that occurs on the first beat of each measure (when you say “1”), place a vertical line or measure line.
Once you are certain that you have correctly divided the song into measures, place a diagonal line above the appropriate syllable to indicate the beat. Go slowly and be patient with this part. You may have to analyze only one measure at a time when you first begin, but you will gain speed and improve your accuracy with practice.
Here is an example of a chart for “This Land Is Your Land.” Notice that there are three beats indicated before the singing begins. This is because the song starts with the word “This” on the second half of the third beat (& 4 &). For the same reason, there are only three slash marks at the end (1 & 2 & 3). The two and 1/2 beats of lead-in notes at the beginning and the one and 1/2 beats at the end add up to a full four beats.
This Land is Your Land
C F C
/ / / / / / / / / / /
This land is I your land, This land is I my land
G C
/ / / / / / / /
From Cali- I fornia to the New York I Island
F C
/ / / / / / / / /
From the redwood I forest, to the gulf stream I waters,
G C / / / / / / /
I This land was made for you and I me.