Hark! The Herald Angels Sing chords

William Cummings fitted Wesley's words to a Mendelssohn cantata melody in 1855, creating the version sung today. It is bright and march-like, and works well with a confident down-strum.

Chords
5
Level
Easy
Time
4/4

Chords

Chart

Verse

  1. G
  2. D
  3. G
  4. D
  5. G
  6. D
  7. A7
  8. D
  9. G
  10. D
  11. G
  12. D
  13. G
  14. D
  15. A7
  16. D
  17. C
  18. Am
  19. D
  20. /
  21. C
  22. Am
  23. D
  24. /
  25. G
  26. C
  27. G
  28. D
  29. G
  30. C
  31. D
  32. G

How to play it

You need 5 chords: G, D, A7, C and Am. The change you'll make most is D to G, so practice switching between those two slowly before playing along.

Each box is one bar of 4/4 time. Strum the chord on the beat, and change when the next box starts. A slash means keep playing the same chord.

Questions

What chords are in Hark! The Herald Angels Sing?

This arrangement uses G, D, A7, C and Am.

Is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing easy to play on guitar?

Fairly. None of the 5 chords needs a full barre, though there are a few more shapes to learn.