ChordPocket

Silent Night chords

Franz Xaver Gruber (music), Joseph Mohr (words), 1818

First sung on Christmas Eve 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria, where it was first performed with guitar accompaniment. It is one of the most recorded songs in the world.

Chords
3
Level
Easy
Time
3/4

Chords

C×321
G7321
F××321

Chart

Verse

  1. C
  2. /
  3. /
  4. /
  5. G7
  6. /
  7. C
  8. /
  9. F
  10. /
  11. C
  12. /
  13. F
  14. /
  15. C
  16. /
  17. G7
  18. /
  19. C
  20. /
  21. C
  22. G7
  23. C
  24. /

How to play it

You need 3 chords: C, G7 and F. The change you'll make most is C to G7, so practice switching between those two slowly before playing along.

Each box is one bar of 3/4 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 Silent Night?

This arrangement uses C, G7 and F.

Is Silent Night easy to play on guitar?

Fairly. None of the 3 chords needs a full barre, though there are a few more shapes to learn.

Can I play Silent Night with easier chords?

Yes. Put a capo on fret 3 and play A, E7 and D. It sounds exactly the same.