O Tannenbaum - guitar tab, notes, chords and lyrics
"O Tannenbaum" is a German carol, with an alternative English version known as "O Christmas Tree". The lyrics are written by Ernst Anschütz. Originally a traditional folk song, it later became associated with Christmas.
The music transcriptions of the song with tabs and notes are available for download as PDFs. It's free for personal use only.
Melody & full accompaniment
Free tabs and notes plus sound.
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O Tannenbaum guitar tab and notes (pdf)
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O Tannenbaum instrumental guitar (mp3)
O Tannenbaum (full accompaniment)
"O Tannenbaum" with full guitar accompaniment is found in Christmas songs arranged for guitar e-book.
O Tannenbaum (only melody)
"O Tannenbaum" standard and tablature notation for guitar.
Tips on how to learn this song
The song is divided in 16 bars (the pick-up bar in the beginning excluded) and has a AABA structure. As you can notice the first, second and fourth part are almost identical, which makes it easier to memorizing the song.
The melody is played in the key of G major and stays in that key without exceptions throughout the song. The guitar version involves open strings and only the first four frets, which means it is played in open position.
Lyrics and chords
O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) chords in the key of G and with English lyrics
O (G)Christmas Tree, (D)O (G)Christmas tree,
How (C)lovely (Am)are your (D7)branch(G)es!
In (G)beauty green will (D7)always (G)grow
Through summer sun and (G)winter snow.
O (G)Christmas Tree, (D)O (G)Christmas tree,
How (C)lovely (Am)are your (D7)branch(G)es!
O Tannenbaum chords in the key of G and with German lyrics
O (G)Tannenbaum, (D)O (G)Tannenbaum
Wie (C)gruen sind (Am)deine (D7)Blaett(G)er!
Du (G)gruenst nicht nur (D7)zur Sommer(G)zeit,
Nein auch im Winter, (G)wenn es schneit.
O (G)Tannenbaum, (D)O (G)Tannenbaum
Wie (C)gruen sind (Am)deine (D7)Blaett(G)er!
The lyrics is one of many versions available for this song. There are also more verses in the full song than presented here. Concerning the progression, notice that all lines end with the G major chord and that D (or D7) in most cases precedes it.
These are the keys that the song would transpose in depending on which fret the capo is put (based on the chords in the G major version):
- Capo 1: G# / Ab major
- Capo 2: A major
- Capo 3: A# / Bb major
- Capo 4: B major
- Capo 5: C major
Key, time, tuning and tempo
Information about "O Tannenbaum" ("O Christmas Tree") considering musical key, time signature, tuning and bpm.
Key
The presented version of O Tannenbaum is played in the key of G.
Time signature
The song is played in 3/4 tempo (counted one, two, three for each measure).
Tuning
The song is normally played in standard tuning (EADGBE).
Tempo (BPM)
The tempo in beats per minute is 80 for the presented version. The tempo marking moderately slow can also be used.