Christmas time is music time! We all love to hear some beautiful Christmas songs, and it’s even more fun to sing them with our family and friends. And if you know how to play the guitar, it’s definitely worth learning some tunes that you can accompany on the guitar while you sing. A really nice Christmas carol that sounds great on the guitar is The First Noel. It’s also pretty easy to learn and play, which makes it a beginner-friendly song. In this article, we’ll learn about the history of this carol and how to play it on the guitar the easy way! We also provide the free PDF tab and sheet music.
History of The First Noel
The First Noel is a traditional English Christmas carol dating back to at least the 17th century, although its exact origins are unclear. The song traces its roots to Cornwall and was first published in its modern form in the early 19th century. It appeared in two notable collections: Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Carols (1833). Both of these compilations were edited by William Sandys, while Davies Gilbert contributed by arranging the carol and even adding additional verses for the collection Hymns and Carols of God.
The word “Noel” comes from the French word for Christmas, and the song tells the story of the birth of Jesus as described in the Gospels, focusing on the appearance of the star to the shepherds and wise men. Its gentle, flowing melody and repetitive chorus make it one of the most popular carols during the holiday season, often evoking a sense of nostalgia and warmth.
Guitar Tabs for The First Noel
There are many different ways to play a song on the guitar, from pretty challenging fingerstyle arrangements to simple beginner versions. You can also play a song in all different keys, making it sound lower or higher. We want to focus on simple renditions that are in the key that is easy for most of us to sing.
A great way to get familiar with a song is to learn how to fingerpick the melody. So we play the song note by note. If you get it right, it will sound really nice when you play it at Christmas! We will use guitar tabs for this, as they are more beginner-friendly than sheet music. But start slowly by playing it at a slower tempo and try to master one line of the song before moving on to the next!
Here are the tabs for The First Noel:
Check out the guitar recording below to see if you got the melody right! You can play along and if it’s too fast, just reduce the speed of the recording.
Guitar Chords for The First Noel
The First Noel also sounds really nice when you strum the melody with some basic chords. We’re only using basic guitar chords, but the challenge for beginners here might be some quick chord changes, but this adds a special flavor to the song and it’s a great exercise in changing chords!
So let’s give it a try in the key of C. We need four different guitar chords: C, G, D and F.
Here are chord diagrams for The First Noel:
Guitar Chords are illustrated in guitar chords diagram. They are a simplified illustration of the guitar neck and it tells you where to put which finger on which string. Learn more about how to read guitar chords!
If you’re already familiar with these three basic guitar chords, you’re ready to start playing this song on your guitar! But if you’re still getting the hang of it, take some time to practice each chord individually. Focus on smooth transitions between them, and once you can switch between chords effortlessly, you’ll be ready to tackle the whole song.
For beginners, it’s important to start slow and keep things simple. Start with a single down strum for each chord change. It gives yourself the time to make clean, smooth transitions without worrying about complex strumming patterns. This also helps maintain a consistent rhythm, which makes it easier to sing along as you play. Once you feel more confident with the basics, you can explore adding different strumming patterns to enhance the dynamics and feel of the song.
Guitar Sheet Music For The First Noel
For guitarists and teachers, sheet music is a valuable tool that clearly outlines a song’s notes, rhythms, and chords. For beginners, however, reading sheet music can be challenging because it requires a basic knowledge of music theory. Many new players find guitar tabs or lyrics with chords easier to follow. However, if you’re comfortable with sheet music, it’s a great way to refine your technique and deepen your musical understanding.
Guitar Chords are illustrated in guitar chords diagram. They are a simplified illustration of the guitar neck and it tells you where to put which finger on which string. Learn more about how to read guitar chords!
Here is the sheet music for The First Noel:
Free Guitar Printables for The First Noel
Are you a guitar teacher or do you just want to practice the song with the printed worksheet instead of on the screen? Then download the lyrics with cords, tabs and sheet music as a PDF.
The First Noel – Guitar Chords, Tabs and Sheet MusicInterested in instruments other than the guitar? You can also find a free lesson on how to The First Noel on the piano.
