Away in a Manger

William J. Kirkpatrick · Level 2 (Beginner) · traditional · Guitar, sheet music and tablature

An American Christmas lullaby to the tune “Mueller” by James R. Murray (1887), the one most sung in the United States. A slow, tender waltz. Arranged in G major: the tune in first position, with a thumb bass on the first beat of each bar and at each chord change.

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

  • Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
  • Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
  • Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
  • Play the basses (strings 6, 5 and 4) with the thumb and the tune with i and m. When a bass and a melody note fall together, pluck them at the same time and let the bass ring. Practise the tune alone first.

Source : Arrangement Note after Note d’après l’air « Mueller » de J. R. Murray (1887) · Public Domain