ChordPocket

Shenandoah chords

Traditional American folk song, 19th century

Sung by river boatmen and later sailors, it is one of America's best-loved folk melodies. A slow, flowing arpeggio suits it.

Chords
5
Level
Intermediate
Time
4/4

Chords

D××132
G213
Bm×1342
Em12
A×123

Chart

Verse

  1. D
  2. G
  3. D
  4. /
  5. Bm
  6. Em
  7. A
  8. /
  9. D
  10. G
  11. D
  12. Bm
  13. Em
  14. A
  15. D
  16. /

How to play it

You need 5 chords: D, G, Bm, Em and A. 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 Shenandoah?

This arrangement uses D, G, Bm, Em and A.

Is Shenandoah easy to play on guitar?

It's a step up, because at least one chord is a barre chord.

Can I play Shenandoah with easier chords?

Yes. Put a capo on fret 2 and play C, F, Am, Dm and G. It sounds exactly the same.