Okay, I might have one here-- just kinda came to me while I was playing around on my "A" harp the other day...I'm not sure though, because the description most often used for my musical ear is "ear?... what ear?!?". I don't want just post it without some feedback, as if I screwed it up it could give visitors a bad impression of the site... Any experienced tabbers out there who want to give your unvarnished opinion, please feel free to do so....
---------------------------

One Small Child-- David Meece
-4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 5 -5 5 -4 4
One small child in a land of a thousand

-4 -6 7 7 7 -7 -6 6 -6
One small dream of a savior tonight

-4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 5 -5 5 -4 4
One small hand reaching out to the starlight

-4 -6 6-5 5 -4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 -6 6 -5 5 -4
One small city of life------ ooh-----------

Bridge:
-6 -6 6 -6 7 -6 7 -6 6 4
See him lying, a cradle beneath him

-6 -6 6 7 -5 5 -4 4
See him smiling in the stall

-6 -6 6 7 -6 7 -6 6 4
See his mother praising the Father

-6 -6 6 7 -5 5 -4 4
See his tiny eyelids fall

---------------------------------------

I think the the main portion is pretty much on, but I had trouble getting the bridge to sound right. Finally I broke down and pulled out a hymnal and printed the notation/tablature chart from the harptabs "tab rulers" section. As far as I can tell from slogging through it, the bridge is one of those parts that can't be played on a diatonic (at least in the position where I tabbed it (whichever position that might be, says the master of music theory...)) without overblows (which I will not be likely to do anytime soon). I think that the way it's tabbed above is as close as I can get it, but again, I'm not known for my musical prowess, so advice from some of the experienced tabbers would be welcome. Really-- if it's not ready for primetime let me know. I'm also not known for my tab searching prowess, so if this one is already on the site and I'm just not finding it let me know...

Cool! You have the sheet music to it! What key is indicated on your Hymnal version?

Do you know of a web page with that hymn, I wasn't able to find one?

Earthdog-- uhhhh.... really wasn't joking about my music theory "skills" I have no idea how to determine what key this is, sheet music or no... seem to vaguely recall something from 7th grade music class-- no....

Walt, I don't know of any sheet music online. I did find a youtube link of someone playing it, probably from the same hymnal...

[youtu.be]

Not a problem, zarling. Do you remember how to find the key signature of the music? Look at the beginning of the music staff, next to the Treble cleff (or F cleff). How many sharps or flats is there? Or are there any sharps or flats?

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out here in a bit. Is that the same piece you were using to try and figure it out by ear?

Also, check to see if there is a change of key at the bridge. If there is, you'll need two harps.

To find the key, look at the Circle of Fifths. Look at the sharps & flats on the outside of the circle, and the letters beside them. No flats or sharps = the key of C. One flat = the key of F. One Sharp = the key of G. Two sharps = the key of D, and so on.

If you want to tab from sheet music instead of by ear, or to check your ear against the sheet music, use this tool.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2015 07:38AM by gene.

Zarling, you've got the first part spot on for a D harp! I can't quite pull it off with an "A" harp without having to do some draw bends...(not my strong point, admittedly, plus it doesn't match your tab...). But a D harp works great for the first part just the way it is!! There may be a key change for the bridge (but not positive, so don't hold me to that)....

Overall, I'd say you've done a really good job so far. When you have it ready to post, be sure and TURN OFF the "Toggle Advanced Editor" BEFORE pasting it into the tab box. That way, your numbers will stay line up with the lyrics and you won't get that funky double-spacing.

Good job!

Walt, you asked for it so here it is, I just found this while waiting for my flight, the bad part is now I got to board now, so I will just post it and leave it for you, Deb and Gene. Zarling you are in good hands with these three. Maybe I will see the tab has been posted when I get back in a couple weeks. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
[www.christianbook.com]

Thanks Yukon, wow, a paysite that shows the whole song. The song seems to start in the key of F and then changes to G.

Hey, sorry I disappeared there while you guys were being kind enough to help me out. Kinda looks like life got in the way and I missed out on the "Legends of Harptabs" series... (my way of saying thanks for all the time and effort you guys put in here, I guess)

Yukon, thanks for finding the link. It appears to be a in a different key than the one I'm familiar with; where the link has one flat on the (let's see.. every-good-boy-does-fine... see, I do remember a little) "D" line, the hymnal I was looking at had a sharp on "F", which remains consistent throughout the song. (indicating the key stays the same thoughout the version I'm looking at, I gather.)

So Gene, looking at your circle of fifths, I guess that makes it... G? So if EarthDog tells me it's "spot on" playing those holes on a D harp that makes it 12th? position? Ouch. my head... I'm thinking the basic theory stuff will be like bending for me... I'll play around with it for a year or three, and then one day it will click... I've got a lot of respect for you guys who get it-- it just doesn't seem to be my forte (my puns are better than my music theory, but not by much).

Earthdog, thanks for your kind words. I think that the youtube link is the same as the piece I tried to muddle through to confirm my guess-- while I'm lost when it comes to reading music/music theory, I've got a good memory for tunes and lyrics; the tab was done to my memory of the song. I just hit a couple of notes while playing around that resonated with me and reminded me of it and I went from there... When the second part didn't seem quite right I remembered that my wife had an old hymnal under her piano. The second section is close to the song in my head on my A harp (don't have a D yet), but the blow 7's sound a little off to my ear. Again, I don't have the best ear, so I may be farther off than I think. I'll play with it a little more when the monkeys aren't sleeping (for some reason she gets annoyed when I wake them up), but this might be as good as I can get it at my current skill level...

Again, thanks all for your feedback and encouragement, and of course, your patience. I really appreciate your contributions here and throughout the site!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2015 05:42AM by zarling.

Yes, that would be the key of G.

If the song is tabbed for a G harp (1st position), and you pick up a Dharp and play it as written, you would still be playing 1st position...but in the key of D.

If you take the notes in the tab and play those same notes on a D harp (if the notes are even on the D harp, THEN you'd be playing in 12th position.

In case you need this:
To go along with what I was saying about that harp layout page and tabbing from sheet music...

The spaces on the staff, from bottom to top are F, A, C, E...as in "face."
The lines, from bottom to top are E, G, B, D, F...as in "Every Good Boy Does Fine." ... (That's just for the treble cleff, which is the one we mostly use.)

In case you should ever need to tab out sheet music that's on the bass cleff (aka the F cleff) the spaces are (from the bottom up):
A, C, E, G (All Cows Eat Grass).
The lines are (again, from the bottom up):
G, B, D, F, A (Great Big Dogs Fight Animals).

I'm very illiterate when it comes to reading music, but Gene's simple explanation of circle of 5th's and the notes on the staff makes sense to me. Thanks Gene, another step forward for me.

Posted. Mulled it over for a few days, and I think it's as good as I can get it. There are oher imperfect tabs here that I have really appreciated in spite of a few spots that seemed off to me; hopefully others will feel the same about this one. Thanks everyone for your feedback, and if you have any more to give, I'm listening.

Great job! I love this Christmas song and I bet lots of people will be looking for it over the next few weeks.
Check out this tab for the bridge and see if you think it sounds right
Bridge:
8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7 -8 6
See Him Lying a cradle beneat him.
88 -8 9 7 -7 -6 6
See Him smiling in the stall
8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7 -8 6
See his Mother praising His Father
88 -8 9 7 -7 -6 6
See his tiny eyelids fall.

About the key, I think this is in the Dorian mode (third position). You can play it on any diatonic, but third position should be one step higher than the key of the harp. If you’re playing on a C harmonica for example, it will be in D Dorian. This means the tune resolves on D but in D Dorian mode the notes of the C scale are used.

Marcy
[www.youtube.com]

Nice to see that you felt good enough to post it, don't know the song but from a quick look at the sheet music it looks good, hope to see you tab some more.