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The Star-Spangled Banner 1st harp (Chrom)

by Francis Scott Key and John Stafford Smith · posted by EarthDogHarpin

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How to read this tab — notation key
+
Blow note
−
Draw note
b or '
Half-step bend
bb or ''
Two half-step bend
bbb or '''
Three half-step bend
(###)
Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *
Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab
The Star-Spangled Banner 1st harp
Lyrics by Francis Scott Key
Music by John Stafford Smith
Key of Bb Major	Range: Bb3 to F5

This is the 1st harpist’s part of The Star-Spangled Banner Harp Quartet. It requires either a 16 Hole “C” Chromatic or a 12 hole Tenor “C” Chromatic

Tab Notations:	none = blow    - = draw    
* = button in     . = on lower register       ____= hold    
-3*__-3 = slide smoothly from one note to next


3/4 Time


1st:-2  -1  -.3*  -1  -2  -3*____ -5     4   -3*
 1. Oh,__  say,  can you  see____ by    the dawn’s
 2. On the shore dim-ly   seen___ thro’ the mists
 3. And___ where  is that band___ who   so  vaunt-
 4. Oh,___ thus   be  it  ev__ - _er    when free-  

1st: -1  2   -2___  -2    -2  -5_____ 5   -3*  -3____  
 1. ear-ly  light, What  so  proud – ly   we  hail’d 
 2. of  the deep,  Where the foe’s haught-y    host_
 3.-ing-ly  swore, That  the hav - oc    of    war__
 4.-men shall stand Be   –   tween their loved home_

1st: 3  -3    -3* -3*     -2   -1 -.3*   -2     -1
 1. at the   twi-light’s last gleaming, Whose  broad
 2. in dread si – lance  re – po - ses, What   is
 3. and the  bat - tle’s con– fu -sion, A___________
 4. and wild war’s des – o – la – tion; Blessed with

1st: -.3*    -1  -2     -3*__  -5     4    -3*  -1  2
 1. stripes and bright stars, thro’  the  per--il--ous 
 2. that   with the   breeze, o’er   the  tow--er--ing
 3. home   and  a     coun – try   should leave us  no
 4. vic – t’ry  and   peace, may    the heav’n-res-cued

1st: -2______ -2     -2    -5        4    -3*    -3________
 1. fight,__ O’er   the   ram___ – parts we     watch’d,__
 2. steep,__ As     it    fit___ – ful – ly     blows,____
 3. more?___ Their        blood_   has   wash’d out_______
 4. land,___ Praise the  Pow’r__   that  hath   made______

1st:  3    -3  -3*     -3*    -2    -1       -.3*  -5  -5
 1. were  so  gal -   lant - ly    stream – ing?  And the 
 2. half  con-ceals,  half   dis – clos  -  es?   Now it
 3. their foul foot - steps’ pol – lu   -   tion. No_____
 4. and   pre-serv’d  us     a     na   -   tion! Then___

1st: -5    -5   -5*   -6_____ -5* -5     5       5   -5 
 1. rock -ets’ red   glare,_ the bombs burst – ing  in  
 2. catch-es   the   gleam__ of  the   morn – ing’s first   
 3. ref - uge  could save___ the______ hire – ing   and
 4. con – quer we    must,__ when our  cause  it    is

1st: -5*____ -5*____ -5____  4    -3* -3_______
 1. air,___ Gave____ proof thro’ the night____
 2. beam,__ In  full glo – ry    re-flect   --
 3. slave__ From the ter - ror   of flight____
 4. just,__ And_____ this  be    our mot____ -

1st:  3    -3  -3*    -1   2     -2__________
 1.  that our flag   was  still there,_______
 2. –ed,  now shines on   the   stream:______
 3.  or   the gloom  of   the   grave:_______
 4. –to: “In  God    is   our   trust!”______

   Chorus
1st: -2____  -3*  -3*   -3*__-3  3      3       3
 1. Oh,____ say  does  that____ star – spang - led 
 2.‘Tis the star-spang-gled___ ban  – ner:    oh,
 3. And the star-spang-gled___ ban  - ner     in
 4. And the star-spang-gled___ ban  - ner     in

1st:  4   -5*__-5  4__-3*  -3*__-3___  -2   -2  -3*
 1. ban – ner____ yet____ wave,_____  O’er the land
 2. long  may____ it_____ wave,_____  O’er the land
 3. tri – umph___ doth___ wave,_____  O’er the land
 4. tri – umph___ shall__ wave,_____  O’er the land

1st: -3*_4 -5_-5* -6________ -3*___ 4    -5_____
 1. of___ the___ free______, and__ the  home___
 2. of___ the___ free______, and__ the  home___
 3. of___ the___ free______, and__ the  home___
 4. of___ the___ free______, and__ the  home___

1st: -5* 4   -3*______________
  1. of  the brave.____________
  2. of  the brave.____________
  3. of  the brave.____________
  4. of  the brave.____________






Play on a harmonica— watch which holes to blow & draw, with sound

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