E-|---Song:-Canon-In-D-----------------------------|
A-|---Author:-Johann-Pachelbel---------------------|
D-|---Transcription-by:Christian Liang-------------|
G-|---E-Mail:christian.liang@gmail.com-------------|
B-|---http://www.chrisliang.com--------------------|
E-|---Enjoy!---------------------------------------|
==========================================================================
Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
==========================================================================
[1]D A Bm F#m
VII.......... VII.............II............
E|--10----------10--9-----------9--|--7-----------7---5-------2---5--|
B|----------7---------------10-----|----------7-----------2----------|
G|------7---------------9----------|------7--------------------------|
D|--0===============---------------|------------------4=============-|
A|------------------0=============-|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|--7===========-------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A i m A A i m A A i m A A m A A
p p p p
L 4 1 1 4 3 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 4
1 3
[3]G D G A
II............
E|--3-----------3---2-----------2--|--3------------------------------|
B|----------0---------------3------|----------0---3---2-----------2--|
G|------0---------------2----------|------0-------------------2------|
D|------------------0=============-|----------------------2----------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===========-------------------|--3===========-------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A i m A A i m A A m A A A i m A
p p p p
L 2 2 3 1 2 3 2 3 3 1 2 3
T T
[5]D A Bm F#m
II............................
E|--2-----------2---0-----------0--|---------------------------------|
B|----------3---------------2------|--3-----------3---2-----------2--|
G|------2---------------2----------|----------4---------------2------|
D|--0===============---------------|------4---------------4----------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2==============----------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a i m a a i m a a i m a a i m a
p p p p
L 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 3 4 2 1 4 1 1
1 1
[7]G D/F# G A
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|--0-----------0------------------|--0-----------0---2-----------2--|
G|----------0-------2-----------2--|----------0---------------2------|
D|------0---------------0---4------|------0---------------2----------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3==============-2=============-|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a i m a m i i m a i m a a i m a
p p p p
L T 2 4 2 T 3 1 2 3
1
[9]D A Bm F#m
II..............II............
E|--2-----------2---0-----------0--|---------------------------------|
B|--3-------3-------2-------2------|--3-----------3---2-----------2--|
G|------2---------------2----------|--4-------4-------2-------2------|
D|--0===============---------------|------4---------------4----------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a i m a a i m a a i m a a i m a
m m m m
p p p p
L 2 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 3 4 2 1 4 1 1
3 4 1
1 1
[11]G D/F# G A
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|--0-----------0------------------|--0-----------0---2-----------2--|
G|--0-------0-------2-----------2--|--0-------0-------2-------2------|
D|------0---------------0---4------|------0---------------2----------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3==============-2=============-|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a i m a m i i m a i m a a i m a
m p m m
p p p
L T 2 4 2 T 3 1 2 3
1 2
[13]D A Bm F#m
II............ II..............II............
E|----------2-------5-------3------|--2---------------2--------------|
B|--3---------------2-----------2--|--3-------3-------2-------5------|
G|------2-------2-------2----------|------4-------4-------2-------2--|
D|--0===============---------------|---------------------------------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m i a i a i a m a i m i a i m i
m m m
p p p
L 3 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 1 4 2 4 1 1 4 1
1 2 1
1 1
[15]G D G A
II............
E|--------------------------2------|--3-------7-------5-------3------|
B|--3-------0-------3--------------|--0---------------2--------------|
G|----------------------2-------2--|--0---0-------0---2---2-------2--|
D|------0-------0---0=============-|---------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a i a i m i m i a i a i a i a i
p p m m
i i
p p
L 4 3 1 2 1 2 4 4 1 2 1
3 T 1
1
[17]D A/C# Bm F#m
E|--------------------------0---2--|--------------------------5---7--|
B|--3---2---3----------------------|------3---2---0-------7----------|
G|----------------------2----------|---------------------------------|
D|--0-----------0------------------|------------------4=============-|
A|------------------4--------------|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m i m p p i a m p m i m p m a m
L 2 1 2 4 1 2 1 3 1 1 4 2 4
[19]G D G A
E|--3---2---0---3---2---0----------|----------------------3---2---0--|
B|--0==============-3-------3---2--|--0------------------------------|
G|--0==============-2--------------|--0---2---0----------------------|
D|------------------0=============-|--0-----------4---2--------------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3==============----------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A A m A A A m m A m m i i A A A
m m m p
i i i
p p p
L 2 1 2 2 3 2 3 1 3 1 3 2
T 3
1
[21]D A Bm F#m
II....... II...........................
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|--------------0---2-------2---0--|------4---2-------2--------------|
D|--0---2---4-----------2----------|--4-----------5-------5---4---2--|
A|--5==============-0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R i i i m m i m m i m m i m i i i
p p p p
L 4 1 3 1 1 1 3 4 1 4 1 4 3 1
1 1
[23]G D G A
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|--------------0------------------|
G|--0-----------0------------------|--0---------------2---4---2---0--|
D|------4---2-------4---0---2---4--|------4---2----------------------|
A|------------------5=============-|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m i i a i m i m m i i a m i m i
p p p p
L T 3 1 3 1 3 T 3 1 1 3 1
4
[25]D A Bm F#m
II.... II...
E|--5---2h3-5---2h3-5-----------2h3|--2-----0-2----------------------|
B|------------------------2-3h5----|------3-------------0------------|
G|--------------------2h4----------|----------------0-2---2-0-2---0h2|
D|--0===============---------------|--------------4-------------4----|
A|------------------0=============-|--2------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2--------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a a a a a i m m a a m a a p i m a m m m i m
p p p p
L 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 1 2 1 3 2 2 2 4 2
1 1
[27]G D/A G A
E|---------------------------------|--------------------------0h2-3-5|
B|------0--------------------------|------0---0---2-3---0-2-3--------|
G|--0-----2-0-----------------0-2h4|--0-----2---------2--------------|
D|--------------4-2-4-2p0-2-4------|---------------------------------|
A|------------------0=============-|------------------0=============-|
E|--3------------------------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m i m m i i i i i i m i i m i m i m i m i m i m i
p p p
L T 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 T 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 4
[29]]D A Bm F#m
V.............. II..........
E|--5-------5-------5--------------|---------------------------------|
B|--7---7h8-----7h8-5-----5-7p5----|--3-----2-3---------0------------|
G|--7---------------6-6h7------7-6-|--4---4---------0-2---2-0-2---0-2|
D|--0===============---------------|--------------4-------------4----|
A|------------------0=============-|--2------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a m a m a i m m i i m i m m p i m a m m m i m m
m m i p
i i p
p p
L 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 3 1 3 3 2 2 4 1 2 3 2 2 2 4 2
3 1 4 1
2 2 1
[31]G D G A
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/johann_pachelbel/canon_in_d_tab_ver_4.html ]
E|---------------------------------|----------------------0----------|
B|--0---3-2-0-----------------0-2-3|--0---3-2-3---2-0-2-3---3-2-3-0-2|
G|--0-----------2-0-2-0---0-2------|--0---------------2--------------|
D|------------------0---4----------|---------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m m i m i m i m p i i m i m m m i m i m m m a m i m i m
p p p i
p
L T 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 T 2 1 2 1 2 3 3 2 3 2
[33]D A Bm F#m
II..............II............
E|--2-----0-2-------0-------0------|---------------------------------|
B|--3---3-------3---2---2-3-----2--|--3-----2-3-------2--------------|
G|--2---------------2--------------|--4---4-------4---2---2----------|
D|--0==============----------------|--4---------------------5-4---2--|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a m a a m a m m a m a m a a m a m i i i
m m m p
i i i
p p p
L 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 4 1 2 4 1 1 4 3 1
3 1 4 1
1 3 1
1
[35]G D/A G A
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|------0--------------------------|
G|------0-------0---------------2--|--0-----2-0-----------2-0--------|
D|--0-----4-2-------4---0-2-4------|--------------4---2-------4---2--|
A|------------------0=============-|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R i m i i m i i i i m m a m m i i m m i i
p p p p
L T 1 3 3 1 3 1 T 1 3 1 2 4 1
[37]D A Bm F#m
II..............II............
E|--2-----0-2-------0-------0------|----------------------5-3-2------|
B|--3---3-------3---2---2-3-----2--|--3-----2-3-------2-----------5--|
G|--2---------------2--------------|--4---4-------4---2=============-|
D|--0===============---------------|--4---------------4=============-|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a m a a m a m m a m a m a a m m a m a m
m m m i
i i i p
p p p
L 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 4 1 2 4 1 4 2 1 4
3 1 4 1
1 3 3
1
[39]G D G A
II.........
E|------3-2-0---3---2-----0-2------|--------------2-------5-3-2---0--|
B|--0==============-3---3----------|--0---0-----------2--------------|
G|--0==============-2-----------2--|--0-----2-0-------2--------------|
D|------------------0=============-|--0===============---------------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R m a m i m a m a a i a a a a a m i m
i m m m m m
p i i i
p p p
L T 2 1 2 2 3 2 1 T 1 2 1 4 2 1
3 1
1
[41]D A Bm F#m
II............ II..............II............
E|--2-----------2---2---3---2------|---------------------------------|
B|----------3-------2-----------5--|--3-----------3---3---5---3---2--|
G|------2-----------2=============-|----------4-------2=============-|
D|--0===============---------------|------4--------------------------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A i m A A A A m A i m A A A A A
p m p m
i p
p
L 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 4 2 2 4 2 1
1 1 1
1 1
[43]G D G A
E|--------------0---2=============-|------------------------------0--|
B|--0---------------3-------3------|--3---1---0---1-----------2------|
G|--0-------0-------2---2----------|--0==============-2--------------|
D|------0-----------0=============-|--0==============-----2----------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3==============----------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A i m A A i m A A A A m i m A
m m m p
p i i
p p
L T 2 3 2 4 1 1 2 1 3
3 3
1
[45]D A Bm F#m
V.............. II..............II............
E|--5-----------5---5---7---5------|--2-----------2---2---3---2------|
B|----------7-------5-----------8--|--3---------------3-----------5--|
G|------7-----------6=============-|----------4-------2=============-|
D|--0===============---------------|------4--------------------------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2===============---------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A i m A A A A m A i m A A A A m
p m m m
i p i
p p
L 1 2 3 1 1 3 1 4 1 3 4 1 1 3 1 4
1 2 2
2 1 1
1
[47]G D/F# G A
E|---------------------------------|--------------------------0------|
B|--3---1---0---1---------------3--|--0-------3---0---2-----------2--|
G|--0==============-2-------2------|------0---------------2----------|
D|--0==============-----0----------|---------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3==============-2=============-|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R a a a a m i m a m i m m m i a m
m p p p
i
p
L 4 1 1 2 2 4 T 3 3 2 3
3 1
[49]D A Bm F#m
VII.............. VII.............II.............
E|----------10-============-2------|----------7---------------5------|
B|----------7==============-3------|----------7---------------2------|
G|------7-------------------2------|------7-------------------2------|
D|--0===============---------------|------------------4=============-|
A|------------------0=============-|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|--7===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R p i a p a p i a p a
m m m m
i i
L 1 4 2 1 1 1 3 4
1 3 1 1
1 1
[51]G D G A
E|----------3==============-2------|--------------0---0--------------|
B|----------0==============-3------|----------0---------------2------|
G|------0-------------------2------|------0-------------------2------|
D|------------------0--------------|----------------------2----------|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3===============---------------|--3===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R p i a p a p i m a a i a
m m p m
i
L 2 4 2 T 1 3
3 2
1
[53]D A Bm F#m
II.............
E|----------2-------0--------------|---------------------------------|
B|----------3-------2--------------|----------3-------2-------2------|
G|----------2-------2--------------|------------------2=============-|
D|--0===============--------2------|--0------------------------------|
A|------------------0=============-|--2------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|------------------2=============-|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R p a a p i a m m
m m p i
i i p
p p
L 2 3 1 1 2 1 1
3 2 1
1 1
[55]G D G/E A
E|----------7-------5--------------|--------------0-----------0------|
B|--0-------8-------7--------------|----------0-------2--------------|
G|--0-----------------------2------|--0---------------2=============-|
D|--0---------------0=============-|--0---------------2=============-|
A|---------------------------------|------------------0=============-|
E|--3------------------------------|--0===============---------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
R A A A i m m A A A
m m m i m
i p p i
p p
L 1 2 1 2 3
3 3 2
1
[57]D
E|--2====================----------|
B|--3====================----------|
G|--2====================----------|
D|--0====================----------|
A|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
R a,m,i,p
L 2,3,1
Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
Grade 4-Late intermediate
Johann Pachebel is German like Bach and is a master of the organ.
Pachelbel met the Bach family in Eisenach and became the teacher
of Johann Christoph Bach, the older brother of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Canon in D is a Wedding classic alongside with Bach's Jesu, Joy of
Man's Desiring. Canon in D is the most famous piece
of music by Johann Pachelbel. It was written in or around 1680, during
the Baroque period, as a piece of chamber music for three violins and
basso continuo, but has since been arranged for a wide variety of
ensembles. The Canon was originally paired with a gigue in the same
key. American film director Robert Redford used the piece as the main
theme for his 1980 Academy Award-winning film Ordinary People.
Technique
56 unique bars. Play once.
Some barre chords. mostly Bm and F#m on the 2nd fret.
T=thumb, subsitute with 1(index) if uncomfortable.
Basic chord progression is D-A-Bm-F#m-G-D-G-A. This song has A mirror
image start and end where chords at a higher octave are played. Easy
to play with a duet instrument. Passages can be interchanged easily.
Song can go on as long as you want provided you keep to the same chord
progression. You can even play the same passage twice but start slow.
Midway thru the song Bar[25] onward...more notes! Keep in time with the
tempo by playing and holding the root chord note so you won't get lost.
Tips
Memorize D-A-Bm-F#m-G-D-G-A. If you mess up, remember the progression
and you will be ok.
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