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Greensleeves

A melody in A minor, with G♯

Greensleeves is an English tune from the Renaissance. It’s in A minor and uses G♯, which gives the ends of its phrases that mysterious color.

Its rhythm sways: dotted quarter, eighth, quarter. Your right hand changes position often: follow the fingerings.

Heard in: versions by Jeff Beck, John Coltrane, Loreena McKennitt

Tips

• Dotted quarter + eighth = “taaa-ti”: the eighth note is short and leads into the next note.
• G♯ is played with your thumb (1): it’s just to the right of G.

The melody

Right hand, starting on a pickup (A).

Both hands

Left hand: one bass note per measure, E (5), G (3), A (2) or C (1).