English folk · Free song lesson
How to play Scarborough Fair on Guitar or Ukulele
Traditional English ballad
Scarborough Fair is an English ballad whose roots reach back to the 1600s, descended from an older riddle song known as The Elfin Knight. Its haunting sound comes from the Dorian mode, an old scale that predates our modern major and minor keys. Take it slow and let the chords blur into each other like sea fog.
Key of Am · 3/4 time · Level 2 · Medium · 4 chords
The chords you need
Tap any chord to open its diagram in the chord library, where you can see the fingering and hear how it should sound.
The progression
One box is one measure of 3/4. Strum through each box, change chords at the start of the next, and you are playing the song. Start way slower than feels cool.
Verse
Every verse uses this same shape. The D major chord inside a minor song is the old Dorian sound; savor it.
The strum
A slow, drifting waltz. Fingerpickers: try thumb on the low string, then fingers rolling up, one measure per chord.
Full speed sits around 85 to 100 BPM
Start way under that. Speed comes on its own.
Practice setlist
- Am to G to Am is the heart of the song. Loop those first four measures until the change is silent.
- Keep your strums quiet and even; this song rewards restraint more than power.
- Try humming the melody over your chords. If you can hold the chord steady under your own voice, you own it.
Ten focused minutes a day beats one heroic hour on Sunday.
Sounding sour? Get in tune first with the free browser tuner.
Sounds better on real strings
Play it on your own guitar.
A song this good deserves an instrument that fits your hands. Come in and play a few. New and used guitars on the wall, and a crew that will help you find yours without any pressure. And when a chord change fights back, teachers run lessons at the shop 7 days a week.
Never played a note before? Start with Play Your First Song Today, our free step-by-step starter for total beginners. Then come back for this one.
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