Ode to Joy – Beethoven

Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar Lesson

One of my favorite pieces of all time! Ode to Joy by the amazing composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

Today I will show you how to play this beautiful piece in this fingerstyle acoustic guitar lesson for beginners.

As always, we love to do things in a different way here at BlitzGuitar.com, so I put together a lovely intro, which I am going to show you step by step.

You can get the full tab and other classical guitar lessons like this one by joining the BlitzGuitar Academy All in Monthly Pass.

This is a lesson from the Classical Vibe program, where we improve the fingerstyle technique using classical pieces.

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Ode to Joy Guitar Arrangement

My Fingerstyle Cover of the Song

First thing first, listen to my arrangement of the song.

I came up with a short intro before the main theme starts.

I honestly think that you should always put your ideas in everything you play. One of the most amazing things about music is that you can use it to express your own feelings and state of mind.

Here’s the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZUBZ971

Ode to Joy Guitar Lesson

Intro

Let’s get started with the first part of the song. The intro.

When I usually write an intro, I really like to recall the main theme of the song. That technique also helps the listener to get into the song straight away.

I personally love the chord progression at the beginning of the song, as I found it to be quite classical and melodic.

I also mainly play it with block chords. This is an awesome technique that allows you to harmonize simultaneously with chords.

Here’s the fingerstyle lesson with the tab on the screen.

Guitar Block Chords

How to Harmonize with Chords

Just a quick introduction to guitar block chords. When I wrote the intro for Ode to Joy, I really wanted to come up with something that could emphasize the melody.

The problem with a melody like this one is that every note is important, and all of them are played with emphasis.

The red square represents the number of guitar block chords I have been using at the intro’s beginning.

Almost every chord has been harmonized!

Get the Tab here at the BlitzGuitar Academy All in Monthly Pass

Ode to Joy Main Theme

Fingerstyle Video Tutorial

Let’s learn the main theme of Ode to Joy.

The first part of the melody will be played in the first position, so it’s straightforward and enjoyable to play, while the second part is a little bit more challenging as it will be played on position V.

Let’s check the fingerstyle video lesson first.

How to Play the Melody

Tips and Musical Features

There are a few things I want to add before I leave you practicing this beautiful song. It’s such a simple guitar part that needs few expressive tools along the way.

Vibrato

Use guitar vibrato throughout the entire piece. This technique is essential and must be used to sustain the notes and make them “sing” more.

Imagine a singer singing a long note without vibrato! It sounds like he’s yelling, right? That’s because, without vibrato, the note sounds dead and flat.

Even a gentle vibrato is better than nothing, so slowly start applying this technique when you feel like the notes need more sustain.

Right Hand 45 Degree Angle

Another essential thing is the tone you’ll need for this song.

The intro and the main theme are really melodic, so it is best to pluck the strings with a 45-degree angle, which gives a much “rounded” and melodic sound.

Take your time to experiment with the right-hand angle and be patient. It takes time to find the sweet spot!

Left-Hand Fingers Stretch

Some of the chords here a pretty stretchy for the left hand.

This is something you will find quite a lot in the arrangement. I started playing guitar when I was 10 years old, so the left-hand fingers stretch was never a problem for me; however, I understand that some of the chords might be stretchy for some of you.

Take it step by step and use a few exercises to improve your finger’s stretch.

Good luck!