Below is the lesson for “Scarborough Fair”.

Helpful Tips

An enchanting melody that’s perfect for the intermediate fingerstyle player. This song is a bit unique in that its form is 26 bars in length. Let’s take a look at how the arrangement lays out:

Theme 1 – Bars  1-26 (26 Bars Total)
Theme 2 – Bars 27-52 (26 Bars Total)
Theme 3 – Bars 53-78 (26 Bars Total)
Outro – Bars 79-86 (8 Bars Total)

As you can see, we are essentially playing the song three times in a row, but each time introduces new variations; some minor (as you’ll encounter in Theme 2), while some will be major rewrites (as you’ll encounter in Theme 3).

To help you guys out, I’ve uploaded a tab/notation (in addition to the regular PDF tab) with handwritten notes highlighting when the variations occur. This will help you learn the piece faster. Check out the part 2 video lesson for a rundown on how to read my notes.

* Fun Fact: The melody and chords were re-popularized by Simon & Garfunkel, becoming a hit song in the 60’s.

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

Part 2 – For Premium Members

Tab Play Along