Below is the lesson for “Waltzing Matilda”.

Helpful Tips

“Waltzing Matilda” is Australia’s best known bush ballad and serves as the unofficial national anthem. Think of the song as 8 bars in length, repeated many times with variations. Thus, I have labeled these variations as Melodies A, B, C, and D.

The intro begins at a half-speed tempo played straight (no swing). I’d recommend playing to feel over staying in perfect timing for the intro. The 4 melodies all have a swung eighth note feel to them. Try to master one melody at a time before moving on to the next. The outro begins by tagging a couple bars with a ritardando, then jumps back into full tempo for the last 4 bars. Overall, this is a beautiful melody and while it is a challenging arrangement, it is very rewarding when you get it down! Have fun!

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

Part 2 – For Premium Members

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