Feliz Navidad — One String Guitar Tab
José Feliciano
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Practice Tips
- 1Start slow — use the 0.5x speed option
- 2Focus on one note at a time
- 3Keep your fretting hand relaxed
Similar Melodies
About This Melody
Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano is one of the most popular Christmas songs in the world. Written and recorded in 1970, it blends Latin rhythms with a warm holiday spirit that has made it a staple of every Christmas playlist for over 50 years. The song's joyful melody is instantly recognizable — just a few notes in and everyone starts singing along. Played on a single string, this version uses the 1st (high E) string and frets 0 through 10, capturing the cheerful feel of the original in a way that any beginner can learn in time for the holidays.
How to Play
- This melody uses just the 1st string (high E string) of your guitar. The fret sequence is: 3, 8, 7, 8, 5, 5, 10, 8, 5, 3, 3, 8, 7, 8, 5, 1, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 1, 1, 1, 0.
- Start on fret 3, then jump up to fret 8. This opening leap sets the upbeat, joyful tone of the song.
- Play the first ornamental phrase: 8, 7, 8 — a quick dip down and back up. Keep it light and bouncy.
- Step down to fret 5 (played twice), then climb to fret 10 — the highest note in the melody. Let it ring out.
- Descend back: 8, 5, 3, 3. This mirrors the opening pattern and brings you back to the starting position.
- The second half repeats the 8, 7, 8, 5 motif, but then drops lower to fret 1 before bouncing back through 5, 5, 3, 3, 3.
- The ending winds down with repeated notes: fret 3 three times, fret 1 three times, then finally the open string (0).
- Feliz Navidad has a warm, swinging rhythm. The original tempo is around 148 BPM, but start at half speed. Focus on the bouncy feel — slightly accent the first note of each group to bring out the Latin groove.
Common Mistakes
Struggling with the opening jump from fret 3 to fret 8 — it's a five-fret leap that needs to be quick and clean. Practice just this one transition until it feels natural. Playing the 8, 7, 8 ornament too slowly — these three notes should feel like a single gesture, a quick dip and return. Losing track of the structure — the melody has two similar halves with a subtle difference (the first ends on fret 3, the second drops to fret 1). Pay attention to which half you're playing. Rushing through the repeated ending notes (3, 3, 3, 1, 1, 1, 0) — these descending groups should feel deliberate and festive, like the song is winding down to a cheerful close.