Jingle Bells — One String Guitar Tab

1. This melody uses just the 1st string (high E string) of your guitar. The fret sequence is: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 7, 0, 2, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 4, 2, 7.
2. Start with the "Jingle Bells" chorus: fret 4 played three times. This repeating note is the iconic "jin-gle bells" phrase. Keep each note bright and even.
3. Next comes the second "jingle bells": fret 4 three more times, then jump up to fret 7. This higher note lifts the melody.
4. Drop all the way down to the open string (0), then walk up: fret 2, fret 4. This walk-up phrase is "oh what fun it is to ride."
5. Now shift to fret 5 and play it four times, then fret 4 four times. These two groups of repeated notes make the melody easy to remember.
6. Finish the phrase: fret 2 twice, fret 4, fret 2, and resolve on fret 7. Let the final note ring out with a festive feel.
7. The whole melody is built on repeated notes and small steps, so it's very forgiving. The original tempo is lively — around 140 BPM — but start at half speed. Once you can play through without pausing, gradually speed up until it sounds cheerful and bouncy.

Making the repeated notes on fret 4 sound uneven — when you play the same fret multiple times in a row, each note should have the same volume and length. Focus on a consistent picking motion. Missing the jump from fret 7 down to the open string (0) — this is the widest gap in the melody, seven frets in one step. Lift your finger cleanly and let the open string ring. Losing count of the repeated notes — fret 4 appears seven times at the start, and it's easy to play six or eight by mistake. Count along until the pattern is memorized. Playing too slowly — Jingle Bells should feel upbeat and bouncy. Once you have the notes down, push the tempo up to match the cheerful holiday spirit.