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Editorβs notes
In this lesson Iβll show you how to play βHarvest Moonβ by Neil Young. This is a beautiful gem of a song. It uses drop-d tuning (Iβll explain this), and some very creative voicing of the D-chord. Iβll show you the chords needed, explain the strumming patterns, and of course show you tabs for all of the above. I hope you enjoy! This song was a true pleasure to learn.
Drop-D tuning
The tabs below assume youβve tuned your low-E string down to a βDβ note (aka drop-D tuning). See my video lesson for reference here. A quick cheat to do this: use your 4th string (which is also D, though an octave higher) as a reference note. Lower the low-E string until the 6th string sounds the same as the 4th string. Then, you can play a D chord with all six strings (i.e., 000232) and it sounds great!
My approach to these tabs
The tabs below arenβt going to attempt to capture the timing, individual down-strums & up-strums, and other such subtleties. If youβre looking for that type of tab, search and youβll likely find what youβre looking for (example). In my opinion, you have to learn the chord shapes (below) and trust your ear. Practice. Listen to Neil Young play this (album version, and live versions). Listen to covers of it. Find a groove and style that works for you.
Ultimately, there are only four main guitar sections needed β and they overlap quite a bit with the chord shapes needed. While it is hard to execute with Neil Young precision, it isnβt a lot to memorize. So print this out, write it down, memorize it, take it slow, work out a version that works for you βΒ and most importantly, have fun! For this is a beautiful song and weβre lucky to have it.
Song structure
Sequence #1:
(Song intro and after each chorus)
e ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ9βββββ
B ββββ10ββββββ12ββββββ10ββββ
G ββββ11ββββββ11ββββββ11ββββ
D ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββ
A βββ(0)ββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββ(0)ββββββββββββββββββββ
D-riff #1
Sequence #2:
"Come a little bit closer... hear what I have to say..."
e ββββ0ββββ βββ(2)ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββ0ββββ ββββ3ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ3ββββ
G ββββ0ββββ ββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββ
D ββββ2ββββ ββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ2ββββββ4ββββ
A ββββ2ββββ ββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββ
D ββββ2ββββ ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Em D-riff #2
Sequence #3:
"But there's a full moon rising, let's go dancing in the light..."
e ββββ3ββββ ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ9βββββ
B ββββ0ββββ ββββ10ββββββ12ββββββ10ββββ
G ββββ0ββββ ββββ11ββββββ11ββββββ11ββββ
D ββββ0ββββ ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββ
A ββββxββββ βββ(0)ββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββ5ββββ βββ(0)ββββββββββββββββββββ
G D-riff #1
Sequence #4:
"Because I'm still in love with you, I wanna see you dance again..."
e ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ
B ββββ3ββββ ββββ2ββββ
G ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ
D ββββ2ββββ ββββ2ββββ
A ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ
D βββββββββ βββββββββ
A7sus4 A7
Diving into the two main guitar riffs
So, I want to flesh these out a bit to aid you with strumming help. Shown below is how each riff aligns with the rhythmic counting β mainly, noting where the accented strums should be. Note, you can feel free to insert additional strums as you wish! My advice is to take things gentle, subtle, and conservatively β this song is one where you donβt want to over-do it.
D-riff #1
This is heard during the intro, during sequence #3, and after each chorus.
v = down strum
^ = up strum
e ββββββββ0βββββ0ββββββββββββββ9βββββ9βββββ9βββββ9βββ
B ββββββββ10ββββ12βββββββββββββ10ββββ10ββββ10ββββ10ββ
G ββββββββ11ββββ11βββββββββββββ11ββββ11ββββ11ββββ11ββ
D ββββββββ0βββββ0ββββββββββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
v v v ^ ^ ^ ^
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D-riff #2
This is heard within sequence #2.
v = down strum
^ = up strum
e βββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββ3ββ3ββ3ββ3βββββ3βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββ3ββ2βββ
G ββββββββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββ2ββ2βββ
D ββββββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββ2βββββ2ββ4ββ2βββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββ0ββ0ββ0βββ
D ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
v v ^ v ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ v ^
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Lyrics w/ chords
Intro: D (riff #1)
Em
...Come a little bit closer
D (riff #2)
Hear what I have to say
Em
...Just like children sleepin'
D (riff #2)
We could dream this night away
G
...But there's a full moon risin'
D (riff #1)
Let's go dancin' in the light
G
...We know where the music's playin'
D (riff #1)
Let's go out and feel the night
A7sus4 A7
........Because I'm still in love with you
(A7)
.....I want to see you dance again
A7sus4 A7
........Because I'm still in love with you
(A7) D (riff #1)
On this harvest moon
When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart
But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye
Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon
Good luck!
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