Beginner melody · key of C major
Mary Had a Little Lamb — Easy Guitar Tab
Mary Had a Little Lamb — Traditional American (19th century). In the key of C major, 4/4 time — a great first melody for new players. Public domain.
Mary Had a Little Lamb — guitar tab
C C G C e|------------|------------|------------|------------| B|------------|------------|------------|------------| G|------------|------------|------------|----0--0----| D|-2--0-----0-|-2--2--2----|-0--0--0----|-2----------| A|-------3----|------------|------------|------------| E|------------|------------|------------|------------| C C G C e|------------|------------|------------|------------| B|------------|------------|------------|------------| G|------------|------------|------------|------------| D|-2--0-----0-|-2--2--2--2-|-0--0--2--0-|------------| A|-------3----|------------|------------|-3----------| E|------------|------------|------------|------------|
Standard tuning. Top line = thin high E string. Numbers are frets (0 = open string). This tab uses frets 0–3 on strings 3, 4, 5.
The notes, in letters, numbers or Do-Re-Mi
Show notes as
Numbers and Do-Re-Mi count from the key note (C), so you can sing it or play it in any key.
Chords
CG
How to practise it
- Press Play and follow the highlighted numbers in the tab. Slow the speed slider down until you can follow every note.
- Play along slowly, one bar at a time. Use one finger per fret: frets 1, 2, 3 and 4 get fingers 1, 2, 3 and 4.
- When the melody feels comfortable, untick Play chords too and play it alone, then try strumming the chords while the player plays the tune.
- Test your ear in the melody trainer: it plays a phrase and you name its last note — or, on Advanced and Master, tap out every note you hear.
The lowest note is C; the guitar is written an octave higher than it sounds, so this tab matches standard guitar notation.
More beginner melodies
Beginner · C majorHot Cross BunsTraditional EnglishBeginner · C majorTwinkle Twinkle Little StarTraditional French melody (18th century)Beginner · D majorOde to JoyLudwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 (1824)Beginner · C majorOh! SusannaStephen Foster (1848)Beginner · G majorGood King WenceslasTune "Tempus adest floridum" (1582)Beginner · C majorSurprise Symphony (Andante theme)Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (1791)
Questions
Is Mary Had a Little Lamb easy to play on guitar?
Yes — this version stays between frets 0 and 3 and it is rated beginner. Start slowly with the speed slider and speed up as it gets comfortable.
What chords go with Mary Had a Little Lamb?
This arrangement uses C, G in the key of C.