Balm in Gilead

                          Balm in Gilead

Traditional spiritual                                 Traditional
                                            Mandolin tablature by
                                         Elizabeth T. Knuth, 2003


E--||------------------|--------------------------|
A--||--4:--0-----0-----|--------------------------|
D--||--4:-----5-----5--|--3-----------------3-----|
G--||------------------|--------------------------|
           |__|  |_ |_    |     |     |     |

          There is  a   balm               in


                              Q
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------0-----------------|--0--------0--1-----0-----|
|--3--5--3-----------3-----|--3-----------------3-----|
|--------5-----------------|--5-----------------------|
   |_ |_ |     |     |        |        |_ |     |

  Gil-e-ad          to      make      the wounded

     __________
|---/----------\-----------|
|--/-----------1-----------|
|--5-----------------------|
|--------------------------|
   |     |     |     |           

   whole;


|--------------|--------------------------|
|--0-----0-----|--------------------------|
|-----5-----5--|--3-----------------3-----|
|--------------|--------------------------|
   |__|  |_ |_    |     |     |     |

  There is  a   balm               in


                              Q
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------|
|--3--5--3-----------3-----|--3--------3--2-----5-----|
|--------5-----------------|--5-----------------------|
   |_ |_ |     |     |        |        |_ |     |

  Gil-e-ad          to      heal      the sin-sick


                              Q
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|--0-----------0-----0-----|
|--3-----------------3-----|--3--------3--3-----3-----|
|--------------------------|--5-----------5-----5-----|
   |     |     |     |        |        |_ |     |

 soul.             Some  -  times      I feel  dis-


|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--1-----3-----------1-----|--0-----0-----3-----0-----|
|--------3-----------------|--3-----3-----3-----3-----|
|--------------------------|--5-----5-----------------|
   |     |     |     |        |     |     |     |

 cour - aged,       and     think  my   work's in


                              Q
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|--0-----------0-----0-----|
|--5-----------------3-----|--3--------3--3-----3-----|
|--------------------------|--5-----------5-----5-----|
   |     |     |     |        |        |_ |     |

 vain,              But     then      the Ho - ly


                              Q
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--1-----3-----------1-----|--0-----------0-----------|
|--------3-----------------|--3--------3--2-----5-----|
|--------------------------|--5-----------------------|
   |     |     |     |        |        |_ |     |

 Spir - it          Re   -  vives     my soul   a-

     _________________________
|---/----------------------|--\-----------r-----------||
|--/-----------1-----------|--1-----------e-----------||
|--3-----------0-----------|--0-----------s-----------||
|--------------------------|--------------t-----------||
   |     |     |     |        |     |     |     |

 gain.

=================================================================
==                    TABLATURE EXPLANATION                    ==
=================================================================

                               _
----------                ----/-\----
-4:------- Time           -------2--- Slur
-4:------- Signature      ---5-------
----------                -----------

Rhythm:
  Q = dotted quarter

Meter: Irregular.

Very irregular. I'm sure that this is the kind of song that drives music engravers crazy.

Tempo should be somewhat slow, about 110 seems right. As far as technique, this song should be flowing. Linger at the ends of lines. Only a few spots will be enhanced by punching out the notes; "think my work's in vain" would be a good candidate for vigorous and distinct notes.

The top notes are the melody.

"There Is a Balm in Gilead" is a traditional spiritual. It appeared in print in 1853, at the latest. Words and music are in the public domain worldwide, although this arrangement is mine.

If you like, you can hear a MIDI file of "Balm in Gilead".

Simple Gifts Mandolin Tablature Archive | Elizabeth T. Knuth's Home Page

Comments to: eknuth@unix.csbsju.edu