Beale Street Blues — Banjo & Mandolin Tab, Chords

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About Beale Street Blues

Beale Street Blues is a blues in B♭ major — intermediate, running from B♭, to f and staying in first position on banjo, mandolin and fiddle.

Type: Blues, each usually played twice
Key: B♭ major · 4/4
Range: B♭, to f · first position
Notes used: C C♯ D E♭ E F F♯ G♭ G A♭ A B♭
Level: Intermediate

Beale Street Blues — sheet music

B♭ major · 4/4

The notes

Letter names, bar by bar · capitals up to C in the third space, lower case from the D on the 4th line

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Beale Street Blues — tab

Tenor banjo · mandolin · fiddle · guitar · ukulele — tap one to open it

Beale Street Blues — Tenor banjo tab

G D A E (Irish tuning) · open position

E|-------|---------------|---|---|
A|-1-----|---------------|---|---|
D|---3-4-|-5-4-5-6-5-0-3-|-3-|-3-|
G|-------|---------------|---|---|

E|-------|---------------|---|---------|
A|-1-----|-1-----1-----1-|-1-|-1-------|
D|---4-5-|---4-5---5-1---|---|---0-1-2-|
G|-------|---------------|---|---------|

E|-----|-----------------|---|---|
A|-----|-----0---------1-|-1-|-1-|
D|-3-3-|-3-5---5-6-5-3---|---|---|
G|-----|-----------------|---|---|

E|---|-----------1-|---------------|---------------|
A|-5-|-5-1---1-1---|-5-1---1-1-1-1-|-1-1-0-0-0-----|
D|---|-----5-------|-----5---------|-----------5-5-|
G|---|-------------|---------------|---------------|

E|-----------|-----------1-|-1---------------|-----------------|
A|-3-3-3-3-4-|-5-1---1-1---|---6---1-1-1-3-4-|-5-1-3-4-5-1-3-4-|
D|-----------|-----5-------|-----5-----------|-----------------|
G|-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|

E|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|
A|-5-1-----1-5-|-5-1-----1-1-1-1-|-1-1-|-------------|
D|-----5-3-----|-----5-3---------|-----|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|
G|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|

E|---|---------|-----|-------------|
A|---|---1-1-1-|-1-0-|-------------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-----|-1-3-1-4-3-1-|
G|---|---------|-----|-------------|

E|---|---------|---------|-----------|
A|---|---------|---1-0-0-|-----------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-0-------|-4-4-4-3-1-|
G|---|---3-5-6-|---------|-----------|

E|---|---------|-------------|---|
A|---|---1-1-1-|-------------|---|
D|-1-|-1-------|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|-1-|
G|---|---------|-------------|---|

E|---|
A|---|
D|-1-|
G|---|

Numbers are frets. Tenor banjo sounds an octave below the written notes.

Beale Street Blues — Mandolin tab

G D A E · open position

E|-------|---------------|---|---|
A|-1-----|---------------|---|---|
D|---3-4-|-5-4-5-6-5-0-3-|-3-|-3-|
G|-------|---------------|---|---|

E|-------|---------------|---|---------|
A|-1-----|-1-----1-----1-|-1-|-1-------|
D|---4-5-|---4-5---5-1---|---|---0-1-2-|
G|-------|---------------|---|---------|

E|-----|-----------------|---|---|
A|-----|-----0---------1-|-1-|-1-|
D|-3-3-|-3-5---5-6-5-3---|---|---|
G|-----|-----------------|---|---|

E|---|-----------1-|---------------|---------------|
A|-5-|-5-1---1-1---|-5-1---1-1-1-1-|-1-1-0-0-0-----|
D|---|-----5-------|-----5---------|-----------5-5-|
G|---|-------------|---------------|---------------|

E|-----------|-----------1-|-1---------------|-----------------|
A|-3-3-3-3-4-|-5-1---1-1---|---6---1-1-1-3-4-|-5-1-3-4-5-1-3-4-|
D|-----------|-----5-------|-----5-----------|-----------------|
G|-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|

E|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|
A|-5-1-----1-5-|-5-1-----1-1-1-1-|-1-1-|-------------|
D|-----5-3-----|-----5-3---------|-----|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|
G|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|

E|---|---------|-----|-------------|
A|---|---1-1-1-|-1-0-|-------------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-----|-1-3-1-4-3-1-|
G|---|---------|-----|-------------|

E|---|---------|---------|-----------|
A|---|---------|---1-0-0-|-----------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-0-------|-4-4-4-3-1-|
G|---|---3-5-6-|---------|-----------|

E|---|---------|-------------|---|
A|---|---1-1-1-|-------------|---|
D|-1-|-1-------|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|-1-|
G|---|---------|-------------|---|

E|---|
A|---|
D|-1-|
G|---|

Numbers are frets. Same strings as the fiddle, so the same notes fall in the same places.

Beale Street Blues — fiddle fingering

G D A E · first position — finger numbers

E|---------|-----------------|----|----|
A|-L1------|-----------------|----|----|
D|----L2-2-|-3-2-3-H3-3-0-L2-|-L2-|-L2-|
G|---------|-----------------|----|----|

E|--------|-------------------|----|-----------|
A|-L1-----|-L1-----L1------L1-|-L1-|-L1--------|
D|----2-3-|----2-3----3-L1----|----|----0-L1-1-|
G|--------|-------------------|----|-----------|

E|-------|---------------------|----|----|
A|-------|------0-----------L1-|-L1-|-L1-|
D|-L2-L2-|-L2-3---3-H3-3-L2----|----|----|
G|-------|---------------------|----|----|

E|---|--------------L1-|--------------------|-----------------|
A|-3-|-3-L1---L1-L1----|-3-L1---L1-L1-L1-L1-|-L1-L1-0-0-0-----|
D|---|------3----------|------3-------------|-------------3-3-|
G|---|-----------------|--------------------|-----------------|

E|---------------|--------------L1-|-L1--------------------|---------------------|
A|-L2-L2-L2-L2-2-|-3-L1---L1-L1----|----H3---L1-L1-L1-L2-2-|-3-L1-L2-2-3-L1-L2-2-|
D|---------------|------3----------|-------3---------------|---------------------|
G|---------------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------------|

E|----------------|-----------------------|-------|---------------|
A|-3-L1------L1-3-|-3-L1------L1-L1-L1-L1-|-L1-L1-|---------------|
D|------3-L2------|------3-L2-------------|-------|-2-2-2-2-L2-L1-|
G|----------------|-----------------------|-------|---------------|

E|----|-------------|------|------------------|
A|----|----L1-L1-L1-|-L1-0-|------------------|
D|-L1-|-L1----------|------|-L1-L2-L1-2-L2-L1-|
G|----|-------------|------|------------------|

E|----|------------|----------|-------------|
A|----|------------|---L1-0-0-|-------------|
D|-L1-|-L1---------|-0--------|-2-2-2-L2-L1-|
G|----|----L2-3-H3-|----------|-------------|

E|----|-------------|---------------|----|
A|----|----L1-L1-L1-|---------------|----|
D|-L1-|-L1----------|-2-2-2-2-L2-L1-|-L1-|
G|----|-------------|---------------|----|

E|----|
A|----|
D|-L1-|
G|----|

0 = open string · 1–4 = finger · L = low (half step back), H = high.

Beale Street Blues — Guitar tab

E A D G B E · open position

e|-------|---------------|---|---|
B|-------|---------------|---|---|
G|-3-----|-0---0-1-0-----|---|---|
D|---3-4-|---4-------0-3-|-3-|-3-|
A|-------|---------------|---|---|
E|-------|---------------|---|---|

e|-------|---------------|---|---------|
B|-------|---------------|---|---------|
G|-3---0-|-3---0-3-0---3-|-3-|-3-------|
D|---4---|---4-------1---|---|---0-1-2-|
A|-------|---------------|---|---------|
E|-------|---------------|---|---------|

e|-----|-----------------|---|---|
B|-----|-----------------|---|---|
G|-----|---0-2-0-1-0---3-|-3-|-3-|
D|-3-3-|-3-----------3---|---|---|
A|-----|-----------------|---|---|
E|-----|-----------------|---|---|

e|---|-----------1-|---------------|---------------|
B|-3-|-3-----------|-3-------------|---------------|
G|---|---3-0-3-3---|---3-0-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-2-2-2-0-0-|
D|---|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|---|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|---|-------------|---------------|---------------|

e|-----------|-----------1-|-1---------------|-----------------|
B|-1-1-1-1-2-|-3-----------|---4---------1-2-|-3---1-2-3---1-2-|
G|-----------|---3-0-3-3---|-----0-3-3-3-----|---3-------3-----|
D|-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|

e|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|
B|-3---------3-|-3---------------|-----|-------------|
G|---3-0---3---|---3-0---3-3-3-3-|-3-3-|-------------|
D|-------3-----|-------3---------|-----|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|
A|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|
E|-------------|-----------------|-----|-------------|

e|---|---------|-----|-------------|
B|---|---------|-----|-------------|
G|---|---3-3-3-|-3-2-|-------------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-----|-1-3-1-4-3-1-|
A|---|---------|-----|-------------|
E|---|---------|-----|-------------|

e|---|---------|---------|-----------|
B|---|---------|---------|-----------|
G|---|---------|---3-2-2-|-----------|
D|-1-|-1-------|-0-------|-4-4-4-3-1-|
A|---|---1-3-4-|---------|-----------|
E|---|---------|---------|-----------|

e|---|---------|-------------|---|
B|---|---------|-------------|---|
G|---|---3-3-3-|-------------|---|
D|-1-|-1-------|-4-4-4-4-3-1-|-1-|
A|---|---------|-------------|---|
E|---|---------|-------------|---|

e|---|
B|---|
G|---|
D|-1-|
A|---|
E|---|

Numbers are frets; the bottom line is the low E string.

Beale Street Blues — Ukulele tab

G C E A (high G) · open position · played an octave up, as the tune dips below the lowest string

A|-13-8-9-|-10-9-10-11-10-5-8-|-8-|-8-|
E|--------|-------------------|---|---|
C|--------|-------------------|---|---|
G|--------|-------------------|---|---|

A|-13-9-10-|-13-9-10-13-10-6-13-|-13-|-13-5-6-7-|
E|---------|--------------------|----|----------|
C|---------|--------------------|----|----------|
G|---------|--------------------|----|----------|

A|-8-8-|-8-10-12-10-11-10-8-13-|-13-|-13-|
E|-----|-----------------------|----|----|
C|-----|-----------------------|----|----|
G|-----|-----------------------|----|----|

A|-17-|-17-13-10-13-13-20-|-17-13-10-13-13-13-13-|-13-13-12-12-12-10-10-|
E|----|-------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
C|----|-------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
G|----|-------------------|----------------------|----------------------|

A|-15-15-15-15-16-|-17-13-10-13-13-20-|-20-18-10-13-13-13-15-16-|-17-13-15-16-17-13-15-16-|
E|----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C|----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

A|-17-13-10-8-13-17-|-17-13-10-8-13-13-13-13-|-13-13-|-9-9-9-9-8-6-|
E|------------------|------------------------|-------|-------------|
C|------------------|------------------------|-------|-------------|
G|------------------|------------------------|-------|-------------|

A|-6-|-6-13-13-13-|-13-12-|-6-8-6-9-8-6-|
E|---|------------|-------|-------------|
C|---|------------|-------|-------------|
G|---|------------|-------|-------------|

A|-6-|-6-1-3-4-|-5-13-12-12-|-9-9-9-8-6-|
E|---|---------|------------|-----------|
C|---|---------|------------|-----------|
G|---|---------|------------|-----------|

A|-6-|-6-13-13-13-|-9-9-9-9-8-6-|-6-|
E|---|------------|-------------|---|
C|---|------------|-------------|---|
G|---|------------|-------------|---|

A|-6-|
E|---|
C|---|
G|---|

Numbers are frets; the top line is the A string, the bottom line the high G.

Beale Street Blues chords

B♭ major · 15 chords: B♭, B♭7, E♭, B♭/F, F7, B♭/D, F7/C, C7/G, F7♯5, G♭7, E♭7, A♭, A♭7, Fm, E♭m/B♭

B♭

B♭ B♭7

E♭

B♭

B♭/F

B♭ F7

B♭

E♭ B♭/D F7/C B♭

B♭/F C7/G F7 F7♯5

B♭ B♭7

E♭ C7/G G♭7

B♭/F F7

B♭ F7 B♭ F7

B♭ F7 B♭ E♭

E♭

B♭7

E♭7

E♭7

A♭

A♭ A♭7

E♭

B♭/F Fm

E♭m/B♭ B♭7

E♭7

E♭m/B♭ B♭7

E♭

One box per bar, in the same order as the sheet music. A faded chord carries on from the bar before. A slash chord like B♭/F means play B♭ with F as the lowest note.

Guitar chords for Beale Street Blues

Strings E A D G B E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

Ukulele chords for Beale Street Blues

Strings G C E A, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

Tenor banjo & mandolin chords for Beale Street Blues

Strings G D A E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

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This melody comes from The Public Domain Song Anthology (David Berger & Chuck Israels), released CC0. The song is in the public domain. Tabs and letter names worked out by The Music Arcade.