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Memphis Blues — Sheet Music, Tab & Chord Directory

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About Memphis Blues

Memphis Blues is a blues in F major — intermediate, running from C to f and staying in first position on banjo, mandolin and fiddle.

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

Memphis Blues — sheet music

F 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

C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | F A G♯ A A G♯ A | F A G♯ A A G♯ A C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | A A A A A A A | A A A A A A A D E F♯ D E F♯ D E | F♯ D E F♯ F♯ D E F♯ | G A B G A B G A | B G A B B G A B C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | C C♭ B♭ B♭ C G | F F A C | F F C D D♯ E C B♭ B♭ C B♭ G | G♯ A G♯ A F D | F A C | F d d♯ e f C♯ d d B♭ G F | D F G B♭ B♭ C C♯ d | f C♯ d d B♭ | A♭ A♭ d C♯ d f f♭ e e B♭ | C♯ d C♯ d B♭ G | B♭ | B♭ B♭ B♭ d d♭ C C C | C♯ d C♯ d B♭ G | B♭ d f d B♭ G F | B♭ d e e B♭

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Memphis Blues — tab

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

Memphis Blues — Tenor banjo tab

G D A E (Irish tuning) · open position

E|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|---0---0-0---0-|---0---0-0---0-|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|-3---6-----6---|-3---6-----6---|
G|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|---------------|---------------|
G|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|---0-2---0-2---0-|-2---0-2-2---0-2-|
D|-0-2-4-0-2-4-0-2-|-4-0-2-4-4-0-2-4-|-5-----5-----5---|---5-------5-----|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-------------|-------------|---------|-----------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-----0---|-----------|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|-3-3-----|-3-3---0-1-|
G|-------------|-------------|-------5-|-----5-----|
E|---------------|-------------|-------|-------0-|
A|---3-1-1-3-1---|---0---0-----|---0---|---5-6---|
D|-2-----------5-|-6---6---3-0-|-3-----|-3-------|
G|---------------|-------------|-----5-|---------|
E|-1-------------|-----------------|-1---------|-----------|
A|---4-5-5-1-----|-------1-1-3-4-5-|---4-5-5-1-|-----5-4-5-|
D|-----------5-3-|-0-3-5-----------|-----------|-6-6-------|
G|---------------|-----------------|-----------|-----------|
E|-1-0-0-0---|-------------|---|-------|
A|---------1-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-|-1-1-1-|
D|-----------|-----------5-|---|-------|
G|-----------|-------------|---|-------|
E|-----------|-------------|-----1---------|-----0-0-|
A|-5-4-3-3-3-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-5---5-1-----|-1-5-----|
D|-----------|-----------5-|-----------5-3-|---------|
G|-----------|-------------|---------------|---------|
E|---|
A|-1-|
D|---|
G|---|

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

Memphis Blues — Mandolin tab

G D A E · open position

E|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|---0---0-0---0-|---0---0-0---0-|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|-3---6-----6---|-3---6-----6---|
G|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|---------------|---------------|
G|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|---0-2---0-2---0-|-2---0-2-2---0-2-|
D|-0-2-4-0-2-4-0-2-|-4-0-2-4-4-0-2-4-|-5-----5-----5---|---5-------5-----|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-------------|-------------|---------|-----------|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-----0---|-----------|
D|-----------5-|-----------5-|-3-3-----|-3-3---0-1-|
G|-------------|-------------|-------5-|-----5-----|
E|---------------|-------------|-------|-------0-|
A|---3-1-1-3-1---|---0---0-----|---0---|---5-6---|
D|-2-----------5-|-6---6---3-0-|-3-----|-3-------|
G|---------------|-------------|-----5-|---------|
E|-1-------------|-----------------|-1---------|-----------|
A|---4-5-5-1-----|-------1-1-3-4-5-|---4-5-5-1-|-----5-4-5-|
D|-----------5-3-|-0-3-5-----------|-----------|-6-6-------|
G|---------------|-----------------|-----------|-----------|
E|-1-0-0-0---|-------------|---|-------|
A|---------1-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-|-1-1-1-|
D|-----------|-----------5-|---|-------|
G|-----------|-------------|---|-------|
E|-----------|-------------|-----1---------|-----0-0-|
A|-5-4-3-3-3-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-5---5-1-----|-1-5-----|
D|-----------|-----------5-|-----------5-3-|---------|
G|-----------|-------------|---------------|---------|
E|---|
A|-1-|
D|---|
G|---|

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

Memphis Blues — fiddle fingering

G D A E · first position — finger numbers

E|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
A|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|----0----0-0----0-|----0----0-0----0-|
D|---------------3-|---------------3-|-L2---H3-----H3---|-L2---H3-----H3---|
G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|---------------3-|---------------3-|---------------|---------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|---0-1---0-1---0-|-1---0-1-1---0-1-|
D|-0-1-2-0-1-2-0-1-|-2-0-1-2-2-0-1-2-|-3-----3-----3---|---3-------3-----|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------|--------------|
A|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|-L2-1-L1-L1-L2---|-------0---|--------------|
D|---------------3-|---------------3-|-L2-L2-----|-L2-L2---0-L1-|
G|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-|-------3------|
E|--------------------|----------------|--------|---------0-|
A|---L2-L1-L1-L2-L1---|----0----0------|----0---|----3-H3---|
D|-1----------------3-|-H3---H3---L2-0-|-L2-----|-L2--------|
G|--------------------|----------------|------3-|-----------|
E|-L1---------------|---------------------|-L1----------|-------------|
A|----2-3-3-L1------|--------L1-L1-L2-2-3-|----2-3-3-L1-|-------3-2-3-|
D|-------------3-L2-|-0-L2-3--------------|-------------|-H3-H3-------|
G|------------------|---------------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-L1-0-0-0----|--------------|----|----------|
A|----------L1-|-2-3-2-3-L1---|-L1-|-L1-L1-L1-|
D|-------------|------------3-|----|----------|
G|-------------|--------------|----|----------|
E|--------------|--------------|------L1-----------|------0-0-|
A|-3-2-L2-L2-L2-|-2-3-2-3-L1---|-L1-3----3-L1------|-L1-3-----|
D|--------------|------------3-|--------------3-L2-|----------|
G|--------------|--------------|-------------------|----------|
E|----|
A|-L1-|
D|----|
G|----|

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

Memphis Blues — Guitar tab

E A D G B E · open position

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

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

Memphis Blues — Ukulele tab

G C E A (high G) · open position

A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|---0---0-0---0-|---0---0-0---0-|
E|-------------|-------------|-1-------------|-1-------------|
C|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
G|-----------0-|-----------0-|-----1-----1---|-----1-----1---|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
C|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
G|-----------0-|-----------0-|---------------|---------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|---0-2---0-2---0-|-2---0-2-2---0-2-|
E|---0-2---0-2---0-|-2---0-2-2---0-2-|-----------------|-----------------|
C|-2-----2-----2---|---2-------2-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-0-----0-----0---|---0-------0-----|
A|-3-2-1-1-3---|-3-2-1-1-3---|-----0---|-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-1-1-----|-1-1-------|
C|-------------|-------------|-------0-|-----0-2-3-|
G|-----------0-|-----------0-|---------|-----------|
A|---3-1-1-3-1---|---0---0-----|---0---|---5-6-7-|
E|-0-------------|---------1---|-1-----|-1-------|
C|---------------|-----------2-|-----0-|---------|
G|-------------0-|-1---1-------|-------|---------|
A|-8-4-5-5-1-----|-------1-1-3-4-5-|-8-4-5-5-1-|-----5-4-5-|
E|-------------1-|---1-------------|-----------|-----------|
C|---------------|-2---------------|-----------|-----------|
G|-----------0---|-----0-----------|-----------|-1-1-------|
A|-8-7-7-7-1-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-|-1-1-1-|
E|-----------|-------------|---|-------|
C|-----------|-------------|---|-------|
G|-----------|-----------0-|---|-------|
A|-5-4-3-3-3-|-4-5-4-5-1---|-1-5-8-5-1-----|-1-5-7-7-|
E|-----------|-------------|-------------1-|---------|
C|-----------|-------------|---------------|---------|
G|-----------|-----------0-|-----------0---|---------|
A|-1-|
E|---|
C|---|
G|---|

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

Memphis Blues chords

F major · 14 chords: C7, F, F♯dim, Em7♭5, A, Dm/A, Adim, A7, D7, G7, B♭, F7, B♭7, E♭

C7
C7
F
F F♯dim
C7
C7 Em7♭5
A Dm/A Adim A7 Adim A7
A Dm/A Adim A7 Adim A7
D7
D7
G7
G7
C7
C7
F
F F♯dim
C7
F B♭
F
F F7
B♭
B♭
B♭
B♭7
E♭
E♭
B♭
B♭
F7
E♭
B♭
B♭
B♭

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 Dm/A means play Dm with A as the lowest note.

Guitar chords for Memphis Blues

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

C7×FF♯dimEm7♭5A×Dm/A×Adim×A7×D7××G7B♭×F7B♭7×E♭6×

Ukulele chords for Memphis Blues

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

C7FF♯dimEm7♭5ADm/AAdimA7D7G7B♭F7B♭7E♭

Tenor banjo & mandolin chords for Memphis Blues

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

C7FF♯dimEm7♭5ADm/AAdimA7D7G7B♭F7B♭7E♭

More bluess and tunes like it

Aunt Hagar's BluesWang Wang BluesSt. Louis BluesBeale Street BluesYellow Dog BluesDallas BluesTishomingo BluesWabash Blues

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.

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