Folsom Prison Blues | TAB
When I started transcribing and arranging this I was convinced I would need a capo and think in a different key to F in order to combine the bass, electric and acoustic guitars.
Turns out that it worked best in F, that bouncy country feel is best achieved by sticking to the original key, and playing barre chords.
Another thing I considered was writing the alternating bass throughout, like this: | F F/C F F/C |, or maybe like this: | F (F/C) |. But in the end, it just looked so messy I felt that since it’s so consistent, just know it should be alternating, always.
One more thing, you must use your thumb over the neck to make it work.
Here’s the intro.
The little dots you see above the 8th notes mean “play short”. You achieve this by letting go of the fretting hand or thumb, just after you played the note.
Here’s a full verse. Check out the difference in placement of that fast 16th note rhythm, this irregularity creates variation and excitement.
Once you can play it as the TAB says, try it along with the original recording, and tune down to 434Hz or it’ll feel very strange.
Folsom Prison Blues TAB | Related Pages
Folsom Prison Blues | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| F | F |
I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
- Bad Moon Rising chords by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Creepin’ In chords by Norah Jones
- Have You Ever Seen The Rain chords by CCR
- Ring of Fire chords by Johnny Cash
- Take Me Home, Country Roads chords by John Denver
Johnny Cash tunes
Johnny Cash’s recording career started in 1955 on Sun Records (the same label as Elvis) and ended in 2002 with a masterpiece produced by Rick Rubin.
His best tunes include Ring of Fire, A Boy Named Sue, Hurt, Man in Black, Folsom Prison Blues, Get Rhythm, Personal Jesus, and I Walk The Line.
Johnny Cash on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This guitar lesson by Dan Lundholm featuring TAB covers Folsom Prison Blues. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.