How to Play Happy Birthday on the Guitar

HOW TO PLAY "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in A major

First, you'll need to know these three chords:

E7 (020100)

A (x02220)

D (xx0232)

Start by strumming the E7 chord and sing the first "Happy" to the pitch of E. The rest should come along naturally. Keep playing each chord until it tells you to change. Strum it however you like.

(E7)Happy (A)Birthday to (E7)you

Happy Birthday to (A)you

Happy Birthday dear (D)insert name

Happy (A)Birthday (E7)to (A)you

This example is in the key of A and the chords are I (A), IV (D), and V7 (E7). Try playing it in a different key like G (G, C, D7) or D (D, G, A7).

Music Theory Jokes

Let's start things off with a couple of jokes:

Q: What chord do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?

A: A flat minor.

Here's one that's a little more sophisticated:

Into a bar walks a C, an E-flat, and a G. The bartender says: “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.” So, the E-flat leaves, and the C and the G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished and the G is out flat. An F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough.

Then a D comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying, “Excuse me. I’ll just be a second.”

An A comes into the bar, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor.

Then the bartender notices a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and exclaims: “Get out now! You’re the seventh minor I’ve found in this bar tonight.”