The library · Gospel & spirituals
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Traditional spiritual
One of the most sung spirituals, set in four voices: two in each hand, with a melody that gently swings down, like the chariot of the title.
G major · 4/4 · 108 beats per minute · 16 bars · 36 s · intermediate level
The form
The sections of the piece and their chords: the map you learn before playing a single note.
A A' A'' B C A''' D E
| Section | Bars | Chords | Phrase ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–2 | G · Bm · C · D I · iii · IV · V |
Imperfect cadence |
| A' | 3–4 | G · Bm · C · D I · iii · IV · V |
Imperfect cadence |
| A'' | 5–6 | G · G/B · C · D I · I · IV · V |
Imperfect cadence |
| B | 7–8 | Em7 · Cmaj7 · G · G/B vi7 · IVmaj7 · I · I |
— |
| C | 9–10 | G · C · A7 · D7/F♯ I · IV · V7/V · V7 |
Imperfect cadence |
| A''' | 11–12 | G7/F · G7/A · C/E · D/F♯ V7/IV · V7/IV · IV · V |
Imperfect cadence |
| D | 13–14 | G7 · C · Fm6/A♭ V7/IV · IV · ♭vii6 |
— |
| E | 15–16 | C/G · Bm · G IV · iii · I |
— |
The key
- G major
- 1 sharp in the key signature: F♯
- Scale
- G · A · B · C · D · E · F♯
- Pillar chords
- I = G · IV = C · V7 = D7
The tricky passages
- Bar 7: notes outside the key
- Bar 9: fast runs (7.2 notes per second), a melodic leap (perfect fifth)
- Bar 14: fast runs (7.2 notes per second), notes outside the key
The plan: 13 days
Half an hour a day. First I help you understand the map of the piece, then we lay down the chord framework, learn each section phrase by phrase, work on the tricky passages, put it together and bring it up to tempo, until you can play it from memory.
More pieces from the library
- When the Saints Go Marching In · Traditional spiritual
- Go Down, Moses · Traditional spiritual
- Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho · Traditional spiritual
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands · Traditional spiritual
- Amazing Grace · Traditional American melody
- Au clair de la lune · Traditional French song