Beethoven Ludwig – Moonlight Sonata tab

Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tabulated from the (much easier to play) piano score by David Atkinson
in October 1994.
V2.0 (11/94)

I have inlcuded left hand fingering underneath the tab.  I think the
system I used is self-explanitary.  The numbers 1 to 4 indicate the
fingers (1=index,2=middle,3=ring,4=little(pinkie)).  I have left out
fingering where a section is repeated or on parts where fingering is
blatantly obvious.  If anyone needs an explanation, feel free to email
me.

I transposed this to the key of A minor which seemed logical to me at the
time but I have recently been informed that Tarrega used D minor.
Tough!  I experimented with the B string tuned to Bb but, although some
parts were easier, most was better with normal tuning.  Anyone have any
other suggestions?

I might just try a D minor version if I find the time and motivation.
Watch this space!

Please email comments, corrections, suggestions and the rest to David
(kaum0@central.sussex.ac.uk).

p = pull-off, h = hammer-on, s = slide

===== = sustain.  However, to save me hassle, sustain all the bass notes
for a whole bar where possible.

The roman numerals above the tab indicate either full barres or half
barres.  The ...s indicate how long the barre lasts.

Adagio Sostenuto. pp | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|-----1-----1-----1-----1|-----1-----1-----1-----1|G-|---2-----2-----2-----2--|---2-----2-----2-----2--|D-|-2-----2-----2-----2----|-2-----2-----2-----2----|A-|-0----------------------|------------------------|E-|------------------------|-3----------------------|
3 2 1 3 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I... III.. | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|-----1-----1-----3-----3|-----3-----1-----0-----0|G-|---2-----2-----3-----3--|---1-----2-----2-----1--|D-|-3-----3-----3-----3----|-2-----2-----2-----0----|A-|-------------5----------|------------------------|E-|-1----------------------|-0-----------0----------|
3 2 1 1 2 1 4 2 3 1 1 1 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ II | | | | | | | |E-|-------------------0----0|--0-----------------0----0|B-|-----------1-----1-----1-|------3-----3-----3-----3-|G-|-2---2---2-----2-----2---|----4-----4-----4-----4---|D-|-2-2---2-----2-----2-----|--------2-----2-----2-----|A-|-0-----------------------|--------------------------|E-|-------------------------|--0-----------------------|
3 1 3 2 1 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | |E-|-0-----------1----------|-0-----------------3----|B-|-----1-----1-----3-----3|-----1-----1-3---0-----0|G-|---2-----2-----2-----2--|---0-----0-----0-----0--|D-|-2-----2-----0-----3----|-2-----2-----3-----3----|A-|-0----------------------|------------------------|E-|------------------------|-3-----------3----------|
2 3 1 1 2 4 3 2 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ V........................ | | | | | | | |
E-|------------------------|--------------------------|B-|-1---1-----1-----1-----1|--------------------------|G-|---0-----0-----0-----0--|-----5-----5-----5-8---5h8|D-|-2-----2-----2-----2----|---5-----5-----5-----5----|A-|-3----------------------|-6-----6-----6-----6------|E-|------------------------|-8------------------------|
1 2 1 1 4 4 2 4 2 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IV.....................................I..... | | | | | | | |
E-|-------------------------|------------------------|B-|-4-----------------4----4|-4---------------1-3---1|G-|-----6-----6-----6-----6-|-----5-----5---2-----2--|D-|---5-----5-----5-----5---|---6-----6---1-----0----|A-|-------6-----6-----6-----|-6-----6----------------|E-|-6-----------------------|-4-----3-----2----------|
1 2 4 1 3 1 3 1 4 2 1 3 3 1 2 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ III............ III........ | | | | | | | |
E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|-3-----------4-----1----|-3-----------3----------|G-|-----3-----3---0-2---0-2|-----3-----3-----2-----2|D-|---5-----5---1-----1----|---5-----5-----4-----4--|A-|-5-----5-----3----------|-5-----5-----5-----5----|E-|-3----------------------|------------------------|
1 4 1 4 2 2 3 1 4 1 2 3 1 3 1 1 3 4 1 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ III.......................IV....III..IV....II | | | | | | | |
E-|-------------------3----|s4-----------------2----|B-|-----3-----3-----3-----3|-----4-----4-----4-----4|G-|---3-----3-----4-----4--|---5-----5-----5-----5--|D-|-5-----5-----5-----5----|-5-----5-----5----------|A-|------------------------|-------3-----------3----|E-|-3=============================------------------|
3 2 1 3 1 3 4 2 1 4 3 1 2 1 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ III.......................IV....III..IV....II... | | | | | | | |E-|-3-----------------3----|s4-----------------2----|B-|-----3-----3-----3-----3|-----4-----4-----4-----4|G-|---4-----4-----4-----4--|---5-----5-----5-----5--|D-|-5-----5-----5-----5----|-5-----5-----5----------|A-|------------------------|-------3-----------3----|E-|-3=============================------------------|
III.......... III....... | | | | | | | |E-|-3-----------3----------|-3---0-----0-1----------|B-|-----3-----3------------|-----------------3-----3|G-|---4-----4-----3-6---3-6|---2-----2-----2-----2--|D-|-5-----5-----5-----5----|-------5-----0-----3----|A-|------------------------|-4----------------------|E-|-3-----------0----------|------------------------|
1 1 4 2 1 4 1 2 4 3 3 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ III.................... II......... | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|-4-----------3----------|------------------------|G-|-----3-----3-----4-----4|-------------2-----2----|D-|---5-----5-----3-----3--|-7---3-----3-----2-----2|A-|-------6-----5-----5----|---5-----5-----5-----4--|E-|-3-----------4----------|-5-----5-----5-----5----|
2 3 1 4 1 1 3 4 3 1 1 4 1 1 3 1 1 4 2 3 4 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VII......... 1/2 V.......... V.... | | | | | | | |
E-|-------------------5----5|-5-------0-----0---5----5|B-|-----------------6-----6-|---5-8-----8-----8---5-8-|G-|-----------7---7-----7---|-------------------------|D-|-----7---7---7-----7-----|-7-----7-----7-----7-----|A-|---8---8-----------------|-0-----------------------|E-|10-----------------------|-------------------------|
4 2 1 2 1 1 3 4 2 1 4 25 1 4 3 4 1 1 41 3 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ V...... VII V... | | | | | | | |E-|-5-----------------5----|-7---0-----0-----0-7---0|B-|-----6-----6-9---------6|------------------------|G-|---7-----7-----7-9---7--|---7-----7-----7-----7--|D-|-7-----7-----------7----|-6-----6-----6-----6----|A-|-5----------------------|------------------------|E-|-------------7-----5----|-4-----------------4----|
1 4 2 4 1 3 1 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 1 3 2 1 1 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ decresc p < > V..... IV............. | | | | | | | |
E-|-8-----------7-----5----|-4----------------------|B-|----10----10-0---9-----7|-------5-----6---0-----0|G-|---9-----9-----7-----5--|-----4-----4-------7----|D-|10----10-----0-----7----|---6-----6-----6-----6--|A-|-0-----------------6----|------------------------|E-|------------------------|-0----------------------|
1 2 4 2 1 4 1 1 4 1 3 1 2 4 4 3 3 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < > < > V....................... | | | | | | | |
E-|------------------------|-------5-----8-----5----|B-|-----0-----0-----0-----0|-----5-----5-----5-----5|G-|------------------------|-5-5-----5-----5-----5--|D-|---6-----6-----6-----6--|------------------------|A-|-------7-----8-----5----|------------------------|E-|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|
2 3 4 1 1 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < > | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|-------------------1---4|B-|-------------1----------|-----------0---3-0---3--|G-|-------2-----------2----|-------1-----1----------|D-|-----2-----2-----2-----2|---3-0---3--------------|A-|-3-3-----3-----3-----3--|-2----------------------|E-|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|
4 2 3 4 2 1 4 2 3 4 2 2 4 1 4 1 4 1 3 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ cresc V...... | | | | | | | |E-|-----------0--s5---8-5--|-----------------------2|B-|-------1-----1s--5-----5|---------------1---4-1--|G-|---2-----2--------------|-----------2-----2------|D-|-----2------------------|---1---4-1---4----------|A-|-3----------------------|-0---3------------------|E-|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|
4 3 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ decresc | | | | | | | |E-|-------------------4---7|s4---1------------------|B-|-------0-----0-6-----6--|---3---0-3---0----------|G-|---1-------7-----7------|-----------1-----1------|D-|-0---3--s6--------------|---------------3---0-3--|A-|------------------------|-----------------------2|E-|-0======================|=======================-|
1 3 3 4 3 4 1 3 4 4 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|------------------------|------------------------|G-|------------------------|------------------------|D-|-0---------0-3---0---0-3|-----2-3-2-----0-3---0-3|A-|-----2---------2---0----|---5-------5-2-----0----|E-|---4---1-4--------------|-4----------------------|
4 2 1 4 3 2 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ decresc | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|------------------------|B-|------------------------|------------------------|G-|------------------------|-----------------2-----2|D-|-----2-3-2-----0-3---0-3|-----2-3-2--------------|A-|---5-------5-1-----0----|---5-------5-0h3---0h3--|E-|-4----------------------|-4-----------1----------|
1 3 2 1 3 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ decresc pp pp | | | | | | | |E-|------------------------|-------------------0----0|B-|------------------------|-----------1-----1-----1-|G-|-----2-----2-----1-----1|-2---2---2-----2-----2---|D-|-0h3-----3-----2-----2--|---2---2-----2-----2-----|A-|-2-----2-----2-----2----|-0-----------------------|E-|-------------0----------|-------------------------|
2 4 3 2 3 1 3 2 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | | |E-|-0-----------------0----0|-0-----------1----------|B-|-----3-----3-----3-----3-|-----1-----1-----3-----3|G-|---4-----4-----4-----4---|---2-----2-----2-----2--|D-|-------2-----2-----2-----|-2-----2-----0-----3----|A-|-------------------------|-0----------------------|E-|-0-----------------------|------------------------|
III..................... | | | | | | | |E-|-0-----------------3----|-------------------3----3|B-|-----1-----1-3---0-----0|-----------5-----5-----5-|G-|---0-----0-----0-----0--|-5---5---5-----5-----5---|D-|-2-----2-----3-----3----|---5---5-----5-----5-----|A-|------------------------|-3-----------------------|E-|-3-----------3----------|-------------------------|
3 2 3 2 3 4 1 1 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ cresc V.... | | | | | | | |E-|-3---1-----1-----1-3---1h3|-3---0-----0-4---0-5----|B-|---3-----3-----3-----3----|---1-----1-----3-------5|G-|-0-----0-----0-----0------|-0-----0-------------5--|D-|--------------------------|-------------------7----|A-|-2------------------------|-3-----------2-----0----|E-|--------------------------|------------------------|
4 3 1 4 3 1 4 4 1 4 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ p III........ | | | | | | | |E-|-7---0-----0-8----------|-6-----------4---0-----0|B-|-0-----0--------10----10|---3-6---3-6---3-----3--|G-|---7-----7-----9-----9--|-3-----3-----1-----1----|D-|------------10----10----|-0----------------------|A-|-------------0----------|------------------------|E-|-4----------------------|-------------0----------|
4 3 1 2 4 4 1 4 4 3 1 3 1 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < > V....................... VI... V..... | | | | | | | |
E-|-5-----------------5----|-6-----------------4---1|B-|-----5-----5-----5-----5|-----6-----6-----6---3--|G-|---5-----5-----6-----6--|---7-----7-----7---2----|D-|-7-----7-----7-----7----|-7-----7-----7-----0----|A-|-0======================|======-5-----3----------|E-|------------------------|------------------------|
1 1 1 2 1 3 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 4 3 1 3 2 1 1 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < > V....................... VI... V..... | | | | | | | |
E-|-5-----------------5----|-6-----------------4---1|B-|-----5-----5-----5-----5|-----6-----6-----6---3--|G-|---6-----6-----6-----6--|---7-----7-----7---2----|D-|-7-----7-----7-----7----|-7-----7-----7-----0----|A-|-0======================|======-5-----3----------|E-|------------------------|------------------------|
V...................... | | | | | | | |E-|-5-----------5----------|-3---1-----1-----1-3---0|B-|-----5-----5-----6-----6|---3-----3-----3-----1--|G-|---6-----6-----7-----7--|-0-----0-----0----------|D-|-7-----7-----7-----7----|------------------------|A-|-------------5----------|-2-----------------3----|E-|-5----------------------|------------------------|
1 2 1 1 4 1 4 3 1 4 1 3 3 2 3 1 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I IV.. cresc | | | | | | | |
E-|-1---0-1-----------0----|-------------0-----1----|B-|---1-----0-3-5---------1|-3---0-----0-----0-----0|G-|---------------4-7---2--|---2-----2-----2-----2--|D-|-3-----3-----6-----2----|-0-----0-----2-----0----|A-|-0-----2-----------0----|------------------------|E-|-------------4----------|-1-----------0----------|
1 1 1 4 2 1 4 2 3 1 4 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 1 2 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | |E-|-0-----------0----------|-------------------------|B-|-----1-----1-----0-----0|-1---------1-----1-----1-|G-|---2-----2-----1-----1--|-----2---2-----2-----2---|D-|-2-----2-----0-----0----|-2-2---2-----2-----2-----|A-|------------------------|-0-----------------------|E-|-0-----------0----------|-------------------0----0|
V.........<....... | | | | | | | |E-|--------------------------|-----------5---8-5-12-8---|B-|------3-----3-----3-----3-|-------5-----5---------10-|G-|----4-----4-----4-----4---|---5-----5----------------|D-|--2-----2-----2-----2-----|-----7--------------------|A-|--------------------------|-7------------------------|E-|--4-----------------0----0|-5------------------0----0|
1 4 2 3 1 4 1 1 1 1 4 1 4 1 3 3 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VII.......>. V...........<..... | | | | | | | |E-|---7----------------------|-----------5---8-5-12-8---|B-|-9-----9------------------|-------5-----5---------10-|G-|----10---7-10---7---------|---5-----5----------------|D-|--------------9----s6---0-|-7---7--------------------|A-|------------------8---7---|-7------------------------|E-|-0------------------0----0|-5------------------0----0|
3 1 4 3 1 4 3 1 2 1 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ decresc VII........>..... V........... II...... | | | | | | | |E-|---7----------------------|------------------------|B-|-9-----9------------------|------------------------|G-|----10---7-10---7---------|-------5-----------2----|D-|--------------9----s6---0-|-7---7---7-------2---2--|A-|------------------8---7---|-7-7-------7---3-------3|E-|-0------------------0----0|-5-----------5----------|
4 3 4 1 4 3 4 2 1 1 3 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ pp pp V | | | | | | | |
E-|-------0----------------|-------------5==========|B-|-----1---1--------------|-------------5==========|G-|---2-------2---2--------|-------------5==========|D-|-2-----------2---2---2--|-------------7==========|A-|-0-----------------3---3|p0==========-0==========|E-|------------------------|------------------------|
2 3 1 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | |E-|------------------------|B-|------------------------|G-|------------------------|D-|-7=======================A-|-0=======================E-|------------------------|
Please rate this tab:
x1.0