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Jingle Bell Rock

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Jingle Bell Rock.

Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
& Performance Notes Below

Analysis Worksheet Chords Melody Scales Performance Links

Jingle Bell Rock

Released: November 28, 1957

Jingle Bell Rock is an American Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas season since then, and is generally considered Helms' signature song. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal (1900–1967) and James Ross Boothe (1917–1976), although both Helms and session guitarist on the song Hank Garland disputed this (see Authorship controversy section below). Beal was a Massachusetts-born public relations professional and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was an American writer in the advertising business. (wikiwand);

Jingle Bell Rock is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living • INDEX of Songs

Jingle Bell Rock Ukulele Chords

G G#dim Am D7 D+ A7 G7 C C#dim Em7 E7 Cm

Theses and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

Start on P5 ↓ M2.

INTERVALS: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is a, Em is E, etc... m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating a your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

A re-harmonization, in Red can be a simple, sticking pretty close to the original composer's intentions or complex and a whole new set of chord changes.

Gmaj7

G#dim

I#dim

G# Dim

G Ionian

D+ :||

II7
( V of V)

C#dim

I7
( V of IV)

#IVdim

C# Dim

Em7

VI7

II7
( V of V)

VI7

II7
( V of V)

A Mix: This is a Secondary Dominant II7 with, what would be its II chord: Em7
Or you can think of it as an Unresolved II V in D Major

Gmaj7

VI7

IVm

VI7

E Mix

C Dorian

A Mix

Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as in indicated the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an

section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a

or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for the these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet recommended chord(s) will indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

Jingle Bell Rock is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of G . Original Key: D, 120 bpm.

C Tuning, Low G

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Jingle Bell Rock.

Full Diatonic
Partial Diatonic • Full Diatonic includes Secondary Dominant chords
Unresolved
Chromatic

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as convert the Roman Numerals above to Arabic number.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with aberic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you coul dgo as far as saying all the modes have number I II II IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7, seven as not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed then scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical and horizontal choices. And, really only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor,
Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues,
Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Checkout LESSONSeries : Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

Performance Notes

C Tuning, Low or High G

To play this Into as written and handle the B in measures 2 and 4 a Low G, C Tuning in needed. For High G — What's one note, go for it and It will be OK ;-)

Links & Resources

(wikiwand) Jingle Bell Rock
Bobby Helms –Jingle Bell Rock •
Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock (Official Lyric Video) •

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Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

Related Lessons

Related Lessons for Jingle Bell Rock.

Harmonic Analysis Lesson Series

Harmonic Analysis ( HA ) is the process used to determine the harmonic function of chords within a chord progression. A chord progression is defined as a sequence of chords, each chord has a root and has a particular chord type. The relationship of a chord's root to a scale determines its function within that scale's tonality. Once a chord's function is identified, scale selections along with chord and scale substitutions can be made. This process is called Root Movement Analysis ( RMA ). This series of lessons are extracted from my book for use with individual private and on-line students. Each lesson directly corresponds the chapters in my book Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution by Curt Sheller (me).

The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book Song Index

Index of the songs in The Daily Ukulele book. 365 Songs for a Better Living.

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for Jingle Bell Rock.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection

Harmonic Analysis (HA), also known as the study of chord relationships, is the method used to identify the harmonic role of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression refers to a sequence of chords, with each chord having a root note and belonging to a specific chord type. The function of a chord within a particular scale's tonality is determined by its relationship to that scale.

The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book

Individual Harmonic Analysis worksheets for the songs of The Daily Ukulele book.

Related Songs

Related Songs for Jingle Bell Rock.

Jingle Bells

"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 on Decca. Despite her mature-sounding voice, Lee recorded this song when she was only thirteen years old. The song's declaration of a rock and roll sound notwithstanding, its instrumentation also fits the country music genre, which Brenda Lee more fully embraced as her career evolved. The recording features Grady Martin's ringing guitar and Boots Randolph's swinging solo sax break. The song is written in the key of A-flat major.

Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets

Related Assets for Jingle Bell Rock.

Harmonic Analysis Major and Minor Chord Charts

All 15 full diatonic major and minor key with chord charts. For use when performing a harmonic analysis on a song or chord pregression.