Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsAmGFCC/B

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This is the chords of The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Verse 1]
Am                            G
Hello darkness, my old friend,
Am
I’ve come to talk with you again,
F                                                 C
Because a vision softly creeping,
F                                 C
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
F                                                                 C
And the vision that was planted in my brain
C/B                 Am
Still remains
C                 G                 Am
Within the sound of silence.

[Verse 2]
G
In restless dreams I walked alone
Am
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
F                                         C
‘neath the halo of a street lamp,
F                                  C
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
F                                                                                 C
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
C/B                 Am
That split the night
C                 G                 Am
And touched the sound of silence.

[Verse 3]
G
And in the naked light I saw
Am
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
F                                                 C
People talking without speaking,
F                                                 C
People hearing without listening,
F                                               C
People writing songs that voices never share
C/B                 Am
And no one dare
C                 G                 Am
Disturb the sound of silence.

[Verse 4]
G
Fools said I, you do not know
Am
Silence like a cancer grows.
F                                                 C
Hear my words that I might teach you,
F                                                                 C
Take my arms that I might reach you.
F                 C                 C/B                 Am
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
C
And echoed
G                       Am
In the wells of silence

[Verse 5]
G
And the people bowed and prayed
Am
To the neon God they made.
F                                                 C
And the sign flashed out its warning,
F                                                     C
In the words that it was forming.
F
And the sign said, the words of the prophets
C
Are written on the subway walls
C      C/B                 Am
And tenement halls.
C                                 G                    Am
And whisper’d in the sounds of silence.

How to play The Sound Of Silence: key, chords and progression

The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel is built around A minor (no sharps or flats), with 5 chords in all: Am, G, F, C and C/B.

The backbone of the song is Am – G – Am – F (i – VII – i – VI in A minor). Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 5th fret and play the shapes Em, D, C, G (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 75% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.

Chord diagrams

Am chord on guitar (x02210)
AmA C E
G chord on guitar (320003)
GG B D
F chord on guitar (133211)
FF A C
C chord on guitar (x32010)
CC E G

Need another chord or a different shape? Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator.

The Sound Of Silence chords: questions

What key is The Sound Of Silence in?

The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel is centred on A minor (no sharps or flats).

What chords are in The Sound Of Silence?

The Sound Of Silence uses 5 chords: Am, G, F, C, C/B.

What is the chord progression of The Sound Of Silence?

The main progression is Am – G – Am – F (i – VII – i – VI).

Is The Sound Of Silence easy to play on guitar?

Yes, with a capo: put a capo on the 5th fret and play the shapes Em, D, C, G (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 75% without a capo).

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