Hallelujah Guitar Lesson (Jeff Buckley & Leonard Cohen)

Here’s a haunting song with an interesting history. 

You see it was originally rejected by the record label. They thought it was not going to be a commercial success. So it flew under the radar for many years. 

Until finally some cover versions of it came along and brought the song forward to national fame.

In this post, we’ll be diving into the original as well as the most popular covers. We’ll unpack the different approaches each one takes and how you can play it on your guitar.

So tune up, and let’s dive into this “Hallelujah” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Hallelujah?

The magnificent “Hallelujah” was originally written by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. He reportedly spent years crafting the lyrics, with some estimates saying it took around five years and countless revisions. 

"Hallelujah" was recorded at Quadrasonic Sound in New York City. It was put on Cohen’s album "Various Positions" which was produced by John Lissauer. Despite the depth of the song, Cohen's label, Columbia Records, initially rejected the album for release in the United States. They believed it would not be commercially successful. So it was later released by an independent label.

"Hallelujah," finally rose to fame thanks to cover versions by John Cale in 1991 and most notably by Jeff Buckley in 1994. Buckley's version is often considered the definitive one, even though it wasn't the original. 

Jeff Buckley's version was ranked number 259 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004. The song has held up and had a lasting impact because of its heartfelt lyrics and beautiful melody.

“Hallelujah” even made it into the popular movie Shrek in 2001 covered by Rufus Wainwright:

Is Hallelujah easy to play on guitar?

The basic chord progression is relatively simple. However, you will need to know how to play in a triple meter time signature. You can count the song in 3 or 6. Plus you’ll also need to be able to switch between common open chords and one bar chord.

Hallelujah Guitar Chords

There are only 5 guitar chords you need to know to play “Hallelujah” C, Am, F, G, and E. Let’s take a look at how to play these chords next.

C is played from the 5th string down like this:

Am just shifts one note from the C chord and is also played from the 5th string down like this:

F is played as a bar chord in the 1st position on all 6th strings like this:

For G, you can play any G that is comfortable for you, in the video I use a two finger G like this:

And finally, we have an open E chord which uses all 6 strings like this:

What key is Hallelujah in?

The original version of “Hallelujah” as recorded by Leonard Cohen is in the key of C major. If you are a guitar player, the Jeff Buckley version is played with a capo on the 5th fret. Buckley plays it in the key of G on guitar but it still sounds in the key of C concert pitch.

What is the strum pattern for Hallelujah?

The basic strumming pattern and groove for “Hallelujah” is eighth note down strums.

I like to count it in a 6/8 time signature, which means we’ll strum 6 down strums per measure like this:

1 2 3 4 5 6

D d d d d d

With a slight accent on the 1 and the 4:

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Here’s what that would look like on a C chord:

Hallelujah Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson

Cohen’s version can also be played fingerstyle. This is a lovely approach to take with the song. Here instead of strumming eighth notes you can fingerpick eighth notes like this:

That same picking pattern can be applied throughout the entire progression. 

Jeff Buckley Hallelujah Guitar Lesson

Although Cohen’s original version did not gain immediate traction, "Hallelujah" has since become one of his most famous works. This is largely due to Jeff Buckley’s cover which was released in 1994 on his album "Grace."  

Buckley’s version is haunting. His cover brought the song to a wider audience and is often cited as one of the greatest covers of all time.

His cover also inspired countless other musicians to cover "Hallelujah." Artists such as Rufus Wainwright, K.D. Lang and even Cohen himself have acknowledged the impact of Buckley's version. It set a high standard for vocal performance and interpretation of the song. 

The music video shows him playing a Fender Telecaster and he is lightly strumming and picking fingerstyle throughout. 

Jeff Buckley’s version uses a capo on the 5th fret and he plays it in the key of G using the chords G, Em7, C, D, and B7/D#. Remember that that’s the key of G but those are the capo chords. The actual concert pitch is still C major. 

Let’s take a look at how he plays these 5 chords.

G is played using all 6 strings like this:

Em7 also using all 6 strings like this:

C is the same as the version above (just remember you want to be capo’d 5 for Buckley’s version):

D is played from the 4th string down like this:

And finally, B7/D# is played from the 4th string down as well like this:

Conclusion: 

To wrap it up, "Hallelujah" is a timeless song. It continues to move musicians and audiences alike. Cohen's meticulous craftsmanship and the subsequent powerful covers by artists like Jeff Buckley have etched the song's place in music history. 

Whether you’re playing the straightforward chord progression or exploring fingerstyle techniques, "Hallelujah" offers a rewarding experience for any guitarist. 

Keep practicing, and to help you master this style and improve your fingerpicking. Grab my fingerstyle jumpstart PDF right here: