Kodachrome
by Paul Simon • Lesson #20 • Jun 1, 2016
Editor’s Notes
This is my acoustic guitar lesson for Kodachrome by Paul Simon. I’ll show you everything needed to perform this song – including the tabs, chords, and lyrics. Best of luck with it!
Free Video Lesson
Timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough & agenda
- 3:27 Chords used
- 4:56 Strumming pattern
- 6:13 Intro riff
- 12:26 Chorus & outro
Print-Friendly Song Sheet 3 pages
Follow along with my print-friendly guide for this song! It’s available for purchase at Musicnotes.com, the web’s leading provider of licensed sheet music.
On the fence? Here's a guide I made showing the purchase & print process, including answers to common questions about my song sheets.
Buy at Musicnotes.comThis is a no capo, key of D version!
My lesson teaches you how to play this song in standard tuning, using no capo, in the key of D. If you want to play along with Paul Simon’s album version, add a capo to the 2nd fret and use the chords I show you.
Chords used
Verse chords
e |---2----3----0----0--- e |----2-----2-----2----
B |---3----0----0----2--- B |----3-----2-----1----
G |---2----0----0----0--- G |----2-----2-----2----
D |---0----0----2----2--- D |----0-----0-----0----
A |--------2----2----0--- A |---------------------
E |--------3----0-------- E |---------------------
D G Em A7 D Dmaj7 D7
Chorus chords
First, the turnaround played at the beginning (and in between) of each chorus run:
e |----3-----2-----0----
B |----0-----0-----0----
G |----0-----2-----0----
D |----0-----1-----2----
A |----2-----2-----2----
E |----3-----------0----
G B7 Em
After the turn around, you’ll play these chords in this order:
e |----0----2----3----0----0----2----
B |----1----3----0----1----2----3----
G |----2----2----0----0----0----2----
D |----2----0----0----2----2----0----
A |----0---------2----3----0---------
E |--------------3-------------------
Am D G C A7 D
Outro chords
e |----3-----2-----0----
B |----0-----3-----0----
G |----0-----4-----0----
D |----0-----4-----2----
A |----2-----2-----2----
E |----3-----------0----
G Bm Em
Strumming patterns
I would get comfortable using this initial strumming pattern, which uses down-strums on the one and three counts only. You could play through the entire song like this, initially getting comfortable with the chord shapes and chord progressions.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D
The full strumming pattern I like to use is as follows. To get the best use out of this pattern, you’ll ideally want to use a palm mute on the 2 and 4 counts (which occur during the down-strum that your hand is already making during these beats), adding a slight percussive element.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U U D U U
Intro tab
Complete intro tab (that I play in the key of D) looks like this. The “G-riff” section is also used in the verse. For the second half of this tab, bring in your choice of desired strumming patterns (for the full chords) as you prefer.
e |----2-------2-------2-------2-------------------------------------|-
B |----3-------3-------3-------3-------------------------------------|-
G |----2-------2-------2-------2-------0-------0-------0-------------|-
D |--0-------0-------0-------0---------0-----0-0-------0-----0-------|-
A |------------------------------0-------1-2-----1-2-----1-2---------|-
E |----------------------------------3---------------3---------3-2-1-|-
D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
-|--0---------------0---------------2---------------0-------0-------||
-|--0---------------2---------------3---------------0-------2-------||
-|--0---------------0---------------2---------------0-------0-------||
-|--2---------------2---------------0---------------2-------2-------||
-|--2---------------0-------------------------------2-------0-------||
-|--0-----------------------------------------------0---------------||
Em A7 D Em A7
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
How to practice the G-riff
G-chord finger position
e |----3---- <-- Left pinky
B |----0----
G |----0----
D |----0----
A |----2---- <-- Left middle finger
E |----3---- <-- Left ring finger
G
Riff Exercise #1
First, practice this – which keeps the left hand entirely still the entire time (focus on the up- and down-strum alternating with the right hand).
e |----3---- ---------------------------------------------------
B |----0---- ---------------------------------------------------
G |----0---- ---------------------------------------------------
D |----0---- ---------------0--0--------------------0-----------
A |----2---- ---------2--2--------2--2--------2--2--------------
E |----3---- ---3--3--------------------3--3--------------------
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D
Riff Exercise #2
Second, practice this – only difference is how you change your 5th fret note with index and middle finger.
e |----3---- ---------------------------------------------------
B |----0---- ---------------------------------------------------
G |----0---- ---------------------------------------------------
D |----0---- ---------------0--0--------------------0-----------
A |----2---- ---------1--2--------1--2--------1--2--------------
E |----3---- ---3--3--------------------3--3--------------------
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D
Riff Exercise #3
Third, add the final walk-down to that leads you into the E-minor chord which transitions you out out the riff, back into full chord strumming.
e |----3---- ------------------------------------------------------0----
B |----0---- ------------------------------------------------------0----
G |----0---- ------------------------------------------------------0----
D |----0---- ---------------0--0--------------------0--------------2----
A |----2---- ---------1--2--------1--2--------1--2-----------------2----
E |----3---- ---3--3--------------------3--3-----------3--2--1--0-------
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
Riff Exercise #4
Finally, if desired, on some of the up-strums you can play some of the middle strings. This lets the riff sound more “strummy”, if this is the sound you want.
e |----3---- ------------------------------------------------------0----
B |----0---- ------------------------------------------------------0----
G |----0---- ------0-----------0-----------0-----------------------0----
D |----0---- ------0--------0--0-----------0--------0--------------2----
A |----2---- ---------1--2--------1--2--------1--2-----------------2----
E |----3---- ---3-----------------------3--------------3--2--1--0-------
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 +
D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
Chord progressions
See my song sheet for the complete chord progression diagram.
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent Lessons
-
November 22, 2023
10 Years of Song Notes... Thanks to You!
-
November 17, 2023
Guitar Finger Exercises for Flexibility, Control, Speed, and more
-
November 10, 2023
Lead Guitar Improvisation Tips (feat. Wagon Wheel)
-
November 5, 2023
Travis Picking Training Wheels (ft. Hayes Carll)
-
November 4, 2023
Strumming with Alternating Bass Notes
-
November 3, 2023
Long Black Veil
-
October 28, 2023
St James Infimary Blues
-
October 21, 2023
Fingerstyle Patterns for All Chords (using Travis Picking)
-
October 16, 2023
Soulful Lead Guitar Licks over "Amazing Grace"
-
October 11, 2023
Helpful Tips for Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, and Bends