MOONCHILD (King Crimson)

Written by McDonald/Sinfield/Fripp//Lake/Giles in the key of Am in 4/4 time
Released on the album: In The Court of the Crimson King (1969)
Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar
Moonchild on Wikipedia | Lyrics

 Greg Lake Demo

thumb: x             Hammer on: h             Bend up: V                   Play or don't: ()
index: a             Pull off: p              Bend down: Λ                 Break: b
dirty: b             Slide up: /              Fret but don't pick: !       Downward stroke: ↑
ring: c              Slide down: \            Staccato: :                  Upward stroke: ↓
pinky: d             Arpeggio: ~~~            Mute: m

chord image legend: x = fretted and played
                    o = fretted but not played

To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring on the e-string in the red marked part
You can use four different picking patterns for the INTRO and 1ST VERSE part one
Click on < X > to do the switcheroo

INTRO < X >< X >< X >< X >

    Am             Am7                   Am6               Fmaj7/A
e------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------5a-------------5a-------|------------5d----------------5d-------|  x - a - bc (4x)
g------------5a-------------5a-------|------------5d----------------5d-------|
D-------7c-------------5a--------\---|-------4a--------\-------3a------------|
A---0--------------0-----------------|---0-----------------0-----------------|
E------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
             ¼             ¼                     ¼                ¼
    <--------------------------------- 4/6 barrés ---------------------------

... Call her ...
    Am             Am7                   Am6               Fmaj7/A
e------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------5a-------------5a-------|------------5d----------------5d-------|  x - a - bc (4x)
g------------5a-------------5a-------|------------5d----------------5d-------|
D-------7c-------------5a--------\---|-------4a--------\-------3a------------|
A---0--------------0-----------------|---0-----------------0-----------------|
E------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
             ¼             ¼                     ¼                ¼
 ---------------------------------- 4/6 barrés ------------------------------

1ST VERSE part one - Same tab as INTRO

||:

1... moonchild ... dancing in the shallows of a ...
1... river ... lonely ...
2... moonchild ... dreaming in the shadow of the ...
2... willow ...

:||

1ST VERSE part two

... Talking to the trees of the cobweb strange ...
    Dm7             Em7                 Am        G/A       Am
e------1a----------------------3c---|---5a:----------------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------1a--------------3b-------|---5a:-------8b:-------5a---------|  x - c - b - a - x - a - b - c
g--------------2b------4d-----------|---5a:---/---7a:---\---5a---------|  xabc (3x)
D---0---------------2a--------------|-------------9c:---\---7c---------|
A-----------------------------------|---0:--------0:--------0----------|
E-----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
                                        ¼        ¼         ½

... sleeping on the steps of a fountain ...
    Dm7             Em                 Am
e--------------1a--------------0---|------------------0----------------|  picking pattern:
b----------1a---------------0------|--------------1a------1a-----------|  x - a - b - c (2x)
g------2b---------------0----------|----------2c--------------2c-------|  x - x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x
D---0---------------2b-------------|------2b----------------------2b---|
A----------------------------------|---0-------------(0)---------------|  < X >< X >< X >
E----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|

... waving silver wands to the night-birds song ...
    Dm7             Em7                 Am        G/A       Am
e------1a----------------------3c---|---5a:---\---3a:-------0----------|  picking pattern:
b----------1a--------------3b-------|---5a:---\---3a:-------1a---------|  x - c - b - a - x - a - b - c
g--------------2b------4d-----------|---5a:-------4b:---\---2b---------|  xabc (3x)
D---0---------------2a--------------|----------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------|---0:--------0:--------0----------|
E-----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
                                        ¼        ¼         ½

... waiting for the sun on the mountain ...
    Dm7             Em                 Am
e--------------1a--------------0---|-------------------0-------------|  picking pattern:
b----------1a---------------0------|--------------1b-----------------|  x - a - b - c (2x)
g------2b----------------0---------|----------2d---------------------|  x - x - a - b - c
D---0---------------2b-------------|------2c------------------/------|
A----------------------------------|---0-----------------------------|
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
                                                       ½
INTERLUDE (same tab as INTRO)

2ND VERSE (same tab as 1ST VERSE)

... moonchild ... gathering the flowers in a ...
... garden ... lovely ...
... moonchild ... drifting on the echoes of the ...
... hours ...

... sailing on the wind in a milk white gown ...
... dropping circle stones on a sun dial ...
... playing hide and seek with the ghosts of dawn ...
... waiting for a smile from a sun child ...

OUTRO (same tab as INTRO)

END

Play the first two bars of the INTRO again and finish the song
with a strummed Am 4/6 barré chord on the 2nd fret [002a5d5d5d]