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

The 1st part is based on an Am chord with a descending bass line (A - G - F# - F)
This fingerstyle version slightly differs from the original acoustic guitar part
To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring on the e-string in the red marked part

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

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

original tab

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

1ST VERSE

1... moonchild ...
2... dancing in the shallows of a river ... lonely ...
3... moonchild ...
    Am              Am7                     Am6                 Fmaj7/A
e---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b--------------5a--------------5a-------|--------------5d------------------5d-------|  x - a - b - c (4x)
g----------5a--------------5a-----------|----------5d------------------5d-----------|
D------7c--------------5a-----------\---|------4a-----------\------3a-----------/---|
A---0---------------0-------------------|---0-------------------0-------------------|
E---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|  repeat tab 2x
 ------------------------------------- 4/6 barrés ----------------------------------

... dreaming in the shadow of the willow ...
    Am              Am7                     Am6                 Fmaj7/A
e---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b--------------5a--------------5a-------|--------------5d------------------5d---|  x - a - b - c (3x)
g----------5a--------------5a-----------|----------5d------------------5d-------|  x - x - a - b
D------7c--------------5a-----------\---|------4a-----------\------3a-----------|
A---0---------------0-------------------|---0-------------------0---------------|
E---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
 ------------------------------------- 4/6 barrés -------------------------->

... 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-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|  info
                                        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)--------------|
E----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|

... waving silver wands to the night-birds song ...
    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

... 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)

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

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

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

    Am              Am7                     Am6                 Fmaj7/A
e---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b--------------5a--------------5a-------|--------------5d------------------5d-------|  x - a - b - c (4x)
g----------5a--------------5a-----------|----------5d------------------5d-----------|
D------7c--------------5a-----------\---|------4a-----------\------3a-----------/---|
A---0---------------0-------------------|---0-------------------0-------------------|
E---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|  repeat tab 1x
    <--------------------------------- 4/6 barrés ----------------------------------

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

Finish the song with a strummed Am chord on the 2nd fret [002a5d5d5d]