Oct/7/10
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Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly (Instrumental) (Tab)

Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová – Falling Slowly (Tab)

Another song from the movies today. And it’s a really lovely song from a really lovely film. In fact, second best song from a film ever (best song from a film ever coming up next week).

My instrumental version is very heavily based on Rick Hulett’s. It uses familiar chord shapes (G, C, D and Em) and simple picking. For the double notes in the tune I use a mini up-strum with my index finger. that gives the first string you hit (always the melody note) a bit more emphasis. But there’s nothing wrong with picking them with index and middle fingers.

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48 Comments

  1. Lukey October 7th, 2010 6:38 pm

    I assume that next week will be duelling ukuleles?

  2. J-Hob October 7th, 2010 8:23 pm

    That tune does sound really lovely on the uke, I’m less sure about the film’s lovely credentials though – I found it all a bit worthy and twee. The music reminded me too much of James Blunt too.

  3. Fuke October 7th, 2010 8:52 pm

    Utterly beautiful!

  4. Herman Vandecauter October 7th, 2010 8:57 pm

    Good for a summer serenade for a lonsly rich widow in her open window!

  5. L.bo Marie October 7th, 2010 10:37 pm

    Careful or the interwebs will develop a crush on you for this.

    I think what I loved about the movie is that it sat with me for a few days after I saw it- I spent time thinking how I would have done things differently (or maybe not) if it had been my own life. I spent a huge amount of time dissecting the last 10 seconds of the film.. the glance out the window and the glance back inside. Anything that causes me to dwell for that length of time, and get worked up about … is good in my books.

  6. Ron Hale October 7th, 2010 11:09 pm

    Best song ever, from what film? Marx Brothers?
    Saturday Night Fever? Flash Dance? Mamma Mia?
    Blue Hawaii? A Man and a Woman? Dr. Zhivago?
    The Sound of Music? West Side Story? My Fair Lady? Elvira Madigan? Black Orpheus? Cabaret?
    Titanic? The Triplets of Belleville? The Graduate? Ghost?

  7. elle October 8th, 2010 1:08 am

    Great movie. Love this song!

  8. Mike October 8th, 2010 11:30 am

    What Kukey said :)

  9. Mike October 8th, 2010 11:31 am

    Sorry, I meant Lukey. Mini keyboard big fingers!

  10. Ron and Jeanne October 8th, 2010 12:09 pm

    Thank you, Al. This song has been a favorite of ours since we saw the movie. It’s been a real earworm.

  11. Robbenklopper October 8th, 2010 1:51 pm

    Great Tab.

    But i got a question: How do i strum without hitting the A-String?

  12. The Duck October 8th, 2010 3:36 pm

    @Robbenklopper – Practice. :)

  13. cardboardfrog October 8th, 2010 4:11 pm

    excellent work once again woodshed, you really manage to find a way to make such mellow dramatic tunes fit the uke and sound so natural, Thanks!

  14. Martine October 8th, 2010 8:29 pm

    Haven’t seen the movie yet, but your interpretation of the song on uke is just awesome. I just printed out the tabs and I’ll go for it this weekend.Thanx.

  15. Foinnse October 8th, 2010 9:39 pm

    Hmmm…..I’m not too sure about this song. In fact i lie, its a terrible twee cheesey song. When I first saw the film thought it was okay and even thought the song wasn’t too bad but after hearing it about twenty times a day on irish radio stations then hearing all over the place outside Ireland after it won the Oscar I was thoroughly sickened by the track….. But of course that just an opinion!! otherwise you’re still my ukulele hero Woodshed!

    Having said all that The Frames at the Elctric Picnic was a lovely nostalgic trip. Wondeful.

  16. Woodshed October 12th, 2010 9:34 pm

    Lukey and Mike: Sorry, no. No words = not a song.

    J-Hob and Marie: It’s not a great film, but I found it lovely. Perhaps because I’m a soppy bastard underneath.

    Fuke: Thanks!

    Herman: Good luck with that!

    Ron: Nope, none of those I’m afraid.

    elle: Glad you like.

    Ron and Jeanne: I know what you mean, I’ve been humming it since I put this post up.

    Robbenklopper: By muting it with the underside of my fretting-hand fingers.

    The Duck: Oh yeah, and that too.

    cbf: Thanks very much. But credit for the arrangement has to go to Rick.

    Martine: Good luck with your practicing.

    Foinnse: Twee and cheesy are things I can’t deny. But I love it all the same.

  17. Readie October 14th, 2010 11:48 am

    I fully expected to adore “Once” but, er, didn’t. That said, I did love the music within it and so was delighted to see to see this tab – not least because I can (just about) successfully play it. Thanks, Woodshed (and Rick!)

  18. Woodshed October 14th, 2010 2:37 pm

    Readie: Thanks!

  19. Luke October 20th, 2010 7:18 am

    I believe that this would be beautiful as a duet.

    Think about it. =D

  20. guitain October 20th, 2010 11:31 pm

    This is lovely. My girlfriend has been nagging me about finding more great songs that needs picking, so thanks, Woodshed!

  21. Woodshed October 22nd, 2010 7:19 pm

    Luke: A duet of this song? It would never work ;)

    guitain: Hope she’s suitably impressed.

  22. panddown November 15th, 2010 7:25 pm

    Thanks!

  23. Woodshed November 16th, 2010 11:59 pm

    panddown: You’re welcome.

  24. artcrocker March 19th, 2011 5:00 pm

    So after some luck and fun with your Irish Washerwomen Tab, I was looking thru your Irish list and found Falling Slowly, that somehow I had missed. Thanks another bunch for that work, it sounds great and very nice to play.

  25. Woodshed March 21st, 2011 7:35 am

    artcrocker: You’re very welcome.

  26. freackykit August 24th, 2011 5:25 pm

    Just found this…Looking for something mellow to fingerpick and this looks the treat,

    Cheers

  27. Woodshed August 25th, 2011 7:27 am

    freakykit: Enjoy playing it!

  28. Loni October 19th, 2011 6:16 pm

    This is amazing! Thank you!

  29. Woodshed October 20th, 2011 7:41 am

    Loni: You’re welcome.

  30. Mira December 29th, 2011 2:01 am

    Thank you for this gorgeous tab. My daughter plays a great version on her steel string, but I think your uke version captures the music/feeling much better…and I LOVE playing it…even if some of the strumming still is defeating me. :)

  31. Woodshed December 30th, 2011 2:35 pm

    Mira: Thanks so much!

  32. Lucas January 13th, 2012 5:57 am

    Excellent, beautiful, wonderful—thank you Woodshed, another fine tab!

  33. Woodshed January 13th, 2012 11:01 am

    Lucas: Thanks!

  34. Sarah March 16th, 2012 5:21 pm

    I love this song so much! Great job, I’m new to the ukulele and I want to learn this one. Absolutely maaagnificent

  35. Woodshed March 17th, 2012 3:56 pm

    Sarah: Thanks so much! Glad you enjoy it.

  36. jjejejej April 24th, 2012 3:31 pm

    thank you for this!! The first real song I learned to play from the beginning until the end :D I just started playing uke again after a long brake. I have a request… Can you please make a solo of this music? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG-Js_rMEV4

    It’s from Battlestar galactia and I am a big fan of that show. Would love to play that song.

    Anyway… GREAT job! Thanks alot! Greeting from Finland!

  37. Dan July 26th, 2012 3:48 am

    I agree with L.bo.marie who commented about the last 10 seconds of the film and how it turned on a glance back and forth through a window and was reminded immediately of the masterpiece “The Graduate” and how the outcome completely changed in the last few seconds as Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross exchange a glance then look out opposite windows of the bus that seems to say “now what?”

  38. Woodshed July 26th, 2012 3:30 pm

    Dan: I’m going to have to watch the film again. It’s so long since I’ve seen it.

  39. Mooseman July 29th, 2012 8:46 pm

    Beautiful song, masterfully transposed, I love you guys for posting these tabs. Love the film so much.

  40. Woodshed August 1st, 2012 10:55 pm

    Mooseman: Thanks for the kind words!

  41. Sirbecksalot January 24th, 2013 10:19 pm

    I really want to learn this song but I’m fairly new to the ukulele world. Do you offer a tutorial? I pretty much need it spoon fed unfortunately.

  42. Woodshed January 25th, 2013 7:07 am

    Sirbecksalot: Sorry, I don’t do tutorials.

  43. Grace May 31st, 2015 3:08 am

    I absolutely love this song. I played guitar and sang it in my school’s talent show. I never though to play it on uke but its beautiful

  44. Woodshed May 31st, 2015 8:09 am

    Grace: Glad you like it!

  45. Donna June 23rd, 2015 8:00 pm

    what fingerpicking patterns would be used on baritone uke?

  46. Ryan March 29th, 2016 5:05 am

    Hi there! I’m a novice player myself, and am unskilled in the reading of any kind of tablature. Is there any chance that you could make a video explaining the pluck and strum methods throughout the song? Thank you!

  47. Paul November 27th, 2016 9:32 pm

    Thanks for doing this. My new favourite tune to play (or at least attempt…)

  48. Woodshed November 28th, 2016 9:15 am

    Paul: Thanks! Happy practicing!

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