Groovy Music Theory Handouts By Suzannah Doyle • www.SuzDoyle.

com • All Rights Reserved

Amazing Grace Variations

1) Three-chord version
C F C
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
G
That saved a soul like me.
C F C
I once was lost, but now am found,
G C
was blind, but now I see.

2) Softened version (adding minor chords)

C Am F C
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
(C) Am Dm G
That saved a soul like me.
Am F C
I once was lost, but now am found,
Am Dm G C
was blind, but now I see.

. . . continued . . .
 Amazing Grace Variations

3) More chords (minor chords, 7th chords)

C C7 F C
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
(C) Am Dm7 G
That saved a soul like me.
C C7 F C
I once was lost, but now am found,
Am F G7 F C  (The “Amen” ending)
was blind, but now I see.

4) Jazz Ballad Style (Major 7th chords, 9ths)

CMaj7 Am9 FMaj7 CMaj7
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
CMaj7 Am9 Dm9 G13
That saved a soul like me.
Em7 CMaj7 FMaj7 CMaj7
I once was lost, but now am found,
Am9 Em7 FMaj7 DbMaj7 CMaj9
was blind, but now I see.

5) Gospel Style
(alternate basses, 4 chords w/ 5 bass notes, 1 to 4 riffs)
C C/E F C F/C C
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
(C) C/E F/G G
That saved a soul like me.
G#º Am C F Bb/F F C F/C C
I once was lost, but now . . . . . am found,
Am Dm/A Am F F/G F C/E Dm C
was blind, . . . . . . but now, now I see.