The Boxer tab by Simon & Garfunkel

Tabs (Ver. 4)

Tuning: down one half-step OR standard tuning

There are different ways of playing the arpeggio introduction to this song.
The original key is BB but the main guitar on the recording is tuned down
one half-step and plays C-shapes.

If you don't play along with the original recording, however, you will
probably spare yourself the trouble of re-tuning the guitar and leave the
standard tuning intact.


VERSION 1 (two guitars)

Use this version if you have more than one guitar playing (as it is the
case on the studio recording of this song). One guitar (with capo) plays
in A, the second one (without capo) plays in C. The capoed guitar
plays the intro as shown here. The other (and main) guitar only starts
playing in the third bar .

Guitar 1
capo:
  2nd fret (if played in B; guitar 2 tuned down one half-step)
  3rd fret (if guitar 2 is in standard tuning)

 N.C.               A augmentedA
 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|0---------------|----------------|----0-----------|----------------|
BB|----0---0-----0-|----0-----------|------------2---|----------------|
G+G|--6---6-----6---|--6-------0-----|--2---2---2---2-|-------%--------|
D MajorD|----------5-----|--------7-----7-|--------2-------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|7-----7-----7---|0---------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Guitar 2 (no capo)
 N.C.               C majorC
 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|--1-------1-----|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|------0-------0-|-------%--------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----2-------2---|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|3---------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|--------3-------|----------------|



VERSION 2 (adaptation for one guitar)
To match original key: tuned down one half-step
If that's not important: standard tuning

If you play alone you will have to go a different way. Even though it
does not sound as "open" as the original version, it still sounds well
enough if played fluently. As far as I know, Paul Simon has never played
it like that, in live versions he just skips the intro arpeggio and
starts directly with bar 3.

 N.C.               C majorC
 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|3p0---0-----0---|--0-------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----3---3-----3-|----3---1-----1-|--1-------1-----|----------------|
G+G|----------3-----|0-----0--h3-0---|------0-------0-|-------%--------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----2-------2---|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|3---------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|--------3-------|----------------|

Other versions of The Boxer

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for The sound of silence ukulele (Ver. 2) by Simon & Garfunkel