Published:
2023-09-15
Updated:
2023-09-15
Learning Ukulele with Curt
Feliz Navidad
Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Feliz Navidad".
Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-300
Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any
Subjects: Chords
2023-09-15
Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Feliz Navidad".
Feliz Navidad
Released: November 9, 1970
Feliz Navidad • is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple Spanish chorus (the traditional Christmas/New Year greeting, Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicida
meaning Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness
) and equally simple English verse I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart, it has become a classic Christmas pop song in the United States, throughout the Spanish-speaking world and internationally.
Feliciano's version of Feliz Navidad
(in which he plays both an acoustic guitar and a Puerto Rican Cuatro) is one of the most downloaded and aired Christmas songs in the United States and Canada. The album drummer was Paulinho Magalhaes. The addition of the horns as a final touch was the idea of producer Rick Jarrard. It was also recognized by ASCAP as one of the top 25 most played and recorded Christmas songs around the world. wikiwand
Feliz Navidad is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.
Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.
Ukulele Chords
These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.
C Tuning Chords
In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.
Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval
Feliz Navidad is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C .- There is a two and half beat pickup, start on Perfect Fourth ↑ P4.
Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;
Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet
Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
Often a Harmonic Analysis (RMA) doesn't have to show every line. It's more of a for the chords functions and scale selection vs. a Leadsheet or Roadmap of the song.
5th time no E7+
For performance purposes the above line is repeated 5X
4th X, D.C. al Fine
For performance purposes the above line is repeated 4X. Then D.C. al Fine, ending after 4x of line one.
The Harmonic Analysis (HA)
A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.
NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet.
Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.
Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …
The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book
. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an 
section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a 
or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.
If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.
Reference Key
This is the key of the source leadsheet.
Feliz Navidad is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C .
Harmonic Principles Used:
These are the harmonic principles used in Feliz Navidad.
Nashville Number System (NNS)
Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.
At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.
Check the definitive book Nashville Number System
Scale Selection
Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.
Scale Abbreviation Legend
Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor
Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues
Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian
Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6
Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.
Performance Notes
Checkout the solo ukulele arrangement of Feliz Navidad for a lot more subs and re-harmonization.
A worksheet is often, really not needed with such a simple Full Diatonic chord progression.
A Simple I , IV , V chord progression. The Tonic , Subdominant and Dominant , the Primary chords of the major key.
In a short amount of time you'll come recognize these simple chord progressions, just by the chord grids listed at the top of the leadsheet (page). And, hearing where the chords are naturally changing.
Scale Choices
For a Full Diatonic chord progression the first choice scale is the Major scale in the key of the progression. A subset of the Major scale is the Major Pentatonic – the Major scale with no 4th or 6th scale degrees.