The ULTIMATE Sleepwalk Chords & Guitar Lesson (Santo & Johnny)

Behold… one of the most HYPNOTIC instrumental melodies of all time!

This song sounds amazing on guitar and can be played in many situations.

You only need a handful of chords to jam it.

Below I’m going to break down the nuances and how you can play along with the recording or do your own version in no time flat. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Sleepwalk" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Sleepwalk?

"Sleepwalk" was originally written and performed by the duo Santo & Johnny. It was first released in 1959 and quickly became a classic. Santo, the lead guitarist, created the dreamy melody while experimenting with a steel guitar. This Hawaiian-style instrument, gave the track its signature smooth and sliding tone.

While the song is instrumental and doesn’t have lyrics, its ethereal and haunting melody suggests a powerful emotions of longing, nostalgia, or dream-like states. 

Santo Farina and Johnny Farina were brothers who were originally a part of a group that played local clubs. But then they decided to record "Sleepwalk" as a demo, hoping to capture something unique. 

The brothers initially recorded the track as a simple demo in 1959 at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The session was quite relaxed. It was produced by Morty Craft and released on the Indian Label, a small independent label at the time.

"Sleepwalk" became a massive commercial success, reaching #1 on the Billboard charts in 1959, and it stayed on the charts for over 2 months. 

Over the years “Sleepwalk” has been covered by some incredible artists like Jeff Beck, The Ventures, Larry Carlton and more:

In 1999, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted it as one of the classic instrumental songs of the 20th century.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Sleepwalk?

The tuning for "Sleepwalk”, as recorded by Santo & Johnny is standard tuning. 

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings: 

• E (6th string, lowest pitch) 
• A (5th string) 
• D (4th string) 
• G (3rd string) 
• B (2nd string) 
• E (1st string, highest pitch)  

Let’s next take a look at the…

Sleepwalk Chords

To play “Sleepwalk” on guitar you only need to know 6 chords they are C, Am, Fm, G7, F, and Ab7. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Sleepwalk” chords can be played on the fretboard:   

C is played in a standard open position like this:

Am is played by moving one finger and from the 5th string down as well like this:

Fm is a bar chord played with a root on the 6th string and in 1st position like this:

G7 is played in 3rd position using all 6 strings like this:

F is played just like the Fm but we are going to add the middle finger on the 3rd string 2nd fret like so:

Finally, Ab7 is played the same way as G7 just shifted up one fret like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it the simplest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Sleepwalk" chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Sleepwalk in?

"Sleepwalk" as recorded by Santo & Johnny is in the key of C major. However not all the chord fit the diatonic scale of C major. So let’s take a look:

The C major scale is built using the notes: C - D - E - F - G - A - B

It’s a seven-tone scale and can be played in the 7th position on guitar like this: 

C Major (I)

Relation to the Key: This is the tonic chord, built on the 1st degree of the C major scale (C, E, G).

Role: The "home" chord that gives the key its sense of resolution and stability.

A Minor (vi)

Relation to the Key: This is the vi chord (relative minor), built on the 6th degree of the C major scale (A, C, E).

Role: A minor chord that shares two notes (C and E) with the tonic, making it closely 

related. Often used to evoke a more introspective or emotional quality within the key.

F Minor (iv in C Minor or Borrowed Chord)

Relation to the Key: F minor is not diatonic to the key of C major; it is a borrowed chord from the parallel key of C minor. (F, Ab, C).

Role: Borrowed chords like Fm add emotional contrast and richness to progressions in C major. The Ab in Fm introduces a "dark" color to the sound, creating a sense of melancholy or tension. The Beatles also used this minor iv chord a lot as well.

G7 (V7)

Relation to the Key: This is the dominant 7th chord (V7), built on the 5th degree of the C major scale (G, B, D, F).

Role: G7 creates tension and leads strongly back to the tonic (C major). It’s the most common chord used to resolve back to the I chord in tonal music.

F Major (IV)

Relation to the Key: This is the subdominant chord, built on the 4th degree of the C major scale (F, A, C).

Role: The IV chord provides movement away from the tonic and often leads to either the V chord (G7) or back to the tonic (C major). It’s a softer, more stable contrast to the dominant chord (G7).

Ab7 (Flat VI7 in C Minor or Chromatic Approach)

Relation to the Key: Ab7 is not diatonic to the key of C major. It’s often used as a chromatic chord or a substitution from the parallel minor key (C minor). The notes are Ab, C, Eb, and Gb.

Role: This chord is commonly used as a passing or tension-building chord. For example:

In “Sleepwalk” is leads to G7 as part of a descending chromatic bassline (Ab → G).

This introduces a jazzy or bluesy flavor due to its altered tones.

Sleepwalk Soloing Tips

Sleepwalk Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for “Sleepwalk” is a sleepy 12/8 feel. In 12/8 time, there are 12 eighth notes per measure, grouped into four sets of three eighth notes. Each beat is divided into three equal parts. 

Counting eighth notes out loud in 12/8 would sound like this: 

1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a 

"1, 2, 3, 4" are the main beats.

"&" and "a" represent the divisions between each beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

"One-and-a, Two-and-a, Three-and-a, Four-and-a." 

This creates the characteristic triplet feel of 12/8 time. Here’s an example of a strumming pattern in the style of “Sleepwalk”:  

Conclusion

There ya have it – one of the most HYPNOTIC instrumental melodies of all time. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan