Joys of Quebec: Mandolin Tab
Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Fortunat Malouin · Key of A · 120 BPM · 4/4 time · French-Canadian Reel · Beginner
Chords used in this arrangement: A, E, D.
The French title of Joys of Quebec, "Les Joyeuses Québécoises," literally means "the happy women of Quebec". It's credited to Fortunat Malouin, a Saint-Sauveur fiddler and traveling salesman who cut a 78 RPM version for Columbia Records in New York City in 1928. The twist to the story is that a rival Montreal musician named A.J. Boucher later published it under the title "Variations sur un air canadien," essentially suggesting it wasn't Malouin's to claim at all, and went out of his way to include a version with, as researcher Jean Duval puts it, "fairly acrobatic variations," apparently to one-up him. That kind of old-school fiddler rivalry is baked right into the tune's DNA.
This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart, printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise. Download the Joys of Quebec PDF.
Joys of Quebec: questions and answers
What key is Joys of Quebec in?
Joys of Quebec is in A major. The transpose control on this page moves the tab, notation and chords to any other key.
What chords are used in Joys of Quebec?
The chords in this arrangement are A, E, D. The chord chart on this page shows each shape and highlights the current chord as the tune plays.
How fast is Joys of Quebec played?
This recording is at 120 BPM in 4/4 time. Use the speed control to slow it down without changing the pitch, then work back up to full tempo.
Is Joys of Quebec a good tune for beginners?
Yes. Joys of Quebec is rated beginner, so it suits players who are still learning their first tunes.
Can I download Joys of Quebec as sheet music?
Yes. A printable PDF with the mandolin tab and standard notation is free at /tab/joys-of-quebec.pdf, and there is a download button on this page.
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