The Sounds Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
The Sounds Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel runs at 102 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of Cb major. It is built on 4 chords — Gb, Ebm, Cb, Db. Released in 1965.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
At least one shape here is a full barre — one finger pressing all six strings, no open strings to lean on. Fret it unplugged first; if a string buzzes, it's the barre, not the chord.
Practice at the right tempo
This song sits at 102 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is The Sounds Of Silence in?
The Sounds Of Silence is in Cb major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is The Sounds Of Silence?
The Sounds Of Silence runs at 102 BPM (beats per minute).
What chords does The Sounds Of Silence use?
The Sounds Of Silence is built on 4 chords: Gb, Ebm, Cb, Db.
Does The Sounds Of Silence need barre chords?
Yes — at least one shape is a full barre (one finger across all six strings). Everything else on the page is a standard open shape.
What tuning is The Sounds Of Silence in?
This recording sits about 34 cents sharp of concert pitch (A=448.7Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.