Cindy is a favorite old-time song that is often sung in the key of G.I have tabbed it in G, in reverse ionian tuning of DGD. Personally, I can sing it more comfortably in A, and I would choose the reverse ionian tuning of EAE for myself. Then again, if you don't plan to sing it at all, then feel free to play it in D, in a regular DAA ionian tuning. Any of these ionian tunings will use the exact same tab numbers, as I've written, so feel free to experiment! As is often the case with very quaint old songs, it also sounds nice without the 5th in the drones, in a more 'unison' sounding ionian tuning of say GGD (for G) or DDA (for D).
Now, if you want a real treat, watch this absolutely marvelous clip of Pete Seeger on banjo and Buffy Sainte-Marie on the mouth bow playing and singing Cindy. Don'cha just love it?? Notice how the mouth bow adds a single tonic drone note that plays continuously through the whole song. Ahhh....drones are such a total turn on! Buffy, you 'slay' me...what a woman!
When singing Cindy, it can get a little busy sounding going from verse to chorus to verse to chorus etc without a pause, so I'd recommend doing a verse, then sing the chorus, then play the chorus again but without singing, then on to the next verse, repeating this pattern. That would sound very pretty and add some needed 'air space'. As with almost all old-time and traditional songs, lyrics will vary in different versions.
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