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This tab has been rated a 4.00 out of 5 for accuracy. (9 votes)

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Submitted by: arr1v3r

Title: I Can Only Imagine
Album: Worship Project & Almost There
Artist: MercyMe
Copyright 2001

This is the piano at the beginning of I Can Only Imagine, aranged for guitar

*** notes with a * over them are played faster


first on a non cutaway acoustic guitar:  (two octaves lower than original piano arrangment)
                          * * *
|-----0-------------------------------------------------|
|-4-------0-----------0-------0-------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------2---|
|-------------1---2-------1-2---1---2-------1---2-------|
|---------------------------------------4---------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|

Next on a 22 fret Electric, or 22 fret cutaway acoustic: (one octave lower than original piano arrangment)
                                *  *  *
|------12---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-16--------12-------------12---------12--------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------14----|
|----------------13---14--------13-14----13---14--------13---14---------|
|--------------------------------------------------16-------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|

then on a 24 fret electric: (Same octave as the original piano arangment)
                                *  *  *
|-23---24--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------24-------------24---------24--------------------------22---|
|----------------20---21--------20-21----20---21--------20---21--------|
|--------------------------------------------------23------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|

I originaly learned this song from the other tab on this site but i thought it would be
easier if the fretted notes were closer to each other.  when i was arranging this i noticed that
the tab was in the wrong octave, and since my guitar is a 24 fret Rickenbacker
650D i figures i would write it in three octaves (for diferent vocal ranges)

If you put a capo on the 12th fret on the 2nd arrangment then you can play the song
in a 'box' pattern (one finger per fret)

on the third arrangment you can do the same thing with a capo on the 20th fret

Comments about this tab

joshua_seed - 2004-06-07

ok i tired of all the rong intros to this song
im not saying mine is right it just sounds better

e-11-12---------7--7----------------5----------------------------
b-------12--4-5------5/4--4-5-2--4-5-----------------------------
g----------------------------------------------------------------
d----------------------------------------------------------------
a----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

jacob09 - 2004-08-02

Yup, it does sound better.

sunflowerseeds - 2004-08-25

whats 5/4?

jermbug - 2004-10-01

it means "5" then slide to "4"

youngjohn06 - 2004-10-29

The one posted in the comments is correct... the one in the actual tab is so off... seriously I tried playing it and I Was like O_O... the original(one that was posted for a correction) is so much better sounding

rockin_4_Christ - 2005-01-14

i personally think the 1 in the original tab is right, but thats just me

guitarfinest - 2005-02-19

The second one does sound better.

dylan_doj - 2005-03-18

I don't know, listening to the song over and over, the walk down

---7--------- seems wrong, instead repeat ---------7------
------5/4---- ---4--5---------

dylan_doj - 2005-03-18

Whoops,

---7---------
------5/4----

seems wrong, instead repeat

---------7------
---4--5---------

crazyrockstar89 - 2005-05-23

e-11-12---------7-----7------------5-----------------------------
b-------12--4-5---5h4----4-5-2--4-5------------------------------
g----------------------------------------------------------------
d----------------------------------------------------------------
a----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

there's how I play it, I like it much better.
btw "h" means hammer [off]
-Em

farmboy - 2005-05-31

need lyrics to go w/this

kingwoodtrail - 2005-09-17

i agree its hard to follow without lyrics or something that shows where each chord matches the verse...help me out here!

jamforchrist123 - 2005-10-10

Ok. How On Earth Would You Put A Capo On The 20th Fret?

HolyRoller09 - 2005-10-11

i think -11--12--7------7------------------5-----
-----------4--5----4--5--2---4--5-------- would be easier, just try it

GibsonRocker - 2006-02-17

I can see where you're comin' from jamforchrist

saosin88 - 2006-04-10

does any one have the acoustic version to this song

ProneDistortion - 2006-05-21

Ya, I Checked The second tab...Nice job duuude...Sounds quite like the song..I might get a tab up with the lyrics in place, So keep a look out :)..

ChristInMe823 - 2006-06-26

Here is how I tab the intro

e-11-12---------7-----7----------------5-------------------------
b-------12--4-5---4h5----4h5-4-5-2-4-5---------------------------
g----------------------------------------------------------------
d----------------------------------------------------------------
a----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

I love this version, I can't remember the actual song seeing as how I don't have it but I was taught this a little and improvised on it, it is just another fun way to play the intro. Hope you all like it!

Go4God_Man - 2006-11-08

All Sound good 2 me

JohnJesusFreak - 2006-11-22

Awsome Job on"I Can Only Imagine" tabs
God Bless

jacobmarshall - 2007-03-24

hmmmmm i'm not shure <><>

jacobmarshall - 2007-09-30

it's so off

baby_blue2045 - 2008-12-18

maybe you should adjust this tab so that any guitar can play it all the way through. this is one of my favorite songs but I can't play the last part. Maybe try to get it the same octave as the piano or something like that or lower the piano a step down of the scale instead of a whole octave.

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