Song practice guide
How to Practice Holocene
Bon Iver's 'Holocene' is one of the most ambitious indie-folk songs of the 2010s. The intricate fingerpicked guitar, the open tuning, the building orchestral arrangement, and Justin Vernon's iconic vocal have made it a benchmark for serious indie-folk performers.
Song Details
- Key
- C
- Tempo
- 76 BPM
- Time
- 4/4
- Style
- boom-chuck
Structure
This song is still under copyright, so we publish its form rather than its chord chart. Add it to your library and you can enter or attach your own chart, and Repertoire will schedule it either way.
What to Focus On
Open-tuning fingerpicking in C. Building dynamics across the song's arc. Singing the imagistic lyric with breath support.
Practice Tips
- 1
The open tuning is essential. Tune accordingly.
- 2
The fingerpicking pattern is intricate. Master it slowly before tackling the rest.
- 3
The lyric is imagistic. Don't oversing it, let the imagery do the work.
Why This Song
It's the great Bon Iver masterpiece, and a milestone in modern indie-folk.
Practice Holocene Daily
Repertoire uses spaced repetition to keep your songs sharp. Add this song to your collection and the system schedules your practice automatically.
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