Learn a Contemporary Fingerstyle Arrangement of “Cielito Lindo,” a Mexican Cultural Treasure

“Cielito Lindo,” which translates to “Lovely Heaven” or “Lovely Sweetheart,” was written by composer Quirino Mendoza y Cortés in 1882. During that time, Mexico was experiencing a blending of cultural influences, particularly from its colonial past. The song’s joyful melody and iconic refrain have become a powerful expression of Mexican culture, unity, and love. For many Mexicans—including myself, as a Mexican American—“Cielito Lindo” holds a sacred place in our hearts; it’s like our second national anthem. It carries a deep sense of pride and longing, especially for those of us who live far from our home.

In this arrangement, I wanted to maintain the true essence of the song—the way I’ve grown up listening to it—so I didn’t want to alter the original harmony too much. Instead, I added a few colorful chord extensions, such as ninths and sevenths, where I felt appropriate, to enhance the nostalgic feel. I also included a short intro and some light variations—feel free to repeat those or any section that moves you.

I arranged the piece in G major in standard tuning, which facilitates generous use of open strings and natural harmonics. These contribute to the bell-like campanella effect I love—letting fretted notes ring out across open strings. All of the harmonics in this arrangement are an integral part of the melody, so it’s important to let them stand out and resonate whenever possible.

Beginning in bar 5, the melody is accentuated with harp harmonics. I do these by lightly touching the string at the 12th fret with the right-hand index finger while plucking with the thumb. Immediately after, another string is plucked by a different finger. I recommend keeping the right hand in that area to efficiently pluck the surrounding notes in time. 

In bar 23, use the right-hand ring and middle fingers to pluck the first and second strings, respectively. In contrast, the harmonics in bars 18 and 33–34 should be executed by lightly touching the 12th fret with the left-hand fourth finger and plucking the string with the right hand.

Another technique worth highlighting appears in bar 8, where a left-hand hammer-on is followed by a right-hand pinch harmonic. Bar 26 is similar, but this time the hammered-on notes should slide down in a slow glissando, to create a dramatic melodic effect. 

In bar 14 and elsewhere, the X-shaped notehead indicates a snare slap, or backbeat, played on the bass string with the thumb while strumming the other notes with the other fingers (or finger). This same effect appears in the choruses and helps add texture and a slightly bigger sound.

Toward the end, feel free to experiment with a bit of ritardando or free time for expressive interpretation. May this arrangement bring you as much joy in playing as it does for me in sharing it.

There are two ways to access the musical notation and tab for this song: Join our community at Patreon.com/acousticguitarplus OR purchase the July/August 2025 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine (you can find the notation on pages 53-55).

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.