Features article index
This section has longer articles on various aspects of the piano and synth, including playing technique, improvisation, composition, theory, practice, and preparing for performances.
How To Play The Piano
February 17, 2012
Learning to play any new instrument can be daunting, particularly if you’ve never tried it before, but the benefits are worth the effort.
The piano is a wonderful instrument and fits nicely into a wide variety of musical styles. Here are our recommendations for the beginner wanting to learn how to play the piano.
Buy or Borrow the Best Piano You Can
Real acoustic pianos, even upright ones, can be very expensive — not to mention heavy, difficult to transport, and requiring considerable maintenance to keep them at their best.
You might do well to purchase a good digital piano instead. Digital pianos tend to be cheaper, more portable, and requiring less upkeep to sound good. Moreover, modern digital pianos sound and feel extremely realistic. Additionally, they sometimes come with built in features to make learning and playing easier.
If buying a digital piano, you should definitely look for one with 88 keys. Good manufacturers to go for are Yamaha, Casio, Roland and Korg.
Buy the Book: Buying a Music Keyboard or Digital Piano.
Find A Good Teacher
If you are serious about playing and can afford to go to a teacher, it’s definitely worth investing the time and money into doing so. Most towns have at least one decent teacher.
If you know someone who already takes piano lessons, ask for a recommendation.
It’s important to get on well with your teacher, and additionally to ensure that they’re happy and able to teach the kind of music you really want to play. Traditionally, piano teachers have swayed towards teaching classical music, but today it’s much easier to find tutors who will teach rock, pop, jazz or other styles of music — or indeed a mixture.
Invest in Some Software
There are a number of decent pieces of computer software available which can provide tutorials on the fundamentals of music and the basics of playing the piano. They can be a worthy alternative, or supplement, to having a piano teacher.
Recommended software includes Rocket Piano and Piano Wizard.
Online resources include OnlinePianist.com
Practice Often
Students who play the piano often will benefit the most, particularly if they have some kind of schedule or goal in mind.
It depends what you want to get out of playing the piano, but aimlessly tinkling the keyboard will generally not lead to great progress being made.
You don’t have to commit to learning so many pieces of music every month or doing this, that or the other, but it can be good to set even an informal schedule of the sorts of music you’d like to play, and then work out how you’re going to achieve that.
Of course, if you have a teacher you will more than likely have a weekly schedule of practice. Your tutor will help you achieve certain goals on a regular basis, such as learning to play particular pieces of music proficiently.
Whatever you decide, playing often (ideally, every day) will definitely help you improve.
Work on Technique
Playing technique is very important and it’s worth learning it early. A teacher will help you out in the early stages.
Think particularly about your posture, positioning of hands in relation to the keys, and the way you play the keys.
Poor posture and technique will, at best, impair the quality of the music you play. At worst, it could lead to injury.
If playing an acoustic piano, invest in a decent piano bench. If playing a digital piano, you should get a decent, adjustable stand as well as piano bench.
Technique can be improved by playing through various exercises such as scales and arpeggios.
Recommended Reading:
- 7 easy ways to improve your piano-playing strength and dexterity
- Essential Accessories for Keyboard Players: Keyboard Benches
Understand the Theory
Music theory may not seem like the most fun thing to learn at first, particularly if all you want to do is play, but in the long run it makes learning new pieces of music, as well as sight reading, improvisation and playing ‘by ear’, much easier.
A good piano tutor will no doubt introduce the concept of music theory along the way. At the very least, it’s worth learning basic major and minor chords, scales and arpeggios, note intervals, chord inversions, and basic music notation.
Learn to Read Music
Being able to read printed music can be of real benefit, as it means you can pick up any manuscript and have a decent attempt at playing it.
If you have a teacher, they will recommend basic music books to begin learning.
If you’re self-teaching, pick up beginner books to start with and gradually work up. It’s better to start with something simpler rather than buy more advanced music that’s difficult to play well and can leave you frustrated. Simple music is always good to have around for things like sight reading practice, even if you graduate on to more complex music.
It’s also worth learning to read lead sheets, particularly if you’re going to be playing more contemporary music, working with bands and singers, or improvising. This tend to show just the main chords to be played at any point during a piece of music.
Make it Fun
Always remember why you’re learning the piano. It’s to have fun. Take practicing and learning seriously, of course, but not so seriously that you end up hating it.
Mix things up a bit if learning and practicing become stale. Try a new piece of music or have a go at playing by ear or improvising. Really, don’t be afraid to experiment with the music you’re playing.
Develop the Passion
Get to the point where every time you see a piano you have the burning desire to play it. Don’t become a show-off (no-one really likes them) but do get a passion for playing. Desire to be the best you can be. Don’t compare yourself to other players and worry whether you’ll ever be as good as them. Concentrate on developing your own style.
Play With Others
Playing with other people in a band, or accompanying singers, can be a real buzz and take your playing to a new level. It develops cooperation and commitment. Even if it’s just a few musical friends jamming together, that no-one else ever hears, that’s great.
Learning how to play the piano is an exciting journey. Start off the right way and you’ll enjoy playing for many years to come.
How To Play the C Major Scale on a Piano Keyboard
February 7, 2012
Structure
A one octave C Major scale is made up from the eight notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. This can be extended across the keyboard as required for two, three or four octave scales.
Here are the notes of one octave depicted on a piano keyboard diagram.
C Major Keyboard Diagram
Fingering
Number the fingers on both left and right hands as follows:
- Thumb: 1
- Index: 2
- Middle: 3
- Ring: 4
- Little: 5
Here’s a diagram of how to number the fingers:
Left and right hands fingering for C Major scale
Right Hand Playing
The ascending one octave C Major scale is most easily played by the right hand with the fingering 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Should you wish to play more than one octave, replace the ’5′ with a ’1′, continuing the sequence from the start, thus: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1…
To play the descending one octave C Major scale, reverse the sequence thus: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1.
Should you be playing more than one octave, repeat the sequence from finger ’4′, thus: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3…
Left Hand Playing
The ascending one octave C Major scale is most easily played by the left hand with the fingering 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1.
Should you wish to play more than one octave, repeat the sequence from finger ’4′, thus: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3…
To play the descending one octave C Major scale, reverse the sequence thus: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Should you be playing more than one octave, replace the ’5′ with a ’1′, continuing the sequence from the start, thus: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1…
Playing Both Hands Together
Once you’ve practiced both hands separately, it’s time to play the two hands simultaneously. There’s no particular trick to this — it just takes time to get used to it.
Scales are generally played with the hands one octave — that is, eight white notes — apart.
Start slowly, concentrating on fingering and playing each pair of notes at the same time, and gradually build up the speed. Ensure the scale maintains a regular rhythm.
Accenting
Sometimes scales are played with a slight accent on every fourth note. This works well for two and four octave scales.
Music Score
Here is the music score for one octave of the C major scale, with the right hand starting on Middle C and the left hand starting on the C below middle C.
C Major Scale music manuscript
Audio
The following MIDI file is of both hands playing a one octave C Major scale both ascending and descending.
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum): Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
December 7, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “O Christmas Tree” (also known as “O Tannenbaum”).
Introduction
Here, O Christmas Tree is written and played in the key of F Major, and has a 3/4 time signature.
Main Melody
Notice that the song is constructed from two phrases. The first phrase is played, then repeated. Then the second phrase is played. Finally, the first phrase is played again.
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
C | F F F G | A A A A | G A Bb E | G A C |
F F F G | A A A A | G A Bb E | G A C |
C A D C | C Bb Bb Bb | Bb G C Bb | Bb A A C |
F F F G | A A A A | G A Bb E | G A |
Here’s the complete melody written out:
Here’s what it sounds like:
Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play a dotted half note (dotted minim) per bar.
You can see just how simple the accompaniment is. It comprises of a low F and a higher C. You can leave your left hand in position over those two notes, playing the low F with your little (5th) finger and the high C with your thumb.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Extended Bass Line and Chords
Here’s a full version of O Tannenbaum with an enhanced bass line and right-hand chords.
The rhythm of the bass line has changed so every bar (except the final one) has a half note (minim) followed by a quarter note (crotchet).
You’ll notice that the harmony in the first and second lines is identical. It’s the final line that has an alternative harmony, with slightly more changes in the bass and in the chords, to give a distinctive to the end of the piece.
If the variety of chords on the last line looks a little daunting, you might want to practice the transition between them.
In particular, look out for the change from the C minor chord at the end of that first bar and the F# diminished chord in second inversion (has the C at the bottom) at the start of the next bar. In actual fact, it’s easier to play than to describe the chord name! If you play the C minor chord with your thumb, index and ring fingers, then keep your thumb over the C and play the F sharp with your middle finger and A with your little finger, you get a smoother transition.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
In The Bleak Mid-Winter: Mastering Christmas Carols on the Piano and Keyboard
December 7, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “In The Bleak Mid-Winter”.
Introduction
Here, In The Bleak Mid-Winter is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Main Melody
Notice that the song is constructed from three similar-sounding phrases and a distinct melodic passage.
Bars 1-4 (line 1), 5-8 (line 2) and 13-16 (line 4) are all very similar (lines 2 and 4 are identical) but have a couple of differences.
For example, notice the difference in notes and timing between bar 3 and 7.
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
E F G E | D C | D E D A | D
E F G E | D C | D E D C | C
F E F G | A A E | G E D C | B
E F G E | D C | D E D C | C
Here’s the complete melody written out:
Here’s what it sounds like:
Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play a whole note (semibreve) per bar, with the exception of bars 7, 11 and 15 where you play two half notes (minims).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Bass Line and Chords
Here’s a full-blown version of In The Bleak Mid-Winter with right-hand chords.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
December 3, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Introduction
Here, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Main Melody
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
C E G C | G F E D C D | C E G C | G | E G C E | D C B A G F | E | |
C E G C | G F E D C D | C E G C | G | E G C E | F E D C B D | E | |
E E E D C | B C D C B | A B C B | B | C C C B A | G A B G A | B C D D | G
C E G C | G F E D C D | C E G C | G | E G C E | F E D C B D | E | E |
E F A C | E D C B A B | C |
Here’s the complete melody written out:
There are five distinct sections to the melody. The first eight bars are almost repeated in the second set of eight bars, with a slight variation in bars 14 and 15.
This is followed by a middle section of eight bars, then eight bars that echo the second phrase.
The final four bars close the song.
Take a look at the melody and you’ll see it’s comprised of many runs of arpeggios (broken chords) and descending scales. For example, bar one is an ascending C major arpeggio starting on the root and moving to E, G and the C octave. This is followed by bar two which is a run of five notes descending in the scale of C major from the fifth note (G) to the root (C).
In bar 5 you’ll see a C major arpeggio starting on the major 3rd note (E) and rising to G, C and the E octave. Bars 6 and 7 feature a seven note descending C major scale starting on the second note (D) and going down to the lower E.
Interestingly, at the start of the final phrase (last line, bar 33) there’s a rising F major arpeggio.
If you listen to the recording below it may sound a little regimented. This is because it’s played exactly as the musical notation dictates. Feel free to alter the timing of the notes to adapt it to the timing you like, adding your own performance nuances.
Here’s what it sounds like:
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play two half notes (minims) per bar.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Bass Line and Chords
Here’s a full-blown version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas with right-hand chords. This version really brings out some of the wonderful harmonies in the piece.
Note that the bass line has been altered a little from the previous example.
There are quite a few chord changes particularly on the third line. Do make an effort to play them, practicing the transition between them, as it really is worth it.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Auld Lang Syne: Mastering Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
December 1, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “Auld Lang Syne“.
Auld Lang Syne: Introduction
Here, Auld Lang Syne is written and played in the key of D Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Auld Lang Syne: Main Melody
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
A | D D D F# | E D E F# E | D D F# A | B B |
A F# F# D | E D E F# E | D B B A | D B |
A F# F# D | E D E B | A F# F# A | B B |
A F# F# D | E D E F# E | D B B A | D |
Here’s the complete melody written out:
Feel free to alter the timing of the notes to make the music “flow” better. Remember, musical notation is not an exact science and there’s room for your own interpretation of the music.
Here’s what it sounds like:
Auld Lang Syne: Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play one whole note (semibreve) per bar, with the exception of the final bar which contains a dotted half note (minim).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Auld Lang Syne: Walking Bassline – Arpeggios
To inject a bit of movement into the piece, here’s a walking bass line comprised of quarter notes (crotchets) played as arpeggios (broken chords).
After the bass note in the bass clef of each bar, you play the next three notes in the major chord arpeggio – that is, the major third, perfect fifth and octave intervals.
In fact there are only three different arpeggios used — a D major (as per bar 2), an A major (bar 3) and G major (bar 5).
Though these should be fairly easy to play, do watch the big jumps between the top note at the end of one bar and the lower note at the start of the next bar. This is particularly noticeable in bars such as 3 and 4, jumping down from a high A to a low D.
It’s important to keep these notes steady, so the four notes maintain a regular rhythm. It may take a bit of practice when played against the first two melody notes in many bars (2, 3, 4 and so on). Listen to the music to hear how these should be played.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Auld Lang Syne: Walking Bassline with Right Hand Chords
In the final version of Auld Lang Syne, I’ve added three-note chords to the right hand to give fullness and a richer harmony.
Generally there’s a chord to play on the first and third beats of each bar. Try to hold the lower notes of the chord while you play the melody over the top. Using the sustain pedal will really help smooth the sound out.
The exception is in bars like 5 and 9, where you have a dotted half note (minim) followed by a quarter note (crotchet).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
December 1, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”.
Introduction
Here, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Main Melody
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
G A G E C | A G | G A G A G C | B | F G F D B | A G | G A G A G A | E |
G A G E C | A G | G A G A G C | B | F G F D B | A G | G A G A G D | C |
A A C A | G E G | F A G F | E | D E G A | B B B | C C B A | G F D |
G A G E C | A G | G A G A G C | B | F G F D B | A G | G A G A G D | C
Here’s the complete melody written out:
Feel free to alter the timing of the notes to make the music “flow” better. Remember, musical notation is not an exact science and there’s room for your own interpretation of the music.
Here’s what it sounds like:
Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play one whole note (semibreve) per bar, with the exception of bar 11 which contains two half notes (minims).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Walking Bassline – Octaves
To inject a bit of movement into the piece, here’s a walking bass line comprised of quarter notes (crotchets).
Generally in each bar you play a bass note followed by a note one octave above, then repeat.
Bar 19 has two different sets of octave intervals. The first starts on D and the second on G.
In the final bar hold the third note (C) for two beats.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Walking Bassline with Right Hand Chords
In the final version of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I’ve added three-note chords to the right hand to give fullness and a richer harmony.
Generally there’s a chord to play on the first beat of each bar. Try to hold the lower notes of the chord while you play the melody over the top. Using the sustain pedal will really help smooth the sound out.
Watch out for bar 19 which contains two half note chords.
You’ll notice that the bass line has changed slightly in bar 16 to add a bit of interest. However, the song doesn’t sound bad if you play the original version of that bar (a repeat of bar 15).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
White Christmas: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
December 1, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “White Christmas“.
White Christmas: Introduction
Here, White Christmas is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
White Christmas: Main Melody
Here are the melody notes you need to play:
E | F E D# E | F | F# G | A B C D | C B A G |
C D | E E | E A G | C C | C G F | E | F E D C | D | (D) | E |
F E D# E | F | F# G | A B C D | C B A G | (G) | (G) C D | E E |
E A G | C | (C) C D | E E | A B B B | C | (C)
Here’s the complete melody written out:
The musical notation is written to allow for a slight ‘push’ ahead of the beat in bars 5/6, 6/7 and again in bars 21/22 and 22/23. You may wish to alter the timing when you play. Listen to the recording below, which is taken directly from this notation, and see what you prefer. You are totally at liberty to add your own artistic interpretation.
Here’s what it sounds like:
White Christmas: Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. Most of the time you simply play one whole note (semibreve) per bar, with the exception of bar 29 which contains two half notes (minims), and bars 27/28 and 31/32 which have tied whole notes held for eight beats in total.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
White Christmas: Walking Bassline
To inject a bit of movement into the piece, here’s a walking bass line comprised of quarter notes (crotchets).
In the main, you play a bass note followed by a note a perfect fifth above it, followed by the original bass note an octave higher, followed by the second note again.
So, in bar 1 you play a low C followed by the G above it, followed by the C above that, followed by the G again. In bar 3 you play a low D followed by A, high D then A, and so on.
Bar 12 is an exception. This is a broken F minor chord (F, A flat, C) placed to give a better harmony.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
White Christmas: Walking Bassline with Right Hand Chords
In the final version of White Christmas, I’ve added three-note chords to the right hand to give fullness and a richer harmony.
Generally there’s a chord to play on the first beat of each bar. Try to hold the lower notes of the chord while you play the melody over the top. Using the sustain pedal will really help smooth the sound out.
Watch out for bars 27 and 28 (first two bars on the last line). In the right hand, the F major chord changes to an F minor chord, but you should only play the A flat while holding on to the F and C (and releasing the A).
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Winter Wonderland: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
November 24, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “Winter Wonderland”.
Introduction
Here, Winter Wonderland is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Main Melody
This well-known Christmas song is made from four distinct phrases, with the first two and last one being very similar to one another, with the third distinct ‘bridge’.
The first eight bars feature the first phrase. The second eight bars feature the same phrase repeated.
The next eight bars are quite different, while the final eight bars replicate the second phrase.
The melody notes you need to play are:
G G | G G G | E G G G | G G G | F G G |
B B B A A | G G G F | E E E E D D D D |
C G G | G G G | E G G G | G G G | F G G |
B B B A A | G G G F | E E E E D D D D | C |
B B G# G# C# C# A A | G# E | B B G# G# C# C# A A |
G# | D D B B E E C C | B G G | B B B B A A A A |
G G G | G G G | E G G G | G G G | F G G |
B B B A A | G G G F | E E E E D D D D | C |
Here’s the complete melody written out:
The musical notation may look a little strange to you if you’re not used to seeing triplets. Although the piece of music is written in 4/4, each beat is broken up into thirds. Another way of thinking of it is that each bar has 12 distinct, regular ‘pulses’ or beats in it (we could probably have written it in a time signature such as 6/8 or 12/8 instead).
In reality, there’s nothing much to worry about here, particularly if you know what the song sounds like. In each beat that’s made up of a triplet, you generally have a note that lasts for two-thirds of the beat followed by a note that lasts the remaining one-third (like the pair of notes in bar one or the last beat of bars 2,3 and 4).
Bars with tied notes such as bars 3, 5 and 6 might look confusing. If it boggles your mind and you want to get it completely right, try playing the song much slower than normal and count 12 beats in every bar.
If you do this, a triplet takes up three beats (with the split of notes as described above); a quarter note (crotchet) also takes three beats on its own; a half note (minim) takes six beats on its own; a dotted half note takes nine beats on its own, and so on.
Look at the beginning of bar 3. You should be able to work out how long that last note in the first triplet tied to the next half note lasts — 7 beats.
Or in bar 5, where the three Gs are tied together for a total of 9 beats.
When all is said and done, remember that the printed manuscript is only there as a guide. As you get used to the piece, you can play it with your own chosen swing and timing nuances (and indeed you should).
Here’s what it sounds like:
Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. It uses four quarter notes (crotchets) per bar to provide a basic rhythm to the song. Be sure to play these notes steadily and regularly.
Many of the intervals between first and second notes in each bar are an octave, with some perfect fourth and perfect fifths.
Here’s the printed music, split over two pages:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Adding right hand chords
In the final version of Winter Wonderland, I’ve added two- and three-note chords to the right hand.
Generally there’s a chord to play on the first beat of each bar, except in cases such as bar 8 where two chords (the first on beat 1 and the second on beat 3) make for a better harmony.
Try to hold the lower one or two notes of the chord while you play the melody over the top. Using the sustain pedal will really help smooth the sound out.
Here’s the printed music, split over two pages:
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Frosty the Snowman: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard
November 22, 2011
Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions
This guide will show you how to play simple arrangements of “Frosty the Snowman”.
Introduction
Here, Frosty the Snowman is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.
Main Melody
This well-known Christmas song is made from four distinct phrases, with the first two and last one being very similar to one another, with the third distinct ‘bridge’.
The first eight bars feature the first phrase. The second eight bars feature almost the same phrase repeated, with the exception of the final two bars.
The next eight bars are quite different, while the final eight bars replicate the second phrase.
The melody notes you need to play are:
G E F | G C B C | D C B A | G B C | D C B A A | G C E G A | G F E F | G |
G E F | G C B C | D C B A | G B C | D C B A A | G C E G A | G F E D | C C |
A A C C | B A G E | F A G F | E E | D D G G | B B D | D C B A | G F D |
G E F | G C B C | D C B A | G B C | D C B A A | G C E G A | G F E D | C |
Here’s the complete melody written out:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Single Note Bass Line
Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. With two half notes (minims) in each bar it provides a basic rhythm to the song.
Many of the intervals between first and second notes in each bar are an octave or a perfect fourth. Watch out for bars 5, 13 and 29 which jump down from an F to a G.
Here’s the printed music:
And here’s what it sounds like:
Playing a chord harmony
In the final version of Frosty the Snowman, I’ve added three note chords to the right hand and taken out the melody. This is a useful version if you are accompanying singers.
Note that most of the song uses C major, F major and G major chords. However, to make it both easier to play and sound better, the C major is usually played in root position, the F major in 2nd inversion (so the C is at the root of the chord) and the G major in 1st inversion (so the B is at the root of the chord).
You can see from this that the right hand fingers have to move very little in order to play the chords.
Note that in bar 23 there’s a D major chord (see the F# accidental). This is pretty much the only time the right hand has to move slightly out of position.
Here’s the printed music.
And here’s what it sounds like:
We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.
