O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum): Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

Here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

Here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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”.

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.

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

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:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

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:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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”.

Introduction

Here, White Christmas 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:

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

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:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

Walking Bassline with Right Hand Chords

In the final version of White Christmaws, 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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

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:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

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.

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.

Joy to the World: Mastering Christmas Carols on the Piano and Keyboard

Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions

View a range of Christmas Carols Music Books at Amazon.

A popular carol in our series on mastering Christmas Carols on Piano and Keyboard is “Joy to the World”.

Introduction

Here, Joy to the World is written and played in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature.

C major makes the higher notes more comfortable to sing, but you could transpose up (or indeed down) if needed.

Main Melody

The melody notes you need to play are:

C B A | G – F | E D | C – G | A – A | B – B | C | ^C C |
C B A G | G F E C | C B A G | G F E E |
E E E E F | G – - F E | D D D D E | F – - E D | C C – A |
G F E F | E – D – | C – - – |

Here’s the complete melody written out:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

Fingering

The first four bars contain a descending C major scale, so play this as you would a normal scale, starting on the fifth (little) finger, running to the thumb (on F) and then bridging over with your middle (third) finger to play the E, ending up on the thumb again on C.

Stretch your index finger up to the next note – G – if you can as this makes the next run easy to play. Play the descending runs of notes with your fingers in sequence, arching over with your index finger where necessary.

Single Note Bass Line

Below is a simple bass line for the carol using just one note at a time. Most of the bass notes are whole notes (semibreves) with one bar of half notes (minims). You only play notes C, F and G.

Here’s the printed music:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

More elaborate bass line

This bass line is a little more elaborate and follows the melody rhythmically, often reflecting the melody in some way.

Here’s the printed music:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

Adding harmony and fullness with chords

In the final version of Joy to the World, I’ve added two- and three-note chords to the right hand, always with the melody note as the highest note. The bass line has also been slightly altered to fit with the harmonies.

Here’s the printed music.

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.

Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard: An Introduction

With Christmas just around the corner, you may want to begin brushing up on your Christmas carols and Christmas songs.

In this ongoing series, I’ll take a look at some of the more popular songs, and show you ways of learning and playing them quickly and simply no matter what your proficiency (having said that, if you are already a virtuoso on the piano, you may be better off buying the sheet music and practising the full arrangements yourself.)

Christmas songs often seem complicated, and because they’re only called for during a short period of time in the year, they’re not always polished.

Often the song can be vastly simplified and still sound good – certainly good enough for a sing-song around the piano. Often it’s enough to be able to pitch the tune or play a basic bass and accompaniment to keep singers in tune.

• All Through the Night
• Frosty the Snowman
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
• Jingle Bells
• Let It Snow
• O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• We Wish You A Merry Christmas
• White Christmas
• Winter Wonderland

Jingle Bells: Mastering Christmas Songs on the Piano and Keyboard

Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions

A very popular Christmas song is “Jingle Bells”. Here’s how to play a simple arrangement of it.

Introduction

Here, Jingle Bells 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 being very similar to one another, and the second two following each other closely.

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 feature the second phrase. The final eight bars feature that phrase almost identically repeated until the final three bars.

The melody notes you need to play are:

E E E – | E E E – | E G C D | E – - – |
F F F F | F E E E E | E D D E | D – G – |
E E E – | E E E – | E G C D | E – - – |
F F F F | F E E E E | G G F D | C – - – |
G E D C | G – - G G | G E D C | A – - – |
A F E D | B – - – | G G F D | E – - – |
G E D C | G – - G G | G E D C | A – - – |
A F E D | G G G G G | A G F D | C – - – |

Here’s the complete melody written out:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

Fingering

The first 16 bars can be played with the right hand in a single position. It’s then a small jump downwards onto the right thumb to begin playing the last 16 bars. These can be played without much stretching involved, and with the right hand thumb ‘anchoring’ around the lower G.

Single Note Bass Line

Below is a simple bass line for the song using just one note at a time. It’s a very simple whole note per bar arrangement, where you’ll always be playing either C, D, F or G.

Here’s the printed music:

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

Adding harmony and fullness with chords

In the final version of Jingle Bells, I’ve added two- and three-note chords to the right hand, always with the melody note as the highest note. The bass line has also been slightly altered to fit with the harmonies.

Noting the only sharpened note in the whole piece, in bar seven. The F sharp at the root of the chord helps create an interesting harmony.

Here’s the printed music.

(Download this as a PDF file)

And here’s what it sounds like:

Listen

We hope you found this guide useful. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions.

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