Piano songs · Beginner
Deck the Halls on piano
Deck the Halls is cheerful, quick and mostly a walk down the scale, with the famous "fa la la" in between. Here are the first two lines (they repeat), with a simple left hand.
The tune in letter names, lit as it plays. Right hand in peach, left hand in lilac. Turn off "Both hands" to hear the tune alone.
About the piece
The melody is a Welsh New Year's tune, "Nos Galan", from the 16th century. The English words were written by Thomas Oliphant in 1862.
The notes
The letters above are the tune, played by your right hand: G F E D C; D E C D E F D E; D C B C G; F E D C D; E C D E F D E; D C B C. Longer boxes are longer notes. Press Play and follow along, then slow it down with the speed slider and play with it.
How to learn it
- It walks down the scale: G, F, E, D, C. Keep your hand in C position and the notes are under your fingers.
- The fa-la-las are quick: four short notes, then a longer one. Say them as you play.
- The low B: near the end of each line the tune dips to the B below middle C. Tuck your thumb under, or shift your hand.
- Left hand: C and G, changing with the harmony.
Learning Deck the Halls? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a rhythm that runs away. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
What are the notes for Deck the Halls?
In C: G F E D C D E C, D E F D E D C B C, then the same again.
Is Deck the Halls easy on piano?
Yes: it's mostly in one hand position, walking down the C major scale.
More songs to play
A simple arrangement of a public-domain melody. Piano sound: Salamander Grand Piano by Alexander Holm, CC BY 3.0.