Piano songs · First piece
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on piano
Twinkle Twinkle is the perfect first piece: every note is a white key, your hand barely moves, and you already know how it should sound. Here are the notes, with a simple left hand to add when you're ready.
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 tune is an 18th-century French melody, "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman", first published in 1761; Mozart wrote a famous set of twelve variations on it. The English words come from Jane Taylor's 1806 poem "The Star". It's the same tune as the alphabet song and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
The notes
The letters above are the tune, played by your right hand: C C G G A; A G F F E; E D D C G; G F F E E; D G G F F; E E D C C; G G A A G; F F E E D; D 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
- Hand position: right thumb on middle C, one finger per white key up to G. You'll need to stretch your little finger up to A once.
- Six notes: the whole tune uses just C, D, E, F, G and A.
- Keep it steady: every note is the same length except the last of each line, which is held for two beats.
- Then add the left hand: one long low note under each pair of beats (C, F or G), slowly, until both hands feel like one.
Learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? 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 Twinkle Twinkle on piano?
C C G G A A G, F F E E D D C, G G F F E E D, G G F F E E D, C C G G A A G, F F E E D D C.
Is Twinkle Twinkle good for beginners?
It's one of the best first pieces: all white keys, five fingers and one stretch, and a tune you already know.
More songs to play
A simple arrangement of a public-domain melody. Piano sound: Salamander Grand Piano by Alexander Holm, CC BY 3.0.