Songs · Beginner
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Traditional (French tune, 1761; words by Jane Taylor, 1806) · The French song “Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” with the English poem “The Star”
C major4/4 time12 barsboth hands
Arranged: Teddy Rook Book: the melody with a simple left hand. The notes here are not exactly the ones the composer wrote.
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About this piece
The first piece for both hands. The left hand plays one slow note while the right hand sings the tune. Play each hand alone first, then put them together slowly. In the first line your right hand sits a little higher: thumb on C, finger 4 on G and finger 5 on A.
What it practices
- hands together
- C position with a reach to A
- bass clef: C, F and G
Where the notes come from
Melody checked against the theme of Mozart’s Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, maman”, K. 265 (Mutopia Project edition for two guitars, from the Porro print; public domain). The notes match. Mozart repeats the note on the long words (“star”, “are”) and adds two small decorations (bars 7 and 15); the song as sung holds a half note there instead. Dates from Wikipedia.
How to practice with it
- Listen first. Press Play and follow the moving line with your eyes. The lit notes and keys show what sounds right now: blue is the right hand, orange the left.
- Slow it down. Use − and + to set the tempo. 60% is a good place to start.
- One hand at a time. Choose Right or Left, learn that hand, then put them together.
- Wait for me. Turn it on and press Start. The lit keys show what to play, and the music waits until you play them, on the screen, on your computer keyboard or on a MIDI keyboard.
- Loop the hard part. Turn on Loop, pick the bars, and play them a few times in a row.
Click a bar in the music to start from there. Space plays and pauses. The computer keys A S D F G H J K play C D E F G A B C (press ⌨ Computer keys under the music to see them on the piano).