Au Clair de la Lune (first line)

The melody in letters

Measure by measure, as the app’s melody version has it; the small numbers are the fingers.

1. Measure 1C₁C₁C₁D₂
2. Measure 2E₃D₂
3. Measure 3C₁E₃D₂D₂
4. Measure 4C₁
5. Measure 5C₁C₁C₁D₂
6. Measure 6E₃D₂
7. Measure 7C₁E₃D₂D₂
8. Measure 8C₁

At a glance

It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.

Versions in the app

Practice notes

This arrangement of the French folk song uses just its first line, C C C D E, D, C E D D C, played twice. That keeps it to three keys, middle C, D and E, with the right thumb on middle C: C 1, D 2, E 3. (The song's middle section dips below middle C, so it is left for later.)

It is the same three notes as Hot Cross Buns, in a new shape:

• it starts going up (C C C D E) where Hot Cross Buns starts going down;
• it has a skip, C up to E, in the middle;
• it has long notes: E and D are half notes, and the last C is a whole note, held for four counts.

The tricky part is counting the long notes. Say "1 2" through each half note and "1 2 3 4" through the last C. Letting go early is the usual slip.

Practice plan. Play it with Wait for me, counting aloud. Then try the version with bass, where the left hand holds a C or G under the tune.

In the path: Unit 1 for grown-ups, straight after Hot Cross Buns; and the Kids unit Long and short, where its half and whole notes are the lesson.

Credits and license

• Music: Traditional
• Arranged for Octotune
• License: Arrangement © Octotune; melody public domain