London Bridge Is Falling Down
London Bridge Is Falling Down sits in D position, with the right thumb on the D above middle C and the little finger on A. Its first bar has a dotted rhythm, and the very last note needs the thumb to reach down to middle C.
The melody in letters
Bar by bar, as the app’s melody version has it; the small numbers are the fingers.
- G4A5G4F3
- E2F3G4
- D1E2F3
- E2F3G4
- G4A5G4F3
- E2F3G4
- D1G4
- E2C1
At a glance
| Composer | Traditional |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | First pieces: grades 1–2 of 8 |
| Key | C major (no sharps or flats) |
| Time | 4/4 |
| Tempo | 100 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 8 bars, about 19 seconds |
| Hands | one hand or both, by version |
| Right hand | C4 to A4 |
| Left hand | C3 to G3 |
| On the path | Unit 6, Steps and skips, Kids, Steps and skips, up to E |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Versions in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| London Bridge Is Falling Down — melody | 1 of 8 | Full |
| London Bridge Is Falling Down — with bass | 2 of 8 | Melody, Full |
Practice notes
London Bridge is a good tune for learning that a hand position doesn't have to start on C. Put the right thumb on D, just above middle C, and the fingers fall on D E F G A (1 2 3 4 5).
The first line is G A G F, E F G ("London Bridge is falling down"), D E F ("falling down"), E F G ("falling down"). The last line repeats the start, then ends D, G, E C ("my fair lady").
Two things to watch:
- The dotted rhythm at the start. The first G is a dotted quarter and the A a quick eighth: long-short, "Lon-don". Don't make them even.
- The last note, middle C, is one key below the position. The thumb reaches down to it from D. Don't move the whole hand.
Reading tip. The tune moves mostly by step: from a line to the next space and back. Follow the shape with your eyes and fingers rather than naming each note.
Practice plan. Clap the first bar's rhythm, then play it. Learn the first line in Wait for me, then the ending, then put them together.
In the path: Unit 6 for grown-ups (steps and skips), and the Kids unit Hop and skip.
Questions
What are the piano notes for London Bridge Is Falling Down?
G A G F E F G, D E F, E F G; G A G F E F G, D, G, E C. Right thumb on D: D 1, E 2, F 3, G 4, A 5, with the thumb reaching down to C for the last note.
Credits and licence
- Music: Traditional
- Arranged for Octotune
- Licence: Arrangement © Octotune; melody public domain