About the piece
The words are Robert Burns's Scottish poem (1788), sung to a folk tune. Around the world it is sung at midnight on New Year's Eve.
The tune mostly uses five notes, like many Scottish folk melodies.
The arrangement was written by us for Piano Learning; the app also has a ★★ version with chords.
The notes of the melody (right hand)
Notes with a coloured border are longer. The video also shows the left hand.
CFFFAGFGAFFACD
DCAAFGFGAFDDCF
DCAAFGFGDCAACD
DCAAFGFGAFDDCF
How to practise it
- Read the notes above and find the hand position: most of the time the fingers stay on five neighbouring keys.
- The dotted rhythm (long–short) gives it its Scottish character: keep it.
- Add the left hand only when the right hand is secure, first at 60% as in the video.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read music?
No: the notes are written in letters and the video shows which key to press and for how long.
Can I play it with one hand?
Yes, the right-hand melody alone is already recognisable. In the app, if you practise one hand, the app plays the other.