About the piece
The tune is a French folk song, Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, first printed in 1761. Mozart wrote twelve variations on it (K 265); the English words “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” are a poem by Jane Taylor from 1806.
The same tune is also sung as the alphabet song and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep”.
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.
CCGGAAG
FFEEDDC
GGFFEED
GGFFEED
CCGGAAG
FFEEDDC
How to practise it
- Read the notes above and find the hand position: most of the time the fingers stay on five neighbouring keys.
- Every phrase uses notes in pairs (C C, G G…): play each pair with the same relaxed finger.
- 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.