London Bridge Is Falling Down: easy piano notes
This version of London Bridge Is Falling Down uses six white keys: C, D, E, F, G and A. The whole tune is only four bars long, so it is a good first song to learn from start to finish.
Key: C major. Time: 4/4. Range: C4–A4. Hand: right hand for the melody. This page contains the melody without a left-hand accompaniment.
Find the six keys
Look for a group of two black keys near the middle of the keyboard. C is the white key immediately to their left. The white keys to its right are D, E, F, G and A. The number 4 in C4 names the octave; middle C is C4.
Most of the tune lies between D and A. One comfortable position is thumb on D, with E, F, G and A under the other fingers. At the very end the hand moves down to finish on C.
The complete melody, with beat counts
Each row below is one bar with four beats. The number after a note is its length in beats: (1) one beat and (0.5) half a beat, so two such notes share one beat. Repeated letters mean play the key again.
Bars 1 and 3 are the same: G A G F E F and a G that lasts one beat. Bar 2 goes D E F, then E F G, and bar 4 ends the song with D G E C.
| Bar | Notes and beats |
|---|---|
| 1 |
G(0.5)
A(0.5)
G(0.5)
F(0.5)
E(0.5)
F(0.5)
G(1)
|
| 2 |
D(0.5)
E(0.5)
F(1)
E(0.5)
F(0.5)
G(1)
|
| 3 |
G(0.5)
A(0.5)
G(0.5)
F(0.5)
E(0.5)
F(0.5)
G(1)
|
| 4 |
D(1)
G(1)
E(1)
C(1)
|
Try one small part at a time
- Start with the end of bar 1: E F G, three neighbouring keys going up.
- Try the whole of bar 1 slowly: G A G F, then E F G. Two quick notes go to each beat, and the last G takes a full beat.
- Try bar 2: D E and a full-beat F, then E F and a full-beat G.
- Play bar 3, the same as bar 1, and finish with bar 4: D, G, E and C, one beat each.
Letter names and notes on the staff
Letter names help you find the keys. The staff shows how pitches move higher or lower, and the note shapes show their lengths. You can use the letters to begin and return to the staff as the pattern becomes familiar.
You can print this page using your browser’s print command. Keep the beat-count table with the score if your child still needs help with note lengths.
Questions about this version
How many keys does the tune use?
Six: C, D, E, F, G and A, all white keys.
Does my child need to play both hands?
This page teaches the melody with one hand. There is no left-hand part to learn at the same time.
Why does the rhythm look different in other versions?
Many songbooks write the quick notes in a dotted, skipping rhythm. This version keeps them even, two to a beat, which is easier for a beginner to count. The notes are the same.
Continue with guided practice
London Bridge Is Falling Down is one of the songs in the Soitilo song library. Each playing task begins with Practice, where the accompaniment waits for your child, before Play with the accompaniment. Soitilo works on the screen, with a MIDI keyboard (USB cable or Bluetooth, on a device that supports it) or with a piano heard through the microphone.
For parents: explore how the learning path works and what is included for free.
Start with the basics and Chapter 1 at no cost. Optional subscriptions open more learning and songs. The iPhone and iPad version is coming soon to the App Store.
soitilo.com