How to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on piano
- Level
- Very easy
- Key
- C major
- Composer
- Traditional (French melody, 18th century)
- Written
- 1761 melody, 1806 lyrics
The tune comes from the French song 'Ah! vous dirai-je, maman', which Mozart later used for a famous set of variations. The English words are from Jane Taylor's 1806 poem. It uses only six notes and moves mostly by repeated notes and steps, which makes it the classic first song.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star letter notes
Press play to hear each line while the keys light up. Then play along, one line at a time.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
CCGGAAG
How I wonder what you are
FFEEDDC
Up above the world so high
GGFFEED
Like a diamond in the sky
GGFFEED
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
CCGGAAG
How I wonder what you are
FFEEDDC
Underlined notes are long notes: hold them for two beats or more.
Hand position
Right hand in C position: thumb on C, little finger on G. Stretch finger 5 up to A for the 'little star' notes.
Easy left-hand chords
Once the melody is comfortable, add these chords in your left hand, one per line or bar: C F C | F C G C | C F C G | C F C G | C F C | F C G C.
Chord diagrams: C major, F major, G major.
Practice tips
- Every phrase ends on a long note. Hold it for two full beats before moving on.
- The two middle phrases ('Up above the world so high') are identical. Learn one and you know both.
- Once the melody is easy, add a left-hand C on beat one of each bar, then try C, F and G chords.
How to practice this song
- Listen to each line once with the play button.
- Play one line slowly with the right hand until you make no mistakes three times in a row.
- Join two lines together, then the whole song.
- Add the left-hand chords, at half speed, once the melody is automatic.