Practice Library · Hi Violin! · Famous Songs · Grade 1

Grade 1 Famous Songs

50 famous tunes to learn at Grade 1 level: about one a week for a year. Listen with the piano, learn the notes on the fingerboard, then play along with the piano on your own and earn a ⭐ for each song.

⬇ Grade 1 songs (PDF)

Tap any note on the music to jump to it.
Tempo
Fingering for this note
✎ Your own fingering is saved on this device.
0 open string I E · II A · III D · IV Gstrings 1234 fingers

On a computer: → next note · ← back · Space play / stop. No sound on iPhone or iPad? Turn off silent mode (the switch on the side) and turn the volume up. Tap any note on the fingerboard to hear it.

For teachers: edit the fingering and the music

Each note is written as note/length/string+finger, for example F#4/e/D2. Lengths: t demisemiquaver, s semiquaver, s. dotted semiquaver, e quaver, e. dotted quaver, q crotchet, q. dotted crotchet, h minim, h. dotted minim, w semibreve; triplets e3, s3, q3. Rests: r/q, r/h … Use | for a bar line. Signs go after a 4th slash: ( slur starts, ) slur ends, ~ tie, . staccato, > accent, - tenuto, ^ pause, v up-bow, n down-bow, e.g. A4/q/A0/(.. Dynamics (p mf f …), hairpins (< or > … !) and words such as "pizz." go just before their note.

“Apply” saves it on this device. To change it for everyone, copy the code and paste it into the code line for this song in famous-songs-grade-1.html.

How to learn a song: press Play and listen first, with the piano. Then switch to Learn and play it slowly, note by note, with Next ▶, watching the fingers light up on the fingerboard. When you know the notes, choose Slow, untick 🎻 Violin tune, and play along with the piano on your own. Move up to Steady and Target, then press ☆ I can play it! to earn your star. Grade 1 songs use the D, A and E strings (and a little G string) in 1st position, in D, A and G major. Every song here is out of copyright, and every arrangement was written for Aria’s students.
Famous Songs · Grades 1–5

50 songs for Grade 1: about one a week for a year

These songs are arranged for Grade 1 violin (D, A and G major · 1st position). Grade 1 songs use the D, A and E strings (and a little G string) in 1st position, in D, A and G major. Each song has chord names over the music, so a teacher or parent can also accompany on piano or guitar. Press Play to hear the violin tune with a simple piano part, or untick “Violin tune” to play along with just the piano.

The songs
  1. Hot Cross Buns Traditional (England)
  2. Mary Had a Little Lamb Traditional (USA), 1830s
  3. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star French tune (1761); words by Jane Taylor (1806)
  4. Lightly Row German folk song (Hänschen klein)
  5. Song of the Wind German folk song (Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen)
  6. Go Tell Aunt Rhody American folk song (tune by J.-J. Rousseau, 1752)
  7. Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?) French round, 1700s
  8. London Bridge Is Falling Down Traditional (England)
  9. Ode to Joy Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No. 9, 1824)
  10. Au Clair de la Lune French folk song, 1700s
  11. Old MacDonald Had a Farm Traditional (England / USA)
  12. Yankee Doodle American song, 1700s
  13. When the Saints Go Marching In African-American spiritual
  14. Jingle Bells James Lord Pierpont (1857)
  15. Good King Wenceslas Carol from Piae Cantiones (1582); words by J. M. Neale (1853)
  16. Away in a Manger James R. Murray (1887)
  17. Deck the Halls Welsh carol (Nos Galan)
  18. We Wish You a Merry Christmas English carol (West Country)
  19. Happy Birthday Mildred and Patty Hill (Good Morning to All, 1893)
  20. Aura Lee George R. Poulton (1861)
  21. Goin' Home (Largo) Antonín Dvořák (New World Symphony, 1893)
  22. Amazing Grace American hymn tune (New Britain, 1829); words by John Newton
  23. Auld Lang Syne Scottish folk tune; words by Robert Burns (1788)
  24. All My Little Ducklings (Alle meine Entchen) German children's song
  25. Cuckoo (Kuckuck, Kuckuck) German folk song (words by Hoffmann von Fallersleben, 1835)
  26. Bobby Shafto English folk song (Northumberland)
  27. The More We Get Together (Ach, du lieber Augustin) Austrian folk song, 1700s
  28. God Save the King British national anthem (also a New Zealand national anthem), 1740s
  29. Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening (O wie wohl ist mir am Abend) German round
  30. Holy, Holy, Holy John B. Dykes (Nicaea, 1861)
  31. O God, Our Help in Ages Past William Croft (St Anne, 1708)
  32. Abide with Me William H. Monk (Eventide, 1861)
  33. Fairest Lord Jesus Silesian folk tune (St Elizabeth, 1842)
  34. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty German hymn tune (Lobe den Herren, 1665)
  35. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther (Ein feste Burg, 1529)
  36. Jesus Shall Reign John Hatton (Duke Street, 1793)
  37. Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Easter Hymn (Lyra Davidica, 1708)
  38. This Is My Father's World American hymn tune (Terra Beata, 1915)
  39. Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (Austria) Joseph Haydn (1797)
  40. In the Bleak Midwinter Gustav Holst (Cranham, 1906)
  41. The Holly and the Ivy English carol
  42. Once in Royal David's City Henry J. Gauntlett (Irby, 1849)
  43. Silent Night Franz Xaver Gruber (1818)
  44. O Come, All Ye Faithful John Francis Wade (Adeste Fideles, c. 1743)
  45. Joy to the World Lowell Mason (Antioch, 1839), after Handel
  46. Good Christian Men, Rejoice (In dulci jubilo) German carol, 1300s
  47. Brahms' Lullaby (Wiegenlied) Johannes Brahms (1868)
  48. Canon in D Johann Pachelbel (c. 1690)
  49. Minuet in G Christian Petzold (Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, 1725)
  50. Minuet No. 2 Anonymous (Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 116)
Questions
What is in the Grade 1 songs?

These songs are arranged for Grade 1 violin (D, A and G major · 1st position). Grade 1 songs use the D, A and E strings (and a little G string) in 1st position, in D, A and G major. Each song has chord names over the music, so a teacher or parent can also accompany on piano or guitar. Press Play to hear the violin tune with a simple piano part, or untick “Violin tune” to play along with just the piano.

Are these songs free to use?

Yes. Every tune here is out of copyright (traditional, or by composers who died long ago), and each arrangement was written for Aria’s students. You can print the PDF for your own practice and lessons.

How do I play along with the piano?

Press Play to hear the song with the piano. When you know the notes, untick “🎻 Violin tune”, choose the Slow tempo, and play the tune yourself while the piano plays the chords. Tick “Count-in bar” to get a bar of clicks before you start.

Which finger do I use for each note?

Switch to Learn or Practise. Each note shows a coloured finger number above the music (0 is an open string) and a Roman numeral for the string underneath: I = E string, II = A string, III = D string, IV = G string. Type a different string and finger under “Fingering for this note” to change it. Your change is saved on your device.

Does it work on a phone, and offline?

Yes. It works on iPhone, iPad and Android in portrait or landscape. After your first visit it also works without internet. On an iPhone, turn off silent mode to hear the music.