How To Play Piano By Chords
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Canon In D On Piano: Finding Your Way Around The Keyboard
Before playing the Canon in D, we will first review the basics of piano playing by discussing the names of the notes on a piano keyboard. If you already know this part, we recommend that you go directly to the next part .
Start by looking at the diagram below:
The name of the notes on a piano keyboard.
The picture above shows the correspondence, for each key on a piano keyboard, with the name of a note .
To find your way around the keyboard more easily, you can use the black keys. Indeed, if you look at the picture, you will see that the black keys work in groups of two and three that follow one another. This alternation makes it easier for you to find your way around the keyboard.
For example, if you are looking for the note A, you first have to look at the groups of three black keys . Once you have identified a group of three, press the white key between the second and third black keys in that group: this is your A note.
Practice quickly identifying notes on the piano keyboard. This way, you will be able to follow this tutorial article to learn Pachelbels Canon in D on the piano much easier.
Canon In D Free Piano Sheet Music
This piece was written by Johann Pachelbel and like many other pieces fromthe Baroque and Classic period it was not as famous as it is today.Actually wasn’t famous at all.
Only in 1919 was the Canon in D first published and quickly becameone of the most famous classical compositions ever.It is often played at weddings and during other ceremonies, and you can hardly findanyone who hasn’t heard it before.
Many pop songs are based on the chord progression of the Canon in D one of themis “Go West” by the Village People..
We have arranged the this piece for piano in two versions the first one is easier than the second one.
Click here if you haven’t signed toPiano Playground, our free E-zineyet make sure you do that in order to get the username and password codes for the the Piano SheetsI provide here under. |
Here’s a free piano sheet the Canon for advanced players.
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Now, for the ones of you who are interested… What is a canon, and why is this piece called so?A canon is the type of composition in which several voices play the same music, one following the other.
The piece includes 3 different voices which play the same music in a delay of 2 bars.It is written in D major scale and therefore it is called – Canon in D.
Here is how the canon is implemented:
,and check it out to see if the three violins play exactly the same melody for the whole piece.If you have found any exception, please let us know…
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The Notes Of The Left Hand
Did you manage to find the note D? Great!
Now we can continue with the rest of the sequence. Play the following notes one after the other with your left hand:
D A B F# G D G A D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D F# A D A C# E A B D F# B F# A C# F# G B D G D A D F# G D G A C# E D A B F# G D G A D D A A B B F# F# G D D D G G A A D A B F# G D G A D.
Pachelbel Canon In D Piano Version

I have kept this arrangement of the canon in D major for piano quite simple so that piano players of varying levels of ability can all enjoy learning it. I have scored it with the opening bass notes played as half notes as this makes it easier for piano players to read the later rhythms. Note that the original version notates the opening notes as quarter notes . The opening bars are simple, but as the piece progresses to increasingly complex sixteenth notes it becomes quite challenging and will be a satisfying task for more experiences players to tackle.
When learning to perform the Canon in D major on the piano it is very useful to have an understanding of how Johann Pachelbel constructed the piece so that you can use this to inform your playing.
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Here Are The 4 Different Canon Pages On This Website:
This is the easiest arrangement, found on the page “Canon Sheet Music.”
There are also lettered note versions.
On another page, which is much harder for beginners to read, the basic melody of the Canon is paired with left hand triads, solid and also broken.
The chord symbols are helpful for some students. And confusing for others! It is important for pianists to learn to interpret chord symbols.
Here on this page, you will find the Pachelbel Canon as you are accustomed to hearing it played at weddings!
Several arrangements, including the original key of D.
Here is the last Canon page.
Page 2 of this arrangement is shown…
On this page of the Canon in D sheet music, you’ll find ALPHANOTES in some or all of the note-heads of the music.
This arrangement was written to help an early reader conquer this piece.
It worked.
Now, back to what’s on THIS page!
Here is the first arrangement :
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Does your student know an inversion from a root chord?
To play these arrangements easily, it is best if the student is already acquainted with chord inversions.
Root position chords such as c-e-g become easy to spot after some experience, but when a C chord is “in disguise” or “scrambled,” kids can find it quite baffling.
In the beginning of the Canon, almost every RH chord is an inversion with a different shape from the chord before it. Help your student find PATTERNS in each hand.
Page two:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Analysis Of The Piece
Johann Pachelbels Canon is basically built upon 2 musical techniques ostinato and canon. However, Pachelbels use of these techniques is also heavily influenced by a 3rd technique Ground Bass.
Bass Ostinato
The bass part in the Canon in D major plays a 2 bar repeated pattern that continues for the whole piece this repeated pattern is called an ostinato. This bass ostinato provides the foundation for the entire piece of music and is a key element of Ground Bass. In my piano arrangement of Pachelbels Canon, this is played by the left hand.
These bass notes imply a series of chords in D major:
This chord progression has had a huge influence on contemporary music and has been used as the basis for lots of popular music songs in recent years.
The Canon
The 3 violin parts in Pachelbels Canon play the same melody lines as a round with each line entering separately:
It is impossible to transcribe this aspect of the Canon in D major onto a piano arrangement without making the piece extremely difficult and so I have simply taken one line of melody for most of the right hand part. You could achieve the canon of the 3 violins to varying degrees of success in an organ arrangement as the pedals would play the bass part leaving 2 hands free to play the other parts.
The Influence of Ground Bass
Here is a brief outline of how the original variations develop through the piece.
Performances of Pachelbels Canon in D
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How Much Do You Know About Canon In D Piano Chords
If youve ever been to a wedding, graduation, or some other fancy celebration, there is a good chance youve heard the chords for Pachabels Canon In D. It is so iconic that often the composers name is left out, and it is just referred to as Canon in D. Because of its status, it is a great song to learn and play for others and it is instantly recognizable.
It is also an incredible song to introduce yourself to the key of D major. D major is one of the first keys that pianists will learn, because it introduces the second sharp, F# and C#. It is also a particularly good key to learn how to play with others, because often singers feel comfortable singing in this key.
Tips for playing the song
- Be comfortable with the concept of arpeggios, playing a chord one note at a time
- Make sure all the Fs and Cs are raised by a half step
- Play all the two note chords with the right hand
- Be sure to not play the left hand on beat 1
- Try to think of the song in groups of 8 bars, rather than in groups of 4
Learning the Canon in D piano chords has never been easier than with Skoove!
Canon And Gigue In D Major P37
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Canon
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Tips For Playing Level 2 Canon In D
This arrangement of Level 2 “Canon in D” is for piano solo. This arrangement is written in the key of C major to accommodate Level 2 players. The key of C major is only one whole step lower than the original key, D major that Pachelbel wrote in.
Even though this is a Level 2 arrangement, there are 3 pages of music and a lot of notes all the way through. We provided fingering numbers on all the notes. The good news is that you can stay in one hand position for the entire song and that there is no black key. Please refer to the hand-position tutorial page after you download it. We also provided specific damper pedal markings. Unlike Level 1 “Canon in D,” this Level 2 arrangement plays both melody and the harmonic notes at the same time. Therefore, a lot more coordination between right-hand and left-hand is required than Level 1 “Canon in D.” Please refer the free complete audio sample on this page to get a feel for it before purchasing. After purchasing it, you can continue listening to the audio sample to check if you are playing the correct notes, harmonies, and the rhythms.
Take A Sneak Peek Of Our Lesson
Johann Pachelbel was a composer from the Baroque period of classical music, who lived from 1653-1706. He wrote many pieces but none have achieved the type of international fame as his Canon in D.
This seemingly simple wedding march has an iconic bass-line and chord progression that has been repurposed into hundreds of contemporary pop songs, even famously in a 2020 hit by Maroon 5, Memories.
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The Pachelbel Canon In Din The Keys Of D And C
The Pachelbel Canon in D is the probably the most popular classical music ever. Print out this free sheet music for piano — your students will love it!
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Is this music is beyond their playing level?
Then check out one of these other pages, shown below, because on this website there are FOUR different pages of the Pachelbel Canon music:
Canon In D Piano Notes: Tutorial & Free Sheet Music

Would you like to learn Canon in D on the piano? Thats exactly the objective of this article!
Composed by Johann Pachelbel around 1680, this work is composed of two movements: a canon and a gigue, for three violins and continuo. It is one of the most popular pieces of music by Johann Pachelbel.
Traditionally played at wedding marches, this music has been used by the greatest composers in some of their works, such as Mozart in a passage from his Magic Flute.
Today, the Canon is considered one of the most popular piano pieces. It is played by many pianists who love Pachelbels works.
In this article, the goal is to make you learn Canon in D on the piano in an easy version. You will learn to play the notes of the right hand, then those of the left hand. Each part is accompanied by a tutorial video that shows you the notes to play in an interactive way. Thanks to these videos, you will have a visual support to deepen your learning.
At the end of the article, you will also find the piano sheet music of Canon in D for free download.
Ready to learn? Lets get started!
Bonus: you can also learn to play this song at your own pace on our interactive piano learning application La Touche Musicale.
Bonus : you can also learn to play this song at your own pace on our interactive piano learning app La Touche Musicale.
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About Canon In D By Pachelbel:
“Canon in D” is probably the most famous and popular music work that the German composer, Johann Pachelbel from the baroque era wrote. Initially, he wrote it for a small string ensemble. Since the 1960’s the arrangement of “Canon in D” for a chamber orchestra has been commonly heard and used. “Canon in D” has been very popular on several occasions such as Christmas and wedding. It is called “Canon in D” or “Canon in D Major” because he wrote it in the key of D Major. To learn more about “Canon and Gigue in D” by Pachelbel, please visit, our page, “About Canon and Gigue in D by Pachelbel.”