Carol Of The Bells Piano Sheet Music Dynamics
Dynamics are, in my opinion, take you from being a good piano player to a great one.
If youre new to dynamics, what Im talking about are the changes in volume and expression in the piece. We mark the spots meant to be played softly with a p and the spots meant to be played loudly with an f .
We also use crescendos and decrescendos to indicate growing louder or softer. Once you get comfortable playing the song in its basic form, try paying attention to these dynamic changes. You can learn more about dynamics and expression here.
But for now, happy practicing and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Lisa Witthas been teaching piano for 19 years and in that time has helped hundreds of students learn to play the songs they love. Lisa received classical piano training through the Royal Conservatory of Music, but she has since embraced popular music and playing by ear in order to accompany herself and others.
S Tips And Techniques
Pianists who are just beginning to learn often have difficulty separating their hands.
This is why some teachers or music coaches have developed techniques to help us learn this exercise more efficiently.
As we did in this tutorial, start by playing the notes of the song one hand after the other. This will get your brain used to the piano fingering of each hand. It will also memorize the information more quickly.
Once you know how to play the right hand alone and the left hand alone, you will have to synchronize them.
To do this, you can break up your song or exercise into lots of short passages of no more than a few seconds. For example, if the song you are practicing is 2 minutes long, then choose the first 10 seconds of the song. Play the notes of the passage over and over with both hands very softly. When you feel more comfortable, pick up the pace to the original tempo of the song. Once you have mastered the passage, move on to the next one. Repeat the exercise in the same way and, when you have mastered this passage as well, play the two passages in a row.
This trick allows your brain to assimilate the information gradually. This way, you will learn much faster and take the time to work on your technique and fingering.
Carol of the Bells on the piano: the notes of both hands.
The Notes Of The Right Hand
Did you find the C? Perfect! Now we can play all the following notes with the right hand.
Play each of the notes in the following sequence one after the other :
C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A E D. -E C E D -E C E D -E C E D -E C A A A G F E E E D C D D D E D C B C A E F# G# A B C D E D C E F# G# A B C D E D C C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C B C A C+E B+D C+E A.
This sequence of notes corresponds to the whole melody of Carol of the Bells played with the left hand on the piano.
We advise you to repeat it over and over again to master it. Once you have mastered it, switch to the left hand.
Carol of the Bells on piano: the notes of the right hand.
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Carol Of The Bells Piano
The Carol of the Bells is a beautiful Christmas piece that is extremely atmospheric and I am sure that you will enjoy learning this arrangement for piano. The piano notes are quite simple, but require a lightness of touch to fully create the ethereal mood of the piece. The music was written by the Ukranian composer Mykola Leontovych as a result, it is sometimes referred to as the Ukrainian bell carol. There are also some lyrics to the song which were written by Peter Wilhousky.
Carol Of The Bells Piano Notes
The Carol of the Bells piano sheet music is in the key of G minor. The main melody of the piece is based around a 4 note ostinato pattern that is repeated and then transposed. There are also some sequences used.
The actual ostinato pattern is very simple to learn, but it is really important to take time to develop the articulation and phrasing of the notes. There is a real ethereal quality to the riff which needs to be captured to prevent it sounding mechanical and repetitive.
The left hand is very simple with repeated dotted quaver rhythm. This should be played smoothly almost as though it is a bassline being bowed by a cello.
The rhythmic feel of the piece is a very clever combination of both 3/4 and 6/8 time feel. The piece is written with a 3/4 time signature, but the bass movement implies a 6/8 timing built upon 2 measures. This interplay between the two timings gives it a dreamy dance-like quality.
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About Carol Of The Bells:
“Carol of the Bells” is a song based on the traditional Ukrainian folk chant created by Ukrainian composer, Mykola Leonidovich. Initially, it wasn’t a Christmas carol. However, when Peter Wilhousky wrote a lyrics to it, it became viral in the United States as a Christmas carol. It is one of the most popular Christmas carols today. There are a lot of ostinato in the melody. If you like to learn more about the story behind “Carol of the Bells,” please visit our page, “About Carol of the Bells.”
Tips For Playing Level 5 Carol Of The Bells:
On this Level 5 “Carol of the Bells,” you’ll be using a very wide range of keys on the piano or keyboard. That is not very common on most piano pieces. You’ll see a lot of ‘ottava’ 8va signs throughout the song on both right-hand register and left-hand register. Sometimes one octave higher and sometimes one octave lower. So, please carefully look at each ottava sign. In the midsection, you’ll need to move your left hand and play arpeggio wider than octave range quickly which is probably the most challenging part in this arrangement. We didn’t provide the specific damper pedal markings. However, we recommend you to experiment with pedaling. It is in the original key of G minor. Fingerings are not provided.
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Carol Of The Bells On Piano: Finding Your Way Around The Keyboard
Before learning the notes of Carol of the Bells, lets quickly go over the basics of piano and see the location of each note on a keyboard.
Look carefully at the image below to familiarize yourself with this exercise:
The name of the notes on a piano keyboard.
We can see on the picture above that the piano keyboard is divided into several parts. Each part is composed of 7 white keys, and each white key is associated with a different note.
Once you reach the 8th key, the sequence of notes starts again and the 7 notes continue in the same order. This is called an octave.
To identify the notes on the keyboard more easily, we recommend that you use the black keys above the white keys. Unlike the white keys, the black keys do not follow one another and work in groups of 2 and 3.
To identify a note, all you have to do is find your way around these groups of black keys.
For example, if we are looking for the note G, we must first look at the groups of 3 black keys. The G is located to the right of the first black key in the groups of three.
We advise you to learn the positions of the notes on the piano keyboard almost by heart. This will make it easier for you to play Carol of the Bells.
Carol Of The Bells By Mykola Leontovych Arranged For Piano By Jim Paterson
“Carol of the Bells” is a choral work composed by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych . He based the music on a traditional Ukrainian folk chant called Shchedryk and associated with the New Year. In English the song is called either “Carol of the Bells” or “Ring, Christmas Bells” and it is often sung by a chorus “a capella” . The composer created a number of versions of the song depending on the nature of the choir, and other versions have been created in different languages. The main feature of the carol is the “ostinato” chant – a repeating pattern of 4 notes which continues throughout the piece. It is a popular Christmas Song and the American-Ukranian composer Peter Wilhousky created the version in English which is known as “Carol of the Bells” which has been used on several films including the Christmas film Home Alone. Here are The Piano Guys playing a version for cello ensemble.
The version we present here has been arranged for piano though it could be played on a variety of keyboard or tuned percussion instruments. You can download the sheet music in PDF format, or download the music as MIDI file or MP3 files. For other instruments we have also created an arrangement of “Carol of the Bells” for Clarinet and Piano where we have alternative sheet music to allow other instruments to substitute for the clarinet part.
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Difficulty : The Dissociation Of The Two Hands
The dissociation of the hands is not an easy exercise. It requires concentration and practice.
The human brain is not used to processing such precise information in a synchronous way.
This is why beginner pianists usually have a hard time dissociating their hands during the first months of their learning.
But dont worry. Our goal here is for you to be able to play Carol of the Bells on the piano. So were going to give you some techniques and tips that will help you learn this exercise much faster.
Carol Of The Bells Piano Notes/key
I chose to arrange Carol of the Bells in the key of A minor. This makes it particularly easy for those who are new to piano, since A minor has no sharps or flats in it.
There will also be a few accidentals added into the arrangements .
The overall structure of the song is simple. It starts out with a repeated pattern in the right hand that continues for quite a few measures. . This pattern will eventually move up to higher notes, and then commense into some flowing melodies and scales.
With the easy version, I have tried to keep the left hand extremely simple too. It has single notes or intervals throughout the entire song, so you wont have to worry about moving around a bunch with both hands at the same time.
As you learn this song, dont forget to pay attention to dynamics as well! Ive included a few noted on the music, but here are some extra notes:
- The repeated pattern in the right hand should be softer than whatever the left and is doing. It is not the melody.
- When you start the section with intervals in the left hand, you can get slightly louder when the intervals go up, and then softer when they go back down.
- Measure 21 is the climax of the piece, so dont hesitate to get bold and loud in the right hand there!
- When you get to the very end, make sure to get softer and slow down, just like bells fading out into the distance.
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Carol Of The Bells Medley
This download includes sheet music for: 1. Easy / Early Intermediate Piano 2. Late Intermediate / Advanced Piano 3. Advanced Piano 4. Standalone Piano version
See the first two pages of each version in the preview. If you need to see more sample pages, email
Audio recordings of each
This download includes sheet music for:1. Easy / Early Intermediate Piano2. Late Intermediate / Advanced Piano3. Advanced Piano4. Standalone Piano version
See the first two pages of each version in the preview. If you need to see more sample pages, email
Audio recordings of each version are also included.
The first three versions were designed to be performed with accompaniment. We recommend performing with one of the accompaniment options below i.e. recorded audio options , or sheet music for live accompaniment .
This is a digital product. Just download, print and play! A print version can be mailed for an additional fee depending on location.
The Notes Of The Left Hand
Once you have found the note A, you can play all the notes of the left hand in succession. Press each of the corresponding keys on your piano:
A G F E F E D A D E F E E F# G# G# A C D A E E A G F E A A.
Press all these notes in a row to play the entire left hand of Carol of the Bells on the piano.
Although the left hand, played independently of the right hand, has no catchy melody, it does accompany the right hand and add depth to your playing. If you play only with the right hand, you will only have the melody of the song and your performance will lack emotion.
As with the right hand, repeat this sequence of notes over and over again so you know it inside out.
Carol of the Bells on piano: the notes of the left hand.
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Carol Of The Bells : The Story Behind The Song
Singing carols is a great way to spread the holiday spirit. Whether its singing in your living room with your family or enjoying a quality performance from a professional choir, this is a fun activity for children and adults.
Even though all the songs sound familiar, not many know the history and origins of Christmas songs that we know and love today. Lets explore the history of the popular Christmas carol, Carol of the Bells, which is rooted in the melody of an ancient Ukrainian folk song called, Shchedryk.
Shchedryk was composed by Ukrainian composer and music teacher, Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych, in 1916. The title of this song means little swallow in English. This song is about a sparrow flying into a house and singing to families about the abundant years that await them.
Originally not a Christmas song, Shchedryk is actually a song to celebrate the New Year. Thus, it was first performed in Ukraine on the night of January 13, 1916. Although this date is 12 days after the New Years Day on the Gregorian calendar, Shchedryks premiere is actually not a late New Year celebration. While the Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar internationally, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine continues to be used for the Julian calendar. According to the Julian calendar, January 13 is considered New Years Eve in 1916.
In the United States, Shchedryk was first performed on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall by Alexander Koshetz, National Chorus of Ukraine.
Where To Start
Before playing all the notes in the right hand of Carol of the Bells, we will first use what we learned in the previous section to identify the position of the first note to play on the piano keyboard.
The first note is C. So place your finger on the corresponding key:
A is the first note of the right hand in the song Carol of the Bells on piano.
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