Joy to the World: letter notes for piano and recorder

“Joy to the World” begins with a whole scale going down: eight notes, from high C to middle C. A child who can play a C major scale can play the first line. This page gives letter notes in the key of C for the piano and the recorder.

Quick facts

• Notes: eight, the C major scale from middle C to the C above
• Time signature: 2/4 in many books, and 4/4 in others
• Words by: Isaac Watts, 1719
• Tune: arranged by Lowell Mason more than 100 years later
• New skill: a scale with the thumb passing under, or a finger crossing over

On this page, a dash after a letter means “hold this note longer.” C’ is the high C, eight notes above middle C.

Letter notes

Line 1: C’ B A G, F E D C-,

Line 2: G A-, A B-, B C’-,

Line 3: C’ C’ B A G, G F E,

Line 4: C’ C’ B A G, G F E,

Line 5: E E E E, E F G-,

Line 6: F E D D, D D E F-,

Line 7: E D C, C’ A, G F E, F E D C-

What to notice

Line	What happens
1	The whole scale, from the top to the bottom
2	A climb back to the top in three small steps
3 and 4	The same line twice, starting at the top
5	One note five times, and then two steps up
6	The pattern of line 5, one step lower
7	Down to the bottom, a leap to the top, and one last run home

Line 6 copies the shape of line 5 from a lower note. A pattern repeated higher or lower is called a sequence.

The rhythm

The first line is not even. The first note is long, the second is a little shorter, and the third is quick. Sing the line first, and copy the rhythm of the words.

Line 2 has three pairs. In each pair, a quick note leads to a longer one.

In line 3, the first five notes are quick. So are the notes of lines 5 and 6.

On the piano

Line 1 needs eight keys, and a hand has five fingers. A finger has to cross over the thumb partway down.

Note	C’	B	A	G	F	E	D	C
Right-hand finger	5	4	3	2	1	3	2	1

After the thumb plays F, finger 3 crosses over it to play E. This is the fingering of the C major scale going down. Read how to practice scales with kids.

Line 2 climbs back up. Start it with finger 2 on G, and the hand will be in place for line 3.

A teacher may mark other fingers. Use the ones in your child’s book if they differ.

On the recorder

The letters above work on a soprano recorder as they are. The tune uses the eight notes of the C major scale, from the lowest C to the C above. Low C needs every hole covered, so it is a hard note for a new player.

A newer player can start with lines 3 and 4. They stay in the upper half of the scale until the last two notes.

Add the left hand

Line	Left-hand note
1	C. Change to G under the D, and back to C at the end
2	F under the long A, G under the long B, and C under the long C’
3 and 4	C
5	C
6	G
7	C. Change to G under the last D, and back to C at the end

A teacher can turn each note into a full chord.

How to learn it

1. Play the C major scale down and up, three times.
2. Play line 1 with the rhythm of the words.
3. Play line 3. Line 4 is a copy.
4. Play line 5, and then find line 6 one step lower.
5. Play line 7 in three pieces: the first three notes, the leap and the run, and the last four notes.
6. Join the lines at a slow, steady speed.

Where the carol came from

Isaac Watts wrote the words in England in 1719. He based them on a psalm, and he did not write them for Christmas. More than 100 years later, the American musician Lowell Mason gave them the tune we sing. Read Christmas carols for kids.

Lowell Mason also wrote the tune for “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Read Mary Had a Little Lamb on piano and recorder.

Things to do together

Scale hunt. Ask your child to find every place where the tune runs down the scale.

Bells. Play line 1 high on the piano with the pedal down, as if bells were ringing.

Sing and play. One person sings. The other plays the tune.

Print and play

Print the piano keyboard chart and the December listening calendar. For an easier carol, read Jingle Bells: letter notes. For a slower one, read Silent Night: letter notes. For more, read easy Christmas piano songs for kids.