Amazing Grace is a timeless and beloved hymn that holds a special place in both religious and secular music. Although it dates back centuries, the song regained popularity during the American folk music revival of the 1960s and has been covered countless times since. Its simple captivating melody makes it an ideal choice for beginning pianists or those teaching young students. In this article, we’ll explore a bit of the song’s rich history and then walk you through how to play it on the piano. Whether you’re just starting out and want to play a simplified version with easy letter notes, or you’re ready to learn the melody with full notation, we’ve got a version for every skill level. Even if you’re a complete beginner, this tune is a good start!
History of Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace is one of the world’s most popular hymns, with origins dating back to the 18th century. The lyrics were written in 1772 by John Newton, a former slave trader whose life changed after he survived a violent storm at sea in 1748, during which he cried out for God’s mercy. This experience marked the beginning of his spiritual transformation. While he initially continued his work in the slave trade, he gradually turned to Christian theology and later became an outspoken advocate for the abolition of slavery. Interestingly, Newton had no strong religious upbringing, which makes his journey all the more remarkable.
The hymn wasn’t paired with a set melody until the early 19th century, when it was commonly sung to the tune of New Britain the version most of us know today. Over time, Amazing Grace has transcended its religious roots to become a universal anthem of hope and redemption. Its powerful message and beautiful, simple melody have allowed it to cross musical genres, from gospel and folk to contemporary performances. The hymn has also become a symbol of resilience, featured in everything from church services to historic civil rights movements.
Piano Letter Notes For Amazing Grace
For those who aren’t yet comfortable reading music, a great alternative for beginners, especially younger ones, is to use the lyrics with the corresponding notes written above. This approach is much easier and doesn’t require a deep understanding of music theory. The key is to know where each note is on your keyboard, and that’s the first step we’ll focus on – familiarizing yourself with the location of the notes needed to play the song. The piano keyboard illustration below will help you with this.
We’re going to play the song in the key of G. This song uses two different D notes, one of which is an octave higher. For clarity, we’ll refer to the higher D as D’.
Here are the keys on the keyboard that you have to use for the song Amazing Grace:
For beginners, labeling the piano keys can be a useful tool to help them quickly find the right notes while following lettered lyrics. It makes the learning process smoother in the early stages. However, as students become more comfortable and begin to play songs with ease, it’s a good idea to remove the labels. This encourages them to rely on memory and better understand the instrument, which promotes more natural and independent playing.
To help with this transition, check out our Piano Notes Chart. It offers practical tips for recognizing piano keys and how they correspond to notes. With these strategies, students can gain the confidence to play without labels and deepen their connection to music.
The following chart with the lyrics and the letter notes enables you to learn and play Amazing Grace:
Check out our piano recording of the song to see if you got it right. You can also slow it down and play along as you practice.
Piano Sheet Music for Amazing Grace
Simple piano notation is great for getting started, but sheet music is the standard when it comes to playing a song on the piano. For beginners, it may look difficult and challenging to read, but it simply covers all the information of a song. It provides essential details for playing a song, including notes, rhythm, key signature, and dynamics, and tells you what to play, how long to play each note, and what chords to use for accompaniment. If you are just starting to learn how to read music and play from notes, Amazing Grace is a great song to start with. It’s short and simple melody makes the music notation pretty basic!
Here are the music notes for Amazing Grace:
Free PDF Printables for Amazing Grace
You can download our free PDF printables of Amazing Grace for free, which include both the lyrics piano letter notes and traditional sheet music.
Interested in instruments other than the piano? You can also find a free lesson on how to play Amazing Grace on the guitar, ukulele and recorder.
