Deck the Halls belongs to most popular Christmas carols in the english-speaking world. But the catchy melody of the tune is also known in many other parts of the world. It’s also a carol that many young children like to sing. If you are looking for a Christmas song to learn on the piano, then this one is an excellent choice. We will first of all learn a little more about the background of Deck the Halls before we show you how to play it on the piano in an easy way, which means only by using one hand! We also provide a version with simple piano letter notes as well as the sheet music, which you can download as a PDF at the end of the article.
History of Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls is a Christmas carol with a rich history dating back to the 16th century. Its melody comes from the traditional Welsh tune “Nos Galan,” which was originally sung to celebrate the New Year. This lively, rhythmic tune was popular in Wales long before it became associated with the Christmas season.
The English lyrics familiar today were written in 1862 by Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant. While Oliphant’s version focuses on Christmas celebrations, it preserves the joyful essence of the original Welsh song. The lyrics, which urge us to “deck the halls with boughs of holly,” reflect the 19th-century tradition of decorating homes with evergreens during the winter months.
One of the most distinctive features of “Deck the Halls” is its catchy “Fa la la la la la” refrain, a direct descendant of the Welsh original. Such choruses were typical of traditional songs of the time.
Piano Letter Notes Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls is not just a holiday favorite but it’s also a great beginner piece for aspiring pianists. When children first start learning the piano, they often don’t have much experience with music theory, and sheet music can feel quite difficult. To make this fun Christmas carol easier for young learners, it’s best to start with easy letter notes.
Displaying the piano notes above the lyrics is be very helpful for beginners. However, before jumping into the song, it’s important for children to get familiar with where each note is on the piano. For this piece, they’ll need to know how to play two different B and C notes, one in a higher octave, which is indicated as C’, one in a lower octave, which is indicated as ‘B. This approach is much easier for beginners who don’t know how to read sheet music
Here are the keys on the keyboard that you have to use for the Christmas carol Deck the Halls
Labeling piano keys can be a great support for children and beginners, helping them to quickly locate the right keys and making the learning process smoother. However, once students have gained confidence and can play a few songs on their own, it’s important to gradually remove the labels to encourage independence. Don’t forget to explore our guide on reading piano notes, where we break down simple techniques for remembering and finding keys on the keyboard and show how they align with the notes in sheet music.
The following chart with the lyrics and the letter notes enables you to learn and play Deck the Halls in an easy way:
Check out the piano recorder below to play along or to check if you got it right on the piano!
Every song can be approached with either one or both hands. Sure, playing a piece with both hands gives you the opportunity to make it sound richer and more complex. However, two-handed piano playing is also more challenging, and beginners are better off learning a melody with one hand, note by note. As they gain experience, they can gradually start using both hands and work their way up to more complex arrangements.
Piano Sheet Music for Deck the Halls
When it comes to playing the piano, we typically rely on sheet music. However, young beginners may find learning to read sheet music daunting. That’s why starting with simple, short carols can be a great introduction to music reading. Deck the Halls is a perfect example! If you’re already comfortable with sheet music, try playing Deck the Halls using the score. The sheet music will help you easily distinguish between the two different pitches of the B and C notes in the song.
Here are the music notes for Deck the Halls:
Free PDF Printables for Deck the Halls
You can download our PDF printables of the easy version with the piano letter notes and sheet music for Deck the Halls for free. Support our work and share it with your friends!
Interested in instruments other than the piano? You can also find a free lesson on how to play Deck the Halls on the guitar.
