Old MacDonald had a Farm is one of the most popular children’s song in the world! Every child likes singing this song because of the animal sounds and it’s a lot of fun to sing this together song in a group. Its easy melody makes it also a perfect nursery rhyme to learn during the first piano lesson! Let’s learn a little more about the origin of OldMacDonald had a Farm in this free piano tutorial. We show you how to play an easy version of the song even if you don’t know how to read sheet music. You can also download the lyrics with the letter notes and sheet music for free as PDF printables at the end of the lesson.
Origin of Old MacDonald had a Farm
Old MacDonald had a Farm is a traditional children’s song that traces its roots back to the early 20th century in the United States. The earliest known version, titled “Old MacDougal Had a Farm,” appeared in the book “Tommy’s Tunes” published in 1917 by F. T. Nettleingham. The song’s repetitive structure and playful incorporation of animal sounds have made it a staple in children’s music. Its origins are likely influenced by older folk songs that celebrated rural life and farming. Over time, the song evolved into the familiar version we know today, with its catchy chorus and endless variations of farm animals and their respective sounds.
Piano Letter Notes for Old MacDonald had a Farm
Old MacDonald had a Farm is an excellent song for beginning piano players. However, young children often lack a deep understanding of music theory when they begin to learn how to play piano. Typically, piano songs are played from sheet music, which can be overwhelming for young students.
For an easier introduction, it’s helpful to have the piano notes written over the lyrics. Although children need to learn the location of each note on the piano, key labeling can help beginners identify the correct keys and make the learning process more accessible. However, in order to reduce the student’s dependence on the piano key labels, you should remove them after the child can confidently play a few songs.
And be sure to check out our article on how to read piano notes, where we explain how to easily remember and find the piano keys on the keyboard, and how they correspond to the notes on the sheet music.
Here are the keys on the keyboard that you have to use for the song Old MacDonald had a Farm
The following chart with the lyrics and the letter notes enables you to learn and play Old MacDonald had a Farm in an easy way:
Listen to the recording below to play along or to check if you got it right on the piano!
Each song can be played with either one or two hands. While playing with one hand is easier than playing with both hands at the same time, playing single notes with one hand is also easier than playing chords. For this reason, young beginners should start by playing the melody one note at a time with one hand. As they progress, advanced players can begin to combine the right and left hands. To support this development, we also include piano chords in the sheet music.
Piano Sheet Music for Old MacDonald had a Farm
When we play a song on the piano, we usually use sheet music. But for young beginners, reading music can be quite a challenge. But short and simple nursery rhymes are the perfect introduction to music notation. And if you already know how to read music, try using it to play Old MacDonald had a Farm.
Here are the music notes for Old MacDonald had a Farm:
Free PDF Printables for Old MacDonald had a Farm
For any song you can find on our website we try to provide you some free resources for your practising or piano lessons. Feel free to download the free PDF sheet music and letter notes version and share them with other piano players!
Interested in instruments other than the piano? You can also find a free lesson on how to play Old MacDonald had a Farm on the guitar.
