Ode to Joy
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven, a Classical piece from 1824 — written out in colour-coded piano letter notes you can play live in the browser.
Composed in 1824. Ludwig van Beethoven lived from 1770 to 1827.
About this piece
This is the melody Beethoven set in the finale of his Symphony No. 9, completed in 1824, to words from Friedrich Schiller's 1785 poem "An die Freude" ("To Joy"). The tune — though not Schiller's text — was adopted as the official Anthem of Europe in 1972. Its stepwise, neighbour‑note melody is exactly what makes it such a perfect first piece. Source: Wikipedia
Letter notes (text) — Ode to Joy
RH 5|----c-d-| RH 4|g-g-a-g-| RH 4|b-b-----| LH 4|d-d-c---| LH 3|g-g-g-g-| LH 3|------b-| RH 5|d-c-----| RH 4|g--ag-F-| RH 4|----b-a-| LH 4|e--dd-d-| LH 3|e--Fg-d-| RH 4|d-d-F-g-| RH 4|g-g-a-b-| LH 4|----d-d-| LH 3|b-b-a-g-| RH 4|g--FF---| RH 4|b--aa---| LH 4|d--dd---| LH 3|d--dd---| RH 5|----c-d-| RH 4|g-g-a-g-| RH 4|b-b-----| LH 4|d-d-c---| LH 3|g-g-g-g-| LH 3|------b-| RH 5|d-c-----| RH 4|g--ag-F-| RH 4|----b-a-| LH 4|e--dd-d-| LH 3|e--Fg-d-| RH 4|d-d-F-g-| RH 4|g-g-a-b-| LH 4|----d-d-| LH 3|b-b-a-g-| RH 4|g-Fgd---| RH 4|a---g---| LH 4|d-d-----| LH 3|d-d-b---| LH 2|----g---| RH 4|d-d-d-d-| RH 4|a-a-b-g-| LH 3|d-d-d-d-| LH 3|F-F-g-e-| RH 5|---c----| RH 4|d-d-d-d-| RH 4|a-b-b-g-| LH 3|d-dad-d-| LH 3|F-g-g-e-| RH 5|---c----| RH 4|d-d-F-F-| RH 4|a-b-b-a-| LH 3|d-d-D-D-| LH 3|F-F-F-b-| RH 4|e-C-d---| RH 4|g-a-----| LH 3|e-a-d-F-| LH 3|b---g---| LH 2|--a-----| RH 5|----c-d-| RH 4|d-g-a-a-| RH 4|b-b-----| LH 4|--d-f-f-| LH 3|g-g-f-f-| RH 5|d-c-----| RH 4|b-gag-e-| RH 4|----b-a-| LH 4|g--dd-c-| LH 3|e--Fg-c-| RH 4|e-d-F-g-| RH 4|g-g-a-b-| LH 4|----c-d-| LH 3|c-g-----| LH 3|g-------| LH 2|--b-a-g-| RH 4|g-Fgg---| RH 4|a-------| LH 4|d-d-----| LH 3|d-d-b---| LH 2|----g---|
How to play along
Press play to hear it, then drag Speed down to slow the melody while you find the keys. Tap any letter in the notation to hear just that note, or click the keyboard to play freely. New to the format? Read the guide →