Ode to Joy'

• 'Ode to Joy' was set to music by Beethoven as part of his 9th Symphony around 1824.
• We are going to learn to play the melody of this famous tune.
• Before we look at the 'Tab' notation for the piece try remembering these numbers; sing them to the tune of 'Ode to Joy' below...

                                 C                        C                        C                         G7   

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|--0------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--------2-2----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|-

·         Can you see where these numbers fit on the first line? They tell us which frets to put our fingers in to play this melody. The Green numbers are on the 'E' or second string, the Pink numbers are on the 'C' or third string.

• ·         Try singing the numbers from line 2 of the tab notation before you learn to play them

                                 C                        C                        C                         G7   C

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|---------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--2----0-0----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-

•  And line 3...

                                G7                     G7                         G7                        G7      C

A ----------------|------------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E ---------0-----|------0-1-0------|-----0-1-0-----|---------------|-

C --2--2-----0--|--2-----------0--|--2----------2--|--0--2-------|-

G ----------------|------------------|-----------------|---------0----|-

• And finally...the last line...

                                 C                        C                        C                         G7   C

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|---------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--2----0-0----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|- 

• Now have a go at putting all those lines together and playing them through from the tab notation.

        C                        C                        C                         G7   

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|--0------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--------2-2----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|-

        C                        C                        C                         G7   C

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|---------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--2----0-0----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-

        G7                     G7                         G7                        G7      C

A ----------------|------------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E ---------0-----|------0-1-0------|-----0-1-0-----|---------------|-

C --2--2-----0--|--2-----------0--|--2----------2--|--0--2-------|-

G ----------------|------------------|-----------------|---------0----|-

        C                        C                        C                         G7   C

A ----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------|-

E --0--0--1--3--|--3--1--0-----|-------------0--|---------------|-

C ----------------|-------------2--|--0--0--2-----|--2----0-0----|-

G ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-

 Try playing through the entire piece with Mr C!

First at a practise Tempo (slower speed) and then at a performance tempo. Good luck!

Practise Tempo

Performance Tempo

If you're ready to practise the entire line, try it with a slower, 80 bpm arrangement of the main accompaniment at the top...

'Ode to Joy' is a piece that's well known by a lot of people just beginning to learn their instrument.

Here are a few excellent examples of this tune on different instruments...(watch this space!)

	This is my Friend Mr Smith who is a Saxophone teacher. He played Ode to Joy on his Saxophone!
	This is my friend Kate at Perryfields Primary School pplaying Ode to Joy on her violin. Really expertly done!
	Here is my friend Harrison at St. Johns Primary Academy.. He can play Ode to Joy on his Clarinet. Lovely sound!
	I have a teacher friend called Mr Beer who generously played Ode to Joy on his Trombone for me! Listen out for the school bell on the recording!
	My friend Harry, also at St Johns Primary Academy lugged his keyboard to school so that he could play Ode to Joy on it!