Deck the Halls Notes
Deck the Halls starts G F E D C D E C: down the scale from G to middle C, then a little turn. Every line is answered by "fa la la", and two of them dip to the B just below middle C.
Listen and play along
Hear the tune with a steady beat. Turn the tune off to play it yourself on any instrument, with the beat to keep you in time.
- G1½G, dotted quarter noteF½F, eighth noteEE, quarter noteDD, quarter note
- CC, quarter noteDD, quarter noteEE, quarter noteCC, quarter note
- D½D, eighth noteE½E, eighth noteF½F, eighth noteD½D, eighth noteE1½E, dotted quarter noteD½D, eighth note
- CC, quarter noteBB low, quarter noteC2C, half note
- G1½G, dotted quarter noteF½F, eighth noteEE, quarter noteDD, quarter note
- CC, quarter noteDD, quarter noteEE, quarter noteCC, quarter note
- D½D, eighth noteE½E, eighth noteF½F, eighth noteD½D, eighth noteE1½E, dotted quarter noteD½D, eighth note
- CC, quarter noteBB low, quarter noteC2C, half note
- D1½D, dotted quarter noteE½E, eighth noteFF, quarter noteDD, quarter note
- E1½E, dotted quarter noteF½F, eighth noteGG, quarter noteDD, quarter note
- E½E, eighth noteF½F, eighth noteGG, quarter noteA½A, eighth noteB½B, eighth noteCC high, quarter note
- BB, quarter noteAA, quarter noteG2G, half note
- G1½G, dotted quarter noteF½F, eighth noteEE, quarter noteDD, quarter note
- CC, quarter noteDD, quarter noteEE, quarter noteCC, quarter note
- A½A, eighth noteA½A, eighth noteA½A, eighth noteA½A, eighth noteG1½G, dotted quarter noteF½F, eighth note
- EE, quarter noteDD, quarter noteC2C, half note
16 measures of 4/4 · 68 notes
Name the notes in the game → Read the tune one note at a time; each right answer plays the note.
Change the notes in Compose → Move notes, change their lengths and hear your own version.
Each box is one measure of four beats. A wider note lasts longer. C' is the high C (a ' marks the octave above middle C). B, is the B just below middle C.
The notes with the words
| Words | Notes |
|---|---|
| Deck the halls with boughs of holly | G F E D C D E C |
| Fa la la la la, la la la la | D E F D E D C B, C |
| ’Tis the season to be jolly | G F E D C D E C |
| Fa la la la la, la la la la | D E F D E D C B, C |
| Don we now our gay apparel | D E F D E F G D |
| Fa la la, la la la, la la la | E F G A B C' B A G |
| Troll the ancient Yuletide carol | G F E D C D E C |
| Fa la la la la, la la la la | A A A A G F E D C |
B, (with a comma) is the B just below middle C. C’ is the C in the third space, the octave above middle C.
Lines 1 and 3, “Deck the halls” and “‘Tis the season”, are the same notes, and so are their “fa la la” answers. “Don we now our gay apparel” is the only new tune, climbing up to C’.
On the staff
In 4/4 time: four beats to a measure, with no pickup. The low B sits just under middle C’s ledger line, so the line runs above the note, not through it.
Free printable sheet music
The sheet has the melody one phrase per line, with the letter name under every note and the words under each line, on one page of US Letter or A4. It suits beginners on piano or keyboard (the two low Bs are below a recorder’s lowest note), and works well for a December class. It’s free to print and copy.
The notes it uses
Tips for reading it
- Walk down the scale. “Deck the halls with” is G F E D: four steps down, one at a time.
- Feel the “fa la la”. Four quick eighth notes, D E F D, then E held a little longer.
- Spot the low B. Under middle C, below its ledger line, just before the line ends on C.
About the carol
The tune is Welsh, “Nos Galan”, a New Year’s Eve song from the 1700s. The English words, “Deck the hall with boughs of holly”, were written by the Scottish songwriter Thomas Oliphant and published in 1862. Words and tune are public domain.
Play it
Press Name the notes in the game at the top of this page to read the carol one note at a time in Trebly’s Songs mode. More carols: Christmas songs with letter notes.