O Come, All Ye Faithful Notes
O Come, All Ye Faithful starts C', C' G C' D' G: a pickup, then a leap down and back up, like a call to come and gather. The chorus, "O come, let us adore him", is sung three times, a little higher each time.
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.
- CC high, quarter note
- C2C high, half noteGG, quarter noteCC high, quarter note
- D2D high, half noteG2G, half note
- EE high, quarter noteDD high, quarter noteEE high, quarter noteFF high, quarter note
- E2E high, half noteDD high, quarter noteCC high, quarter note
- C2C high, half noteBB, quarter noteAA, quarter note
- BB, quarter noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter noteEE high, quarter note
- B2B, half noteA1½A, dotted quarter noteG½G, eighth note
- G4G, whole note
- G2G high, half noteFF high, quarter noteEE high, quarter note
- F2F high, half noteE2E high, half note
- DD high, quarter noteEE high, quarter noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter note
- B1½B, dotted quarter noteA½A, eighth noteGG, quarter noteCC high, quarter note
- CC high, quarter noteBB, quarter noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter note
- C2C high, half noteGG, quarter noteEE high, quarter note
- EE high, quarter noteDD high, quarter noteEE high, quarter noteFF high, quarter note
- E2E high, half noteDD high, quarter noteEE high, quarter note
- FF high, quarter noteEE high, quarter noteDD high, quarter noteCC high, quarter note
- B2B, half noteCC high, quarter noteFF high, quarter note
- E2E high, half noteD1½D high, dotted quarter noteC½C high, eighth note
- C4C high, whole note
20 measures of 4/4 after a pickup · 62 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. The tune starts on a pickup: the last beat of the first box. A wider note lasts longer. C' is the high C (a ' marks the octave above middle C).
The notes with the words
| Words | Notes |
|---|---|
| O come, all ye faithful | C' C' G C' D' G |
| joyful and triumphant | E' D' E' F' E' D' |
| O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem | C' C' B A B C' D' E' B A G G |
| Come and behold him | G' F' E' F' E' |
| born the King of angels | D' E' C' D' B A G |
| O come, let us adore him | C' C' B C' D' C' G |
| O come, let us adore him | E' E' D' E' F' E' D' |
| O come, let us adore him | E' F' E' D' C' B C' |
| Christ the Lord | F' E' D' C' C' |
A ’ after a letter means the octave above middle C’s: C’ is the C in the third space, G’ the G just above the staff.
The three “O come, let us adore him” lines build up: the first stays around C’, the second climbs to F’, and the third starts on F’ and steps down to the ending, “Christ the Lord”.
On the staff
In 4/4 time: four beats to a measure. The first “O” is a pickup, on the last beat before the first full measure, and so is the “O” of each “O come, let us adore him”.
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, keyboard or recorder, and works well for a December class or carol service. It’s free to print and copy.
The notes it uses
Tips for reading it
- Find the leaps. “O come, all ye faithful” leaps between C’ and G, the two notes of the C major chord at the heart of the carol.
- Hold the long notes. “Faith-ful”, “Beth-le-hem” and “Lord” end on half and whole notes: count them out.
- Climb with the chorus. Each “O come, let us adore him” starts a little higher than the last.
About the carol
The Latin hymn “Adeste Fideles” survives in manuscripts copied in the 1740s by John Francis Wade, an English Catholic living in France, who may also have written it. Frederick Oakeley’s English translation, “O come, all ye faithful”, appeared in 1841. 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.