"What? Do You Really Mean Free Sheet Music, As In Printable Sheet Music?"
YES! REALLY free sheet music. Printable piano music, free vocal sheet music, and easy guitar tabs for beginners.
Lead sheets too, which are available in multiple keys for all instruments. Well-loved music of many genres, which has proven its worth pedagogically - and music education resources as well!
Piano Music |
Vocal Music |
Guitar Tabs |
Lead Sheets |
MusicEdTools |
Autism&Music |
The idea for my own free sheet music site started years ago, when I had trouble finding enough piano music I liked that my students and my own children liked too. Sure, my favorite piano method books had some real gems scattered throughout the pages, but also pieces that kids would drag their way through, getting stuck in for a few weeks. Then, it was always nice to have "extra" or "fun" music to coax them along through the tough times in their piano method books.
Of course there were lots of supplemental books I could buy... but sometimes I didn't want to ask parents to spend money on yet another book, when I felt pretty sure only two or three of the pieces in the collection would interest my particular student. Or maybe only one. Parents already paid a lot for lessons...I needed free sheet music!
Or perhaps the composition I wanted wasn't available in my student's level...and even if it was, I wouldn't find out in time (think Christmas) because there was -- and still is -- no music store within a hundred miles of my town. Or I might find the piano song they wanted, but the arrangement turned out to be...BORING.
Sometimes my students needed lots more practice with the same set of notes, but we had run out of music. Or they were ready to boogie with the 12-bar blues, but they weren't ready to read any of the blues music I could find.
If only free sheet music for kids was available. PRINTABLE sheet music. Printable PIANO music. But it wasn't!
So, like many of you, I began an on-going odyssey is search of music books with a high percentage of interesting pieces...
...and I also began to write and arrange piano music for my students, and my own kids. It wasn't exactly free sheet music then, not for me, anyway. Back then, it meant writing out music laboriously by hand on staff paper, then visiting the local copy center. Nothing could be printed at home or at my studio, unfortunately!
BUT TODAY, WITH A COMPUTER and great music notation software (Finale), sheet music has become a pleasure to write up. I continue to create printable piano music, vocal sheets and guitar tablature music for beginners and older students that I can't find in music stores.
WHY? BECAUSE OF MY STUDENTS. I have one young pianist whose favorite piece was Pachelbel's Canon in D. I knew he would really go to town if he could attack the Canon, scale passages and all, arranged in the key of C at an appropriate level of difficulty for him...and that is just what happened.
MANY OF MY VOCAL STUDENTS LOVE OPERA, but have voices too young and undeveloped to sing the songs in the original keys. With my shorter and lower versions (of some classical vocal music), they can still experience the beauty of great vocal music and grow familiar with the classical repertoire, though they are young. I can also offer them folk and ethnic music that might be impossible to find!
AND MY GUITAR STUDENTS NEED EXTRA MATERIAL - beautiful and fun music - to get them out of their one-size-fits-all guitar method books, trying different styles of playing, and learning how chords work. Plus, too many beginner guitar method books start with eighth notes, assuming students can already read music. I want all my students to have a firm foundation of basic counting, and not be guessing when it comes to eighth notes... so we wait awhile on those.
NO, I HAVEN'T THROWN OUT THE METHOD BOOKS. They form the backbone of my piano,violin, and guitar lessons. And I buy a lot of supplemental books for my students, too. More and more, there are terrific repertoire collections and solos available. Some of them can be previewed online to gauge their suitability for your pupils. I'd like to share my favorites with you.
ARE YOU A FULL-TIME TEACHER, A STAY-AT-HOME PARENT making extra money by taking in pupils, or A COLLEGE STUDENT just getting started teaching? Perhaps someone in the family has asked you to give their little girl or boy lessons, and you're not sure how to proceed. This site is aimed at teachers -- especially BEGINNING MUSIC TEACHERS -- and I want it to become a help in your teaching.
Though my printable sheet music is offered free, it is copyrighted and not for resale.
If you want to know when a new page has been added, subscribe to my RSS feed above. Thanks for stopping by... please come back again soon to see what new free sheet music has been added!
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What Other Visitors Have Said
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Music Sharing Not rated yet
Are you interested in arrangements by other teachers who do not have a personal web site on which to share?
I have submitted some music to a score sharing …
Searching for Piano by Color for the Very Young or for Low Functioning Autistic Children by Pamela Ott Not rated yet
I teach music through our city parks Department and have several students who could benefit from this book/program but I am unable to find it anywhere …
Writing Music on the Computer Not rated yet
Hi,
I'm a 12 year old homeschooled girl, and I love singing and playing piano, fiddle , and guitar. I found your site last week , and I LOVE it. I play …
What Visitors Say:
Marybeth:
I love your site! It has been an incredible resource for me as a Music teacher. I love your ideas and the music you share...
Amber:
Thank you! THANK YOU!!! For keeping the beautiful art of Opera alive! I stumbled upon this site and I'm so happy I did!
Matt:
THIS SITE IS AMAZING!! I've been teaching guitar for about 5 years now, and I've only just found your website! (I could really have used it 5 years ago)
:-) I teach at primary schools every week day for about 4 hours, so the beginner tabs you have are ideal. Thank you so much for your hard work getting these on the web, you have made many children very happy!!
Mary in Minnesota
I stumbled upon your site while searching for a keyboard diagram for an intermediate student. It is a wonderful, powerful site. I am so glad you are providing your wisdom, experience, and loving style of teaching with the world. I read a few of the blog entries and comments, particularly about teaching special needs children. I have two with autism, a couple more with ADD/ADHD, and like you, realize that every child has a different need at the piano (and life). My hope is to find the best way to reach any student. Thank you.
Kim in Washington:
My son is hooked...I've been introducing piano to my son on and off for a year or so, but he's not had much interest. Then I gave him "Monsters Everywhere". He loved playing it with the organ sound on our piano. He memorized it that week and I'm printing off the other Halloween songs to keep him going. I love the detailed instructions on teaching since he is my first student! Thanks so much.
Dana:
That is so neat that your son has experienced the magic and mystery of music through this little song. That is so exciting to me. Thanks for writing, Kim!
Carrie,Voice and Piano Teacher:
This site is FABULOUS. For all the reasons you explain on the site itself--this is exactly what piano teachers need! (I still need to go look at the vocal music). Wow. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Deb:
... I watched your video "Wondrous Love" with your eight gals - Magnificent! So refreshing to see good harmonies sung a capella these days; it seems to be rare!
Cathy:
I recently purchased your arrangement of The Moldau (a longtime favorite of mine). I wasn't sure if any of my students would be interested in it, but to my amazement 3 of my students LOVE it. Thank you so much for making your great arrangement.
Marta: Thank you for the free downloads! I'm a private teacher and I teach piano and beginner voice as well :) I taught middle school choir and elementary music before starting my studio. I've been running my studio for about a year and I've come across the same issue. I don't want my students to have to purchase an entire supplemental book for only a couple of songs. So thank you for this site...some great downloads!!
Lin:
Thank you for a most excellent site. I am a classical guitar teacher, who endeavors to cover chords and fingerstyle as well. I especially liked the printable Celtic music, as some of my teenage students enjoy it! Thank you, again.
Danielle: What a lovely, generous site! Many thanks from a fellow singer and music teacher in New York State. Loved the inclusion of the video for "The Ash Grove," a song I just recommended to an adult voice student today. I was pleased to be able to send her the link to not only the sheet music, but a charming performance of the song as well.
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