Simple Piano Sheet Music & Vocal Round
Canoe Song
Simple piano sheet music that is quickly learned - as in one sitting! - is sometimes exactly what your student craves!
The easiest arrangement
With this SIMPLIFIED version of the original Canoe Song, even students with agility for only 5 notes can make this happen.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
There is only ONE note's difference between this new setting and the original Canoe Song, but it will make ALL the difference for your student in conquering this song quickly.
The six-note version of Canoe Song
Here is an ambitious group of 3rd and 4th grade students, with drums and recorders (and another set of instruments I couldn't really see) with a fancy version of the Canoe Song:
The same sheet, with smaller staff
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Why a smaller staff? It may seem easier to read for some, and also older students, though beginners, won't feel like they're playing "baby" music. Sometimes GIANT NOTES can feel like they are shouting at you!
A lead sheet arrangement of the original tune
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This is the original melody, as I first encountered it - only the high D at the end of line two is different.
Don't tuck under - jump instead (or cross over)
Yes, if you wish for younger students to be able to play this desirable song, you must sacrifice your piano-teaching principles and allow them to jump to the high D, or cross left hand over. There will be plenty of opportunities later for tucking under!
An extra measure at the end, for ATMOSPHERE
I frequently like to end piano songs with a flourish of some kind, when I'm playing along with my students; this extra measure, using the shape of open chords happened gradually. Pretty soon, I couldn't help myself, at the end of Canoe Song! With the pedal depressed, this measure lends a great deal to the MOOD of Canoe Song.
The original simple piano sheet music
This arrangement of Canoe Song, below, is just right for students who are beginning to tuck fingers under in scales.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
It's also a round for singing
Turn this song into a group round
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
But even without singing in round fashion, the melody is captivating, and you and your piano student will enjoy leaning into the half notes as you sing it together.
Lots of energy = LOUD PLAYING?
I love this energetic song with its unusual rhythm. Like Indian Dance, it allows students to really pound the piano if they are in the mood.
Not that pounding is something you should encourage!
However, young students frequently DO enjoy pounding, as we all know.
More skill required to "tuck under"
This easy piano sheet music for beginners will probably remind your students of Indian Dance, but the melody requires a much higher skill level.
Don't give the second, original piano arrangement to them until they really understand how to do a simple C scale, otherwise they will substitute other fingers to get up high and take 10 times longer to learn the song! Really!
The easy left-hand chords which follow the rhythm of the right hand allow concentration on the twists and turns of the melody.
A syncopated feeling
The syncopated feeling of this melody poses an additional challenge for beginners, many of whom are extremely resistant to counting aloud! For them, it will help to sing the words of the song, and also to clap their hands, or tap their lap as they count.
Practice "drumming" the rhythm
Separate the timing issue from the note-playing for beginner students just learning the "tucking-under" technique. I set the rhythm to 4/4 so I wouldn't have to use eighth notes, to make it easy to count.
Grab a pen for each of you and beat the rhythm aloud on the piano lid. Get some practice first in the book I use with all my students during the "drumming" portion of our lessons - and this will come easily!
The links for the piano music:
Download six-note melody for beginners
Download Canoe Song with six notes, using smaller staff
Download easier arrangement with helper notes of Canoe Song, fancier melody
Download simple piano sheet music Canoe Song
The links to the singing rounds:
Download the vocal round Canoe Song in Cm
Download Canoe Song for singers in Dm
Download singing round Canoe Song in Em (shown above)
Check out more easy free songs with a reach of just 6 or 7 notes:
Canoe Song - full of energy and a feeling of the mystery of the woodlands of Canada.
Egyptian Dance - not as hard as it sounds! Very mysterious & beautiful.
I'm a Pirate - a good song for imaginative young kids! Several settings.
Indian Dance - one of the most popular & accessible songs for beginners here
Irish Wedding (easy version) - all my students want to play this high-energy song!
Kum Ba Yah - very pretty and easy - just 6 notes.
Lavender's Blue - young girls love this music, especially if they have seen Lily James' Cinderella!
Winds in the Willow - scale practice disguised as a mysterious, pretty minor melody.
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All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
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This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
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This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
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for little boys or girls.
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Audrey:
I just wanted to tell you that I have found your website EXTREMELY helpful!
I have a young group of children that I have started a youth choir with and I was searching for music ideas and I came across your website. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Anna Lee:
What a fabulous website! I've been a keen amateur piano player since I first learnt 56 years ago at the age of 8.
I now have a three year old granddaughter and am hoping fervently that she'll want to learn - at which point I'll teach her. This is just the kind of resource I'll need to make it comprehensible. Thank you very much.
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About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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