Auld Lang Syne Sheet Music
Auld Lang Syne sheet music for New Year's Eve & other gatherings! Free printable sheet music for:
- Piano - three easy arrangements, & one fuller version
- Guitar - tablature and chords in the key of C
- Solo instruments, with lead sheets with chords in many keys, to accommodate all singers.
- All the verses of the lyrics, in a separate free printable PDF
All the PDF arrangements' links can be accessed farther down the page, after the sheet music images. As I said before, these PDF files are free to download and print!
An easy arrangement for piano, in 3 keys
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Listen to the easy arrangement, linked below
Not being at my studio over Christmas break, what you hear in this audio recording is my old upright, at home, with a crackling fire in the background (a bit of ambience that somehow seems appropriate for Auld Lang Syne), all recorded by my iPhone.
Starting the singing together
If you're not accustomed to leading a group, it can take a bit of practice to get everyone started together! The easiest approach, especially when the beginning note is not on beat 1, is to play the final phrase of the song as an introduction. Here, that would mean starting with the last note of line 3, "we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne." That would be your introduction.
A certain amount of ENERGY infused into the last few beats before the singing begins - those left hand notes! - helps to persuade singers to jump in. Run through this process ahead of time, if possible, to give yourself confidence.
This easy arrangement comes in the keys of C, F, and G (shown). The key of G may be a bit high for most singers, and the key of C may be a bit low for children. The key of F is just about right!
A fancier piano arrangement
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Requiring much more skill, this intermediate arrangement is satisfying to play and sing! Here is what it sounds like, again, on my big old upright.
Guitar tabs for the New Year's song
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Have your capo handy to move the song higher, in case the key of C is too low for your singers!
Lots of lead sheets with chords, for various instruments
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
A simpler set of chords, below
The lead sheet in the key of F is also available with a simpler set of chords, as shown below. This "simpler chords" version matches the guitar arrangement.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Bass clef versions as well
Here's what the key of F looks like in the bass clef, with simple chords:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
There are lead sheets with chords in the keys of:
- A
- Bb
- C (two versions, plus one with guitar tablature)
- D
- Eb
- F (four versions)
- G
Are you wanting to sing more than just one verse?
Here are the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne, to download and print for your group:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
A pentatonic melody
One thing I never realized about Auld Lang Syne is that it is a pentatonic tune! That means it can be played ENTIRELY ON THE BLACK KEYS of the piano. (However, the chords that go with the pentatonic melody WILL require a few white keys...)
This song has a history
As Wikipedia tells us,
"Traditionally it is sung to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve," and may also be heard at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions.
It is certainly a beautiful song, like much music from Scotland.
Easy piano arrangements in 3 keys:
Download Auld Lang Syne sheet music, easy piano, in the key of C
Download sheet music for New Year's Eve in the key of F
Download New Year's piano music in G
A piano arrangement with a full sound:
Download Piano arrangement in the key of C, Auld Lang Syne
Simple chords for the guitar
Download guitar tabs for Auld Lang Syne
Four versions of New Year's song lead sheets, in F, a good key for group singing:
The links to the sheet music in the key of F:
Download Auld Lang Syne sheet music for key of F, lead sheet
Download sheet music lead in F with fewer chords
Download Auld Lang Syne in BASS clef, F lead
Download bass clef lead sheet in key of F with simpler chords
The link to Auld Lang Syne in A:
Download lead sheet music Auld Lang Syne in A
The link to the song in Bb:
Download the New Year's Eve song in the key of Bb
The links to the sheet music in the key of C:
Download the simple chords version of Auld Lang Syne in C
Download the New Year song with extra chords in C
The link for Auld Lang Syne in the key of D:
Download the New Year's song in D
The link to the music in Eb:
Download "For auld acquaintance be forgot" in the key of Eb
The link to the sheet music in G:
Download lead sheet with simple chords in the key of G
Finally, here are just the lyrics in a printable PDF:
Download all the verses of Auld Lang Syne (that I could find!)
More Folk Songs to Sing:
Ae Fond Kiss - a love song about saying goodbye, from Scotland
All the Pretty Little Horses - a soft and repetitious lullaby, quite pretty
Ash Grove - a famous and lovely song from Wales
Auld Lang Syne - the New Year's Eve song!
Colorado Trail Song - an American tune written by a real cowboy
Come By the Hills - another popular Irish melody
Down By the Salley Gardens - a famous and pretty song, very sweet
Green Bushes - a brisk little song that is pretty while being good for breath control training
Grenadier and the Lady - my favorite folk song of all. Find out why
I Gave My Love a Cherry - the "Riddle Song" is very pretty
Loch Lomond - the famous and sad song about never meeting again
Mari's Wedding - a singable tune with bouncy chords that is fun to play or sing
Minstrel Boy - a lovely and patriotic song about a warrior-poet
Molly Bawn - a sad story of a young hunter who thought he was shooting at a swan
Morning Has Broken - a beautiful melody made famous again by Cat Stevens
Once I Had a Sweetheart - "but now I have none!" Very pretty, and little-known.
Parting Glass - a well-known Irish tune which my singers always love
Raggle-Taggle Gypsies - a story about a young bride who abandons her wealthy new husband to go off with the gypsies. A catchy melody!
Scarborough Fair - an old and famous tune of lost love
Shenandoah - a famous and lovely American tune with ambiguous lyrics
Skye Boat Song - a pretty song from Scotland about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie over the sea
Spanish Ladies - a minor key sea chanty that swings energetically along - BOYS like singing it too!
The Spanish Lady - Upbeat and energetic, this Irish song is fun to perform with a group
Star of the County Down - LOTS of fun to sing and play! An excellent ensemble piece
The Wellerman - a sea chanty that is very singable, and very fun!
Wild Mountain Thyme - beautiful, sweet, and a delight to sing.
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
Recent Articles
-
Auld Lang Syne Sheet Music PDFs: for All Instruments & Singers!
Auld Lang Syne sheet music for New Year's Eve & other gatherings! Piano arrangements, guitar tabs, & lead sheets with chords in many keys, for all singers. -
Favorite Christmas Songs: Duet Vocal Sheet Music
The best duet Christmas songs are those ones you knew & loved as a child! This set of 14 "a capella" carols arranged for 2 voices is just right for caroling! -
"Walking In the Air" Piano Music from The Snowman
This sparkling piano arrangement of the main musical theme from The Snowman will win your students' hearts and imaginations, too, with its soaring beauty! -
Moonlight Sonata: How to Play Beethoven's Lovely Piece
Moonlight Sonata: How to play this beautiful but difficult piece full of black keys & triplets? With larger-than-usual notes, & letters inside the note heads! -
Classical Piano Sheet Music: a Set of Introductions
Classical piano sheet music - Fun, mostly one-page intros! Bach, Beethoven, Mozart & more - see what's new!
Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church? Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!
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.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
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.
It is also available from Amazon as a paperback!
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.
A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
With a red cap on his head and a sack of tools slung over his shoulder, Tonsta seems to meet people in distress wherever he goes.
Lots of trolls in this book - including one who gives him a Christmas gift!
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.
Recent Articles
-
Auld Lang Syne Sheet Music PDFs: for All Instruments & Singers!
Auld Lang Syne sheet music for New Year's Eve & other gatherings! Piano arrangements, guitar tabs, & lead sheets with chords in many keys, for all singers. -
Favorite Christmas Songs: Duet Vocal Sheet Music
The best duet Christmas songs are those ones you knew & loved as a child! This set of 14 "a capella" carols arranged for 2 voices is just right for caroling!