Simple Piano Sheet Music & Vocal Round
Canoe Song
Simple piano sheet music that is quickly learned - as in one sitting! - is sometimes exactly what will satisfy your student.
Download free:
- Easy piano arrangements
- Vocal rounds
- Guitar tabs, on this page
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. Consider this a "teaching opportunity," whereby they can learn to control volume without punishing the piano keyboard.
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!
Guitar tabs
Remember to visit this page, "Canoe Song chords," to find and download the guitar tabs for beginning guitar!
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 piano 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.
More Rounds at Music-for-Music-Teachers.com
A pretty round with a reach of an octave, slow-moving notes, and easy intervals. The scale-wise movement makes this song easy for a beginner.
With lyrics from an older time, this is more difficult than many rounds, but compensatingly more beautiful, with more complex harmonies as well!
From Canada, a minor harmony round with energy and a catchy melody.
New lyrics for an old round by Haydn - well-suited to a mix of voices, a satisfying round
Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat
Lots of big interval jumps, even octaves, make this round fun and tricky.
Originally from Germany (Kaffee), this is great fun to sing, and a lasting favorite with my students! With English lyrics - by me - that mention mochas, lattes, and "coffee black!"
A fancy melody from the 1600's with rhythmic intricacies, that is also pretty!
Difficult! Quite difficult for beginners, this beautiful round works best with a bigger group of singers, or even instrumentalists, unless your singers are experienced with harmony, and good note readers.
For Health & Strength & Daily Bread
Pretty, and fairly easy, as it moves primarily in descending steps, this is a wonderful Thanksgiving song!
The famous French melody.
Meditative, slow, and minor... a lovely round. This is a lullaby.
Not a lullaby! This is a brisk bidding farewell to friends, in a major key.
Haida is vigorous and fun - there are two spots that invite a clap, adding to the rhythmic feeling of this song. Along with "Coffee," this is a favorite, frequently requested!
The Hart, He Loves the High Hill
This brisk but pretty round from England contrasts a deer with a rabbit, and a man with a woman! "The lady loves her WILL!" (getting her own way).
Have You Seen the Ghost of John
An unbelievably pretty round, with lyrics that DO NOT do it justice! One of my students' perennial favorites. I have added alternate lyrics in Latin, to make it sing-able for Christmas.
The first round I use with beginning singers. Very singable!
Another brisk Hebrew round, lovely and minor.
A fun 2-part round from Australia, good for classroom singing
Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
A happy song, easy to learn!
A very pretty little tune with nice major harmonies. A quick study!
Short, and very easy. This is a sweet melody with simple harmonies.
A pretty song with lovely lyrics
A song about peace, from Israel. Very lovely.
Viva la musica
A little different - there is a bit of dissonance to learn to sing through. A joyful melody!
A pretty little round with two parts and two verses, about white coral bells flowers along a garden path.
A street-seller's cry from England.
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!
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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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I've recently began piano lessons and it's amazing how much there is to learn, not just about technique, but also about getting into the right frame of …
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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