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Easy Cello Songs for Beginners

The easiest cello songs use the open D and A strings and fingers 1, 3 and 4. Hot Cross Buns needs just three notes – F♯ (3rd finger), E (1st finger) and open D – and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star starts on the open D and A strings. Below are 10 public-domain cello songs in D major, with the string and finger for every note, and a play-along.

Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US music words (measure, quarter note, eighth note, staff); the UK version uses bar, crotchet, quaver and stave. · UK version of this page

Updated · By the Classfern Music Department

Key facts

  • Cello open strings, lowest to highest: C2, G2, D3, A3, tuned a perfect fifth apart.
  • First position: 1st finger a whole step above the open string; 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers a half step apart.
  • In D major on the D string: open D, 1 = E, 3 = F♯, 4 = G. On the A string: open A, 1 = B, 3 = C♯, 4 = D.
  • Cello music is written in the bass clef and sounds at the written pitch.
  • All 10 tunes are traditional or by composers who died more than 70 years ago; the simple versions are Classfern’s own.

The songs

Each song shows the note names measure by measure, with the string and finger in brackets. Press Play along to open it in the cello play-along, with the rhythm and a finger box for every note. Self-assessed Can you play the song with the play-along at 80% speed without stopping?

How to read the brackets: the string, then the finger. (D 0) = open D string; (D 1) = 1st finger on the D string; x1 = 1st finger stretched back; x4 = 4th finger stretched forward. A dash after a note means a long note (2 beats or more).

  1. 1. Hot Cross Buns

    Traditional English street cry (printed by 1733) · Level 1 · F♯, E, D on the D string · 4/4 time

    F♯(D 3) E(D 1) D(D 0)– | F♯(D 3) E(D 1) D(D 0)– | D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3) E(D 1) D(D 0)–

  2. 2. Mary Had a Little Lamb

    Words: Sarah Josepha Hale (1830). Tune: traditional American · Level 1 · F♯, E, D and A on the D and A strings · 4/4 time

    F♯(D 3) E(D 1) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1)– | F♯(D 3) A(A 0) A(A 0)– | F♯(D 3) E(D 1) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | E(D 1) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) | D(D 0)–

  3. 3. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

    French melody (1761); words by Jane Taylor (1806) · Level 1 · D and A strings, D major · 4/4 time

    D(D 0) D(D 0) A(A 0) A(A 0) | B(A 1) B(A 1) A(A 0)– | G(D 4) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | E(D 1) E(D 1) D(D 0)– | A(A 0) A(A 0) G(D 4) G(D 4) | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) E(D 1)– | A(A 0) A(A 0) G(D 4) G(D 4) | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) E(D 1)– | D(D 0) D(D 0) A(A 0) A(A 0) | B(A 1) B(A 1) A(A 0)– | G(D 4) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | E(D 1) E(D 1) D(D 0)–

  4. 4. Lightly Row

    Traditional German tune · Level 2 · D and A strings · 4/4 time

    A(A 0) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | G(D 4) E(D 1) E(D 1)– | D(D 0) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) | A(A 0) A(A 0) A(A 0)– | A(A 0) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | G(D 4) E(D 1) E(D 1)– | D(D 0) F♯(D 3) A(A 0) A(A 0) | F♯(D 3)– | E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) | E(D 1) F♯(D 3) G(D 4)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | F♯(D 3) G(D 4) A(A 0)– | A(A 0) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | G(D 4) E(D 1) E(D 1)– | D(D 0) F♯(D 3) A(A 0) A(A 0) | D(D 0)–

  5. 5. Ode to Joy

    Ludwig van Beethoven (1824), from his 9th Symphony · Level 2 · D and A strings, steps only · 4/4 time

    F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) A(A 0) | A(A 0) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) | D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) | F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) A(A 0) | A(A 0) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) | D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) | E(D 1) D(D 0) D(D 0)–

  6. 6. Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)

    Traditional French round (18th century) · Level 2 · D string, plus A on the G string · 4/4 time

    D(D 0) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) D(D 0) | D(D 0) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) D(D 0) | F♯(D 3) G(D 4) A(A 0)– | F♯(D 3) G(D 4) A(A 0)– | A(A 0) B(A 1) A(A 0) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) D(D 0) | A(A 0) B(A 1) A(A 0) G(D 4) F♯(D 3) D(D 0) | D(D 0) A(G 1) D(D 0)– | D(D 0) A(G 1) D(D 0)–

  7. 7. Au Clair de la Lune

    Traditional French song (18th century) · Level 2 · G, D and A strings · 4/4 time

    D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3)– E(D 1)– | D(D 0) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) | D(D 0)– | D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3)– E(D 1)– | D(D 0) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) | D(D 0)– | E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) E(D 1) | B(G 3)– B(G 3)– | E(D 1) D(D 0) C♯(G x4) B(G 3) | A(G 1)– | D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3)– E(D 1)– | D(D 0) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) | D(D 0)–

  8. 8. Old MacDonald Had a Farm

    Traditional (printed 1917) · Level 2 · G, D and A strings · 4/4 time

    D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) A(G 1) | B(G 3) B(G 3) A(G 1)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) | D(D 0)– A(G 1) | D(D 0) D(D 0) D(D 0) A(G 1) | B(G 3) B(G 3) A(G 1)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) | D(D 0)–

  9. 9. Jingle Bells (chorus)

    James Lord Pierpont (1857) · Level 3 · D and A strings, quicker rhythm · 4/4 time

    F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | F♯(D 3) A(A 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3)– | G(D 4) G(D 4) G(D 4) G(D 4) | G(D 4) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | F♯(D 3) E(D 1) E(D 1) F♯(D 3) | E(D 1)– A(A 0)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3)– | F♯(D 3) A(A 0) D(D 0) E(D 1) | F♯(D 3)– | G(D 4) G(D 4) G(D 4) G(D 4) | G(D 4) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) | A(A 0) A(A 0) G(D 4) E(D 1) | D(D 0)–

  10. 10. When the Saints Go Marching In

    Traditional African American spiritual (first recorded 1923) · Level 3 · D and A strings, with rests · 4/4 time

    D(D 0) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) | A(A 0)– | rest D(D 0) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) | A(A 0)– | rest D(D 0) F♯(D 3) G(D 4) | A(A 0)– F♯(D 3)– | D(D 0)– F♯(D 3)– | E(D 1)– | rest F♯(D 3) F♯(D 3) E(D 1) | D(D 0)– D(D 0) | F♯(D 3)– A(A 0) A(A 0) | G(D 4)– | rest F♯(D 3) G(D 4) | A(A 0)– F♯(D 3)– | D(D 0)– E(D 1)– | D(D 0)–

Sounds are made in your browser. The microphone is used only if you press Listen in the play-along, only on this device. Nothing is recorded or sent.

What is the easiest song to play on the cello?

Hot Cross Buns: three notes on the D string – F♯ with the 3rd finger, E with the 1st finger and the open D. Mary Had a Little Lamb uses the same notes plus the open A string.

Mr Chopin, Classfern’s head of music (wavy grey hair, round glasses, white moustache, sage-green cardigan and brown bow tie), smiling warmly, hands together

Pluck the song first (pizzicato) so you can watch your left hand, then bow it with long, slow bows. Keep the left thumb soft behind the neck, roughly opposite the 2nd finger.

What are good cello songs for beginners?

Start with Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Lightly Row, then Ode to Joy and Frère Jacques. All ten songs on this page are in D major on the D and A strings, with a few notes on the G string.

Which strings each song uses
SongLevelStrings and fingers
Hot Cross Buns1F♯, E, D on the D string
Mary Had a Little Lamb1F♯, E, D and A on the D and A strings
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star1D and A strings, D major
Lightly Row2D and A strings
Ode to Joy2D and A strings, steps only
Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)2D string, plus A on the G string
Au Clair de la Lune2G, D and A strings
Old MacDonald Had a Farm2G, D and A strings
Jingle Bells (chorus)3D and A strings, quicker rhythm
When the Saints Go Marching In3D and A strings, with rests

How do cello finger numbers work?

Fingers are numbered 1 (index) to 4 (little finger). In first position each finger plays the next half step, except the 1st finger, which is a whole step above the open string. So F♯ on the D string is the 3rd finger, not the 2nd.

Cello first position on the D and A strings
FingerD stringA string
0 (open)D3A3
1E3B3
2F3C4
3F♯3C♯4
4G3D4

Which clef is used for cello songs?

Cello music is written in the bass clef. The open D string (D3) sits on the middle line of the bass staff, and the open A string (A3) in the top space. Higher passages use the tenor or treble clef.

Press Show the sheet music in the play-along to see each song in the bass clef. New to it? Try the bass clef notes lesson.

Can I play these songs with a violin player?

Yes. The same ten songs are on the easy violin songs page in D major (Twinkle is in A major for violin), an octave or more higher. Cello and violin can play them together in unison an octave apart, except Twinkle.

See easy violin songs. Classfern’s free string tools on lessonplanner.info run in your browser and need no account.

Mr Chopin, Classfern’s head of music (wavy grey hair, round glasses, white moustache, sage-green cardigan and brown bow tie), waving hello with one hand

Quick quiz: easy cello songs

Five questions on strings, fingers and clefs. Marked by Classfern Your score stays in this browser.

More music tools

Cello for beginnersTuning, sizes and a notes chart.Easy violin songsThe same songs for violin.Bass clef notesRead cello music.Double bassTuning, sizes and notes.ViolaTuning and fingering.All music toolsThe Classfern Music hub.

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