Easy Recorder Songs for Beginners

The easiest recorder songs use just three notes, B, A and G, played with the left hand. Hot Cross Buns is the classic first song, and Mary Had a Little Lamb adds a high D. Next come Au Clair de la Lune, Ode to Joy and Jingle Bells, using G, A, B, C and D. Below are 10 public-domain songs with note names, fingerings and a play-along.

Updated 28 October 2026 · By the Classfern Music Department

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

Key facts

• First notes: B, A and G, all with the left hand.
• 10 songs, all public domain, in order of difficulty.
• Levels 1–2 use only G A B C′ D′; level 3 adds low D and E or high E′.
• For a soprano recorder in C with English (baroque) fingering.
• Note names: C′ D′ E′ (with a mark) are the higher notes above B.

What is the easiest song to play on the recorder?

Hot Cross Buns is the easiest recorder song: it uses only three notes, B, A and G, all played with the left hand. Mary Had a Little Lamb uses the same three notes plus a high D (D′), and Au Clair de la Lune starts with just G, A and B.

Play the songs in order. Each level adds a note or two, so beginners build up step by step, from the first lesson to a whole tune.

What are the first notes to learn on the recorder?

The first recorder notes are B, A and G. Cover the thumb hole at the back and hole 1 for B; add hole 2 for A; add hole 3 for G. All three use the left hand only, at the top of the recorder, with the left thumb on the back hole.

Soprano recorder fingerings for the notes on this page (English fingering). Holes: thumb = back hole, 1–3 left hand, 4–7 right hand.

Note	Cover
D	thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
E	thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
F♯	thumb, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
G	thumb, 1, 2, 3
A	thumb, 1, 2
B	thumb, 1
C′	thumb, 2
D′	2
E′	thumb half-covered, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Blow gently, as if saying “doo”, to start each note. The recorder fingering chart and play-along shows every note with a diagram.

Play-along

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

Press a “Play along” button under any song. The notes scroll past and the box shows which holes to cover for each one. Slow it down, or switch on wait mode so the music waits for you.

Open the play-along Kids’ mode: bigger notes and color note names

What recorder songs are good for kids?

Good recorder songs for kids start with Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb (B A G), then Au Clair de la Lune, Ode to Joy, Lightly Row, Jingle Bells and When the Saints, which use G A B C′ D′. Old MacDonald adds low D and E.

Recorder is a popular first instrument in elementary school music. Each song below has note names and a play-along, so a class can learn together on a projector.

Hot Cross Buns

Level 1 (3 notes) · Notes: G A B · 4/4 · Traditional English street cry (printed by 1733) (public domain)

B A G|B A G|G G G G A A A A|B A G

Play along: Hot Cross Buns

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Level 1 · Notes: G A B D′ · 4/4 · Words: Sarah Josepha Hale (1830). Tune: traditional American (public domain)

B A G A|B B B|A A A|B D′ D′
B A G A|B B B B|A A B A|G

Play along: Mary Had a Little Lamb

Au Clair de la Lune

Level 2 · Notes: D E F♯ G A B · 4/4 · Traditional French song (18th century) (public domain)

G G G A|B A|G B A A|G
G G G A|B A|G B A A|G
A A A A|E E|A G F♯ E|D
G G G A|B A|G B A A|G

Play along: Au Clair de la Lune

Ode to Joy

Level 2 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ · 4/4 · Ludwig van Beethoven (1824), from his 9th Symphony (public domain)

B B C′ D′|D′ C′ B A|G G A B|B A A
B B C′ D′|D′ C′ B A|G G A B|A G G

Play along: Ode to Joy

Lightly Row

Level 2 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ · 4/4 · Traditional German tune (public domain)

D′ B B|C′ A A|G A B C′|D′ D′ D′
D′ B B|C′ A A|G B D′ D′|B
A A A A|A B C′|B B B B|B C′ D′
D′ B B|C′ A A|G B D′ D′|G

Play along: Lightly Row

Jingle Bells (chorus)

Level 2 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ · 4/4 · James Lord Pierpont (1857) (public domain)

B B B|B B B|B D′ G A|B
C′ C′ C′ C′|C′ B B B B|B A A B|A D′
B B B|B B B|B D′ G A|B
C′ C′ C′ C′|C′ B B B B|D′ D′ C′ A|G

Play along: Jingle Bells (chorus)

When the Saints Go Marching In

Level 2 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ · 4/4 · Traditional African American spiritual (first recorded 1923) (public domain)

G B C′|D′|G B C′|D′
G B C′|D′ B|G B|A
B B A|G G|B D′ D′|C′
B C′|D′ B|G A|G

Play along: When the Saints Go Marching In

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Level 3 (low notes) · Notes: D E G A B · 4/4 · Traditional (printed 1917) (public domain)

G G G D|E E D|B B A A|G D
G G G D|E E D|B B A A|G

Play along: Old MacDonald Had a Farm

London Bridge Is Falling Down

Level 3 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ E′ · 4/4 · Traditional English nursery rhyme (public domain) · Challenge note: E′ (thumb half-covered)

D′ E′ D′ C′|B C′ D′|A B C′|B C′ D′
D′ E′ D′ C′|B C′ D′|A D′|B G

Play along: London Bridge Is Falling Down

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Level 3 · Notes: G A B C′ D′ E′ · 4/4 · French melody (1761); words by Jane Taylor (1806) (public domain) · Challenge note: E′ (thumb half-covered)

G G D′ D′|E′ E′ D′|C′ C′ B B|A A G
D′ D′ C′ C′|B B A|D′ D′ C′ C′|B B A
G G D′ D′|E′ E′ D′|C′ C′ B B|A A G

Play along: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

How do you read recorder note names?

Recorder note names are the letters of the notes: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. On this page C′, D′ and E′ (with a mark) are the higher notes above B, and D and E without a mark are the low notes at the bottom of the recorder. Play the letters from left to right.

Note names tell you which note to play, not how long it lasts: listen to the play-along to hear the rhythm. When you are ready for notes on the staff, try learn to read music, or the “Show the sheet music” button in the recorder play-along.

Should I use English (baroque) or German recorder fingering?

Use English (baroque) fingering, the system on most recorders used in schools today. German fingering makes F easier but other notes harder, and its recorders have a different hole size. If your recorder is marked “German” or “G”, ask your teacher which fingering to use.

All the fingerings on this page and in Classfern’s free recorder tools on lessonplanner.info are English (baroque) fingerings for a soprano recorder in C. Classfern is not connected with or endorsed by any instrument maker.

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