Easy piano · 7 keys Start here · step 7 of 10

Brother John (Frère Jacques) easy piano by numbers

Q: How many keys do I need for Brother John (Frère Jacques)?

7 keys, all white keys, played with the right hand: 1 = G, 2 = C, 3 = D, 4 = E, 5 = F, 6 = G, 7 = A.

Q: What are the first notes of Brother John (Frère Jacques)?

In numbers: 2 3 4 2 2 3 4 2. In letter notes: C D E C C D E C.

French round · 38 s · 64 notes · public domain

Brother John (Frère Jacques) is easy to play on the piano with numbers. One hand, 7 keys, about 38 seconds: press the numbers in order, as they light up, and the lesson waits for you. Free, no account needed.

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On paper: the 25 easiest songs, in a printable book · 2 songs free to print

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Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

The interactive lesson needs JavaScript. Meanwhile, here is the whole song in numbers.

Brother John (Frère Jacques) piano notes: C D E C C D E C · E F G E F G · G A G F E C G A G F E C …

The number sheet

The whole song, in numbers. Print it, or put it on your piano.

2CAre3Dyou4Esleep2Cing,2Care3Dyou4Esleep2Cing,

4EBroth5Fer6GJohn?4EBroth5Fer6GJohn?

6GMor7Aning6Gbells5Fare4Ering2Cing,6Gmor7Aning6Gbells5Fare4Ering2Cing,

2Cding,1Gdang,2Cdong!2CDing,1Gdang,2Cdong!

2CAre3Dyou4Esleep2Cing,2Care3Dyou4Esleep2Cing,

4EBroth5Fer6GJohn?4EBroth5Fer6GJohn?

6GMor7Aning6Gbells5Fare4Ering2Cing,6Gmor7Aning6Gbells5Fare4Ering2Cing,

2Cding,1Gdang,2Cdong!2CDing,1Gdang,2Cdong!

How to play Brother John (Frère Jacques) on the piano

A French round from the 18th century, known in English as "Are You Sleeping, Brother John?". As a round, several people can play it together, each starting two bars after the other.

This easy version uses 7 keys (all white keys) and the right hand only: 64 notes, about 38 seconds at 100 BPM in 4/4 time. The words are in English.

Find key 1: G3 (below middle C). The other numbers go up from there, to the next key the song uses.

Press ▶ Listen to hear the song while the numbers light up.

Press 🎹 Play it and play the numbers in order; an arrow shows the next key, and the lesson waits for you.

Want the rhythm too? Press 🌧 Falling notes: each note falls onto its key, and its length shows how long to hold it (how falling notes work).

Finish the song for up to three stars — fewer mistakes, more stars.

The keys

Number	Note	Key	Where
1	G	G3	below middle C
2	C	C4	middle C
3	D	D4	above middle C
4	E	E4	above middle C
5	F	F4	above middle C
6	G	G4	above middle C
7	A	A4	above middle C

Number

Note

Key

Where

below middle C

middle C

above middle C

Brother John (Frère Jacques) in letter notes

Show the whole song in letter notes, line by line

C D E C C D E C
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

E F G E F G
Brother John? Brother John?

G A G F E C G A G F E C
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,

C G C C G C
ding, dang, dong! Ding, dang, dong!

C D E C C D E C
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

E F G E F G
Brother John? Brother John?

G A G F E C G A G F E C
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,

C G C C G C
ding, dang, dong! Ding, dang, dong!

Questions

How do you play Brother John (Frère Jacques) on the piano, the easy way?

With one hand and 7 keys: put a finger on key 1, G3, and number the keys the song uses from there. Then press the numbers in order: 2 3 4 2 2 3 4 2 (in letter notes: C D E C C D E C). The whole song lasts about 38 seconds; the lesson on this page shows the next key and waits for you.

How many keys do I need for Brother John (Frère Jacques)?

7 keys, all white keys, played with the right hand: 1 = G, 2 = C, 3 = D, 4 = E, 5 = F, 6 = G, 7 = A.

What are the first notes of Brother John (Frère Jacques)?

In numbers: 2 3 4 2 2 3 4 2. In letter notes: C D E C C D E C.

Is Brother John (Frère Jacques) free to play and share?

Yes. Brother John (Frère Jacques) is in the public domain (French round). This easy arrangement, its number sheet and its MIDI file are free to use and share for learning.

Can I play it without a piano?

Yes: tap the keys on the page on a phone or tablet, or press the numbers 1–7 on a computer keyboard. The lesson waits for the right key and shows the next one.

How long does it take to learn?

The whole song lasts 38 seconds at 100 beats a minute. Most beginners play it through within a few tries; lower the speed with the slider to go slower.

If you like Brother John (Frère Jacques), try

Brother John (Frère Jacques) easy piano by numbers

The number sheet

How to play Brother John (Frère Jacques) on the piano

The keys

Brother John (Frère Jacques) in letter notes

Questions

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