Easy piano · 6 keys

Il était un petit navire

Q: How many keys do I need for Il était un petit navire?

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

Q: What are the first notes of Il était un petit navire?

In numbers: 4 4 4 1 4 5 4 4 4. In letter notes: E E E G E F E E E.

French sea song · 35 s · 85 notes · public domain

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Il était un petit navire,

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

Il était un petit navire piano notes: E E E G E F E E E · D D D D G D E D D · C E E E E E E G F E …

The number sheet

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

4EIl4Eé4Etait1Gun4Epe5Ftit4Ena4Evi4Ere,

3Dil3Dé3Dtait3Dun1Gpe3Dtit4Ena3Dvi3Dre,

2Cqui4En'a4Evait4Eja4E-ja4E-ja4Emais6Gna5Fvi4Egué,

3Dqui3Dn'a3Dvait3Dja3D-ja3D-ja3Dmais5Fna4Evi3Dgué.

2CO1Ghé !4EO6Ghé !

4EIl4Epar4Etit1Gpour4Eun5Flong4Evoy4Ea4Ege,

3Dil3Dpar3Dtit3Dpour1Gun3Dlong4Evoy3Da3Dge,

2Csur4Ela4Emer4EMé4E-Mé4E-Mé4Edi6Gter5Fra4Enée,

3Dsur3Dla3Dmer3DMé3D-Mé3D-Mé3Ddi5Fter4Era3Dnée.

2CO1Ghé !4EO6Ghé !2C·

How to play Il était un petit navire on the piano

A French sea song about a little ship that had never sailed, sung by children in France for generations.

This easy version uses 6 white keys and the right hand only: 85 notes, about 35 seconds at 100 BPM in 2/4 time. The words are in French.

Find key 1: G3 (below middle C). The other numbers go up from there, one white key each.

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.

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

Number

Note

Key

Where

below middle C

middle C

above middle C

Il était un petit navire in letter notes

Show the whole song in letter notes, line by line

E E E G E F E E E
Il était un petit navire,

D D D D G D E D D
il était un petit navire,

C E E E E E E G F E
qui n'avait ja-ja-jamais navigué,

D D D D D D D F E D
qui n'avait ja-ja-jamais navigué.

C G E G
Ohé ! Ohé !

E E E G E F E E E
Il partit pour un long voyage,

D D D D G D E D D
il partit pour un long voyage,

C E E E E E E G F E
sur la mer Mé-Mé-Méditerranée,

D D D D D D D F E D
sur la mer Mé-Mé-Méditerranée.

C G E G C
Ohé ! Ohé !

Questions

How many keys do I need for Il était un petit navire?

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

What are the first notes of Il était un petit navire?

In numbers: 4 4 4 1 4 5 4 4 4. In letter notes: E E E G E F E E E.

Is Il était un petit navire free to play and share?

Yes. Il était un petit navire is in the public domain (French sea song). 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 1–6 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 35 seconds at 100 beats a minute. Most beginners play it through within a few tries; lower the speed with the slider to go slower.

More easy songs

Il était un petit navire

The number sheet

How to play Il était un petit navire on the piano

The keys