Free Popular Sheet Music
Waltzing Matilda
Free popular sheet music "Waltzing Matilda" is a very popular song indeed in my studio for beginner piano players.
Unusually pretty
Most kids are immediately won by this melody, plus the intriguing lyrics.
This easy version with all the lyrics is split between 2 hands, and makes a beautiful duet when a partner adds chords! (Or they can use the Secondo duet part.)
(If you're looking for a lead sheet or guitar tabs for Waltzing Matilda, go here.)
Easy repeating notes, & step-wise motion
I call these easy pieces "notereader songs" -- they are a low-stress, non-threatening way for kids to learn the rhythm of a new melody.
The two versions -- long and short -- of Waltzing Matilda on this page are very easy, meant to be turned into a duet using easy key of C chords.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Here is a closeup look at that first page. You can see that it starts just like Jingle Bells, with several "E" notes in a row:
An optional second page
For real beginners, I save page 2 for later, because it requires finger replacement.
The short version is just the verse of Waltzing Matilda. If my student seems eager for the rest of the melody - and most really WANT TO TRY IT - I give them the long version and make them use the fancy finger-replacement scheme 5-4-3-2 at the beginning of the chorus on page 2. At least, I make them try it.
Please scroll down the page for the links to the free printable PDFs.
When you are in a hurry
Here's the piano music with letters, for those end-of-the-lesson moments when students really want a new piece, and you want them to have the confidence that they can make some progress with it at home:
They will work on mastering it
With the note-reading help, you may be surprised that they will come back the following lesson knowing the whole song!
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
There is also a "helper" version of this lettered notes arrangement, which doesn't fill in every note, but just a few of them. That link is also below.
(If played as a duet, the melody or Primo part must be played UP an octave.)
If they figure out how to play that tricky section at the top of page 2 on their own, correctly, without this finger-replacement step, I let them go ahead with their own fingering, as long as it works and they aren't doing AWFUL things such as stretching over several keys from finger 3 to finger 2, for example.
A fun fingering challenge - with eyes closed
My basic rule is "Could you play this passage with your chosen fingering with your EYES CLOSED?"
And I remind them that blind people can learn to play the piano very well. So fingering needs to be efficient -- no wasted fingers.
If your students can sightread this free popular sheet music instantly, have them try Waltzing Matilda in the key of D instead, which will offer them an opportunity to work with the Bm chord.
A duet secondo
In my studio, the chords will come after the melody is learned, then the student will learn how to play Waltzing Matilda as both a duet Primo (the melody) and a duet Secondo (the chord pattern).
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Working in the key of D - there are black notes!
With the key of D version of this free popular sheet music, I like to have my students help me find the "hidden" F and C sharps, in this manner:
First, they identify the two sharps in the key signature.
There might be a rapid review of "Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-Do," and how the "last" sharp is always "ti."
Just those few spoken words, but a quick illustration done by playing and singing the scale, dwelling on the "ti" sound of the C sharp.
Make it a game of hide-and-seek
Then, the task-at-hand: we hunt through each line for sharps... I say,
"There are 3 F sharps 'hiding' in this line. Can you spot them?"
They always can, when asked like it is a game!
As the student points to each F sharp, I place a little dash (usually red-colored) next to the left of it with a pen or pencil.
That is how my piano teacher helped me keep track of black notes, whether sharps or flats, and as a child, these were very helpful to me.
What about the chords?
After students have conquered the melody -- sometimes it will be at the same lesson -- we start the chords.
Week 1 will likely be just simple open chords. By the following week, they will be ready to try this lovely pattern:
Transposing... compare the sound
When they are ready, have them try it in D.
For some reason, it is more beautiful. Yes it is!
Perhaps just because it seems very fresh to the ear for a beginner, who is so frequently playing with white notes only. Here is how that chord pattern looks in the key of D:
In fact, the list of piano chords in Waltzing Matilda encompasses every possible chord in each particular key - the I, ii, iii, IV, V, & the vi chords. I like to point this out to students.
The whole melody in one hand
If they haven't tired of Waltzing Matilda and seem willing to stretch their skills using this song, introduce them to the lead sheet for Waltzing Matilda.
Here, the melody is taken entirely in the right hand, and all chord work in the left. I have had a number of students forge ahead on their own this way without my even suggesting it, because they love this beautiful song!
This beautiful Australian folk song may well be one of your students' favorite songs for a while...
The piano music links:
Free popular sheet music for beginners Waltzing Matilda in Middle C position
Free piano music for beginners Waltzing Matilda Middle C position, short (just page 1)
Printable piano music Waltzing Matilda in the key of D
The link to the music with letters in the note-heads:
Waltzing Matilda sheet music with lettered notes for piano, free download
Download the same music, but with far fewer letters in the note-heads
The link to the duet Secondo:
Printable piano music Waltzing Matilda duet Secondo (short version)
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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Ashley:
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Carol:
I wanted to thank you.
Several of the songs on this site work so well for some of my picky students and the ones who don't practice a lot.
Comments
Do you have a funny story about this music, or does it remind you of something you'd like to share with other readers? Do you have a question? I'd love to hear it!
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Waltzing Matilda
I would like a simple version of the music for Waltzing Matilda for my grandson's 7th birthday as I am also giving him a poetry book of the words.
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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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