Heigh Ho, Nobody Home
Round for Singing
Heigh Ho, Nobody Home (also known as Hey Ho, Nobody's Home) is easy, vigorous, and beautiful.
It is a good introduction to harmony by way of singing rounds for beginning singers. Here is free vocal sheet music and guitar tabs for the round in several keys.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This is usually the first vocal round I give beginning voice students.
It has an engaging minor tune, and a natural rhythm that suits the words and makes it easy to memorize.
This piece is also usually my beginning voice students' first introduction to struggling for breath. I make them breathe it like this:
"Heigh, ho, nobody home" (breath)
"Meat, nor drink, nor money have I none" (BIG BREATH)
"Yet, I will be merry, very merry, Heigh, ho" (ANOTHER BIG BREATH)
"nobody home..." (breath)
Now here is the guitar tab version for Heigh Ho, also in 3 keys:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This is a fun song for guitar because it uses only two chords, back and forth and back and forth, like a practice routine, but with a great melody and rhythm.
Back to the discussion about breathing:
The reason for such a long third phrase is because of the fast notes at the end of the sentence "ve-ry mer-ry".
For some reason, that is JUST the spot where students want to gasp for air! I don't want any gasps, or late entrances on the return to the beginning with "Heigh, ho."
In this simple little singing round there is also an introduction to good articulation.
I ask my students to OVER-emphasize the final consonants of "meat" and "drink," separating out the words a bit, but without taking a breath. Doing this gives a little "punch" to the rhythm, as well.
I pronounce "heigh" like the word "hi."
Personal preference, probably because that's how I learned it as a child. Some people say "hay, ho." That's fine. And I have seen the round spelled other ways: "Hi, ho," and "Hey, ho."
But I make sure my singers understand that "hi" is a dipthong - and that they are REALLY singing "Hah-(ee)"!
The tune is almost identical to "Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose, when will I see thee wed."
The links for the vocal round:
Download Heigh Ho for vocalists in Am
Download Hey Ho for singers in Dm
Printable sheet music Hey Ho for singers in Em
The links for the guitar tabs for Heigh Ho:
Download Hey Ho for guitar in Am
Download Hey Ho with guitar tabs in Dm
Download Heigh Ho for guitar in Em
More Rounds at Music-for-Music-Teachers.com
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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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What Other Visitors Have Said
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A Great Link to Renaissance Faire Songs
I dance professionally for a Historical Dance Company.
We have sung this song (Heigh Ho) in a round. This is a very old song from the Renaissance period, …
Astoria OR. High school Choir
My teacher in high school / middle school had us sing this along with a few others played on the piano, of course.
These usually went:
Heigh Ho, …
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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