The History Behind Jingle Bells
Whether you're brushing up on seasonal favorites or simply curious about the origins of iconic songs, Jingle Bells is a classic worth knowing. Written in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont, this festive tune was originally titled "The One Horse Open Sleigh" and was actually composed for a Thanksgiving service. Today, it's one of the most well-known holiday songs around the world. Now, let’s get to the music!
The Piano Keys You’ll Need
At first glance, the piano might seem complicated with its mix of black and white keys, but don’t worry! You can play Jingle Bells using only five white keys.
If you look closely at your piano, you’ll notice the black keys appear in a pattern of two black keys and three black keys.
The white keys we will use are:
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
These five notes are all you need to play Jingle Bells.
Hand Position and Finger Numbers
To play Jingle Bells smoothly, place your right hand on the correct keys:
- C → Thumb (Finger 1)
- D → Index Finger (Finger 2)
- E → Middle Finger (Finger 3)
- F → Ring Finger (Finger 4)
- G → Pinky Finger (Finger 5)
Now that your fingers are in position, let’s start playing!
Playing the First Line
For the first line, you will play the following notes:
EEE, EEE, EGCD, E
Take your time and start slow. You can even sing along while you play to help with timing!
Moving to the Second Line
Once you feel comfortable with the first line, let’s move on. In this section, we will add the notes F and D while keeping the same hand position.
Your fingers remain on the same keys:
- C → Thumb (Finger 1) (not used in this section but keep your thumb over it)
- D → Index Finger (Finger 2)
- E → Middle Finger (Finger 3)
- F → Ring Finger (Finger 4)
- G → Pinky Finger (Finger 5)
The second line of Jingle Bells is:
FFFF, FEEE, EDDE, D, G
Play through this line a few times and try to connect it smoothly with the first line.
Playing the Third Line – Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
Good news! The third line is the same as the first line. If you already mastered the first part, you can play this section without any extra practice. Now, let’s move on to the final line!
The Fourth and Final Line – One Horse Open Sleigh
For the last part of the song, we will use all five fingers to play the following notes:
FFFF, FEEE, GGFD, C
This is the last section before putting it all together. Practice this line a few times, then try playing the entire song from the beginning.
Playing Jingle Bells All Together
Now that you’ve learned each section, let’s put everything together.
Here is the full song with finger numbers:
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
3 3 3 3 3 3
E E E E E E
Jingle All the Way
3 5 1 2 3
E G C D E
Oh! What Fun It Is to Ride
4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3
F F F F F E E E
In a One-Horse Open Sleigh, Hey!
3 2 2 3 2 5
E D D E D G
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
3 3 3 3 3 3
E E E E E E
Jingle All the Way
3 5 1 2 3
E G C D E
Oh! What Fun It Is to Ride
4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3
F F F F F E E E
In a One-Horse Open Sleigh
5 5 4 2 1
G G F D C
Play through the song slowly, focusing on accuracy before trying to speed up.
Quick Recap
- Jingle Bells can be played using just five white keys: C, D, E, F, and G.
- Use your right-hand fingers to play:
- C (Thumb - Finger 1)
- D (Index Finger - Finger 2)
- E (Middle Finger - Finger 3)
- F (Ring Finger - Finger 4)
- G (Pinky Finger - Finger 5)
- Break the song into four sections, practicing one at a time.
- Play slowly at first, then try connecting all parts together.
Where Do I Go From Here?
Congratulations! You can now play Jingle Bells on the piano. Not as difficult as you thought, was it?
Now that you’ve learned your first holiday song, you might want to:
- Try playing with both hands by adding simple chords.
- Learn more holiday songs like "Silent Night" or "Deck the Halls."
- Improve your piano skills with private lessons.
If you’re ready to take your piano playing to the next level, book a piano lesson with Chorus Music Academy. Whether online or in person, our expert instructors make learning piano fun and easy for all ages.