Chopsticks sheet music

Euphemia Allan (published 1877 as Arthur de Lulli), Level 1 · Beginner, 0:30

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Chopsticks, keyboard staff, page 1 of 1ChopsticksEuphemia Allan (published 1877 as Arthur de Lulli). Regular keyboard staff. Print at 100%, not fit-to-page.CCDDEFFGGAABBold red line: C4 · Solid line: other Cs, D F G A · Dotted grey line: E | F and B | C341GGGGGGGGGGGGFFFFFFEEEEEEC55BBBBBBCCCDEDDDDDDCCCBA9GGGGGGGGGGGGFFFFFFEEEEEEC513BBBBBBCCCDEDDDDDDCCCBA17GGGGGGGGGGGGFFFFFFEEEEEEC521BBBBBBCCCDDDDDDCCCSource: Site-owned edition. Melody: The Celebrated Chop Waltz ("Chopsticks"), by Euphemia Allan under the pen name Arthur de Lulli (1877 (London, as "The Celebrated Chop Waltz")), public domain, rights checked againstWikipedia: Chopsticks (waltz) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks_(waltz)).Chopsticks · Page 1 of 1
The keys this piece uses, A3 to E5. A line runs from each black key in its range; the bold one is C♯4.

Key facts

Level
Level 1 · Beginner. Estimated from the notes (0 of 8 on our difficulty score)
Time signature
3/4
Key signature
No sharps or flats
Length
24 bars, 1 page
Playing time
0:30
Notes
134
Range
A3 to E5

Source and licence

Licence of the source: Public domain melody.

Source: Site-owned edition. Melody: The Celebrated Chop Waltz ("Chopsticks"), by Euphemia Allan under the pen name Arthur de Lulli (1877 (London, as "The Celebrated Chop Waltz")), public domain, rights checked against Wikipedia: Chopsticks (waltz) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks_(waltz)).

Source: Wikipedia, from the edition Arthur de Lulli (Euphemia Allan), The Celebrated Chop Waltz, solo edition, 1877 (scan on Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Celebrated_Chop_Waltz_(Solo),_1877,_pp.1-2.png). The theme is written out for this site and checked against that score..

Playback sounds: Salamander Grand Piano by Alexander Holm (CC BY 3.0); Upright Piano KW by Gonzalo and Roberto of FreePats (CC0 1.0); Fluid R3 GM by Frank Wen and contributors (CC BY 3.0). Full sound credits.

How to play Chopsticks

The famous piano party piece, written in 1877 and played by two fingers ever since. Each hand plays just one note at a time, so it is the perfect first duet with yourself.

Where your hands go

Left hand: the lower note. It starts on F4, steps down to E4, D4 and C4, then on to B3 and A3 at the end of each line.

Right hand: the upper note. G4 for four bars, then B4, then C5, D5 and E5 as the hands spread apart.

Both hands play at the same time on every beat, in 3/4. You can use one finger in each hand, the way most people learn it, or a proper finger for each note.

The tricky bars

Bars 1–4
F4 and G4 together six times, then E4 and G4 six times. Only the left hand moves: one step down after bar 2. The right hand stays on G4.
Bars 5–6
D4 and B4 together six times. Both hands move here: the left steps down to D4 and the right jumps up to B4.
Bars 7–8
The hands spread. C4 and C5 an octave apart, held for two beats, then twice more, then the left hand goes down B3, A3 while the right goes up D5, E5. Then jump back to F4 and G4.
Bars 23–24
The ending: C4 and C5 held for two beats, one more beat, then a long C4 and C5 for the whole last bar.

Your practice plan

  1. Hands together, bars 1 to 6, slowly. Say "one, two, three" and play on every beat.
  2. Bars 7 and 8 alone, until the hands spread apart without looking.
  3. Join bars 6 to 9, so the jump back to F4 and G4 is ready.
  4. Play bars 1 to 16, then the whole piece with Listen on.
  5. Bring the Speed up a little each time. It sounds best bright and bouncy.

Watch out for

  • Moving the right hand in bars 3 and 4. Only the left hand steps down to E4.
  • Rushing the half notes in bars 7, 15 and 23. Hold C4 and C5 for two beats.
  • Letting the hands land at different times. The two notes should sound as one.

Power-up: press Loop, tap the first and last of the tricky bars, and they repeat until they feel easy. Hands in Options lets you practise one hand at a time. New to the notation? Start with how to read keyboard staff, then how to practise piano.