Piano tutorial

How to Play "Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)" by Traditional on Piano

“Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” is in D major, 4/4 time, at 116 BPM. This lesson teaches a simple version of the song: the melody in your right hand and easy chords in your left, one phrase at a time. The song has 4 phrases, and 2 of them repeat ones you will already know.

  • D major
  • 4/4
  • 116 BPM
  • Easy
  • Melody + easy chords
Starts with Phrase 1: Melody4 phrases
Start the lesson

Free to play. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack.

Play the full songDownload to practice offline

What you need to know

Read from the song's own melody and chords. The left hand is kept simple on purpose.

Key and scale

D major

2 sharps: F#, C#

DEF#GABC#

The D major scale

Time signature

4/4

4 beats in every bar, at 116 BPM

The chords you play

The song uses 2 chords. You learn them a phrase at a time: D and A.

Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays A where the sheet music writes A7/E.

As the sheet music writes them

  • D I
  • D/F# I
  • D/A I
  • A7/E V
  • A7/G V

Your left hand for this song

Beat chords

We'll use this simple left-hand pattern to accompany the melody: the whole chord on the strong beats. The chords change quickly, so the whole chord plays on the strong beats.

One easy shape per chordOptional, on steps 2 and 3

Right hand

The melody

The tune the singer sings, one note at a time, with finger numbers.

Range D4 to B4Phrase by phrase

The lesson, step by step

3 short steps for each phrase of the song. Each one opens in the lesson player, so you can listen and play along on your own piano.

Every step is free to play
  1. Start hereRight hand

    Step 1: Melody

    Listen, then play the tune with your right hand, with finger numbers.

    Open this step
  2. Left hand

    Step 2: Chords

    Your left hand learns this phrase's chords: a bass note, block chords, or a simple pattern.

    Open this step
  3. Both hands

    Step 3: Hands together

    The melody with your left hand's chords under it. When you can play this, you can play the phrase.

    Open this step

  4. Then play the whole song

    When you can play every phrase, play the full sheet music in the player.

    Play the full song

Frequently asked questions

What key is “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” in?

“Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” is in D major, which has 2 sharps: F# and C#. The D major scale is D, E, F#, G, A, B and C#.

What are the chords in “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)”?

The lesson plays 2 chords, one easy shape each: D and A. As the sheet music writes them: D, D/F#, D/A, A7/E and A7/G. Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays A where the sheet music writes A7/E.

What should my left hand play in “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)”?

First your left hand learns each phrase's chords on its own, then with the melody. It plays a bass note or a block chord when the chord changes, or a simple pattern: you choose, and the same choice stays on both steps.

What tempo is “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)”?

“Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” plays at 116 BPM in 4/4. Every step starts at the song's tempo, and you can slow it down as much as you need.

Is “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” hard to play on piano?

It is rated Easy. The melody goes from D4 up to B4. The lesson teaches a simple version: the melody and one easy chord shape at a time in the left hand.

Where can I get the sheet music for “Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)”?

Play the full sheet music free in the interactive player, or download a printable PDF. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack. It is this lesson on paper, with fingering, one left-hand style per PDF.

Sheet music in the playerDownload the PDFThe Practice Pack